Studies in John 17, Part 2.

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

As I explained last week, the Lord Jesus is praying, without ceasing, in heaven for us at this very moment and every moment of the day and night! 

Today, we are going to consider:

1. What it was prompted the Saviour’s prayer.

Note how this 17th chapter of John begins. “These words spake Jesus.” What prompted Him to speak so? Look at the last words of the previous chapter. 

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world,” John 16:33. It was the ‘tribulation’ (the word means affliction, trouble, anguish and persecution) that His people would face in the world that prompted Him to pray for His people right away. And He continues so to pray.

2. Who it is the Saviour is praying for.  

“I pray for them,” verse 9. Who is the ‘them’ He is referring to? Verse 8 tells us. “For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.”

Who are those referred to by the words ‘them’ and ‘they’? The verse contains the answer. They are the men (V 6) to whom the Lord Jesus gave the Word of God, who received the Word and believed the Word. This describes a true Christian. He was praying for His believing disciples.

3. RIGHT NOW He is praying for those Christians alive TODAY. 

He went on in His prayer to say: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word,” verse 20. 

I must ask the question, ‘Do you believe on the Lord Jesus THROUGH the word of those early disciples? We have the words of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, James and Paul and many others here in our Bible, all telling us of the Lord Jesus. Who He is, what He has done, His life, His death and His resurrection and ascension to heaven. They tell of His love and mercy toward sinners. 

HAVE YOU BELIEVED WHAT THEY HAVE SAID OF THE SAVIOUR?

4. I should mention who he is NOT praying for? 

“I pray not for the world,” verse 9. 

Now boys and girls, we must make sure we ARE amongst those who believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus. You may believe in the Lord Jesus today AND NO LONGER be amongst the people of the world the Saviour is NOT praying for!