"THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"
I Pray For Them (17:6-19)
INTRODUCTION
1. We noted that one of the reasons Jesus' prayer is "The Greatest
Prayer Ever Prayed" was because of the content of the prayer
2. A previous lesson examined that part of the prayer in which Jesus
prayed for Himself ("Father...Glorify Your Son") - Jn 17:1-5
3. In this study, we shall consider the second part of the prayer...
a. In which Jesus prays on behalf of His disciples
b. In which He prays for those He would soon leave behind on earth
[As we closely examine this part of the prayer (Jn 17:6-19), we note
that Jesus makes a threefold petition in behalf of His disciples...]
I. JESUS' PETITION FOR HIS DISCIPLES
A. KEEP THEM IN UNITY...
1. Note this plea in verse 11
a. "Keep through Your name..."
b. "...that they may one as We are."
2. Jesus' departure would tend to scatter the disciples - cf. Jn 16:32
3. While with them, Jesus had kept them together - Jn 17:12
4. With His departure imminent, it is understandable He was
concerned they be kept in unity
5. The importance of such unity is explained later in Jn 17:20-26,
and will be examined in our next study
B. KEEP THEM FROM THE EVIL ONE...
1. This petition is found in verse 15
2. Jesus knew that with His departure Satan would shift his
efforts from Him to His disciples - cf. Re 12:1-6,13-17
3. Even so, Jesus does not ask for their removal, but their protection
a. Disciples need to be in the world that their presence might bless it
- cf. Mt 5:14-16; Php 2:15
b. The protection for which Jesus prayed is described in 1Co 10:13; Ro 8:35-39
C. SANCTIFY THEM...
1. This part of the petition is found in verse 17
2. That is, to set them apart for a holy purpose
3. Jesus even mentions the instrument of sanctification: the Word of God!
4. Through sanctification by the Word, the other parts of His
petition would be realized
a. The Word would keep them united in Christ
b. The Word would keep them from the evil one (even as it did
for Christ when He was tempted by Satan, cf. Mt 4:4-11)
[Thus Jesus prays for His disciples: 1) to keep them in unity, 2) to
keep them from the evil one, and 3) to sanctify them through the Word of
God. In His prayer, Jesus also provides several reasons...]
II. WHY GOD SHOULD GRANT HIS PETITION
A. THE DISCIPLES ARE THE FATHER'S GIFT TO HIS SON...
1. Notice Jesus' words in verse 6:
a. "...the men whom You have given Me out of the world."
b. "They were Yours, You gave them to Me..."
2. J. W. McGarvey made the following observation:
a. "The Father is possessor of all humanity as the Creator."
b. "The Son by gift from the Father possesses the believing
portion of humanity as its Redeemer."
B. THEY RECEIVED GOD'S WORD...
1. They kept His Word - Jn 17:6b
2. They knew that all things God gave Jesus came from God - Jn 17:7
3. They received the words Jesus gave them, and believed He was sent by God
- Jn 17:8
C. THEY ARE A JOINT POSSESSION OF THE FATHER AND SON...
1. Jesus' prayer was for those who were both the Father's and the Son's
- Jn 17:9-10a
2. The Father would naturally have a similar concern for the disciples
3. For they are not only the disciples of Christ, but children of God!
D. THEY GLORIFY CHRIST...
1. Jesus was glorified in His disciples - Jn 17:10b
2. He is glorified when sinners become saints, for it is only by
His blood and transforming power that such is possible
3. If Jesus' petition was not answered, then Jesus would not be glorified!
E. THEY NO LONGER HAVE CHRIST ON EARTH...
1. Jesus was going back to the Father, leaving the disciples on earth - Jn 17:11
2. He had preserved them all while on earth, save Judas as foretold - Jn 17:12
3. Now leaving them, He wanted them to have His joy fulfilled in themselves - Jn 17:13
F. THEY ARE HATED BY THE WORLD...
1. Because they are not of this world - Jn 17:14-15
2. Just as Jesus was not of this world - Jn 17:16
3. Following Christ had put them at odds with the world!
G. THEY ARE BEING SENT INTO THE WORLD...
1. As Jesus was sent into the world by His Father - Jn 17:18a
2. So Jesus was sending His disciples into the world - Jn 17:18b
a. A world which hates them
b. A world under the influence of the evil one
c. A world which rejected the Son of God
H. JESUS WAS WILLING TO SANCTIFY HIMSELF FOR THEM...
1. For their sakes, He was willing to sanctify Himself - Jn 17:19a
a. To set Himself apart for a holy purpose (the meaning of sanctification)
b. Which He did by presenting Himself as the Lamb of God, to
offer Himself for the sins of the world - cf. Jn 1:29
2. That His disciples might also be sanctified by the truth - Jn 17:19b
[On the basis of eight reasons, Jesus prayed for His disciples, that His
Father might 1) keep them in unity, 2) keep them from the evil one, and
3) sanctify them through the Word of God. Before we close our study, consider...]
III. HOW JESUS' PRAYER RELATES TO US TODAY
A. JESUS HAS THE SAME CONCERN FOR US...
1. That we be kept in unity - cf. Jn 17:20-21
2. That we be kept from the evil one - cf. 2Th 3:3
3. That we be sanctified - cf. 1Th 4:3
B. WHAT WAS TRUE THEN REMAINS TRUE TODAY...
1. Disciples are the Father's gift to the Son - cf. Jn 6:44-45
2. Disciples have received God's Word - e.g., 1Th 2:13
3. Disciples are a joint possession of the Son and the Father - cf. 1Co 3:23
4. Disciples glorify Christ - cf. 2Th 1:11-12
5. Disciples no longer have Christ on earth - cf. Ac 3:21
6. Disciples are not of the world, even hated by the world - cf. 1Pe 2:11-12; 4:4
7. Disciples are sent out into the world - cf. 1Co 5:9,10
8. Jesus sanctified Himself for disciples today as well as those then - cf. 1Jn 2:1-2
CONCLUSION
1. Jesus prayed for His disciples because...
a. They received the Word - Jn 17:8
b. They believed the Word - Jn 17:8
c. They kept the Word - Jn 17:6b
2. If we desire Jesus' prayer in our behalf today...
a. We must receive the Word - cf. Jm 1:21
b. We must believe the Word - cf. Ro 1:16
c. We must keep the Word - cf. Jn 8:31
3. Otherwise, we will not...
a. Be kept in unity
b. Be kept from the evil one
c. Be sanctified by the Word of God - Jn 17:17
Jesus still prays for His disciples today (cf. He 7:25). His concerns
are still the same. Are we doing our part by receiving, believing, and
keeping His Word...?
