When Jesus Prays for Us

John 17:1‭-‬5

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,  since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.  And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.  I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

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John 17 is called the High Priestly Prayer, and that will only matter to you if you have a deep appreciation for what a priest is meant to be. As the book of Hebrews repeatedly claims, Jesus took the role of priest and did so in a way far superior to the earthly priests of Israel. He not only intercedes for us before a holy God, but does so in a way that is perfect and permanent. He is also unlike the human priests in that he did not offer an imperfect lamb -- he offered the perfect gift of himself to atone for our sins completely.

So, what does this prayer tell us about the priestly role of Jesus? And what does this matter in our own lives?

First, in this prayer, we are given a rare glimpse into the intimacy between Jesus and his Father. The Gospels have so far described Jesus' prayer life from the outside, but here we get an emotional peak behind the curtain. We are given an idea of what else Jesus was thinking and feeling in Gethsemane, just hours before his trial and execution. Jesus twice refers to his relationship with the Father existing before the world began, confirming again his divine nature. So, we are seeing Jesus' divinity, his special relationship with the Father, and all in the context of him facing the ultimate sacrifice. We see a man deeply concerned for his friends who are about to face many fears and threats of there own. We see the heart of Jesus toward his Father and toward us his followers. This is the only kind of priest we can put our hope in.

Second, we are shown some of the specific things which Jesus prays for, which include some incredible life-changing promises for you and I. These include eternal life, which he says consists primarily of knowing the Father and Son personally. He prays for his friends, for their protection in the face of a hateful world. He prays that they would be sanctified in the truth, set apart to know and proclaim the good news. He prays for those who would believe through their preaching, including us reading this today centuries later. He prays for our unity, and the means of that unity -- that we would know the love that is shared between the Father and Son.

This last part of the prayer is worth focusing on, because it is requested as if it were already guaranteed:

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.  O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me.  I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:24‭-‬26)

What initially sounds like a prayer request ends up sounding like a guarantee. Jesus desires us to be with him, to see his glory that has existed from all eternity. And he promises to continue making this glory known to us. What a promise! And what does it mean to know his glory? It means experiencing the love which the Father has for his precious son. It means having Jesus himself in us, the object of God's eternal affection.

What could possibly matter more to our daily life? What fear, what anxiety, what disappointment could possibly stand up in the face of such a phenomenal promise that is ours today? Christ in us, the hope of glory! Consider the great exchange Jesus has made with us. He is our priest and our sacrifice, and in his place we now stand -- forgiven, accepted into God's family, filled with his power and presence, and promised an inheritance we didn't deserve.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

In the Hands of God

John 10:27-30

My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish — ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.

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Assurance.

I believe that assurance and confidence in the truth of our salvation comes from simply answering these two questions:

1. What do you know about the reality of God and his love for you?
2. How do you know that this reality is true and is yours?

We all have asked these questions, but perhaps in different words. Am I alone in the universe? Does anyone care for me? Will justice ever be done for me? Will the wrongs be made right? Why should I trust God to protect me or rescue me from troubles? Why pray for help? Does he see me? Does he know me?

We can answer these with cliches, but that can soothe us for only so long. The human heart is restless and will not settle for cheap answers. Our minds search and test every truth claim, hungering for a solid foundation upon which to build a happy life.

Many today believe that no such foundation exists. That leaves them with a choice between despair or fantasy. Most choose fantasy - creating our own sense of meaning out of thin air or from very subjective and tenuous wishful thinking. There is no proof for a loving God, so I will find my purpose in my career, my art, my friends, my community, in nature, in politics, in charitable work.... All good things that bring joy, but none of them are ultimate and all of them leave us hungry still.

If we cannot quench this hunger with what we find on earth, isn't it entirely logical there is something more out there? As Lewis said, "If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world."

But what is this deeper world, what is it like, and how can I have assurance that it is real and that I can access it myself? Those are the key questions, and John 10 gives incredible answers.

What is the truth? Jesus is God, the final picture of God, completely one with the Father, the One who knows us completely, who has offered his life to bridge the chasm between us, and who has taken up his life again, risen from the dead to ensure eternal life for his precious children.

How do we know this is true and applies to me? His sheep hear his voice and answer his call. To those who hear that Jesus died and rose again so that they can have eternal life, to those whose hearts are compelled by that demonstration of love, they receive a promise of life that will never perish! He proved this love on the cross. He proved his divinity by rising again. These are historical facts recorded and preserved by martyrs and heroes of faith for over 2,000 years.

And the Spirit of God himself lives in those who respond to this message, continuing to affirm and bring confidence day by day. Confidence not in ourselves, or even in the strength of our faith. But confidence in the certainty and compelling power of a love unmatched and a promise that cannot be shaken.

No one can snatch his children from his omnipotent hand. This passage refers to both the hand of Jesus and the hand of the Father, as if two almighty hands were completely enfolding us. What could possibly harm or endanger us while we rest in these everlasting arms? Consider the finality and assurance of this promise and walk in the absolute freedom that it provides. A secure foundation. Eternal and unchanging.

Because God wanted to show His unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath,  so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.  We have this hope as an anchor for our lives, safe and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. (Hebrews 6:17-19)

Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus,  by a new and living way He has opened for us through the curtain (that is, His flesh ), and since we have a great high priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.  Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:19-23)

Taming the Tongue

Psalm 12:1

Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone;
for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
Everyone utters lies to his neighbor;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

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I have recently experienced the awful power of words in a way that left me feeling hurt, angry, and regretful all at once. There is a co-worker whom I see everyday and have developed a strong and affable working relationship. We've been to each others' homes. We've heard each others' life stories. We've discussed each others' beliefs in detail. But, after all that we've learned about each other over the past year, after all the controversial topics we have discussed, the issue that finally drove a wedge between us was none other than WalMart.

Without going into the details, I will just say that we left work one day having said some pretty antagonistic words to one another. I spent that evening churning and restless, trying to think of what I had said and what I could now say to make things right.

I was searching for words.

Apparently, King David knew something about the power of words as well, both for good and for ill. His enemies seem to be masters of flattery, deception, and malice. He prayed that God would cut off flattering lips - those who say, "With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?" Seems like his enemies were so confident in their own strength that they saw their own lips as securing mastery over others. For them, the sword of the tongue was sufficient to slay their foes.

The words of the Lord, by contrast, expressed compassion, justice, and protection for the oppressed, a common theme among David's prayers. "Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise...I will place him in the safety for which he longs." David tells us that God's words are pure, that the substance of His words is dramatically different than the words of David's enemies. His enemies boast in their tongues; the Lord lifts up those in need with the promises of His word.

Read how this Psalm concludes and consider where you stand in this culture that throws words around like hand grenades. How have you used words to build up or tear down those around you? How have you trusted the promises of God, whose words are pure and full of compassion? How can you model that kind of tongue in your daily life? I hope and pray that the words I use at work will speak peace and compassion, rather than boasting and pride. I am sorry for what I said, and I will continue to do the hard work of taming my tongue, and by the grace of God, allowing my heart to be renewed and transformed to reflect more of God's Word.

You, O LORD, will keep them;
you will guard us from this generation forever.
On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among the children of man.