Gethsemane Prayer -- the RESUME of Jesus Christ [John 17]

Gethsemane Prayer: the RESUME of Jesus Christ (John 17)

There has recently been an increase in the desire for prayer on the Cuyuna Range – seemingly motivated by the recent teacher’s strike. Reconciliation – resolution – are terms that have been heard and said. Even ecumenical prayer services have happened. There are "Pray C-I Pray" yard signs. And there is interest in the concept of Prayer Evangelism as presented by Rick Heeren and Ed Silvoso from Harvest Evangelism.

This should not be anything new to Iron Range Christian Center because from the beginning we have been interceding for the community as a whole and by specific names. We are now on our second cycle through the community. Earlier we have encouraged praying specifically for the person living across from us and on either side of where we live; praying specifically by name: ten houses on either side of where you live. This is specific to you and your neighbors and it fits the language in prayer evangelism for a "Lighthouse of Prayer."

HOW THEN SHOULD WE PRAY? Like Jesus at Gethsemane?

From the synoptic Gospels, we learn about the intensity of Jesus’s prayer – and the sleepiness of His disciples. "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

The symbolism of the "cup" the Father was giving to Jesus should not be difficult to understand. The spiritual economy of God is presented through the prophetic. But still we may wonder how the sacrifice of a perfect man being a servant pays for the sins of all mankind? The prophetic word of the corrupt High Priest Caiaphas is difficult to understand that "one man should die for the nation." He said the specific words but the intention of his heart was not salvation of mankind but the protection of his political position. How often are prophetic words exactly that? God arranges that certain words are said in a certain order out of the mouth of a person that may have nothing to do with the thought process of the person saying those words. Prophets need to be watched in that sense.

The fourth cup of the Passover is also recognized as the cup of coming redemption. Why do you think Jesus referred to what was going to happen to Him as this "cup" He had to drink?

From the outline of the Seder, the Passover meal, we are at the end of what one group has called:

Act IV: Redemption

We have told the story of the Exodus. We have eaten the symbolic foods and the festive meal. Now, we celebrate our redemption.

Scene 1: Eliahu ha-Navi (Elijah the Prophet): The door is opened for Elijah to come in.

Scene 2: Hallel (Songs of Praise): Psalm 113-118

Scene 3: Songs:

Curtain: Kos R'vi'i/Nirtzah (The fourth cup of wine/acceptance): The seder now draws to a conclusion, marked by the fourth cup of wine and a prayer that our seder be accepted and the promise of our redemption be fulfilled.

When we look at the Passover celebration Jesus was leading, the fourth cup and the prayer make sense as part of what had been done for a thousand years. But this time, the Lamb of God was actually present, not a substitute representation. This time redemption would be fulfilled.

Psalms 69:6

May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty;

may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel.

The disciples were sleeping. Still the Gospels relate what Jesus was saying as the disciples slept. How did this happen? How was this historical information collected? The Gifts of the Holy Spirit need to be understood in the context of how scripture came into existence. The disciples were sleeping and yet we have a record of what Jesus did and said. "To one is given the word of knowledge"?

John 14:26-27 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

And John has an interesting record not included by the other four. It is sometimes referred to as the High Priestly prayer. But look at what it is and the organization of what is said. If there is one portion of scripture that explains what Jesus is in the universe, it is John 17. He is presenting His credentials and work experience back to the Father and to us. He is giving us his RESUME. But wasn’t John sleeping?

John 17:1-18:1

RESUME OF JESUS THE CHRIST

CREDENTIALS

John 17:1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

"Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

This is an overview of exactly what Jesus is. The attempt of man to change what Jesus is to something else that a man or woman is more comfortable with is specifically refuted by these words out of Jesus mouth during his "prayer of acceptance of redemption" during the Passover Seder. He is the Son of God. This makes Him God. And He had – notice the past tense of that – He HAD a glory in the presence of the Father before the world began. Now that His work on earth was complete, He is asking the Father to glorify Him as He was before. He is returning to the glory He had as the Son of God.

He had been given authority over all people. Do we understand that? This authority was given Him for the purpose of giving eternal life to those who had been given to him.

How many people can have eternal life? All who have been given to Him.

Who have been given to Him? Just the chosen? Are some predestined? What does "all" mean if not "all."

WORK EXPERIENCE OF JESUS - DISCIPLING

John 17:6 "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name-the name you gave me-so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

Jesus discipled the twelve. How well did He do? What "success" stories can He include in His resume to the Father? We know that one of them betrayed Him, but apparently that was so that scripture would be fulfilled. Did Judas even have a choice? Was he predestined to damnation? If he was, maybe you or I are also predestined to damnation? There are those portions of Christianity that suggest strongly that there is no choice, no free-will. Either God has called you or He has not. If you had a choice, then – they argue – that choice is a form of works that you have done. You have in some way done it so you can somehow claim credit for your salvation.

However, the rest of scripture suggests strongly that a choice must be made by us. Notice that in the report to the Father by Jesus in verse 8 that Jesus says they – the disciples – "accepted" the words from the Father. They "accepted" and "believed." This is a definitive action on their part. They were not robots predestined to be disciples, but they had to make a choice. They were given to Jesus by the Father. One who was given would betray Jesus on his own volition. He made the choice just as we might. God knew what he would do and used that evil to fulfill scripture – or should I say that scripture prophecy was simply history written ahead of event because God knows all from the end through to the beginning. And Jesus in His glory knew the end from the beginning.

As Jesus discipled, He did miracles. They were to show the disciples who and what He was; what His authority was. Jesus’s greater concern was that the disciples understood and accepted Him for who He was. And glory was to come to Him through them. How? Their acceptance of Him was His glory. Their oneness with Him was His glory. His oneness with the Father is directly related to and to be emulated by their oneness with Him and with each other. There is a unity here that is again symbolized through the common loaf of bread that is broken and the common cup that is shared. As we are one – recognizing the body of Christ – all of the body of Christ – we glorify Jesus who glorifies the Father.

SANCTIFICATION

John 17:13 "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

This is the completed work that Jesus leaves. He is returning to the Father. But what He has left is a completed job. He has made disciples. These disciples have received the word and the Word who is Jesus. Now Jesus asks the Father to "sanctify" them by the truth, indeed, by the word they have received. This "sanctification" – this setting them apart for sacred work – is a work that Jesus did Himself. We think of sanctification as purely separation from sin. Well, Jesus had no sin so what was He sanctifying Himself from? Sanctification must be more closely related to the dictionary definition of sanctification than the "Work of Grace" whereby a person declares they no longer sin. "I was sanctified on May 5, 1942 and I have not sinned since." That is a holiness movement concept that does not seem to match reality. And it also does not seem to match some of the lives of the spiritual giants in scripture such as Paul who was concerned about "what he did" and "what he wanted to do."

"Sanctify" means set apart for sacred purpose. It does not mean "sinless." However, when a person is set apart for sacred use – a choice they have made just as it was a choice Jesus made – there will be a tendency to sinless living if they remain in the word which is truth. See how that works? The decision of acceptance is made. The word of truth is provided. The sanctification with authority is done. The joy and glory is received.

This is how Christianity works. A decision is made. Paul explains that something has to come out of the mouth and the mouth expresses what is deep within a person. Sometimes the mouth will reveal what is in a person before that person’s brain is even engaged. And the mouth says "Jesus is Lord." "Lord" means LORD. And the heart believes Jesus has been raised from the dead. That is the acceptance part of things.

Next, the Christian is given the word of truth. How does that come about? The five-fold ministry. This is not a ONE-FOLD ministry with one person only presenting the "truth". That should be considered a cult. It is also not self-study out in the desert by yourself -- though desert experiences are sometimes needed – some "cave" experiences have resulted in Islamism, Mormonism, and most other "isms." "Isms" seem to come from individuals by themselves, not committees or councils. There is greater safety in numbers.

God has established that the body of Christ needs to have the Gifts of the Spirit – 1 Corinthians 12 – functioning in the church. These gifts are not for the ordained only, but for the entire body. It is through the Gifts and the Five-fold ministry that we receive the word of truth, not just a pastoral paraphrase of scriptural truths or human stories called a homily, sermon, or tirade on Sunday mornings. Five sermons from different voices are better than one. But that is seldom the problem. There seems to be great difficulty in getting people to hear one pastoral paraphrase on a weekly basis. Therefore pastors – one of the five-fold – seem to have to keep repeating themselves with the once-a-month or once-a-quarter flock who consider Christian word-of-truth development to be only a second priority after everything else. No wonder Christians are generally so weak and wimpy spiritually. They avoid the word.

With the word and truth, the confessing Christian can be set apart for sacred duty with authority. How much authority? ALL that Jesus had. Do I believe that? Jesus said, "I have given them the glory that you have given me." Think about that one. That is a promise that is amazing because the glory that Jesus had seems to be directly related to the glory He had with the Father before the world was formed. That is His Divinity. And He gave that to us, the church? And that glory is that we may be ONE. That takes us right back to the symbolism of the bread and the cup which make us ONE as a church. Maybe the better understanding of that verse is "recognizing the ONENESS of the body of Christ." ONE with Jesus. ONE with the Father. ONE with each other. ONE as the church. What can the church of the Cuyuna Range accomplish if it is ONE? The redemption of the whole world?

OBJECTIVES

John 17:24 "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

25 "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

This is where we are, today. Jesus has prayed that we will be with Him. Do you think the Father does not hear Him?

Jesus has prayed that we will see His glory. Do you think that will not happen?

Jesus prayed to the Father what He had done and what He will do. Jesus reported – or prayed – on the status of His work from the beginning to the end and that included us. He reviewed with the Father what He had done. And his version of "done" included what will be in the same way that the prophet’s words are sometimes the future written as if it has already happened. Is this an example of how we should pray? What do I mean?

All too often our prayers amount to asking God for things: declaring into existence what is not in the name of Jesus. Then at other times our prayer is just expressing our love for Jesus. Or simply carrying on a conversation with God – talking, but listening even more. But the longer prayer by Jesus that is recorded is His resume – His review with the Father of what He had done and will do. Can this apply to us? Why not.

When was the last time you sat down, or knelt down and reported to the Father what you had done, what successes you have had, and what you plan on doing based upon the plans of the Father? This is where you have permission to say "I" – like writing a resume. What have you done spiritually? Have you prayed it? Have you reported it to the Father? Have you prayed the prophecies into existence? Have we as a church prayed the prophecies about us into existence?

CONCLUSION

John 18:1 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.

What followed? Betrayal – in compliance with scripture. Peter’s predicted denial. False accusations in compliance with scripture. Clothing distributed in compliance with scripture. Disciples fleeing in compliance with scripture. All of the suffering servant passages of Isaiah. The Passover Lamb of God sacrificed. And the resurrection.

"When he had finished praying..."

What will happen when we finish praying? But maybe we have not yet started praying that prayer. Maybe we have not yet given our report – our personal report – to the Father.