as we consider the Lord's Prayer.
This is the title of the message, Lord's Prayer, Part 4. Part 4. We'll probably have 10 or 11
parts by the time we get through. Again, as we look at John 17,
we proceed with caution. We proceed with carefulness.
We proceed with great thoughtfulness. We proceed with reverence as
we consider the Lord Jesus Christ in his high priestly prayer for
us. Think about this. He ever lives
right now to intercede for us. He's able to save to the uttermost
all that come to God by Him seeing He ever lives to intercede for
us. Think about this as well. Everything
the Lord Jesus Christ prayed for and asked, as it says in
verse 11, His holy Father, and everything that He prayed for
and asked, as it says in verse 25, O righteous Father, everything
He asked of the Father shall be done. shall be done, shall
be accomplished, because he prays according to the exact and perfect
will of God. Remember our Lord said, if any
man asks according to my will, he'll have it. And the Lord Jesus
Christ, we can be assured, he prays according to the perfect,
exact, eternal will of God. He worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will. He doeth according to his will
in the army of heaven, among the inhabitants of this earth,
and none can stay his hand or send him. Lord God Almighty,
what doest thou? The Lord Jesus Christ always
prayed according to the Father's will, and everything he prayed
according to the Father's will was heard and answered. He prayed in the garden as our
substitute and representative, as our sin offering. He prayed,
Lord, not my will, Thy will be done. He became obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross. Now, we want to start
at verse 6. And follow some verses here and
as we do ask God the Holy Spirit to be our teacher Remember our
Lord said in John 16 when he has come He'll take the things
of Christ and show them unto you now. Let's read verse 6 again
He says I have In verse 4, he said, I have glorified thee on
the earth. I have finished the work that
you gave me to do. And then in verse 6, I have manifested,
revealed the name of God Almighty unto the men, sinners, saved
by God's grace, which thou gavest me out of the world. They were thine by creation,
by ownership. But you, our Lord said, you gave
me a people. Thou gavest them me." Well, what
a gift. Thou gavest them me. And they
have kept, they have kept thy word. From the beginning God
sovereignly chose a multitude of sinners out of Adam's fallen
race and gave them to the Lord Jesus Christ who accomplished
all their salvation. Go back to verse 2. This is mentioned
at least five times in this prayer. The Lord refers to those given
unto Him in that covenant of grace. As thou hast given Him
power, John 17, 2, over all flesh, that He should give eternal life
to as many as thou hast given unto Him. Again in verse six,
it's repeated. I have manifested thy name unto
the man which thou gavest me out of the world. Again, down
in verse three, he said, I pray for them, I pray not for the
world, but for them which thou hast given unto me. Again in
verse 11 he mentions these Given unto him and he's talking about
all believers of all ages all of his elect and now I'm no more
in the world, but these are in the world I come to thee Holy
Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given
me God chose a people and gave them to the Lord Jesus Christ.
It's mentioned one other time here in verse 24 Father, I will, that they also
whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may
behold my glory which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me
before the foundation of the world. We read in John 6, verse
37, all that the Father hath given to me, they will come to
me, and those that come to me, the Lord said, I will in the
wise cast out. We call this the Bible doctrine
of election. Unconditional election. Where do we find that? It's all
through the scriptures, but let's turn and read one of the references. Find 2 Thessalonians 2 verse
13. This is what the Bible teaches
about God's saving mercy unto a particular certain people. 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13. Now I'm not preaching something
new or novel. These are the doctrines that
have been preached for thousands and thousands of years by God's
people. Verse 13, We are bound to give
thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord,
because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. Through sanctification of the
Spirit, that's the work of the Holy Spirit, which brings us
to belief of the truth, whereunto He called you by our gospel to
the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. He called
you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Now, you cannot
preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ without preaching
God chose a people. You cannot preach, now listen
to me, you cannot preach the gospel without preaching God
who elects, and Christ who died for the elect, and intercedes
for the elect, and calls the elect. You cannot preach the
gospel without preaching the Bible doctrine of election. You can't do it. You leave that
out, you don't have a gospel message. It's part of the gospel. Our great God from all eternity
chose who would be saved. Do you have a problem with that?
No, we bow. gave the Lord Jesus a people,
God chose them from all eternity, gave them to the Lord Jesus Christ,
and He is their surety, and He came and He bought them with
His own blood. God bought the church with His
own blood. He redeemed a multitude of sinners
out of every kindred, tribe, nation, tongue under heaven,
and redeemed them and washed them in His blood. He not only
bought them and redeemed them, but in due time He calls them
out of darkness unto Himself. Would it please God, Paul said
in Galatians 1, would it please God who separated me from my
mother's womb and called me by His grace to reveal His Son in
me? When will a sinner be saved?
when it pleases God. That's when it will happen. God
who has begun a good work in you, He will perform it. Thou
has given Him power over all flesh that He should give eternal
life, not to everybody, but to those given unto Him in that
covenant of grace. Now, Having said that, I want
us to look at the characteristics of those who are called out of
darkness, those who are redeemed by the blood of Christ, and those
who have been caught of God. And we see this in verse 6, 7,
8, and 9. Now, look at verse seven. Now
they have known, they have known, as the Lord Jesus Christ has
manifested himself unto us, I've manifested thy name, he has revealed
himself unto us. Now they have known that all
things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. They've been taught of God. You
remember we studied in John chapter 6, he said, no man can come unto
me except the Father which sent me draw him. And then he says,
all those who have heard and learned of the Father, they come
unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Those that are taught of God,
God the Holy Spirit, have right knowledge that all things are
of God. You see that in verse 7? Now
they have known, because we've been taught of God, that all
things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. Salvation is of the Lord. The
Lord teaches us that all things given unto the Lord Jesus Christ
are of God. The Lord Jesus Christ, given
unto Him to be our Mediator, given unto Him to be our surety,
given unto Him to be the sacrifice for our sin, given unto Him to
perform all things in salvation. He said, I finished the work
you gave me to do. All things are given unto His
hand. all things are of God who has
reconciled us unto the Lord Jesus Christ we because we've been
taught of God know that all things are of God in salvation and creation
and in providence look back at John chapter 3 verse John 3 verse 35, the Father loveth
the Son and hath given all things into His hand. The Father hath
given Him power over all flesh, all things. The Father loves
the Son and given all things into His hand. Now turn back
to 2nd Corinthians again, chapter 5, where we started this morning.
Look, verse 17, 2 Corinthians 5, 17. Therefore, if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, and
behold, all things, we see all things in a different light.
All things become new, and, verse 18, all things are of God, who
reconciled us. We didn't reconcile ourselves,
He reconciled us. All things are of God in reconciliation,
in justification, and in providence. All things are of God, who reconciled
us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry
of reconciliation. Now find the book of Romans.
Chapter 8, the book of Romans, chapter 8. We could look at many
scriptures considering what the right knowledge that God gives
unto us when he reveals himself unto us, he teaches us that all
things are of God in creation, in providence, and in salvation. Look at Romans 8, 28. And we
know that all things, there it is again, all things work together
for good to them that love God, to them who are called according
to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that
He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom
He did predestinate, them He also called, and whom He called,
them He also justified, and whom He justified, He glorified."
Now what shall we say to these things? I hear a lot of people
say, well, that's not fair. That's not right. Who are you
to argue with God? What shall we say to these things?
Well, of God before us, who can be against us? You see, all things
are of God in creation, in reconciliation, and in salvation. Turn over here
to Romans 11. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou
hast given me are of thee. All things. Romans 11, look at
verse 36, for of him, and through him, and to him are most things. Could be some things. What does
that say there? Of him, through him, and to him
are all things. To whom be glory forever and
ever. And every believer says, Amen. So be it. It is true. All things
include reconciliation, salvation, justification,
redemption, all things are of God. This is what we have been
taught. They have known that all things
are of God. Now we don't know this And this
knowledge is not acquired by learning. Can you, by searching,
find out God? Well, no. It comes by revelation. He has manifested Himself unto
us that God is God. Now, here's the second thing. These given unto Him Those who
are called out of darkness, that have had a revelation of God
in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, they know all things
are of God. And secondly, look at verse 8. For I have given unto them thy
words which thou gavest me, and they have received them. They
have received them, and have known surely that I came out
from thee, and they believed these things, that thou did send
me. So the second thing we see here,
those given unto the Lord Jesus Christ, those who were taught of God,
they have received the word. You see that? They have received
the word. Look at this same chapter, John 17, look at verse 14. I
have given them thy word, And the world hath hated them, because
they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. He
has given unto us His Word, and we have not rejected them, we
have received them. We received the Word of God.
Now this Word of God is also known as the Doctrine of Christ,
it's also called the Testimony of God, it's also called the
Ministry of Reconciliation, it's also called the Gospel of God
concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. He has given unto us His Word
and we have not rejected that, we have received His Word. You
see, the Lord Jesus Christ is not only priest and king, but
He's God's prophet. He's God's prophet. He teaches
and He preaches unto us the Word of God. Now turn back to John
chapter 12. Everything the Lord spoke concerning
the gospel of Christ, the gospel of God, He spoke by the command
of God as a prophet of God. Look at John 12, 49. For I have
not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me, He gave
me commandment what I should say and what I should speak. The Lord Jesus Christ did not
speak independently from the Father. What the Father gave
Him to say, that's exactly what He said. Now listen to this scripture
over in Deuteronomy 18. Don't turn. This is familiar
to most of you, but Deuteronomy 18. The Lord Jesus Christ is
the fulfillment of this scripture. I will raise them up a prophet
from among the people, like unto thee, Moses, and I'll put my
words in his mouth. He shall speak unto them all
that I shall command him, and it shall come to pass that whosoever
will not hearken to his words, which he shall speak in my name,
I'm going to hold you responsible. I'll require it at your hand."
You see, the sheep of Christ, they hear His words and they
receive them. You remember in John 10, my sheep,
they hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. You see,
believers are eager to hear the Word of God and to receive His
promises. It reminds me of this scripture.
Turn to the book of Acts, chapter 10. The book of Acts, chapter
10. Remember when Peter was sent to a Gentile house named Cornelius? God had done a pervenient work
of grace in the heart of Cornelius. And when the preacher got to
the house, you remember what Cornelius said to Peter? Verse
33, immediately therefore, Acts 10, 33, I say unto thee, and
thou hast well done that thou art come, now therefore we are
all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded
thee of God. And Peter opened his mouth and
said of the truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons,
Jew or Gentile, salvation. is of the Lord, regardless of
creed, color, age, or male or female. Believers are eager to
hear the Word of God and to receive the Word of God. Now, how do
we receive it? Turn over here to 1 Thessalonians
this time, 1 Thessalonians 2, verse 13. 1 Thessalonians 2,
verse 13. How do we receive His Word? Okay,
let's see what this says. Chapter 2, verse 13. For this
cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when you received
the word of God, which you heard of us, you received it not as
the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which
effectually works in you that believe. Now turn back one page. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. Verse 4, Knowing, brethren, beloved,
your election of God, for our gospel came not in you in word
only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much
assurance, as you know what manner of men we were among you for
your sake. And you became followers of us, and of the Lord, having
received the word. in much affliction, but with
joy of the Holy Spirit." You see, we've heard His Word and
we have received His Word. Now what does a believer believe?
What does a believer believe? Everything in the Word of God. Everything in this book. We believe
everything in this book. That's what believers believe.
Everything that God has said. Jane put it this way, be swift
to hear. Peter put it this way, desire
the sincere milk of the word that you might grow thereby.
You see our Lord said over here in his prayer, oh they receive,
I've given them thy word and oh they received it. They've
received it, they've just eaten it up. They say give me more,
I want more. Tell me more, more about the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now here's the third thing. They
not only received the Word of God, the doctrine of God, the
testimony of God, but they also have believed that thou didst
send me. They heard the Word, they received
the Word, and they believed God. They believed the Word. They
believed the message of the Word. They have believed to the saving
of the soul. Turn back to John chapter 5.
John chapter 5. They have believed the word. Verily, verily, verse 24. Look
at this. John 5, 24. Verily, verily, I
say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him already has half, already has
eternal life. The reason we believe on Him
and hear His Word is because He's given us life. We have everlasting
life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed
from death unto life. We've heard His Word, received
His Word, and we believe it. I believe God. Saving faith believes
God. Now, you cannot believe what
you haven't heard. Any more and you come back from
where you have not been. There must be a hearing of the
Word, a receiving of the Word, in order to believing the Word
of God. God has ordained the preaching
of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to call out His elect.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. And how can
they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach except
that preacher be sent? It pleased God through the foolishness
of preaching to save them that believe this gospel. Now turn to 2nd Timothy. 2nd Timothy. 2nd Timothy chapter
3. 2nd Timothy chapter 3. This is
why we're so insistent and adamant about preaching the Word. Taking
the Word of God, going book by verse, book by book, verse by
verse, word by word, here a little, there a little, line upon line,
precept upon precept. Because God has commanded the
preaching of the Gospel to call out His people. 2nd Timothy chapter
3 verse 16 all scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is
profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction
in righteousness That the man of God may be perfect throughly
furnished unto all good works I charge thee therefore before
God and the Lord Jesus Christ Who shall judge the living and
the dead at the appearing of his kingdom to preach the word? Preach Christ. Preach Christ. Now that's what we do here. When
we meet for Bible study, we take the Word and we preach Christ.
When we meet together for morning worship, we take the Word and
preach Christ. When we meet on Wednesday evening
at 7 o'clock, we're going through 1 Samuel, we take the Word of
God and show you the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Preach
the word be instant, in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke,
exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will
come when some, when they will not endure sound doctrine, but
after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having
itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables." God's people won't be
turned because they keep the Word of God, but many weary. of hearing. I've never heard
a believer complain that we preach Christ too often, exalted Him
too highly, or we made too much of the Word of God. I've never
heard a believer complain. I've heard some complain. All
you do is talk about the Lord Jesus Christ. My friend, that's
my message. That's what God's given me to
tell you. It's all about Him. The gospel is not about us. It's
about Him. Him. Now, here's the fourth thing
that our Lord mentions here, and we'll go back to verse 6,
John 17, verse 6. He says here, Thou gavest in
me, and they have kept thy word. You see that? They have kept
thy word. That is, they have obeyed the
word of God. Now this is a fulfillment of
that parable of the sower. You remember the seed that was
sown on good ground? The seed that was sown on the
prepared ground in the heart? Which includes the affection,
the thoughts that brings forth fruit unto the glory of God in
Christ Jesus? Remember what Peter said? Turn
back to John chapter 6. When many got tired of hearing
the Word, many who were following Him for the loaves and fishes
and because they were excited with the miracles, and when the
Lord clearly preached unto them the doctrine of God's grace,
His electing, sovereign, saving mercy, in verse 66, from that
time many of His disciples said, uh-uh, we don't want no more
of that. His supposed disciples, they went back and walked no
more with him. Then the Lord said to the twelve,
Will you also go away? And then Simon Peter answered
him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life, and we believe and we are sure
that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. We have
kept thy word. Turn to John chapter 8, look
at verse 30. As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then the Lord said to those Jews
which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are
you my disciples, and you shall know the truth, and the truth
shall set you free. This saving faith of God's elect
receives the word and keeps the word. Or as one person said,
thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against
thee. We keep the Word of God. That
is, we receive it, believe it, love it, obey it, bow unto it,
submit unto it. And the reason that the elect
of God are given a revelation of God in the gospel, the reason
they know that all things are of God, and the reason they hear
and receive the Word, and the reason they have believed the
Gospel, and the reason that they keep the Word of God in their
heart. What's the reason behind all that? It's of the Lord. It's of God. They are born of
God by the supernatural power of God. If any man be in Christ,
he's a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold,
all things become new. Turn back to John chapter one.
I'm saying this, they hear the word, receive the word, believe
the word, and keep the word because they've been begotten of God.
They've been raised from the dead. They've been made new creatures
in Christ Jesus. This is more than just a reformation
of the flesh. This is reconciliation. This
is regeneration. This is God doing work of grace
in our heart. John chapter 1, look at verse
11. He came unto his own, his own
received him not, but Verse 12, as many as were ordained to eternal
life believed. Remember Acts 13, 48. As many
as received Him, the Father had given Him power over flesh that
He should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given Him. But as many as received Him,
to them gave He power to become sons of God, right or privileged
to believe on His name, Not a period there, which were born, not of
blood, not of the will of flesh, nor the will of man. They receive
the word, believe the word, because they're born of God. You see that? Now turn to 1 John
chapter 5. 1 John chapter 5. You see, this birth precedes
believing. This birth precedes receiving. This birth precedes hearing the
Word of God. Look what it says here, 1 John
5, 1. 1 John 5, 1. Whosoever believeth
that Jesus is the Christ, he's born of God. You see, we don't
believe to be born We believe the gospel because we have been
begotten of God by His will and by His power. That's when He
gives us ears to hear, heart to receive, eyes to see Him,
resurrection from the dead. Oh, I see Him now! I hear Him now! What happened? Well, the preacher persuaded
me. Now, we do persuade, but I tell you, if my voice is the
only voice you hear, you'll never be made a new creature in Christ.
You've got to hear Him speak from heaven. You see what I'm
saying? Now, God does use the preaching
of the Word to bless and call out His people. But if my voice
is the only voice you hear, Nothing of eternal value will
be accomplished. You've got to hear Him speak
from heaven through His Word, through His servant. Get past
me. Don't look at me. Look to Him. You see what I'm saying? I'm
just a nobody. Brother Scott Richardson, I've
got a picture of him in my study. And my neighbor was over here
the other day and looked at that picture and there's a saying
on there. He said, a preacher is a nobody
who tells everybody about somebody who can save anybody. A preacher
is a nobody. John, who are you? A voice. You
see, we have this treasure in earthen vessel that the excellency
and power may be of God, not of us. I don't want you to follow
me. I don't want you to look to me. I'll let you down. I'll disappoint
you every time. I want you to look to Him. He's
faithful. He's faithful. Now, I want to
be faithful, but don't look to my faithfulness. You see where
I'm getting at? Look to Him. Look to Him, the
reason behind all this, our knowing, our hearing, our believing, our
keeping, because we're born of God, begotten of God. Now, look at verse 9, John 17
verse 9, and I may come back and look at this
next week. I pray for them. You see that? He prays for them. He prays and
intercedes for particular people. I pray for them. I do not pray
for the world. But for them which you've given
me, for they are thine, and all mine are thine, and thine are
mine, and I'm glorified in them. I pray for them." Who's he talking
about? His church. He loved the church
and gave himself for it. He's talking about the bride,
the Lamb's wife, redeemed with the blood of Christ. He's talking
about his chosen people. He's talking about his elect.
What a blessed privilege we're given. The Lord prays for us. Now think about this. How can
we fail? If God be for us, who can be
against us? The Lord prays for us. How can we be discouraged
or disheartened? The Lord prays for us. He never
lives to intercede for us. Think about this. The Lord Jesus
Christ, as it says there, He said, I pray for them. For them. For them, I pray not for the
world, but for them which thou hast given me." His intercession
is sovereign and discriminating as His atonement is. The Lord
Jesus Christ did not universally die for all men everywhere without
exception, nor does He pray for all men everywhere without exception.
As the high priest of old went into the Holy of Holies on the
Day of Atonement only representing Israel, even so our great high
priest enters into the Holy of Holies only representing and
praying for us. He ever lived to make intercession
for us, for us. Well, we're going to leave it
right there. I'll come back and look at verse 9 a little more carefully. I pray for them, for them which
have had a revelation of the glory of God in the face of Christ,
they've been taught of God, they've heard the Word, they've received
the Word, they believe the Word, and he says, I pray for them.
How can we fail? How can we go wrong? I pray for
them. Those that you've given unto
me.