HopeLives365

Guest (Male): What did Jesus pray for? He prayed your life would always be in His hands. That you would be guarded by His love and grace always.

Announcer (Male): This is HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message, Jesus is Praying For You, Part One. Enjoy, and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up-to-date with HopeLives365 and Pastor Mark by going to HopeLives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: In the late 1980s, my wife and I were living in Saint Albans, England. And we were conducting a series of evangelistic meetings in the New Gallery Centre in London. Now, that meant that every day we either had to take our car and drive into London for an hour, or we had to take the train from Saint Albans down to Kings Cross Station. We'd get on the underground at Kings Cross and go down from there to Piccadilly Circus, and walk up Regent Street to the New Gallery.

We usually left at some place around 8:30 or 9:00 in the morning. We got into London at some place around 10:00, taught classes, visited people in the afternoon, and had a meeting in the evening. It would be 9:00 or 10:00 at night and we would get home. Now, when you do that week after week, month after month, you're pretty exhausted.

I remember a distinct day that I was really tired. We had been battling the city, working in London for these very months, and I was pretty exhausted. I didn't have much energy that day. I was walking up the stairs into the New Gallery Centre, and I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw a group of my students praying for me. As they were on their knees, they were praying a prayer like this: "Dear Lord, please bless Pastor Mark. He looks a little tired today. He looks a little weary today. Lift his spirits and give him some energy today."

I will tell you, when I heard that prayer, new energy surged through my body. I bounded up those stairs like a young man 23 years old again. It's a wonderful thing to have somebody that is praying for you. When you know that somebody cares enough to pray for you, that bonds you with them. It unites you with them.

It's a wonderful thing if you know your spouse is praying for you. When you know your husband's praying for you, when you know your wife's praying for you. You may be traveling on a trip, and in your mind's eye, you see your wife on her knees with your name on her lips, praying for you. It brings you great peace in your life. When children know that their parents are praying for them, it gives them a sense of stability in their life. It gives them a sense of foundation in their life.

When a child knows in their teens that their parents are praying for them. I remember when I was 17 years old. I didn't know Christ. I'd come home from playing basketball, and I'd watch the late show in the late 50s. I saw more snow on the television than I saw pictures. Some of you can't remember that. As I lay there, not knowing Christ at all, I'd look through the crack in my door into the living room and I saw my dad by that old black and white vinyl chair, with the stuffing coming out and the holes in the chair. Dad is on his knees praying for his son. It's a wonderful thing when you know that your parents are praying for you.

It's a wonderful thing, too, when you have friends that are praying for you. When they do that, the bonds of divine love unite them to your heart. It's a wonderful thing to know that somebody who cares is praying for you. But there's something even more wonderful than a wife praying for you, or a son or daughter that prays for their parent, or a parent that prays for their children, or a friend that prays.

Something more wonderful is to know that Jesus is in heaven right now and that He's praying for you. Your name is on His lips. Your concern is in His heart. Your anxieties and fears and worries matter to Him. To know that whatever struggle you are facing right now, whatever decisions you have to make right now in your life, Jesus Christ is praying for you.

The very famous Bible commentator Robert Murray M'Cheyne puts it this way: "If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference, for Jesus is praying for you." Let's suppose I walked out of church today, and over there in the side room I heard prayers. Let's suppose that Jesus was there praying, and your name was on His lips. M'Cheyne says if I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies.

Your name is on Jesus' lips. There, in the most holy place of heaven's sanctuary, Jesus is praying for you. Now, one of the most comprehensive chapters in all the Bible is John, the 17th chapter. Our study this morning comes from the 17th chapter of the book of John. God's going to speak to you through this chapter this morning. God's going to minister to your heart through these verses this morning, and the spirit of God is going to touch somebody here today. New light is going to dawn in your mind. New hope is going to fill your heart. New encouragement is going to radiate through your being.

John, the 17th chapter, is Jesus' great intercessory prayer. This chapter is one of the most inspiring in all the New Testament. Before Jesus lay Gethsemane's agony, Judas' betrayal, Peter's denial, Pilate's cowardice, Herod's skepticism, the Pharisees' coldness, the Roman soldiers' brutality, and Satan's glee. Before Jesus was the cross, Golgotha's mountain, and Calvary's Hill. Before Jesus were the nails that would be driven through His hands, the spear that would wound His side, and the nails going through His feet. All that lay before Him.

In John 17, Jesus prays for three groups. First, in the first part of the prayer, He prays for Himself. But very shortly, He prays for His disciples. And then very shortly, He makes the transition and He prays for you, and He prays for me. We begin our study this morning in John 17, verse 1. Jesus spoke these words and He lifted up His eyes to heaven and He said, "Father, the hour has come."

Every time you read in the New Testament "the hour," it's the hour of the cross, the hour of Golgotha's mountain, the hour of Calvary's Hill. It's the hour that Jesus would hang between heaven and earth. It's the hour of the cross, the hour of the nails and the betrayal. Jesus says, "The hour has come." Then Jesus says something that is absolutely, incredibly amazing. He says, "Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You."

The hour of Christ's death on the cross of Calvary, the hour of His suffering, the hour of His pain, the hour of His agony, was the hour of His greatest glory. When you think of that, Jesus would hang between heaven and earth. He would hang as a condemned sinner, bearing the guilt of all humanity. That hour would be the hour of the hiding of His Father's face. That hour would be the hour that darkness surrounded Him. That hour would be the hour that He sensed the lostness of all humanity. The sins of all humanity rested upon Him.

When Jesus Christ hung on the cross, He felt in His very being, in His physical flesh, in His very heart and mind, the condemnation that every sinner will feel when they're lost for all eternity. It was not the nails through His hands that gave Him the most pain. It was the bearing of the sins of all humanity. He tasted death for every human being. He felt the pains of what it would be like for millions of people who would be lost. He felt that lostness.

Scripture says that the hour He would look death in the face, He would triumphantly conquer. That would be the hour of His greatest glory. His hour of greatest suffering was the hour of His greatest glory. There are times that the hour of our greatest suffering, our greatest trials, our greatest difficulties, our greatest challenges, are the hour of our greatest glory. Because it's in those hours, when we recognize our utter inability to deal with the situation, that God comes through in powerful ways for His glory.

It is in those moments of our absolute weakness that God reveals His absolute strength. It is in those times of our greatest challenges that we experience God's greatest power. It is not the avoidance of problems or challenges or difficulties that brings glory to God. It is facing them in the name of Christ. It's conquering them through His power and overcoming them by His grace.

Now, Jesus prayed for four things here in John chapter 17. When we come to the prayer for Christ's disciples, He prays first that they would be guarded or protected. He prays secondly that they would be sanctified. He prays thirdly that they would be unified, and He prays fourthly that they would be glorified. Let's look at the four things that Jesus prayed for. What did Jesus pray for in that garden so long ago? What did Jesus pray for on that night? What is He praying for right now? What He prayed for then, He's praying for now. You were in His mind then, and you are in His mind now. What He was seeking God for then, He appears before the judgment bar of God for you now.

Announcer (Male): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world, so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence His life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: He's praying for four things. Let's look at what they are. John 17, and let your eyes drop down to verse 6. What did Jesus pray for in that garden that night? John 17, verse 6: "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You've given me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to me, and they have kept Your word."

As Jesus prays, He seeks the Father and He says, "They were Yours, they were not mine." The glorious reality is this: whatever you go through in life, you are Christ's. When you come to Jesus, you become a son and daughter of God. He holds you in His hand. Jesus says there, verse 8: "For I have given to them the words which You've given me, and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You and they've believed that You sent me. I pray for them."

Now, Jesus begins praying. He's not thinking about the nails through His hands. He's not thinking about the crown of thorns upon His head. He's not thinking about Judas' betrayal or Peter's denial or the Jews' rejection or the Romans' crucifixion. He's not thinking about the disciples that will forsake Him and flee. What love is this? He is thinking about you. He's thinking about me in the hour of His greatest suffering.

He says, "I pray for them," verse 9. "I do not pray for the world but for those You've given me, for they are Yours. And all mine are Yours, and Yours are mine, and I am glorified in them." Now notice verse 11, that's the text we want to concentrate on. He focuses this first aspect of His prayer. "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You, Holy Father." Jesus is going to leave soon. He will ascend to heaven. Soon He'll be out of sight of earth and in sight of heaven. Soon the disciples will no longer be able to visibly see Him anymore.

What is His concern? He says, verse 11: "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You, Holy Father. Keep through Your name those whom You've given me, that they may be one." Notice, Jesus didn't pray that His disciples would be taken out of the world. Christianity does not release us from our problems; it provides the wisdom and strength to solve them. Christianity does not offer us a life in which problems are escaped; it offers us a life in which problems are faced and conquered.

Christianity does not offer us a life of ease; it offers us a life of triumphant warfare. We're in a battle between good and evil. We're in a battle between Christ and Satan, and the great controversy wages. Keep your finger in John 17, but go to Ephesians 6:12. Jesus never prays that His disciples would be taken out of the world. Some people think that Christianity is peace and joy all the time. There is an inner peace, there is an inner joy, but it's the peace in conflict. It's the joy in struggle because we are in a battle. We're in the enemy's land.

The controversy wages between good and evil. So if you're going through a struggle, if you're going through a battle, if you are facing the wiles of the enemy, don't become discouraged about that. You're not off the map; you're on the map. Christianity does not promise release from our trials until the day we walk streets of gold and we sing the glory song on the sea of glass. But Jesus promises peace in our trials. Jesus promises strength in our difficulty. Jesus promises wisdom in our ignorance.

Notice what the Bible says, Ephesians 6:12: "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places." So there is a battle, there is a struggle. The devil is a vicious foe, and daily the battle rages. Jesus never prayed that they would find escape. He prayed that they would find victory.

Did you notice that word in John 17:11? We need to go back to it. John 17:11. Notice the word that Jesus prays in this first part of His prayer. Jesus prays, "I pray that You would keep them through Your name." He says, "Now I am no longer in the world," verse 11. "But these are in the world, and I come to You, Holy Father. Keep through Your name." Now, the word "keep" is an interesting word. In the original Greek language, it has the impression of "guarded." Guard them, O Lord. It has the impression of "protect them." As Jesus prays, He commits His followers to His Father's care.

Every Christian can claim the keeping power of God. God will never allow us to go through any test that He does not hold us in His hand. You know, many years ago, the Native American Indians had a very unique practice of training their young warriors. When these young warriors were 13 years old, they had been trained in tracking, they had been trained in scouting, they had been trained in hunting, and they had been trained in fishing. On the 13th birthday of one of these young Indian braves, the young brave was brought at night out into the woods. He was brought miles and miles into the woods, five, six, seven, eight miles into the deepest, darkest, dense forest.

He was left there to spend all night alone in the forest. Every cracking twig brought fear to that young brave's heart. Every squirrel that ran up a tree brought fright to that young brave. It seemed like eternity. Now, the young brave was blindfolded when he was brought there. The blindfold was taken off and he was left alone. That was his initiation into adulthood. He visualized wild animals ready to pounce upon him. Throughout the night, he was terrified. It appeared that the night would never end. It appeared like it was an eternity.

But when dawn broke and the first light broke through the interior of the forest, looking around, the boy saw flowers and trees and the outline of the path. Then to his utter astonishment, he saw a man standing a few feet from him. It was his father with a bow and arrow standing guard over that young brave all night. However terrified you are of what you're going through in life, however worried you are, however anxious you are, whatever battles you face and whatever challenges come your way, our heavenly Father answers Christ's prayer for you and He's keeping guard over you. He's keeping watch over you.

In scripture, the Bible says that we are never far from the Father's eyes. In the darkest night, when we tremble with fear, He is there. He is on guard to protect, preserve, and guide us. We can have absolute confidence that not only did Jesus pray for us in John chapter 17, but Jesus is praying for us right now. Take your Bible and turn to Hebrews chapter 7, verse 25. We have a friend in the heavenly courts. That friend is praying for us. Your name is on His lips today. You're in His heart today.

Hebrews chapter 7, verse 25. Notice what the scripture says. Jesus prayed for us in the garden that night, and He's praying for us now. Hebrews 7, verse 25: "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives." What does Jesus do? He ever lives. What does He ever live to do? To make intercession for them. Notice, He is in heaven making intercession for you right now. It says He's able to save to the uttermost. What is Jesus able to do? He's able to save. How much is He able to save? To the uttermost.

Now notice what it says, "He's making intercession for us." What does that mean? In very practical terms, what does it mean that Jesus is in heaven today making intercession for you? Let me make it simple. Here's what it means. The intercession of Christ in the sanctuary above simply means this: that Jesus is doing everything you need for salvation. In Christ, forgiveness is ours. It's abundant. In Christ, freedom from guilt is ours. In Christ, the gift of eternal life is ours. In Christ, victory over sin is ours. In Christ, strength to overcome is ours. In Christ, hope for the future is ours.

You can rejoice that everything we need for salvation is ours in Christ. The intercession of Christ in heaven's sanctuary simply means that through Christ, all of heaven's blessings flow from the throne of God to you today. Forgiveness flows, freedom from guilt flows, freedom from condemnation flows, strength flows, wisdom flows. All of those gifts are yours because of the intercession of Christ.

Now notice something significant. Who is this that is praying for you? It's one thing if your husband's praying for you, praise God for that. It's one thing if your wife is praying for you, praise God for that. It's one thing if a friend is praying for you, praise God for that. What does it mean when we say Jesus is praying for us? Who is this Christ?

The purpose of the Gospel of John is to introduce the divinity of Christ. Each of the Gospels has a different function. That's why we have four of them. Matthew reveals the teachings of Christ. Mark reveals the humanity of Christ and Christ interfacing with human beings. Luke is the parables of Christ, the stories of Christ. The Gospel of John was written to show the divinity of Christ. When you come to John 17, it presupposes that you understand who it is that's praying for you.

In John chapter 1, the titles of Christ are introduced. We're going to breeze through John chapter 1 to get the significance of what it means that Jesus is praying for us. John chapter 1, verse 1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." So who is it that is praying for you? He is the one who is the almighty, the eternal, the one that was co-existent with God, the one who was with God from all eternity.

Let your eyes drop down to verse 3. Who is it that's praying for you? "All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made." Who is it that's praying for you? He is the all-powerful Creator. He is the one that spoke and worlds came into existence. He is the one that spoke and there the earth was carpeted with living green, and stars appeared, and sun, moon, and stars. He's the all-powerful Creator. He's praying for you.

Announcer (Male): You've been listening to HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at HopeLives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: When I taste Your goodness, I shall not want. God is a good God, isn't He? We praise His name.