This weekend at West Bradenton Baptist Church we continued to explored The High Priestly Prayer of Jesus found in John 17.  Last week we examined John 17:1-5, as Jesus prayed for the glory of the Father (listen here).  Yesterday’s message focused upon John 17:6-19, as Jesus prayed specifically for His disciples (full outline below).

The disciples were not smart guys (Acts 4:13).  They had denied Christ (Matthew 26:69-75).  Yet Jesus provides us with His view of their lives.  “…they have kept your word.” (John 17:6)  What exactly did they keep?  Jesus provides a fuller explanation in John 17:7-10.

• They recognized the Messiah (John 17:7).  Jesus declares that the disciples recognized that Jesus was sent from God. They had no question that Jesus, indeed, was the long-awaited Messiah who had come to restore His people in their relationship with the Father.  Further they recognized the relationship between the Father and the Son.  ”Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.”  (John 17:7)  Am I recognizing Jesus as the all-powerful Son of God or simply a friend to call on when I need to get out of a bind?

• They received His Message (John 17:8).  The disciples received the words from Jesus that were given to Him by the Father.  “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;…” (John 17:8)  Am I receiving the Word of God in my life and allowing His message to transform me from the inside out?
  
  
• They realized His Mission (John 17:8, 18).  ”…and they have believed that you sent me.” (John 17:8)  The Jesus prays to the Father once again in John 17:18, “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.”  Jesus commissions them once again in John 20:21 to embrace His mission.  Jesus did not save us to be sponges who sit, soak, and then sour.  Jesus saved us to be sent into the world with His mission to declare the gospel that Jesus “…came to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10).  I agree with Leonard Sweet in that ““Jesus did not come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people live.”  The same mission He gave to the disciples is the same mission He has issued to His followers today.  We have the privilege of being a part of God’s mission to reach people with the most amazing message in the world.  Have we realized His mission?

Full Outline • Sunday, March 17, 2013 • Allen R. James

God’s Heart for His Followers • John 17:6-19

INTRODUCTION:  The power of prayer is discovered when we understand both WHAT is being offered in prayer and WHO it is praying for us.

I.               Jesus prays for His people. (vv 6-10)

• The TESTIMONY of Jesus  (v 6a)
• The CREATIVITY of the Father  (v 6b)
• The FIDELITY His Followers  (vv 6c-10)

II.              Jesus prays for their protection. (vv 11-16)

• Protection from DISUNITY  (v 11)
• Protection from DISTRACTION  (v 12)
• Protection from DECEPTION  (vv 13-16)

III.            Jesus prays for their purity. (vv 17-19)

• The PLACE of Purity   (v 17)
• The PURPOSE of Purity  (v 18)
• The POWER of Purity  (v 19)

Have you ever had a sinful habit that went underground?  Almost when you had completely forgotten about it, it surfaced.  How did that happen?  I thought I dealt with that years ago?

In Genesis 20, Abraham has a similar experience.  A sin of his past which I am sure he tried to forget resurfaces.  I love that God’s Word tells the truth about our heroes of  the faith not to encourage us in our sin but to warn us!  It is far too easy for sin to go underground in our lives.

So how do we prevent it from happening?  Here are three helpful questions to ask when an old habit resurfaces.

What is my FOCUS? v 11 “I thought”.. Abraham is doing his own thinking rather than looking to God. Abraham, the father of our faith, reveals how little faith he has in this moment in the power of God to care for him and his family.  Is my focus on my strength or intuition or the power of God?

Who will this AFFECT? When we sin, we suffer and bring shame. Abimelech asks a sobering question of Abraham.  “What have you done to us?” Abraham risks his beautiful wife’s virtue by offering her to the king.  Sin always has a ripple effect.

Where is GOD? It is in the midst of habitual sin that we refuse to not look toward God… Abraham dishonors God… well-known servant of God (a prophet) does not make a very good showing of himself.  His testimony about the greatness of God is ruined.. Abraham loses opportunity to witness to Abmelech… When old habits/sin surfaces we lose our influence for the Kingdom.

What about you?  What have your learned about handling old habits in your spiritual life?