Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of John chapter 17. John 17. John 17. Truly, it's impossible for us
to realize the heavy heart that was possessed by the eleven faithful
apostles as the Lord prepares to go back to the Father. I said
eleven because of the heaviness of those that the Lord had truly
given a heart for Himself. The Lord knew the heaviness of
his people. And he did that which was right
and was best for them. He instructed them and prayed
for them as he's doing right now. That's what he's doing.
God's sheep hear his voice. They hear the voice of the master
as it is proclaimed through the gospel. God's preachers are ambassadors,
ambassadors for Christ. We speak that which we've heard. The Lord continues his high priestly
prayer, and remember, his disciples were listening. He was instructing
them in the last verse of chapter 16. He's speaking to them, these
things have I spoken unto you. He's talking to them. That in
me you might have peace in the world, you'll have tribulation.
Be of good cheer, I've overcome the world. These words spake
Jesus to them and lifted up his eyes to heaven and began to pray. And His disciples are listening,
they're standing listening. And then we pick up where we
left off in verse 12. And while they're listening,
and He's doing this for their instruction, I'll show you that
in just a second. The Lord is speaking to His Father
and He says, while I was with them in the world, I kept them
in Thy name. Those that Thou gavest Me, I
have kept. And none of them is lost but
the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled.
And now come I to thee, and these things I speak in the world,
that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. He was saying, Father, while
I was with them, I kept them in thy name as God And here is
the Lord God Himself that is saying that I, as God, in your
name, according to your purpose, my purpose, everlasting covenant,
I kept them and preserved them through thy power and my obedience
unto you, humbling Himself. Here is God humbling. I kept them. Nobody but God can
preserve His people. I may desire to be able to preserve. I may desire to be able to say
something, be such a help to you that nobody would stagger.
I can't do that. I don't have the ability. Only
the Lord can keep. While I was with them, I kept
them. Those that the Lord had given
him in electing grace, those that you've given me, I've kept. This is the reason that you that
believe, believe. This is why you're still here.
I have kept them. I've kept them. Kept from falling. This is why we don't fall. We're kept by the power of God.
Preserved from the wiles of the devil. What does he give us?
The shield of faith. He gives us that shield, that
breastplate of righteousness. Loins girded about the truth.
He gives us that arm. I've kept them. kept from the
frailty of the flesh, that wars against the spirit. There's a
battle that's going on and a believer knows it. Two natures in a believer. An old man and a new man, they're
contrary one to the other, they war. He said, while I was with
them in the world, I've kept them in thy name. Those that
thou gavest me, I've kept. God has an elect. And listen
to this, and none of them are lost. None of those that you
gave me in electing grace have apostatized. All that the Father
has given Him, stay. Why? Because they're kept. Kept by Him. In Luke chapter
22-28, the Lord told those His beloved ye are they which have continued
with me in my temptations. Why? Because I've kept you. None of them's lost. None that
the Father gave him in electing grace lost, but the only one's
lost. The son of perdition that the
scriptures might be fulfilled. Now you know I began to think
on that this morning. The Lord specifically said that. For wise reasons I'm sure that
I'll never fully understand in this life, but he said that I
know to quench any attempt that believers would try to bring
up and point to Judas and say, you see there? Don't tell me
that God keeps all of them. No. He couldn't keep Judas. No. Judas did just exactly what Judas
wanted to do according to Almighty God's everlasting purpose. God
Almighty everlastingly knew, ordained, Judas would not be
one of his own. None of them's lost but the son
of perdition that the scriptures might be fulfilled. And he set
that forth and now no one can accuse Almighty God of being
unable to keep those that he's given the son. Scripture prophesied
this. Listen to Psalm 109, 7 and 8.
And he says that none of them is lost but the son of perdition
that the scriptures might be fulfilled. This is Psalm 109,
7 and 8. When he shall be judged, let
him be condemned. Go out and be guilty. Let his
prayer become sin. Let his days be few. Let another
take his office. Peter set forth, look in Acts
chapter 1 verses 17-20, the Spirit of God set forth that the Scriptures
were speaking of Judas. Peter brought this out under
the inspiration of God's Spirit, Acts 1, 17-20. He was numbered with us, had
obtained part of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field
with the reward of iniquity falling headlong. He burst asunder in
the midst and all his bowels gushed out. It was known unto
all the dwellers at Jerusalem, insomuch that that field is called
in their proper tongue, Aseldoma, that is to say the field of blood,
for it's written in the book of Psalms, let his habitation
be desolate, that no man dwell therein, his bishopric let another
take. Peter, under the inspiration
of God's Spirit, said back in Psalm 109, that that scripture
was concerning Judas. So Judas' rebellion was prophesied. He didn't slip up on the Lord.
and leave. And the Lord said, I can't believe
it. Didn't stay? No. Prophesied. The father gave
the son eleven apostles chosen unto life eternal. And he gave
one that was a son of perdition. He was a devil. That's what the
Lord said. One of you is a devil. The father,
to fulfill the scriptures, gave the son one. that would never be included
in that blessed election of grace, left Him to Himself, left Him
to do just exactly what He wanted to do and fulfill the purpose
of God in the redemption of God's people. Back in John 17, verse
12, I've kept those that Thou gavest Me, I've kept none of
them lost but the Son of Perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
And now, verse 13, Now come I to Thee, And these things I speak
in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. The Lord reveals in that verse
right there, for sure, as I said before, I never want to insinuate
that I know the completeness of what he's saying, but I know
for sure one of the reasons that he spoke audibly, that these
things that he was speaking, they might hear. That's what
he says. Now I come to thee and these things I speak in this
world that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. That they, in order that they
might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. Truly, he could have
offered that prayer secretly He could have spoken to His Father
in His heart and in silence, but knowing that He was going
to the Father, His will, the Father's will to receive Him
unto Himself was going to be accomplished. But these sheep,
they needed some comfort. They needed to hear Him say,
I'm coming back to you. But I'm saying these things to
you, Father, that they that are listening to me might have my
joy fulfilled in themselves." His joy as being the accomplisher. of the salvation and the redemption
of God's sheep, but His joy, His meat was to do the will of
the Father, the will of Him that sent Him. And He says that my
joy as being their Savior, and their Redeemer, and their Sustainer,
and their Husband, and their Mediator, my joy might be fulfilled
in them. He prayed audibly. that their deep sorrow that they
were possessing, that they might be comforted, might be turned
into joy. I'm so thankful in the wisdom
of God that He would set forth the hearing of the gospel. I
need to hear it. I need to hear it. I need to
hear it I need to hear it proclaimed. I need for the Spirit of God
to take it and fulfill His joy as being my Savior. I need for
that joy to be fulfilled in me. His joy to return to the Father
on our behalf. His joy. I go to prepare a place
for you. And if I go, He said, I'm coming
back. And believers believe that. I know I see through a glass
darkly, but I see, I know that I know in part, but I know, I
try to imagine, when He comes back, what will that be like?
Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath entered into
the heart of man. I don't know, but I know that
whatever it is, it's going to be wonderful. Wonderful. Being an heir of God, a joint
heir with Christ, I'm saying these things in the world, I've
spoken these things that my joy might be fulfilled in them. John
15, 11 says, These things have I spoken unto you that my joy
might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. I need for the Lord to fulfill
His joy in me. I don't have the ability. But
I can tell you this, when the Spirit of God blesses the Word
of God to my new heart, joy, a fruit of God's Spirit is produced
by the Lord. I can't work it up, but I can
tell you this, when the Spirit of God blesses the Word of God.
Let me ask you this, have you ever been reading? and reading
God's Word, and there's something that you just read, and it was
just so wonderful, and just so marvelous, and the Spirit of
God just blessed it to you, and you just emotionally, you just
burst out in joy or tears, I mean, the Spirit of God just blesses
it to you. That's the joy of the Lord, fulfilled
by Him to you, to His people. In His prayer, the Lord has made
it known that His bride has been bought, been paid for, been washed, and
brought in to the same position. That's His joy. Here He is, Father,
I and the children that You gave me, brought to Him, found in
Him, kept in Him, What joy to know that we've been chosen in
Him, redeemed by Him, regenerated by His Spirit. That new and living
way has been opened up to us. We've been taught the marvelous
grace of God. Now, even now, in your heart,
You know what you can do? Use it, believe. Use it, know
Him. Use it, God's given my heart. You can come boldly unto the
throne of grace. You come boldly that we may obtain
mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Right now, here's
the joy fulfilled in you. We have a high priest over the
house of God. I need a priest. I was thinking
about this again this morning. As I've told you how many times
I struggle, I struggle to try to pray. It's a very embarrassing
thing to me to admit it. But you that believe, you know
what I'm talking about. But I think to myself, I put
that article in there by Brother Scott who didn't get a chance.
He was talking about how the Lord The Lord takes the prayers
of His saints, and He offers them in His own merit, in His
merit. He offers them before the throne. And the prayers of the saints
are accepted. These poor, feeble efforts to
pray. And the high priest takes them
and approaches the throne of God. with the prayers of the
saints and God accepts them. Accepted in the Beloved. Accepted
for His sake. I don't even know what to say
to the Lord. I don't know what to say. My poor little effort
is so feeble and so, to me, so insignificant. I can't even keep
my mind straight when I'm trying to pray. but to think that he
takes it in the spirit of God and helpeth our infirmities. The spirit of God. I think, Lord,
thank you. Thank you that we have a high
priest. Thank you that we have one that never falters and never
fails and never stutters and just always. And I'm thinking,
oh, thanks be unto God that I can draw near unto Him with a true
heart, a regenerated heart, a sincere heart, one that still struggles
against the old man, but a new heart that loves Him. And I can
do so in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from
an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. I need
a priest. I want one to intercede for me.
You go, I'm like the children of Israel. They told Moses, you
go up and talk to God. We'll stay here. We'll stay here. I need him. The Lord's saying,
Father, I speak these words in this world that they might have
my joy fulfilled in them. Truly, 1 John 1, 3, and 4 says,
our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.
And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full. You know, I was reading that
again this morning. That was 1 John, the Apostle John. Apostle John, one that denied
the Lord. And the one that the Lord asked
him three times, you know, I'm sorry, that was Peter that he
asked three times, and John that heard, he was on the Mount of
Transfiguration, he walked with the Lord, and he heard the Lord.
praying, I'm saying these things, I speak these things that my
joy might be fulfilled in you. And then John said when he penned
his epistle, truly our fellowships with the Father and with His
Son, Jesus Christ, these things write we unto you that your joy
may be full. He heard the Lord say that. He
heard the Lord say that to his father. Father, I speak these
things that my joy may be fulfilled in them. John says later, I'm
writing these things to you that your joy might be full. You know,
there's no comfort like repeating what he has to say. This is true
preaching. Here we are this morning, casting
all of our care upon him. Why? Because he cares for us.
I need to hear. I need to be reminded. I need
to be comforted. I need His joy to be fulfilled
in me. Let me ask you this in closing.
Do you experience, are you experiencing truly to yourself a laxness of
true joy? I do. I do. And I wish I could say that I
just, you know, some people try to make it appear that they do. Walk around six inches above
the ground all the time, and I'm telling you, I struggle.
I struggle. But you that mourn, you that are heavy laden, you
that grieve over what you see in yourself, make much of hearing the gospel.
Make much of hearing the Gospel preached. Faith cometh by hearing.
Hear much. Hear much. Search the Scriptures. I encourage
you, read the Scriptures daily. May we all be found as those
in Berea. Search the Scriptures daily to
see if these things be so. Take what you've heard this morning,
And take God's Word. Go look. Go look. Seek Him in prayer. And when
you pray, seek the Lord. Get into your closet. What does
that mean? Get by yourself somewhere. Meet with Him. Ask Him. Fellowship with God's people. This is my family right here.
Here's my family. We're all pretty much alike here. We've all got those in our family
that we love and truly want to know the Lord. But I'm going
to tell you something. Here's a family. Those that God's
called out of darkness, that's my true family. I'm convinced
of this. Those that's given a heart, all
of us that the Lord's given a heart for Christ, we're going to spend
eternity together. We're going to be eternally with
Him, His body. I cherish the times that we have
to meet together, to be with you, and to fellowship around
the preaching of the gospel, the honor of Christ, the glory
of God in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. I need for the
Lord to remind me daily of His mercy to me. May the Lord bless
these words to our heart for Christ's sake.