Bible Study - Discipline (3) - Intimacy with GOD - John 17:1-26 - February 7, 2021

 

Bible Study – Discipline (3) – Intimacy with GOD – February 7, 2021

This is lesson three (3) in our series entitled, “Spiritual Disciplines: Becoming More Like JESUS.”

Our focus scripture is John 17:1-26

Prayer draws us closer to JESUS as our hearts align with HIS.

This scripture, to me, is most profound. It gives us insight to what JESUS did for all humans to have an intimate loving relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. This relationship is available but each person must accept it and that takes a decision. Have you made that decision? If not, why not? Don’t let your attitude toward religion prevent you from transcending the barrier of religion to an intimate, personal, loving relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. We make Christianity a religion but it is CHRIST in you that makes you a Christian through the miracle of Spiritual rebirth. Don’t understand it? No problem. It does not depend upon you understanding it, it is a miracle.

What did JESUS have to be willing to do for each of us to know GOD in the most intimate way possible? Let’s explore!

This is a wonderful love story of GOD’S love for each of us.

We know that JESUS spent long hours in prayer. In this prayer, HE knew that HIS time and ministry upon earth was coming to a close. What do we do when we are packing up to leave a long time dwelling to go to another permanent dwelling?  We tie up loose ends to make certain that we have not left something undone.

JESUS was completing GOD’S mission and purpose upon earth. JESUS had the best eternal interest of all mankind in mind. Faith in JESUS was and is GOD’S redemptive plan for mankind to receive eternal life which was lost in the Garden due to sin. HE did not have to do it but HE chose to give each of us a way back to GOD’S Original intent for the human race. Notice “the human race.” All humans are one race which have different skin colors. We are humans who spring from Adam and Eve. One set of parents. We are all brothers and sisters in the human race but there are those who are attempting to make us think we are different because of our skin color. This is the work of Satan. Unity is of GOD and disunity is of Satan.

Let’s consider the beauty and magnificence of this prayer of JESUS. HE begins with prayer for Himself.  

Think about human nature. Knowing that you came from Heaven with the power of GOD and someone insulted you and beat you and spit on you, what would you do? I would show them who they were messing with. This gives us a clue of the restraint JESUS had to be the sinless LAMB of GOD WHO takes away the sins of the world and HE did it just for you. Each of us make choices every day. Be wise my friend, be wise.

Let’s read John 17:1-5:

Jesus Prays for Himself

17 Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, ² since you gave him authority over all people,^[a] so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him. ³ This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent —Jesus Christ. ⁴ I have glorified you on the earth by completing the work you gave me to do. ⁵ Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.

“JESUS looked up to heaven, and said,” this was the way the Jews prayed to GOD. JESUS knew that HIS appointed time or hour had come. HE had completed all that HIS FATHER planned for HIM to accomplish upon earth to prepare for the redemption of mankind from sin and its eternal penalty, eternal death. JESUS knew that HE had to live a sinless life in order for HIM to be the perfect sacrifice for sin. HE knew that the shed blood of animals were placeholders until HE gave HIS life by the shedding of HIS sinless blood as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. HE knew HE would suffer the pain of the process of crucifixion because HE was human. HE knew this was the FATHER’S calling for HIM in order for humans to be set free from the consequence of original sin, eternal death. HE knew that HE willingly left HIS home in Heaven and willingly came to earth to give HIS life for all who place their faith in HIM so they would have eternal life.

Who are those GOD gave to JESUS for salvation? Could it be those who GOD foreknew as recorded by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:4:

³ Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.^[c] 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons (daughters) through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸ that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.^[d] 9 He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ ¹⁰ as a plan for the right time^[e]—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.

Think about it. JESUS was 100% human. HE knew where HE came from. HE knew the Glory HE had in Heaven. JESUS was tempted in all ways as humans are tempted, yet without sin. HE knew HE had the power and Satan knew HE had the power but Satan did not know the power and mystery of the cross. As we read in 1 Corinthians 2:7-10:

⁷ On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ But as it is written,

What no eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no human heart has conceived—
God has prepared these things for those who love him.^[c]

¹⁰ Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, since the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 

I love it when we read and see GOD’S redemptive plan unfold for all mankind. And the BEST IS YET TO COME!!! “What no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human heart has conceived – these things that GOD has prepared for those who love HIM.” WOW! WOW!

This unfathomable, unchanging love is for every person who has ever lived or will ever live upon earth. That love is available and specific just for you. It is personal and must be accepted personally. JESUS gave HIS sinless life that you might have forgiveness from your sins and receive eternal life. How is this possible? It is through the miracle of Spiritual rebirth and GOD’S Grace.

You will leave your earthly body or what I call our earth suit behind at death and our Spirit born body exits our human body to be present with our LORD JESUS.

In verse 2, we read that JESUS gives each person who places his or her faith in JESUS eternal life. How does a person know that he or she has eternal life? In verse 3, JESUS asked HIS FATHER to give each Christian a knowing or assurance that his or her sins have been forgiven. We can read about JESUS and get to know about JESUS but when a person has been born of the Spirit there is an assurance or confirmation that he or she is a Child of GOD through faith in JESUS. This is a knowing through experience.

Salvation is confirmed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

When JESUS gave up HIS earthly life, HE went to Heaven. On the third day, GOD raised JESUS from the physically dead to be eternally alive. This was to demonstrate that we, who place our faith in JESUS, serve a living Savior. After GOD raised JESUS from the dead, JESUS walked upon earth for 40 days and then ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of GOD to intercede for all Christians. JESUS also sent the Holy Spirit or comforter to earth at Pentecost to indwell every Christian to confirm and assure them that they have been Spirit born from GOD. They will not be found naked. The Holy Spirit comes along our side when we need strength to carry on according to GOD’S plan for us. We all face temptations and each time we say no, we get stronger. Let JESUS be your strength.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:14-17:

¹⁴ For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. ¹⁵ For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba,^[i] Father!” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, ¹⁷ and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Next, we read that JESUS prayed for HIS disciples then and the future.

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

⁶ “I have revealed your name to the people you (GOD) gave me from the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷ Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, ⁸ because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me.

⁹ “I pray^[b] for them. I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they are yours. ¹⁰ Everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine, and I am glorified in them. ¹¹ I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect^[c] them by your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. ¹² While I was with them, I was protecting them by your name that you have given me. I guarded them and not one of them is lost, except the son of destruction,^[d] so that the Scripture may be fulfilled. ¹³ Now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy completed in them. ¹⁴ I have given them your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ I sanctify myself for them, so that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

Truth is eternal and never changes. Gravity is in a sense a truth. Gravity works unless we do something to change it. Each time the pilot revs up the engine(s) of an airplane it defies gravity and lifts it into the sky.

Sin equals eternal death but faith in JESUS equals eternal life. When a person places his or her faith in JESUS, he or she is created into a different person through the miracle of Spiritual rebirth. JESUS told a Jewish teacher about a person needing to be born-again in John 3:1-4:

There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ² This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.”

³ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again,^[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

⁴ “How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”

Spiritual birth is a miracle and takes place quicker than the twinkle of the eye and it is eternal. Have you asked JESUS to forgive you for your sins and to come into your life? If not, why not now? JESUS prayed for you as we read on --------

Jesus Prays for All Believers

²⁰ “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. ²¹ May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be^[e] in us, so that the world may believe you sent me. ²² I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. ²³ I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.

²⁴ “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s foundation. ²⁵ Righteous Father, the world has not known you. However, I have known you, and they have known that you sent me.

JESUS Prayed for each person over 2000 years ago. HIS prayer was/is for all who are to receive Salvation. JESUS prayed for you because HE loves you and gave HIS Sinless life just for you. Will you accept HIS eternal gift to you?

If you have once made a profession of faith in JESUS but have not been living for HIM, then take off your old clothes of the old life and put on the New Clothes that have been washed in the blood of the LAMB, JESUS. Ask JESUS to forgive you and place your hand in the Master’s hands and walk with HIM. How is that possible? It is by GOD’S Grace that any of us make it moment by moment. GOD never moves, HE waits like the father of the prodigal son for you to return. Do it, trusting that HE waits for you to return and JESUS has already prayed for you. Blessings!!!