“What Was on Jesus’ Mind Before He Died?”
John 17
Sermon Series: “Getting Acquainted With Jesus”
Introduction: Last thoughts and words are both very important and very revealing. If you knew that you were going to die tomorrow, what would you be thinking about tonight? Of course, Jesus’ last words were very important and very revealing. We think about (and rightly so) the amazing words that he uttered while dying on the cross. However, we should not neglect the amazing conversation He had with His Father the evening before He died. That conversation (prayer) certainly revealed the heart and mind of Christ. If Jesus was thinking about it then; we should be thinking about it; praying about it, and acting on it now.
This prayer clearly illustrates to us that prayer is simply a conversation with God. Warren Wiersbe says of this prayer, “It is the greatest prayer ever prayed on earth and the greatest prayer recorded anywhere in Scripture. John 17 is certainly the ‘holy of holies’ of the Gospel record, and we must approach this chapter in a spirit of humility and worship. To think that we are privileged to listen in as God the Son converses with His Father just as He is about to give His life as a ransom for sinners!”
The prayer clearly divides into three sections:
(v. 1-5) Jesus prays for Himself.
(v. 6-19) Jesus prays for His disciples.
(v. 20-26) Jesus prays for future believers.
Based on what Jesus prays here, I want you to notice four subjects that he particularly focused on. These were clearly on His mind, and He wants us to think about them, pray about them, and act on them today.
1. The Glory of God: The glory of God is part of the very nature of God. It is intrinsic within Him. It is who He is. Millard Erickson says that God’s glory is “the greatness of His entire nature.” It “conveys the meaning of brightness, splendor, magnificence, and fame.” Rick Warren says that “it [glory] is who God is. It is the essence of his nature, the weight of his importance, the radiance of his splendor, the demonstration of his power, and the atmosphere of his presence. God’s glory is the expression of his goodness and all his other intrinsic, eternal qualities.” How do we glorify God? There are several ways, but our text gives three.
By trusting Jesus.
By making much of the cross.
By obediently completing God’s work for us.
Application: Are we trying to glorify God in all that we do, say, and think? Are we focused on Him or ourselves? Are we obeying God? Are we fulfilling His plan for our lives? Will we make this the priority for us as a church?
2. The Well-being of Believers:
Joy (v. 13).
Protection (v. 14-16). Kent Hughes rightly describes this as living on mission instead of isolation or assimilation.
Holiness (v. 17). “Sanctify” means “to set apart unto God.” The means of this is truth.
Applications: Are we living with this kind of balance? Are we focused on people and spiritual growth?
3. The Evangelization of the World: Jesus said (v. 18), “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.”
Application: Are we being witnesses for Christ with our words and actions? Are we engaging the world or retreating from the world? Is this a priority for us as a church? Will we take advantage of the opportunity before us right now?
4. The Unity of the Church: First of all, it is incredible to think that Jesus prayed for us before He died. He prayed specifically for unity among believers, His Church. Think about these truths:
The model for unity is the Trinity.
The purpose of unity is the world believing.
It is the demonstration of the love of God.
We are together with Christ eternally.
Applications: How do we relate to the whole body of Christ? Are we in fellowship with individual believers?
