Jesus prays!
Intro: The time has come for Jesus' arrest and trial. What is the last
thing Jesus does before he is arrested? All the Gospels tell us that He prays.
In the other gospels, He is in anguish before His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane
"The One who died
for us – Who was raised to live for us! - is in the presence of God at this
very moment sticking up for us!"
Even
as Jesus faced His arrest, trial and the Cross, He wanted His friends to hear
what He prayed – He wants us to know how He cares for and protects us, how He
loves and how He and Father desire deep relationship with us. He wants us to
know today what is on His heart for us who believe in Him.
Day 1: John 17:1-8
"This is eternal life …" Jesus is talking to His
Father, and, at the same time, giving truth to His disciples. So what is
eternal life? – Jesus Himself gives the answer here. Read it again. It is not
just about our future in Heaven with God – it is about KNOWING the "only
true God" and KNOWING Jesus Christ, His Son, the anointed One, the
Messiah. Now and forever! Eternal life
is always about relationship with God. Jesus speaks of His authority and His
glory. What is Jesus asking the Father in verses 1 and 5? Jesus left the
Father's glory to come to our world as a man – He is now about to return to
that glory! Again John affirms that
Jesus was with God and was God before the world began! And now He tells His Father,
"I have accomplished the work You gave me to do!" He has manifested
the name, character and nature of the Father! v6. He has taught God's words to
His disciples, so that they have come to believe in Him.
Day 2: John 17:9-19
"I pray for them …" Jesus is very clear that
He is not praying in general for the world, but for those who love and follow
Him – those given to Him as His friends by Father! And He says that His glory
is in them! Look what amazing oneness Jesus describes again between Him, His
Father, and His disciples! He recognises they will remain in the world, as He
goes to the Father. He is concerned for their welfare after He is gone. Perhaps
you could make a list of all Jesus is praying here. What mission does He give
us – see verse 18. And how does He equip us? Kept in the Father's love, guarded
from evil, armed with the truth of the Word of God, one with Jesus, full of His
joy – wow, what a picture is painted here, as Jesus, our Intercessor in Heaven,
still prays for His disciples. He loves. He passionately cares for us!
Day 3: John 17:20-26
Continue to list what Jesus is praying for YOU! John records
here that it is not just for those disciples present with Jesus at the time,
but ALL who believe in Jesus through their words! And so for all who believe in
Jesus through our words too! It is so clear that Jesus' mission to
represent Father to a sin-stricken, pain-filled world is now our mission. And
Jesus prays for us to be one together, that the world might believe. As He made
known the Love and nature of the Father, so we make Him known; loving Him,
loving one another. Only possible because he prays for us! And Jesus'
heart-longing, as He prays is that we might be with Him and He may be in
us.
We learn here that the Garden was a place where Jesus often
went to rest and relax with His disciples. Does it remind you of the Garden of
Eden where God would walk and fellowship with Adam and Eve(Gen 3:8)? Where man
first sinned and lost close fellowship with God, now Jesus begins God's
redemption plan – in a garden with His close friends! The troops arrive with
Judas. They ask for Jesus of Nazareth – the carpenter, the man. "I
AM He!" As we begin to read this story of betrayal and trial,
Jesus stands before us, a man. Only a man can die for the sin of the world. But
He is declaring once again "I AM" - God the LORD! The effect of God
Himself standing before the tough armed soldiers is that they all fall over
backwards! They cannot stay upright in the presence of the LORD! Throughout the
story, we will see how Jesus lays down His authority and power, to give Himself
willingly, to die for us. At this point He could have just walked away as he
has done in other incidents previously. But this is the time! Jesus, in His
care for His friends, ensures they go free, whilst offering Himself up. And He
chooses from now on to go the way of the Cross.
Day 5: John 18:10-14
Peter rushes in to defend Jesus! I think he was not
very practised at using a sword! He was a fisherman! In Luke 22:51, we read
that Jesus touched the slave's ear and healed him! Luke was probably a doctor,
and is the only one that records this detail in what would have been a horror
scene of bad memories. What is Jesus' answer to Peter as He told Him to put
away his sword? Jesus is freely giving Himself up. However willingly Jesus is
going with the Roman soldiers and Jewish officers, they still feel it necessary
to tie Him up as they lead Him off to the High Priest. Jesus bound, that we
might go free!
Day 6: John 18:15-27
Peter, recently so 'brave' that he pulled out a sword, now
denies knowing Jesus – not once, but three times. The cock crows, as Jesus had
told him. In the other gospels we read that Peter saw Jesus look at him, and
went out and wept bitterly. Can you imagine how he felt, how he must have thought
this was the end of everything? Watch the rest of the story regarding Peter –
because there is great encouragement for us in the times we let our Lord down
and fail to acknowledge Him. (It is totally different from Judas' betraying
Jesus, purposefully going into the darkness to ally with Jesus' enemies.) Jesus
Himself is facing the start of His trial in front of the Jewish authorities.
How brave He is for our sakes. We face no condemnation, because He stood there
publically for us. Let's thank Him again today.
Day 7: John 18:28-40
The hypocrisy of the religious Jews is incredible – they
refuse to go into the Roman Governor's offices as they would defile themselves!
BUT they can unashamedly bring an innocent Man to be tried by the Roman
government! Pilate, the governor, had to walk from the inside where Jesus was a
prisoner to the outer court to argue with His accusers. Jesus answers Pilate,
"I AM a King"! What does He tell Him about His Kingdom? What
is Pilate's response in verse 38. Although Pilate finds no fault in Jesus, he
still gives the Jewish leaders an opportunity to choose whether to release a
thief or Jesus, the King. What do the Jews shout in reply? Jesus was born to be
KING. Think today what it meant for Jesus to make it possible for you to be in
His Kingdom, hearing His voice, and knowing God's truth!
Summary: Jesus willingly offers
Himself in our place! He has God-given authority over the whole world (17:2). He
is a man without fault, wholly righteous – a man Who is God and came from the
glory of the Father – a man willing to bear humiliation, trial and death – to
save us and bring us into His Father's Kingdom, to know His love and protection
forever! Oh, let's be those who worship Him as our King and bring glory to His
name!
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