Sermon Notes 1-10-2010
Jesus Prayer part 5
John 17:20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
Jesus was praying for every believer that would come to Him. It amazes me to think of our intercessor Jesus Christ! Some have said that Christ's work as done, and as far as the cross goes amen; however He still is working on our behalf.
He prays for the transgressors Isaiah 53:12
He prays for the believer and continues to make intercession for the believer! Romans 8:34, and Hebrews 7:25.
Yes Jesus was and is our intercessor! I know earlier in this series we hit these verses about Jesus as our intercessor; However I feel compelled by the Spirit of God to share about Jesus intercessory ministry, specifically to those who have come into genuine faith in Jesus. If you have come into this new covenant based solely upon the exclusiveness of Jesus Christ, His blood has spoken and is still speaking for you.
Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
This great passage in Hebrews is packed full of revelation truth about the covenant of grace which every true believer has been birthed by. One truth, heaven has a registration. You can’t just show up your name must be written down. You had to have a transfer out of darkness and have come into his marvelous light. Another truth is when you are registered in heaven you have been given a spirit made perfect. May I say both of these truths are made possible by the blood of Jesus. In fact, that is really where I am heading. Jesus the great and only Mediator between God and men has His blood speaking on your behalf!
The blood of Jesus speaks better things than that of Abel blood. You know the story of Abel. He was the first man murdered in all of history. His blood was spilled out on the ground by his brother Cain. God told Cain at his judgment that his brother's blood was speaking from the ground. Abel’s blood spoke of the murder and justice needed to prevail. Abel’s blood spoke of the guilt and shame of the sinner Cain and God heard it. Through the ages of time the unfolding of God’s plan came about. Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. What does the blood of Jesus speak differently than Abel’s blood? So glad you asked!
Eph 1:7 In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
Jesus' blood speaks redemption for mankind. Jesus' blood speaks to the forgiveness of sins. Jesus' blood shows the great riches that God bestows upon those who will come under this covenant of grace and truth. God gives to us by His divine influence which was made possible by the blood of Jesus speaking.
May I remind you again of a key passage to understanding all of the Word of God?
John 1:16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ came full of grace (divine influence upon the heart) and truth (revelation about God). All that you have received or will ever receive from God has been directly from that divine influence that Jesus is and has brought to those who will believe in Him.
Jesus' blood still speaks in intercession for every believer!
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
The blood of Jesus has brought us access to God. Yes the blood of Jesus brings us near to God. How close to God does His blood bring us? It has gained us access into the very throne room of God!
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Yes we have been granted access not when we have performed great or when we have read enough Word, or perhaps prayed through enough. Because of the blood of Jesus, we can come into the throne room of God in our very hour of need. At the point you need mercy and grace you have been given a heavenly invitation to approach God boldly; know you will find the mercy and grace you need at that very moment. Thank God we still have an intercessor, Jesus our Redeemer.
John 17:21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
How awesome is Jesus' prayer! His prayer is almost too good to be true; however it is truth! That we may be one. That is God wants you to be one with Him; however this prayer is not just at reconciliation between you and God. It is a prayer for oneness of the body of Christ, it is pointing to the body of Christ (the church) would be one. There is only one body of Christ. We are one! If the eye should say because I am not the ear, I am therefore not of the body it does not make it true!
1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
Through Jesus' prayer we find the will of the Father. God’s desire is that there be no schism in the body. God calls us to love His church. One body accepting and loving one another. I love Jesus and I love His church, of which I am a part! Jesus is not coming back for His church based on all the schisms. Our man made divisiveness is not acceptable before the Lord. One Lord, one faith, and one baptism. One qualification makes you my brother or sister in Christ; have you accepted Jesus as Messiah to the degree of complete surrender. No surrender no salvation; know surrender know salvation. Life is found exclusively in Jesus Christ and there is no other source.
John 17:24 "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
I love this part of Jesus’ prayer! Jesus has a desire for us to be with Him. In fact we call it our blessed hope!
John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. 3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Hebrews 9:28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
The grace message includes our living for God and looking for the great day when Jesus our Lord returns. He is coming back! Praise the Lord, He is coming back and we can eagerly wait for Him!
John17:25 "O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 "And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."
The end of Jesus' prayer is so awesome! Jesus' desire was for the love which the Father loved him would be in the believer!!
Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
Jesus prayed that the love of the Father would be in us! The Father honored that prayer to such a degree that grace says how love is defined! Not that you love God, but God loves us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins! We must first come to the great revelation of God’s love for us before we can truly love one another. His love and His grace is the empowerment for us to love!
1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.
1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
Perfected in love is not the quality of my love toward God; perfected love is growing in the knowledge of the love the Father has toward us. His love is in us! We have known and believed the love that God has for us. This is the perfected love that casts out fear. This is the perfected love that causes boldness on the day of judgment; because as Jesus Christ was so are we in this world! Loved by the Father is your condition. Praise the Lord for the prayer of Jesus being answered!
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