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Call to worship: Jeremiah 31:31-34

Text: John 17:1-5

Summary:

The Olivet Discourse (Jesus departing) is ended, moving immediately into prayer. John 17 is most properly the Lord's prayer. In this first section, we're party to the conversation of the Son directed trustingly to the Father. We get to hear Jesus pray. And He begins by asking the Father to glorify Himself by glorifying Christ in His death on the cross---in His purchase of eternal life for His people. Next, Jesus defines eternal life for His people. And finally, He expresses His utter confidence in the completion of the work the Father gave Him to do. This leads Him to ask for exaltation---the Man Christ Jesus to the throne and glory He had with the Father before the world existed. In this final request, we are comforted about our own destiny in Christ, and that, while we are at distance from Him now, it makes no difference, He is the Lord of all, and He's praying for us.

Sermon Outline:

1. Jesus' primary concern: the glory of the Father in the Son on earth. (17:1)
a) God glorified in the cross of Jesus. (17:1)
b) God glorified in the authority of Jesus. (17:2)
c) God glorified in the gift of Jesus. (17:3)
d) God glorified in the confidence of Jesus. (17:4)
2. Jesus' intercessory concern: the resumption of His glory in Heaven. (17:5)

Prepare

Discussion Questions:

1. Read John 17:1-5.
2. Technically, there are only two requests in 17:1-5. The first is in 17:1. What is it? And to what end? What is Jesus' primary concern? Is the glory of God our primary concern? How is what Jesus prays distinct and unique from anything that we might pray? What is 'the hour' that has come? How does 'the hour' relate to this first request? Does the cross of Christ as the glory of God meet with human standards of saving wisdom and power, even the knowledge of God in all His beauty?
3. 17:2 flows from the request in 17:1. How? What's the relationship between the verses (it's a sentence continued)? How does the authority of God, given to Jesus, relate to His work on the cross, to all mankind, and to His people? What does Jesus give to His people? Why do I keep saying 'to His people'? What doctrine does Jesus establish in 17:2? In other words, to whom does He give eternal life? How does His clear teaching on unconditional election coincide with human responsibility within this prayer? How is the Father glorified in this?
4. In 17:3, how does Jesus define the eternal life that He gives? How might His teaching on eternal life compare with more popular notions of, both, knowing God and eternal life? In John, is eternal life a mere (or even primarily a) quantity of life? How would you define eternal life? How does this definition retrain your thinking about it?
5. In 17:4, Jesus expresses the utmost confidence about, what? What is 'the work' that He has accomplished? When thinking about His finished work, we often run to the cross. What else does He mean here? In 17:5, Jesus makes His second opening request. What is it? What does it say about Jesus? Is the exalted Son the same now as eternally before? Think carefully. How is the answer yes and no? And how is the difference of greatest comfort and encouragement to us? If you need help, frequent Hebrews 2.