John chapter 17 today. John chapter 17. As we continue our study in the high priestly prayer, we'll pick up it, read at verse 1 all the way through to verse 19 of the high priestly prayer of our Lord. Let's give our attention to the word of the Lord. When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son that your Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence, with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them, and have come to know in truth that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And 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, that they may be one even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 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. Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake, I consecrate myself that they also may be sanctified in truth. And there we'll end the reading of God's word. Hebrews tells us that in the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save from death. And he was heard because of his reverence. I can't help but to think the author of Hebrews has the high priestly prayer on his mind when he said such a great thing about our Lord praying. It's rightly been said, it really is a kind of burning bush moment to stand here and listen to the prayer of Jesus. We are really on hallowed ground when we do this. We are at the gate of heaven and we are able, as the disciples were that day, to stand here, stand right next to Jesus and to see him lift up his eyes to heaven and pray to his father. It's a remarkable thing to study. Somebody said to me last week, really realize how shallow and superficial our prayers are when you stand and listen to Jesus pray. But it is such a wonderful thing to hear what Jesus is concerned about. What is on the heart of our Lord? What is he thinking about as he's going to the cross. As he's carrying the weight of your sins. As he's already suffering the intense agony of body and soul, the wrath of God being poured out upon him. And this prayer is meant to make us feel like we have a bit of heaven for a minute. To appreciate that whatever is being prayed here with Jesus on the earth is kind of like an eternal counsel moment, if you will, because Jesus is praying as if it's as good as done. It's a remarkable thing to think about that. That's one of the things that I want you to appreciate in this prayer, that Jesus is praying, not leaving things in question, not hoping things turn out well, not standing here thinking, I just hope we get through this. He's not praying like that. There's nothing like that in this prayer. And it has the effect of leaving us in awe of his saving power. Last week we looked at the first section here in the first five verses where essentially Jesus is referencing and praying, referencing himself. And that was a wonderful section to look at. He spoke of all his work as completed. It was a remarkable thing to look at. And that eternal life had been given already and accomplished. He had finished the work that had been given to him for every single one that the Father had given him. Well, now in verse 6, his prayer turns to what his work has secured for his sheep. What his work has accomplished for his sheep and the burdens of his heart as he prays for his sheep. What is on his mind? What did the Lord care about? What would you care about if you had to go and do this and bear the sins of the world? It's a remarkable section here that I want you to see first what Jesus celebrates. If you're a note taker, what Jesus celebrates. And then what concerns Jesus. And in light of that concern, what he asks of his father. So it's a simple outline there. The celebration, the concern, and the request as we look at what is burdening the heart of our Lord. If you look at verse 6 of chapter 17, you'll notice there something that Jesus says, I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Now listen carefully. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you. This is a beautiful thing. And they have believed that you sent me. Did you notice something that was said there? I've done something. I've done something. Remember when Jesus told that little parable of the talents? We all love that parable, Matthew 25, of the talents. And he sent people out with opportunities in his kingdom and to serve and to fulfill what he had given them to do. And remember when the servant came back? And he came back to his Lord, his master. Remember what he said? You delivered me five talents. I've made five talents more. The emphasis in contrast to the bitter servant who viewed God as the hard man and the angry, angry God. This servant was so filled with joy and happiness to fulfill the task of his master. I did it. I did what you told me to do. This is the sense of this prayer at this point. It is an overwhelming moment of celebration, if you will. Father, I did it. Now, this is not a cold prayer before dinner, right? God, thank you for the food. Let's eat. I did it, Father. I did what you sent me to do. I have manifested your name. Now, John has picked up on this right from the beginning about the mission of Jesus when he said in John 1.18, no one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. He's manifested him. I've done that. Father, here's what I did. I made known to them the ones you love from the foundation of the world. Father, those you gave me out of the world, the ones that belong to you, I declared you. Well, that was what he's been doing the whole time. Think of the end of this last section when he spoke of the Father's love and who the Father is. Remember, the disciples are standing there for a moment. Father, I've done something. I gave them your words. Here is the word incarnate and everything Jesus is now thinking about is exactly what he has accomplished and fulfilled so that we would hear it and understand it. Everything that you told me to say, everything that we agreed would be said, everything that came from, remember we looked at a few weeks ago, you have the heart of God. Everything that came from the heart of the father, if you will. I told them. I gave it to them. They were given your word. This is on Jesus's mind. They were given your word. Here's where it gets overwhelming in the celebration for a moment. He didn't just dispense it. Pastors are far different than Jesus. We just dispense the word. Jesus actually does something here, which is really remarkable. I just dispense it, and I have no idea how it's going to be heard, and I have no idea what's going to happen. Notice here what Jesus says. Jesus says something really wonderful, three things that happened because of giving the word. And you'll notice here in verse 6 that he says something that should have startled us. I have revealed your name. They were yours that you gave to me, and here's what happened. They kept your word. Now, I had to stop and think that is a remarkable statement. That is a remarkable thing to say. If you have any sense of tenses in Greeks, this is a perfect tense. It's something that happened in the past that has this present continual benefit that Jesus is speaking of here. And notice here, he's not even praying for them at this moment. Now keep in mind, this particular section, typically the high priestly prayer is broken up as Jesus praying for himself at the beginning, and then for the disciples, and then for us. But it's not meant that the middle section in his prayer for his disciples does not apply to us. It absolutely applies to us. It's the same truth for us. So notice what he is saying here when he says, they have kept your word. I have to stop and really ponder that for a minute. What do you mean they've kept the word? How could you pray that? Does he know about their failures that they're about to do? Does he know that in an hour or two they're going to go and deny him? Does he know that they're going to miss the mark badly? Does he know how far they are going to fail him? These guys would sin a lot along the way. And the whole time Jesus was walking on this earth, they were sure slow to understand, weren't they? I mean, you study these guys, And you see, what a bunch of bumbling goofballs at times, you know? It's pretty astonishing to hear Jesus pray this. Does he know what we're capable of? And the answer to all that is Jesus is absolutely omniscient, which makes this all the more remarkable, isn't it? Father, they kept your word. Did you notice how Jesus is praying at this point? It should be startling us. At the beginning and last time in verse 4, remember what he said, I have finished the work that you've given me to do before the full work was finished. He spoke of the cross and he spoke of his life was in so submission to the will of God that it was as good as done. Jesus says, I finished the work anticipating the very words that he would say on the cross, it's finished. and now he speaks of something else is as good as done. What are one of the greatest fears that we have as believers, which we shouldn't have, but we still struggle with because of our sensitivity to sin in our lives and our weakness and our failures? It is what is judgment day going to be like, right? What is judgment day going to be like? What am I going to go do between now and then? The biggest failure comes in just a few hours for them. It's pretty astonishing what we're capable of as Christians. It really is. Here's Jesus praying to his father. Listen to it. Father, they kept your word. What does that mean? What does that mean? well maybe you could start by saying something like Proverbs 17 that love covers a multitude of sins father I've revealed you to them they've kept your word what is keeping the word well he says it did you notice as he goes on into how he explains how they have kept the word Verse 6, for I have given them the words you gave me, and they received them. And I've come to know in truth that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. Do you know how impossible faith is? This is really the question of the text and the issue in John. Do you know how possible faith is for you to have and conjure up? You can't do it. when John 6, the people came to Jesus and asked, listen, what may we do that we may work the works of God? Jesus made a really strong statement when he said, this is the work of God that you believe in the one whom he has sent. So Jesus here is celebrating the faith that has been given to them that he has accomplished through the giving of the word as they have believed and received him. It's a beautiful truth that should encourage you today. Do you believe the gospel? Do you believe that Jesus came from the Father? Do you believe he's the eternal Son of God? Do you know what God's done for you? Jesus said something back in chapter 8 that we pass right over these little statements, but when you put them together with the high priestly prayer, it's really remarkable. Listen to this statement in John chapter 8. Most assuredly, if anyone keeps my word, he shall never taste death. Okay, put it together. Father, they've kept it. Because they believe in me and that I came from you. Consequence, they'll never taste death. They'll never taste death. Now this is a glorious moment and it's glorious for the Christian life. If you think about it, whatever you're going to do in your failures as a believer, Jesus standing, and this is why we call it a high priestly prayer. Look what he's doing. He's representing, covering, blessing, and rehearsing all the benefits of that high priestly work for you. Far from making us careless, of course, and this has always been the great charge of people who preach like this and you preach too much grace is that it's going to produce antinomians and people are going to get careless. Does that make you careless? Really? That's a remarkable thing to say. That Jesus could love us like this and could do this and cover us and treat us like this and work faith in our hearts that we would run around and say that truth in his sovereign grace and in his steadfast love and in the eternal plan of God that that would make me careless. It's not cheap grace. It wins us. Here he is. He's celebrating your faith that he accomplished. See that. See the celebration. He's going to the cross to die. He is celebrating, bringing the word and creating faith and all of the sheep given to him by his father through those disciples, those whom he chose, John 15, have received it and believed. I think this has something to do with Hebrews when it said, for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross. I really, it's always been an astonishing state. How could you have joy in going to the cross because he loved you this much, because you were loved by the Father this much, given to him to give faith, to reveal the Father so that you would be believing? Now, Jesus goes on. I was with them, verse 12. Father, I have not lost one of them. While I was with them, I kept them in your name. Those whom you have given me, I have kept. And none of them have lost except for the son of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled. So in other words, Judas is not the test case of a loss of salvation. That's not the test case to go to, Jesus says. That is an exception. What it means is, is that that was specifically prophesied in the scriptures. That's why he was not kept. That does not mean one can fall from the faith. Judas never had faith. Judas never had faith. It was evident the whole time. Judas never believed. The Judas event happened to fulfill scripture, but it was all prophesied ahead of time. That's how Jesus wants us to think about the Judas situation. Judas doesn't want anyone to think that the Judas phenomenon could happen to one of God's true children. It can't happen. That's what he's saying here. So notice, listen to the language. When I was here, here's what I did, Father. I guarded them, and none of them perished. This is a beautiful truth. I never lost one. I never lost one. Never. And now he begins to express a deep concern. This is the second point. A deep concern that comes out of Jesus to his father. Notice it in verse 9. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All are mine, are yours, and yours mine, and I'm glorified in them. What are the implications of that? It's this. It's not that everyone was given to Jesus. why this has been such a point of contention throughout history i don't know it shouldn't be not everyone was given to jesus jesus did not pray for everyone did you notice that i don't pray for everyone jesus did not pray that all of his saving merits would be applied to everyone without question. If that were possible, that that was Jesus's intention, that everyone was prayed for and everyone was died for and everyone was atoned for, there were sure going to be a lot of people lost. This is not how we understand the cross. This is not how we understand the work of Jesus. The prayer would be different. Imagine this prayer for a minute as we treat Jesus today and as we treat salvation. If we take the common assumption today that Jesus prayed for everyone here and that everyone was given to him, if everyone was, then think of the problem. We have a lot of people lost and think of what the prayer would sound like. Just imagine it for a minute. Father, I hope it turns out well for them. I'm really concerned for them. These weak sheep, they just keep stumbling. I don't know what to do. I've given them your word. They have been so slow to understand. They're just not keeping it. It pains me. They say they believe, but how fickle is it? Well, Judas is lost now, and I'm leaving them in the world, and the world hates them. I hope they overcome it. I know you want to leave them here, but the evil one's really strong. Help them to overcome themselves. That's a beautiful Arminian prayer. But it's not a biblical one. What's the problem? I don't know that I've really kept the word like I want. I don't know that I really believe like I want. I think the world has often overcome to me, it seems like. You know, we sing in the psalm. We sing it tonight. Our sins prevail day by day. But that will show us mercy and take the guilt away. To be honest, today, we've sinned a lot. We've done a lot we haven't wanted to do. If Jesus' prayer were like the one I just described, I don't think I'd have very good news today. I really don't. I don't think I'd have good news for you today. And this is how many Christians live. This is how Christianity is often treated. How Jesus' work is treated. It's shameful, isn't it? As if he wasn't strong enough. Listen to him. Father, all those you gave me, Every last one I've kept. I just said in the prayer of baptism. Did you just hear that prayer? We ask God to keep us, us and our children. Do you think that matters? Do you think God hears that? That was the prayer of Jesus. So notice the handoff here. This is what I love about the concern. It's a handoff. What does he pray specifically for them? I'm no longer in the world. I'm going to the cross, but they're going to be in the world without me, walking with them. Look at how concerned he is for you. Look at this. And I'm going to you. I'm leaving them, but they're staying here. Holy Father, here's his great request. It's going to have huge implications in how he asks in a minute, but it's a concern for the moment. Keep them through your name that you've given to me. That they may be one as we are one. I wish I could communicate Jesus's joy and excitement. This is not some solemn, cold prayer. This is a prayer of absolute confidence in the shielding, protective power of God for you. It's full of passion. Father, these belong to you. Before I came, they belong to you. You gave them to me to save and to give your word and to love and to create faith in their hearts through that word. I've kept them. They've kept your word. I've done what you told me to do. In bringing many sons to glory. I'm going to go atone for them. So Father, I'm going to do this. And I'm not walking with them. I love them that much. I want you to keep them. I want you to keep them. Those whom you've given me. Those who have kept your word. I want you to keep on keeping them in that. Hear me, oh Father. Think the father heard? This is an overwhelming request. The request means, would you stand guard over them? Would you watch? Would you preserve? Would you persevere? Would you keep them in standing watch over their lives as I go to the cross and come back, return to you with the glory that we had before the world was? Keep them, preserve them so that nothing would harm them. Spiritually. Notice that Jesus is now appealing to the fact that since the work is done and that we are adopted sons and daughters of God that we receive from God's fatherly hand the gracious fatherly care and love that we need, that it has secured that the rest of our lives. So now you understand why Jesus is saying you're going to know in that day the Father loves you. You're going to know. You're going to know it. And we say this in our Heidelberg, don't we? I trust my heavenly Father so much that I do not doubt that he will provide whatever I need for body and soul and turn to my good whatever adversity he sends upon me in this veil of tears. He's a faithful father and that's what he'll do. This is what Jesus is saying. That's what he's secured for you. That's what the cross has opened up for you. Direct access to the father. I think that's why Hebrews, the author of Hebrews, I keep coming back to it, is saying, listen, when you come to worship, you get to come boldly to the throne of grace. Not to a God who's angry at you, but to a heavenly Father who really cares and loves you. Father, stand over them. Would you guard them? Would you keep them from falling away? Anyone want to still believe that salvation could be lost? You know if you could lose salvation, you would. See the perspective he wants his children to have? That they would be kept in his absence, that the Father would keep them? And then what Jesus prays today is how we would be kept in the world. Some things that he asks of his Father for us, and I just want to briefly touch on them. Listen to it. Now I'm coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, verse 13, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. Verse 14, I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world. They've been born from above, is what Jesus is saying. Just as I'm 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. You know, there's a lot happening in the world right now. I think Peter had a good understanding when he said, you know what Satan's doing right now? He's got a whole host of demons and he's roaming around like a roaring lion, seeking to devour. So bad was it that Jesus gave a window into that demonic struggle when he told Peter, you know what Peter, Satan, has asked? Sift you as wheat. You have no idea how upheld and kept you are. You have no idea what he's doing out there right now. You have no idea how he influences and the darkness of demonic things that are happening. And we could say in society itself, look at it. Did you hear Jesus' prayer? don't let them be touched. He can't touch you. He cannot harm you. He cannot hurt you. And if he ever in God's appointment was allowed to touch the body, fear him who can kill the body and soul in hell. He can do nothing to you. You see, this is a powerful truth. And then Jesus says this. They're not of the world, just as I'm not of the world. So, sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. Pray that they would love the truth. That you would, here's the great mark of our set-apart, separateness, sanctity in the earth. You want to know what it is? It's your love for God's word. It's the truth of the word of God that guards you and keeps you. He sanctifies you in this word. He preserves you in his word. That's the means. He preserves you in the truth of the gospel. They're not of the world. So here's what I ask. That as they're here and they fulfill the mission with which I left them to fulfill, that you would keep them from the evil one and that you would preserve them in this. Your word is truth. Well, what do we need that in our day to hear? There is truth. Your word is truth. There's no other deposit of truth, and you have it, and it sanctifies you. You see? It really shows, you know, our love for the Word of God to this day. Think about all these years. I've said this before, but all these years, I'm still preaching, and we're still preaching, and we're still magnifying the Word, and we're still studying the Word. What other book has done this? What other book has done this? What do they say? I don't know. Maybe this is a foolish statement. I think the only other book that has been printed, there's nothing even close. Maybe it's Shakespeare? Anyone preaching Shakespeare? Nobody's preaching Shakespeare. But Jesus has been preached through the beginning of time based on the truth of God's word that he's given to us. Father, keep them through your name, those whom you've given me, so that lastly, they may be one. Jesus is deeply concerned about us being unified as a people in the cause of the gospel. That in our unity, we would have a great stand in defense of the truth of the gospel, and that we would have great joy together as a people traveling to something much better. I want to close with this thought. Jesus desires today that you have this kind of assurance. To know that the Father is committed to keep you. And we've looked at who has been sent to us by the Father and the Son, the Spirit. Today, you are a keeper of His Word if you believe the gospel. If you don't, then the call is believe the Word. Trust the Word. Believe that Jesus came and repent of sin and look to Him. You're a keeper of God's Word who believe the truth as it's revealed in Jesus. And today we close by saying praise God for His steadfast love. Whatever happens in this world, you don't have to lose heart. Peter reminds us in his opening of his epistle, you are kept by God, ready for salvation to be revealed at the last time. God's keeping you, and he promises he will do so. So lift up your heads like Jesus did in prayer. Thank God for so great a salvation, and treasure his word. Remember who we are in this world, why he left us here, and be thankful. Our king has loved us, and this God loves us to this degree, and he will not let us go. That's the promise of the gospel to all who have received the word of life. Let's pray and thank him together today. Heavenly Father, thank you for an overwhelming moment to stand and listen to the prayer of Jesus. We pray that this prayer, we thank you that this prayer that was prayed in great power and assurance is certain and true and that it hinges on your work alone to save a people to yourself. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for the gift that you've given and we pray that everyone would believe this. Thank you, Lord, that you will lose not one and that your plan will be fulfilled and that every last one of your sheep whom you have loved, you will keep to the end for your praise and your glory. In Jesus' name, we pray these things. Amen.