HopeLives365

Mark Finley: The one of light and glory, the lamb of God, the son of God, the king of the universe, your name is on his lips. He's praying for you.

Guest (Male): This is HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message, "Jesus is Praying for You, Part Two." Enjoy, and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with Hope Lives 365 and Pastor Mark by going to hopelives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: John chapter 1. Who is it that's praying for you? Verse 4. In him was life, and life was the light of men. He is the one who lights every heart born into this world, and by his Holy Spirit begins to draw them to himself. Who is it that's praying for you? Verse 16. And of his fullness we all have received grace and truth. Who is it that's praying for you? He's the fountain of grace. He's the fountain of truth.

Who is it that's praying for you? Verse 18. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten son, that word begotten means unique one, the one who is one of a kind. It comes from the Greek word "mono" meaning one, "genes" meaning kind. He is the only begotten son. He's one of a kind. Why is he one of a kind? He's existed with the Father. The expression "the bosom of the Father" means that he is with the Father forever, from eternity. Who is it that's praying for you?

He is the one who is God. He is the one who is the creator. He is the one that lights every man that comes into the world. He is the one who's existed from all eternity. He is the fountain of grace and truth, and your name is on his lips. He's praying for you. John 1 verse 29. Who is it that prays for you? The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Who is it that's praying for you?

The one that died for you is the one that's praying for you. John 1 verse 49. Who is it that's praying for you and for me? John 1 verse 49. Nathaniel answered and said to him, "Rabbi, you are the son of God. You are the king of Israel." When we sense this, we sense that it's the almighty, the all-knowing, the all-wise, the all-powerful Christ that's praying for us. It's the Jesus that has never lost a battle with Satan yet. It is the Christ that triumphed over Satan in his life and death. It is the crucified, ascended, resurrected, interceding, coming again Lord that is praying for us.

Isn't that incredible good news? How can you be discouraged? How can you be downhearted? Whatever the devil throws at you, the eternal Christ, the all-powerful creator, the fountain of grace and truth, the one of light and glory, the lamb of God, the son of God, the king of the universe, your name is on his lips. He's praying for you. Now the second aspect of Jesus' prayer is found in John chapter 17 verse 16 and 17.

First he prays that we will be kept, protected, guarded by the power of God. Now the second thing he prays is that we would be sanctified through his grace. John the 17th chapter. You're looking there at verse 15, 16 and 17. Now notice again Jesus' prayer. He says in John 17 verse 15 to 17, "I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one." It was not Jesus' prayer that we go off and live in some monastery someplace.

That wasn't his prayer, not that we be taken out of the world, but rather that we be kept from the evil. Now how can we be kept from the evil of the world? They are not of the world, just as I'm not of the world. We're sons and daughters of God. We're not of this culture of the world. Verse 17. Sanctify them through your truth. Your word is truth. Here Jesus says "sanctify." What does sanctify mean? Sanctify means set apart. Sanctify means to make holy.

It's a word used in the Old Testament of the priests of Israel. They were set apart. The truth of God's word sets us apart. It sanctifies or cleanses us in our inner soul. Now when Jesus uses the word "world," when John uses the word "world," what does he mean? If you look through the Gospel of John, there are four things about the world in the Gospel of John. Jesus says they are not of the world. What does that mean? They're not of the culture of this world.

What is the teaching of the Gospel of John regarding the world? There are four things about it. First, the world is deluded. It seeks meaning where meaning is not. It seeks for purpose where purpose is not. It seeks for pleasure where pleasure is not. And the word of God reveals reality. It reveals a loving God who cares and has the power to change our lives. When we saturate our minds with the word of God, we can sing with John Wesley, "I once was blind, but now I see."

See, the world tends to shape us. It tends to dumb us down into the culture of the world. But you read the word of God and it transforms the brain cells. It transforms the thinking process and we see with a new reality. First, the world is deluded, deceived. The word of God speaks to us and it opens our minds in that blindness. Secondly, the world is a dangerous place, according to John's gospel. It's filled with the temptations of Satan and daily we are bombarded with those temptations that can easily overwhelm us.

And what Jesus is saying here, he's saying, "I'm praying. Don't let my people be bombarded with the dangers of this world. Saturate their minds with the word so they can see a new reality." So the world is dangerous. Thirdly, in the Gospel of John, the world is defiled. It's spiritually fallen. It's corrupt. It's wicked to the core. But through the power of the Holy Spirit, as we saturate our minds with the word of God, we are cleansed.

Take your Bible and turn to James chapter 1 verse 21. We have some 14 billion brain cells or more. I never counted them. When you read the word of God, James 1, the brain cells are transformed and the living word enters the mind and cleanses the inner recesses of the brain. James chapter 1. You're looking there at verse 21. What is Jesus praying? He's praying that his people would not be too busy to study his word.

He's praying that his people would not be so involved in making a living that they forget to make a life. He's praying that the world would not so encroach into our thinking process that we spend minutes reading the word and hours in front of the TV screen. He's praying that we would not be too busy to have the transformation of the brain cells of our mind through the living word. When you're too busy to study the word, when life seems to choke out time for devotion, when the things of time crowd out the things of eternity, remember a garden and remember a night and listen to the prayers of Jesus.

"Father, I pray not that you take them out of the world, but I pray that they would be sanctified through my word." James 1 verse 21. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and the overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your soul. Notice what scripture says. It says the "implanted word." As you read the word and you pray, "God, implant your word in my mind. God, in the brain cells of my mind, may the creative energy of the word transform my thinking process."

What did Jesus pray for in the garden that night? He prayed first that you always would be held in the Father's hand, that you'd be kept in trial, in temptation, in heartache and sorrow, that you'd sense Jesus' hand holding you. He prayed secondly that when you were too busy to take time with God's word, you'd remember that Jesus is drawing you back through his prayers. He's praying that you'd be sanctified through the word. He's praying your mind would be cleansed through the word.

He's praying that in his word you'd find strength and courage and hope. He's praying that the word would sanctify you. Now there is a third thing that Jesus prays for in this prayer. The world today that we live in is divided. It's fragmented. Governments are divided. Would you agree with me on that? Conflicts erupt in the workplace. We often have divided workplaces. Tensions arise in families. Friends are often separated by differing opinions.

If there ever was a place that the unity of the gospel and the love of Christ ought to be revealed, it's in the church. And so in this prayer, Jesus prays for the unity of his church. Let's study it.

Guest (Female): 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: John chapter 17. Jesus has prayed that his people would be kept by his power. Jesus has prayed that his disciples would be sanctified by his word. And Jesus prays for your family, your relationship, that it would be unified. Jesus prays that the church would be unified. Now notice the prayer of Christ. Now the reason unity—and we're looking at John 17 verse 20 to 23—the reason that unity is crucial to the witness and mission of the church is that the world is defined by conflict.

The world is defined by broken relationships. The world is defined by dysfunctional families. The world is defined by fractured and nearly non-existent communities. And if the church can reveal the loving unity of Christ, it would be a sign to the world that God is at work and that no human effort could accomplish it. The love that we are to show to the world is to mirror the love that the Father has with the Son. Now notice, John 17, we start with verse 20.

Jesus prays, "I do not pray for these alone, but for those who believe in me through your word." That's you, that's me. Jesus is praying that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be one in us. Now notice he goes on to pray that the world may believe that you sent me. Notice the essence of the unity of the church. When people with different ideas, when people with different cultures, when people with different backgrounds get together, when they express themselves on a committee in differing opinions but in love and respect for one another, when culture is respect for one another, when we have this difference of background.

Unity is not everybody dressing the same, eating the same, thinking the same. Unity is a bondedness that we have in Christ. It's a recognition that we're sons and daughters in Christ. Sometime ago I read an amusing story. I don't know if it was true or not. A man is on a boat traveling through the ocean and as he travels through the ocean, he's alone. A storm comes up and the storm overwhelms the boat and the guy swims and he goes on this little island, and it's a marooned island. Nobody lives there. It's one of these islands where nobody lives.

So the first thing he does is get a hut. Get twigs and stuff and branches. He builds this hut. Then he builds another hut. Then he builds another hut. He builds three huts. Nobody lives on the island except him. A year goes by, two years go by. He's the only one on the island. And pretty soon, a boat comes by, a rescue boat. And the rescue boat rescues the guy. But they see three huts and they say, "I thought nobody lived on the island." And the rescue guys, the captain of the boat, said, "What are those three huts for?"

He said, "That first hut over there, that's where I lived." "What about those other huts?" He said, "I had to worship God, so that's a church. I built a church in that second hut." The captain said, "Praise God. What's the other one over there, the third hut?" "Oh, that's the church I used to go to." You got the point. Some people are always looking for the perfect church. "I'm looking for a church that's never going to offend me. Oh man, that person didn't say hi to me, I don't think I'm going back there. Oh, this little conflict over there in the church."

Why do you think God put you here? To grow through conflict. To learn to respect. To understand differences. That's why God puts us in church. What are you going to do? Go find a barren island someplace and build your huts? And then you get so discouraged with yourself, you leave that one and go to the next one, right? What did Jesus pray? The basis of all unity is this: is the recognition that whatever backgrounds we have, we are all sons and daughters of God.

The basis of all unity is to allow the glory of God to be reflected in all of our relationships. It is the recognition that just as the Father and Son were members of the Godhead, we are members of one spiritual family in Christ. I love the way Adam Clarke, he's an old Bible commentator, sometimes you have to struggle with his language, but this is what Adam Clarke said. He paraphrases John 17, where Jesus says that they all may be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe you sent me, and the glory which you gave me I've given them, that they may be one.

Adam Clarke paraphrases that and it's brilliant. Here's what he said: "I have communicated to all those who believe in me glorious privilege of being sons and daughters of God, that all being adopted children of the same Father, they may abide in peace, love, and unity." When you become a little impatient with your brothers and sisters, remember, we're all part of the same family. We may have differences, but we're brothers and sisters in Christ.

And it's this love for one another, not because we don't have differences but in spite of those differences, that unite our hearts. When you are becoming a little impatient in a committee meeting and you are tempted to lash out a little too harshly, remember, that person sitting across from you is part of the same family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus is praying for the unity of his church. He's praying that those who have different opinions will be brought together in loving fellowship.

You know, during World War II, Adolf Hitler commanded that all religious groups be united together. He didn't ban religion, but he united all religious groups for one reason. This is why Hitler did it: because he knew he could control them. And that's what he wanted to do. In the Brethren group, the Brethren group split over that. And when they split, half of them accepted to go with the state church that Hitler established. They were able to exist during the Second World War fairly well.

The other half of the Brethren group didn't do that and they were persecuted, they were tormented, many were put in prison. It was a very horrible time for them. Many died in Hitler's concentration camps. At the end of the Second World War, there was bitterness and rancor and there was a great division in the Brethren group because the war was over but the one group said the other group had compromised and the other group argued with the other group and it was horrible. There was just deep, deep, deep-seated feelings.

The leaders of both groups decided to get together and they had a spiritual retreat. And in that spiritual retreat, this is what happened. They said, "We're going to take the first two days and simply pray." And as they prayed, the spirit of God came down in that retreat and the Holy Spirit began speaking to their hearts. There were confessions of bitterness, hostility, tears flowed. And the philosopher-theologian Francis Schaeffer tells about that meeting. He talked to somebody that was there.

And the person that was there said this: "When God broke my heart and showed me my bitterness and hostility, I was able to reconcile. But when I looked for others who I supposed were bitter and hostile, the barriers were there. When the Holy Spirit breaks your heart and you shift your attention not from what the other person has done to you, but what Christ can do in your heart to reconcile with the other person, barriers are broken down."

What did Jesus pray for? He prayed your life would always be in his hand, that you would be guarded by his love and grace always. He prayed that his word through the spirit would sanctify your mind. He prayed that his people would be unified, recognizing difference and misunderstanding. He prayed that there would be no hostility in our hearts. But there's a fourth thing that Jesus prayed for. John chapter 17 verse 24 to 26. There's the last thing that Jesus prayed for. This was the most important thing.

His prayer comes to a glorious climax. John 17 and you're looking there at verse 24 to 26. "Father, I desire." Jesus is praying. Can you hear his prayer? He prayed this on earth, he's praying it in heaven's sanctuary above. "Father, I desire." Verse 24. "Father, this is my wish. Father, this is my dream. Father, this is what I long for more than anything else. Father, this is my will. Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the earth. O righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you. These know that you've sent me. I declare to them your name."

What is Jesus praying for? Can you hear Jesus praying? Jesus is in heaven's sanctuary. He's in the most holy place at the days of the judgment hour. And Jesus is praying, "Father, I desire, Father, I wish that John or Mary or Pete or Alice, I wish they'll be with me. Lord, I don't have any other desire in my heart that's more important than this. Lord, I want my people to be saved. I want them to be in the kingdom of God forever." He thought of you in a garden that night 2,000 years ago, and he's thinking about you right now.

Imagine this scene. The judgment is set. The books are open. A thousand times ten thousand angels gather around that scene. Celestial beings from unfallen worlds gather around that scene. Cherubim and seraphim are there around that scene. The judgment is set and the books are open. The destinies of all humanity are to be settled. It is the most solemn moment in the history of the universe. And there, your name comes up before judgment. Angels are hushed. Cherubim and seraphim are quiet. All of heaven is quiet.

Your name comes up before judgment. And as it does, the Christ that prayed for you in the garden stands forth with the scars of the wounded hands. And he says, "Father, I desire." The words of John 17:24 on his lips. "Father, I desire that this my child be with me through all eternity." And all of heaven says, "It's enough. The sacrifice of Christ is enough. The blood that flowed from his hands are enough. The forgiveness that flows from the cross is enough. It's enough. Saved in God's kingdom forever."

And all of heaven begins to sing, "Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive riches and honor and glory forever." Jesus prayed for you 2,000 years ago. He prayed that you would be kept in his love. He prayed that you'd be sanctified by his word. He prayed that your heart would be at unity with others around him, around you. And he prayed that you, that you, that you would live with him in heaven forever. The Father will answer the Son's prayers for you. Walk through life filled with hope. Walk through life filled with encouragement. The battle wages, but all the demons in hell cannot take you from the hands of Christ. His prayers for you will be answered. Let hope fill your heart.

Guest (Female): 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: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. So who is it that's praying for you?