THE PRAYERS OF JESUS | WEEK 3 | John 17:20-26

Can you remember a time where someone told you they were praying for you?  It’s a wonderful privilege to have others pray for us, but did you know that JESUS prays for you? 

Join us in John 17:20-26 and find out what exactly Jesus prayed for you as we continue our journey through our series, The Prayers of Jesus.

It’s all about Jesus!

Date: November 22, 2020
Speaker:  Jason Jordan
Series: The Prayers of Jesus

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Pastor’s Comment

Thank you so much for listening in here at West Side. We often say that we love the word of God because it points us to the son of God. We hope these messages encourage you and equip you to love Jesus more. We also want you to be apart of a local church, we believe these messages are only supplemental, being apart of a local church is essential. Blessings.

Jason G Jordan

Lead Pastor, West Side Church

Sermon Notes

The Prayers of Jesus Week 3- John 17:20-26

INTRO> One of the things that means so much to me not only as a pastor but as a person is when somebody tells me, “I’m praying for you!” When I would visit Mrs. Margaret Cross and spend some time with her, every time before I would leave I would get next to her, hold her hand and pray for her, then she would pray for me. I would leave and she would say, “I pray for you and your family everyday..”

CONTEXT> What if I told you this….

Big Idea > Jesus Christ is praying for you.

Pause, let that sink in. Jesus Christ, The Son of God, the resurrected King, has prayed and is praying for you. “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me” v20

      • “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” Romans 8:34
      • “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.” – Hebrews 7:25
      • “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. (Robert Murray M’Cheyne p. 179)

APP> So then the question begs us, “What is Jesus praying for us about?” This is the last night of his earthly life, he is praying to the Father so this must be pretty important right? 3 words I see in the text, 1) Believe v20 2) Become v23 3) Be v24

  1. Jesus prays that we would believe in him. v20
          • “ but also for those who will believe in me…” very interesting wording that Jesus uses here. The word that is used for “believe” is “πιστεύω pisteuō which means to place your confidence in and it’s in the verb tense, it’s an action!
      1. Belief in Jesus is the act of surrendering and centering your life on Jesus’ life.
      2. The fuel for our faith is the word and works of the Apostles. “through their word”
      3. We place our belief in a person, Jesus! “believe in me”

APP> How confident should this make us in our salvation?! Jesus prayed for it!

2) Jesus prays that we would become one. v23

          • “that they may become perfectly one…” I mean really? perfectly one? The word here means “to complete” Think of a puzzle and then you add the last piece.
      1. Unity must be a priority in prayer.(Unity must be centered on Christ, not a cause!)
      2. Divison is demonic. ( Masks, political parties, etc)
      3. Humility is the key to unity. (Ive never seen two humble people fighting.)

*ILL> Reading “Lincoln’s Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural” by Ronald White Jr. As the Civil War ended, with 620,000 Americans dead, the most in any war. Lincoln dressed the nation and propelled us toward unity. “With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan — to achieve and cherish a lasting peace among ourselves and with the world. to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with the world. all nations.”

3) Jesus prays that we would be with him. v24

          • “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am to see my glory..” This is it. If anyone ever asks you what heaven is like, show them this verse!
    1. Christians can have assurance of their salvation.
    2. The point of heaven is to be in the presence of Jesus.
    3. We were made to behold glory, not bear it. (Justin Bieber documentary, his brain has to get rewired.)

“To behold the glory of Jesus means that we begin to find Christ beautiful for who he is in himself. It means a kind of prayer in which we are not simply coming to him to get his forgiveness, his help for our needs, his favor and blessing. Rather, the consideration of his character, words, and work on our behalf becomes inherently satisfying, enjoyable, comforting, and strengthening. “If we don’t behold the glory of God in the face of Christ then something else will rule our lives.” – Tim Keller, Prayer

Big Idea > Jesus Christ is praying for you.

APP> How does this affect our prayers? We pray what Jesus prayed:

      • Pray that people would believe in Jesus.
      • Pray that the Church would become one.
      • Pray that people would be with Jesus.