Jesus is Praying for Us

Transcript

Rob McFarlane: 0:58

The title of my sermon today is Jesus is praying for us. I believe you'll find today's sermon empowering and encouraging. Let's ask and answer three questions today. Question number one: Where is Jesus today? Jesus is no longer in the manger or on the cross. Often at Christmas we celebrate his birth and we see manger scenes or scenes where you see Mary and Joseph and the baby, Jesus in a manger, and we celebrate his birth, the word becoming flesh. We often around Easter will remember what Jesus did for us on the cross specifically and how he rose from the dead. And we see scenes or pictures of Jesus on the cross. The good news is that Jesus is no longer a baby in the manger or on the cross. Jesus is the risen Savior, seated at the right hand of God. Let's look at two verses that tell us this. In Mark chapter 16, verse 19, we read, So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And first Peter chapter 3, verse 22 says, Jesus Christ has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. Question number two, what is Jesus doing today? Well the Bible tells us that Jesus is praying for us. Let's look at two verses. First, Romans chapter 8, verse 34. Christ Jesus is the one who died. More than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who is interceding for us. Remember the word interceding means praying on behalf of another. And then Hebrews chapter 7 verse 25 tells us, consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Jesus is praying for us. Now Robert Murray McShane, a Scottish preacher, is quoted as saying, If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me. Question number three. What is Jesus praying for us? Well, when we read John chapter 17, a chapter that we're going to spend the rest of our sermon in today, we see Jesus praying for his disciples. Let's look at a few verses before we look at the specifics of what Jesus is praying for. We see in John chapter 17, verse 9, Jesus saying in his prayer to the Father, I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. I want you to notice this wasn't a general prayer for the whole world, but a specific prayer that Jesus was praying for his disciples as individuals. Let's now look at John 17 and verse 20. Here Jesus prays, I do not ask for these only, talking about his disciples, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. How many of us have believed in Jesus because of what we've read in the New Testament? I have, and if you're a Christian, so have you. So specifically, Jesus is including you and I, those who believe in him because of the word of the disciples in his prayer. Let's now consider the four things that Jesus is praying for us in John chapter 17. The first thing that Jesus is praying for us is that we would experience life. That we would have the abundant life, the Zoe life, that comes through knowing Jesus Christ. Let's look at a few verses. John chapter 17, verse 3. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. And then in John 17, verse 8, he says, For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them, and have come to know the truth, that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. Because we believe the words of Jesus Christ, we have received this eternal life. Like it says in John chapter 3, verse 16, for God so loved the world. These were the words of Jesus. He said, For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. That's the life that Jesus wants us to experience. It's not life that only starts when we die and go to heaven, but it's life that we can experience in the here and now. God's kind of life, full of joy, peace, and purpose. Good news, friend. Jesus is praying for you that you would experience life in His name. I say amen to that prayer, Lord Jesus. The second thing that Jesus is praying for us is that we would walk in holiness. He's praying that we would be in the world, but not of the world. Let's look at two verses together. John 17, verse 11. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you, Holy Father. Keep them in your name, which you have given me. And then down to John 17, verse 14 to 16. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Now the word holy means to be set apart for God. You and I, as followers of Jesus Christ, have been set apart for Him. We are His possession. We are ambassadors for Christ and citizens of heaven. We have a dual citizenship. We are citizens of heaven, but we are also citizens of the nation or nations in which we live on earth. We are in the world, but we are not of the world. A great example is oil and water. Oil and water can both be in the same bottle, but they don't remain the same. They separate. And God wants us to be separate in the way that we live, in our moral standards, in the way that we speak to one another, in the way that we conduct our lives. He wants us to live as citizens of heaven and as ambassadors for Christ. Again, I say amen to that prayer, Lord Jesus. Make us holy. Set us apart for your purposes and your plans here on the earth. Use us to be ambassadors for you in this earth. The third thing that Jesus is praying for us is he's praying for the mission. He wants us to be effective in his mission or the commission that he has given us. In John chapter 17, verse 18, Jesus prayed, As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And then John 20, verse 21, a little later, Jesus, commissioning his disciples, says to them again, as the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. Jesus was sent to seek and save the lost. Jesus was sent to show the Father's heart to a world that needed hope and healing. And he wants to send us on that mission. His mission has become our great co-mission, working in partnership with Jesus, telling other people about his goodness and love. We have been given a mission, friends, to preach, demonstrate, and live the gospel. Thank you, Jesus, that you're praying for us for opportunities to represent you in this world. That you are praying for us and you're working with us to confirm your word with signs following. Thank you that as we share the gospel, Holy Spirit, you convict people of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come, as we share the good news, you draw men back to the Father through the Son. Again, Amen, Jesus. Thank you for praying for us that we would be effective in the mission you have given us. And the fourth and final thing we see in John 17 that Jesus is praying for us is He's praying for unity, that we would walk in unity with one another. Listen to John chapter 17, verse 21 and 23. That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them even as you loved me. We must remember that unity is not an end in itself. We saw in John chapter 17, verse 21 and 23, he prayed for unity so that the world may believe. Remember the distinguishing mark of a Christian is love for one another, inspired by Jesus' love for us. Love one another as I have loved you, Jesus commanded us in John chapter 13, verse 35, that the world may know that you are Christians. He wants unity so people can see Him in our lives and be drawn to Him. Oh Jesus, please help us as a church family to keep walking in love and unity with one another. Help us to be humble, honoring, and to celebrate one another as we represent you in a world that so desperately needs good news. Again, I say amen to that prayer. So a quick review. What's Jesus praying for for us? Well, we've seen four things. He's praying for life, for holiness, for mission, and for unity. Let's bow our heads and pray together. Father God, thank you that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God and he ever lives to make intercession for us. Thank you that you are praying for us, that we would experience life in your name, that we would be holy, set apart for you and your purposes, that we would be effective in the mission that you have entrusted to us, and that we would walk in unity with one another. And I pray that you would encourage us that even though we might not hear you praying, we know that you are praying because the word of God says that that's what you're doing for us today. We thank you that you who have begun a good work in us will bring it to completion. In Jesus' name. Amen.