“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven,” John 17:1

Boys and girls, I want to start some studies in which we will consider just what the Lord Jesus is doing RIGHT now. Our wonderful Saviour is able to engage in many, many tasks at one and the same time. That is something we cannot do!

1. The Saviour at this moment is with all His people INDIVIDUALLY, helping and caring, protecting and guiding them. But He is also doing something else. He tells us in John 14:2: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” The word ‘prepare’ means ‘make ready’. That is where He will take His saved people when He comes again in glory. Are you one of His people?

2. But he is also doing something else. Here two quotes which tell us what that is: “He ever liveth to make intercession for them,” Hebrews 7:25. “My little children, . . . we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous,” 1 John 2:1. He is our heavenly Lawyer, speaking up for us. At this moment, the Lord Jesus is praying for all His people. That is the subject we will be considering.

Turn to John 17, where we have the Saviour’s prayer for His people recorded. This, rather than the prayer in Matthew 6 and Luke 11, which is commonly called ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, is actually ‘The Lord’s Prayer’!

3. In those two chapters in Matthew and Luke, the Saviour was setting out, on two separate occasions, the fashion in which WE SHOULD PRAY. On the occasion in Luke, He was responding to a request from one of the disciples. “One of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples, 11:1.

In this chapter 17 of John’s gospel, the Lord Jesus is praying as our High Priest.

In the Shorter Catechism, we have this question.

Question 23 — What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer? Answer — Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.

As our PROPHET He enlightens our hearts and minds in the knowledge of the gospel .

As our PRIEST He offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins and  making continual intercession for us

As our KING He rules over us and defends us from our enemies.

In our study I wish to concentrate upon the Saviour’s activities as our Priest as set forth in the chapter 17 of John’s gospel. We will look at His High Priestly activities.