Why Are We Not Persecuted?

Lesson #282

Jesus continues his prayer and brings up something that might make a western Christian uncomfortable. Jesus prays: “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:14 ESV). As I read this verse I happened to look ahead to verse 20 where we read: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word” and realized that I may have violated the context some in previous lessons by including us at that time. Jesus was specifically praying for the disciples, most of the time, but then in verse 20 he draws us into his prayer. Knowing this I want to include both the disciples and us in the application of verse 14.

While with the disciples, Jesus gave them the word he heard from his Father. We receive this word from the Scriptures by the Holy Spirit. It is this word we are to know and live by and if we do it should affect our lives; it should set us apart from the world with a different lifestyle. Jesus relates living out the word with being hated by the world. Paul tells Timothy: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12 ESV). He doesn’t say may be persecuted, but will be. This begs the question, “Why are we not persecuted here in the US?” I might suggest two reasons: environment and compromise.

Another verse we should look at is found at Matthew 5:10 (ESV): Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Those being persecuted for righteousness’ sake are promised a blessing. It says nothing about righteous living producing persecution. How might persecution be affected by environment? Living as a Christian in Iran compared to living here in the west will yield different results due to difference in environment. Here Christianity is the major religion not a minor one as in Iran. Clearly this would affect the level of persecution.

What about compromise? How faithful are we in living according to the Scriptures? Have we not defiled ourselves with our relationship with the world? How close does our lifestyle match that of Jesus or our Father in heaven? How closely do we represent the image of a child of God according to the Scriptures? I am not so sure we are as righteous as we might think. Being politically correct is just one way we protect ourselves. Another way we avoid persecution (I am sure you are tired of me saying this again) is by embracing the idols of comfort, convenience, safety, and security. If we were not encumbered by these, the Christian community would look much different than it does now. 

Prayer

Father, as I worked on this lesson I thought about my brothers and sisters living under persecution who can lose their lives by just owning a Bible. Father, I wonder how many of us would keep a Bible and what would be our relationship to it if it might cost us our lives. I believe if we someday wake up to that reality, it will probably have an adverse effect on our walk with the Lord and how we view the Scriptures. Father, I wonder if we are drawing closer to war with Russia that might make this suffering a reality. 

Security and Joy Is Ours

Lesson #281

The prayer of Jesus is now focused on the disciples: “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:12 ESV). During the time Jesus was on earth with the disciples he taught them many things and kept them in the truth he was teaching. He watched over them and protected them from being drawn away by the evil one, except for Judas.

Before the foundation of the world, the Father selected those who he would give to Jesus to receive eternal life. Included in this group were the disciples, except for Judas. He was chosen, not for eternal life, but to carry out the assignment of betraying Jesus. Everyone the Father chooses for salvation would be given to Jesus as a gift and everyone given will be accepted and will be kept forever. Some are chosen for everlasting life and others are appointed to eternal wrath; some are saved and some are lost; some as sons of God and others as sons of perdition. The betrayal of Jesus by Judas took place in fulfilment of Scripture; Psalm 41:9 (ESV) speaks of this: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” Judas is called the son of destruction or in some translations, the son of perdition. Referring to Judas in this manner points ahead to the man of sin. “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3 ESV).

Jesus continue with his prayer: “But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves” (John 17:13 ESV). The phrase “I am coming to you” is repeated from John 17:11, where one could sense his concern of the coming cross and his suffering, but here the focus shifts to the joy of his homecoming and being with his Father.

Jesus has been speaking of the nature of eternal life, and his power to give it to those the Father gives to him; He has been sharing about the work of redemption that will be finished by him with his death on the cross and the glory due to him as a result; He has spoken about the chosen ones, especially the disciples, and his sharing the gospel with them and keeping them by the powerful influence of his grace; He has spoken about his concern for the preservation of the disciples after he leaves them. These things he has prayed about before he leaves the world.

Jesus looks forward to the joy he will experience when he returns to his Father, but he also refers to the joy that will be experienced by the disciples and by all of us. There are two phases to this joy; first here on earth and then in heaven. John speaks of this joy (1 John 1:4) being complete through our understanding of the things he is writing about in the book of 1 John. To have this understanding we must abide in Jesus as the branch abides in the vine (John 15:1 – 11) and then his joy will be in us and will be full (John 15:11). But the verse that really excites me about this joy is found in 1 Peter 1:8 – 9 (ESV): “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” The theme of 1 Peter is hope in the midst of suffering. Through their suffering they look to the cross and see the suffering of Jesus and then his resurrection, providing the promise of their resurrection to the living hope of obtaining their imperishable, undefiled and unfading inheritance reserved for them in heaven. For anyone walking with the Lord, this living hope should provide inexpressible joy.

Prayer

Father, there were two important topics touched on in this lesson: security and joy. We have the promise that everyone of us chosen by the Father will be received and eternally protected by Jesus and by our relationship with him, even during times of intense suffering, we can experience inexpressible joy. We have so much to enjoy and be thankful for from the kindness of your grace, but yet we so easily get so messed up with our friendship with the world. Father, forgive us and by your Spirit direct us back to a right relationship with Jesus. 

Do You Feel Secure? Why Not?

Lesson #280

As we move ahead to the next verse, we find Jesus praying as if he had already risen from the dead. Jesus continues, saying: “And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:11 ESV). At this time the work on the cross is finished and Jesus has risen from the dead, but has not yet ascended into heaven. This is the time when he appears to the disciples and to others before his ascension. He is concerned over leaving them and prays for their need of assistance and support in his absence. They will be left among wicked men and will be subject to trials and persecutions and will be in need of the same protection he could give them if he were with them. Jesus is asking his Father to keep them; to preserve, defend, and sustain them in trials and to protect them from apostasy.

There is some question among commentators about the meaning of “Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me.” Think of this in the context of family. We have our holy Father and his Son Jesus and us adopted children. Jesus is asking the Father to keep each one safe, that no one will be loss along the way as we are family. In a family the name of the father is given to his offspring, like possibly the name Christian.

Not only does Jesus want each one to be kept and not be lost along life’s journey, but he asks that there be unity as perfect as there is between Jesus and his Father. Later in verse 26, Jesus asks that the love with which the Father loves him be given to each believer because without this kind of love for one another, unity will be impossible. This divine love of the Father is the substance which sustains the unity of the body of believers. Today that love is nearly lacking and as a result unity is hard to come by among Christians. God’s love is willing to sacrifice for the benefit of others and that produces unity.

While Jesus was with the disciples he claims to have done his part. We will look at that in our next lesson.

Prayer

Father, what a beautiful picture of love and protection is emerging. Out of love you chose us and you take each of us through the spiritual gestation period to our spiritual birth, then you work in our lives, conforming us into the image of Jesus Christ while waiting for all to be ready for the great marriage celebration. The central focus of Scripture seems to be the process of selecting and preparing the bride for Jesus Christ and in his work of preparation for receiving her. As in any large family, the older siblings have the responsibility of helping raise the younger ones. Father, because of such disunity in the church today and historically, it is very difficult to comprehend what family unity in heaven will be like. Father, we need to get our minds around your love and focus on the work of spiritual maturity of ourselves and as we grow to help out in the growth of less mature children. Father, forgive us for trying to navigate life in the ditch along the pathway we should be on. 

What is this Joint Ownership?

Lesson #279

It is by now clear that the human population is divided into two groups: a small select group chosen by the Father and the rest that are left spiritually dead in their sin to spend an eternity under the wrath of God. While on earth Jesus had been praying for this chosen group that the Father gives as a gift to Jesus. The next verse, we are to cover, is an emphasis that this group has joint ownership. John 17:10 (ESV) reads: “All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.” They first belong to the Father because he chose them out of the world and legally adopted them as his children. These children make up God’s family. We who make up this group, have been born again as spiritual children and should mature into young men [and women] and then into mature fathers [and mothers] (1 John 2:12 – 14). While on earth we have the responsibility to move along this path of maturity (Philippians 2:12 – 13) doing the work assigned to us to do (Ephesians 2:10). This group is given to Jesus and thus becomes his as a father chooses a bride to give to his son. This group, the bride, thus belongs to Jesus and he has authority over her.

In this group, this bride, this body of Christ, Jesus is glorified; how? He is glorified by our believing in him; by our walking worthy of him in our lives and our conversations; by our suffering patiently and cheerfully when called upon to do so; by attributing to him our eternal spiritual nature; and by our worship of, our praise to and our love for him for all eternity. I am overwhelmed by this picture of family, our relationships and our joint activities. Our Father is raising us, his adopted children, through his loving discipline. Jesus purchased our salvation and gives the gift of eternal life to us as the Father gives us as a gift to Jesus. As our growth takes place we are working with the Lord Jesus is building his kingdom. If I am proven faithful in the small things now, then in heaven activities will continue with the Father and his Son in an ever increasing manner. This joint effort of writing these Bible studies with Jesus and the Spirit to the glory of the Father, I believe, is just the beginning of a wonderful eternity of activity. I long to learn more now as an apprentice to be ready for skillful work when we meet face to face (2 Timothy 2:15).

This is enough for this study as the next verse is long and has many parts to it. It is a good verse to start a new lesson on.

Prayer

Father, I am still here on earth and as part of this chosen group, I must pray for others. Father, I pray for those lost sheep yet to be found. I know that many of them will be exposed to persecution, some even facing death shortly after conversion. Father, I pray for those facing persecution that they will be encouraged, that they will be strengthened and have endurance to continue on in their suffering, that they would stand steadfast and not forsake the Lord or their faith, that your love will fill their hearts providing them the ability to forgive, and that you would place your hand of blessing and grace upon them. Father, I pray for those not facing persecution that they would resist the call of comfort, convenience, safety, and security and be willing to take some risk in their walk with the Lord. Father, protect each one of us from the powers of darkness and from deception and please have mercy on us because of our sin. 

Praying for Them

Lesson #278

In our last two lessons, Jesus was praying for a special group of people that were chosen out of the world by the Father and given as a gift to Jesus. In this lesson, Jesus continues to pray for these believers: “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours” (John 17:9 ESV). This verse clearly describes two groups of people: those chosen by the Father and adopted as his children from the world and those he passed over and left for eternal judgment because of their sin.

Jesus suffered and died to purchase salvation for this group of people and he did it for the joy that would be his as he spends an eternity with them. From eternity past Jesus knew the names of those who would make up this group. These he loves and will protect and provide everlasting care. It is these he prays for because they are family. Such love on the part of God that he would sacrifice his Son to purchase this select group of people. Such a demonstration of his love, mercy and grace.

The other group he does not pray for because they are not part of the family of God and never will be. They are children of the devil and live under the eternal wrath of God. This is a very harsh view, that we don’t hear preached about today, but it is reality.

“I am praying for them.” Jesus sets an example for us to also pray for those who make up this group. We don’t know what Jesus prayed for this group. All we know is that he knows them as a shepherd knows his sheep and the sheep know who their shepherd is. We also know that he died to secure their salvation and his right and authority over this group. Will he continue to pray for them after he ascends to heaven? Will we pray when we reach heaven? I believe the answer to both questions is no, because faith is then replaced with sight. Now Jesus is working with us gathering the loss sheep together into one flock; the Church; the body of Christ. In heaven we can talk directly to God as we see in Revelation 6:10 (ESV): “They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”

“for they are yours.” First this group was chosen out of the world by the Father and adopted as his children. They are his and will always be his children, but children grow up and the Father given them to Jesus as he would give a bride to his Son. Jesus uniquely meets all that is needed to be the rightful groom for this bride. How wonderful all of this is!

Prayer

Father, what joy it brings me to study your word and as I do the living hope I have continues to grow to where the things of this world have less and less interest for me. I long to grow in my relationship with Jesus in writing these studies and to pray for the work of the Holy Spirit in touching lives of people in various cultures around the world as they read these. At one time I never imagined I would teach Bible in China and I never imagined I would one day write Bible studies to be read in a multitude of countries. Father, I pray that you will find me faithful in Christ to bless me, to bear much fruit, through this outreach. 

How Well Do You Represent Jesus?

Lesson #277

In our last lesson we looked at a special group of people that the Father has chosen, before the foundation of the world, to be his children. These the Father gives to Jesus to be given eternal life. About these people, Jesus said, “they have kept your word.” He continues by saying, “Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me” (John 17:7 – 8 ESV). These two verses have the disciples in view, but there is application for us today. During the three years the disciples spent with Jesus they had learned what Jesus was teaching was actually from the Father and not made up by him. Those words were received by the disciples and by those who were following Jesus and they came to know the truth that Jesus was from the Father.

The Son of God, Messiah, was sent to earth by his Father and took on a body of flesh through a virgin birth and became known as Jesus. He taught that he was from the Father and was the way, the truth, and the life; the only way to the Father. Jesus made it clear that knowing him was how one would know the Father. Jesus came as a witness for the Father and to die on the cross to purchase our salvation and rise from the dead to insure our resurrection.

What the disciples and others learned from Jesus as a basis for belief, we also had to learn and then when our spiritual gestation period was complete we were born spiritually and experienced our Pentecost when the Spirit came to indwell us. Jesus was the Son of God in flesh and after our spiritual birth we are flesh inhabited by the Spirit. One day our salvation will be complete and our sinful body of flesh will be replaced with a perfect eternal body. What a marvelous time that will be.

Jesus was sent by the Father to be a witness and purchase our salvation. We as Christians, indwelt by the Spirit are to take the place of Jesus as a witness and through our sacrifice work at expanding the kingdom of God. As we walk with Jesus through the Gospel of John, we see a person completely dedicated in doing the work assigned to him by the Father. As representatives of Jesus we have been assigned work to do, but our sinful flesh encumbers us and hinders our progress.

Prayer

Father, there are so many ways my sinful flesh encumbers me in doing kingdom work. I find that I have to constantly be nourished by the word and exercise faith through Galatians 2:20 (ESV): “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” I must not let my focus drift from: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 ESV). If I am to bear much fruit I must abide deeply in Jesus, for apart from him I can do nothing. Father, I long for more of Jesus to live in and through me. 

Were You Given as a Gift to Jesus?

Lesson #276

With this lesson we begin the next subsection of this chapter with a verse that many might not have thought carefully about: “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word” (John 17:6 ESV). Jesus identifies a group of people that were the possession of the Father; those people were his. These people came out of the world and were given as a gift to Jesus. To these people Jesus has manifested the Fathers name and they have kept his word. With this summary in mind we need to look at some details.

Looking at John 17:4, Jesus is praying as though he has already died on the cross and completed the work assigned to him to do: “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” This is important because as Jesus glorified the Father through work that was yet to be accomplished, he likewise will manifest the Fathers name to those yet to be born again. The manifestation that Jesus did while on earth, he continues to do through the work of the Holy Spirit. As we study the Scriptures or are engaged is some way with true Bible teaching and preaching, we are learning more about the Father. Jesus is the truth and by him through the Spirit the Father is manifested.

To these people Jesus manifested the Father and continues to do so, but these people did something in response; they kept the Fathers word; the word of God. There is one God, so there is one Word, but that word is from the Father in the person of Jesus. By Jesus saying they kept the Fathers word, Jesus is pointing to the Father as the head of authority. For us, the people, we should be keeping the word of God if we truly are his people.

The real question before us is who are these people that are in the possession of the Father and given as a gift to Jesus? Do these people choose salvation or does the Father choose them and cause then to be born again? I grow weary over the debate on this that divides us as believers. From many years of Bible study, I am convinced that the Father makes the choice, but no one is excluded that desires salvation. Without God’s intervention in our lives, no one would choose salvation, because Romans 3:10 – 11 tells us that: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Like selecting a child from an orphanage, the Father chooses from the human population, those who will make up this group of people and records them in the book of life. These are his children and are known as lost sheep, until born again, who we have the responsibility of finding through sharing the gospel.

Every person physically conceived is born is spiritually dead, under the bondage of sin. Justice demands that each one suffer eternally in hell, but God in his sovereignty can choose those he will adopt as his children. We may call that unfair, but ask any orphan who was chosen by a loving family and see how thankful they are. I don’t know of any orphan who ever chose the family who would adopt them and I know of no children who chose who would be their parents. I am eternally thankful that my Father chose me because he loved me and gave me as a gift to Jesus to keep and love forever.

 

Prayer

Lord, it is a mystery concerning who is offered the gift of salvation. Today, under severe persecution, many are started along the journey of salvation through a dream or vision about Jesus. Paul was an example where you reached down and converted a murderer and used him to write a large portion of the New Testament. I think of all the people you chose to walk with you in the Old Testament. People in their pride want to think they chose salvation, thus earning the gift. Your word is clear that no one left spiritually dead is interested in salvation. Father, thank you for your gift of me to Jesus and the gift of eternal life to me from Jesus. 

Father, Glorify Me

Lesson #275

In the last lesson Jesus, again made it clear that to know the Father, one must know Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as Jesus is the only way to the Father. In this lesson we continue with Jesus praying: “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do” (John 17:4 ESV). As Jesus prays he is looking ahead to the other side of his death when the work assigned to him to do will be complete. As we followed Jesus through our study, we saw him making God known to the world by his teaching and by his miracles. As he did this he drew closer and closer to the cross where he would die as the perfect sacrifice for our sin and would rise from the grave to obtain victory over death. This act of purchasing our salvation provided payment for our debt to satisfy the law to establish justice allowing God to show mercy and extend grace to us.

With the assignment then complete, Jesus will be ready to go home to his Father. Jesus now prays: “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:5 ESV). When Jesus came to earth and took on human flesh, he laid aside his glory. However, there was a time when some of his glory shown forth: “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light” (Matthew 7:1 – 2 ESV). What Jesus is asking the Father is for the return of his full glory, the glory we will see when we stand before him in our glorified bodies in heaven. We see this in John 17:24 (ESV): “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

“Before the foundation of the world” refers to eternity past when the Word was with God and the Word was God and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 14). Nothing could be more clear than these verses that Jesus existed in glory with his Father during eternity past. That glory he had and is asking for is a magnificent display of his greatness and power, that every knee will bow to him (Philippians 2:10). Jesus is not asking for anything that does not strictly belong to him, but since he rose in bodily form, it appears that he is asking for that glory to be displayed from that body. I don’t think we have any idea of the glory that will be displayed from our glorified bodies when we are in heaven.

John 17:1 – 5, is a remarkable passage, which teaches us that Christ is not a God who has been newly contrived, or who has existed only for a time; for if his glory was eternal then he also has always existed.

Prayer

Father, as we read again these five verses we have been studying, we can’t help but be impressed that Jesus is unique. No other human has ever existed or ever will that can make the claims that Jesus did and then perform works of power to back up his claim. These verses clearly show that he is the Son of God and that we must hear and obey him. We must embrace an understanding of this in belief or we will spend an eternity agonizing in hell over our failure to respond when we had the opportunity.

This Is Eternal Life

Lesson #274

Imagine the following conversation between the Father and his Son.

Father: As part of creation humans will be created in our image and given free will to decide whether to love and obey us. They will decide they want to live apart from us and will experience death. I am asking you to become a human like them and die to purchase their salvation.

Son: How do I know that any will choose to love and obey me if I make this sacrifice for them. (We know from Romans 3:11 - 12 that no one seeks God, they are worthless, and not even one does good. Jesus has good reason to question the plan of salvation.)

Father: I will make a list of names of those I will choose and I will cause them to be born again and those I will give to you and you will give to them eternal life and will keep them and love them as your own forever. (These are called lost sheep until they are born again. As believers, we have been assigned the task of sharing the gospel with everyone in searching for these loss sheep. The Father chooses and we must find. Be assured, the Father will not allow any to be missed in the search and also be assured that anyone who seeks salvation will not be denied.)

Son: You will give these to me as my bride to love and cherish and they will love and desire me!

Father: Yes.

Son: Father, with joy I will go to earth and take on the flesh of a human, suffer great shame, and die for them under your curse for their sin.

With this conversation in our minds, we will consider the phrase: “to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.” Since Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and since all authority has been given to him, he is able to give eternal life to all the Father gives to him. At the moment the Father causes them to be born again (1 Peter 1:3) and gives them to Jesus, Jesus gives to them eternal life, and the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within them. This is an event that involves the trinity. It is a moment in my life that I will never, ever, forget.

Jesus continues praying: “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3 ESV). It is interesting that “him” in verse 2 is praying to the Father and referring to himself as Jesus Christ. In this way he can point out the importance of knowing the Father and Jesus Christ. In this way he can reference the name Jesus Christ, not me. The connection in knowing both for salvation is obtained from John 14:6 (ESV): “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Any other way that man can think up as a way to God will end in death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). To obtain eternal life you must come to Jesus because no one else has it to give and to receive it we must be given as a gift to Jesus.

Prayer

Father, I am eternally thankful that you chose me from among those lost and on their way to eternal destruction and caused me to be born again and gave me as a gift to Jesus who gave me eternal life and promised to love and care for me forever. I am so thankful that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, was willing to suffer such shame and die to purchase my salvation. Have mercy on me and forgive me for my lack of love, thankfulness, obedience, and worship. 

Authority Over All

Lesson #273

Jesus knows that his hour has come. In John 2:4, Jesus told his mother: “My hour has not yet come.” By these two statements Jesus knew why he was sent to earth and he knew he was to become sin in our place and die in our place. He knew that the next few hours where going to be severe and we find him praying to his Father. There are so many brothers and sisters in countries of persecution that also face severe suffering and even death that are following the Lord and are willing to also pay a very high price to remain faithful to their assignment. We in the west need to learn about suffering because some day we may experience real pain without the availability of pain killers. I think of mothers who give birth without pain killers. They probably understand best what torture could be like.

Coming back to our text, Jesus begins his prayer by saying: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him” (John 17:1b - 2 ESV). We covered: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you” in the previous lesson. The phrase: “since you have given him” is interesting because of the use of the third person in the use of “him”. Jesus is God-man and here as in verse 3, we see Jesus positioned between the two as he prayers. His prayer is so earnest and he feels so connected with his Father that he feels his God nature and referring to ‘him” he sees his human nature and in verse 3 refers to “him” as Jesus Christ.  

The Father has given him authority over all flesh. In Romans 14:11 (ESV): “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” In Philippians 2:9 – 11 (ESV) this is clearly seen: “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” There will be a time when every living soul will respond to Jesus Christ. We see this in John 5:28 – 29 (ESV): “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

We now come to an expression that needs more space than we have left in this lesson. Therefore, we will devote the next lesson to the statement: “to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.”

Prayer

Father, it is so difficult, maybe impossible, for many to accept the fact that the Son of God actually dwelt in a body of human flesh and that through him the universe was created and that he has authority over everything. How clear this became when he spoke to the wind and to the sea and they obeyed him and became calm. In this lesson he speaks to his Father from a body of human flesh that is about to be sacrificed to purchase our salvation. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, belief in this is impossible. Father, thank you for placing me under the authority of Jesus Christ as a believer. 

The Hour Has Come

Lesson #272

With this lesson we begin chapter 17, which is one major section in the ESV translation and is titled, “The High Priestly Prayer”. Jesus has been preparing his disciples, or at least trying to, for the traumatic experience they were about to have when Jesus is taken from them. Jesus now turns his focus from his disciples to his Father in heaven. Looking at verse 1, we read: “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you” (John 17:1 ESV). “When Jesus had spoken these words,” refers back to the previous chapters where Jesus gave words of comfort, advice, direction, and instruction to his disciples, preparing them for his time of suffering and death. We can assume that Jesus and the disciples are on their way towards Gethsemane since they have not yet crossed the Kidron Valley (John 18:1).

Jesus assumes a position of prayer (Luke 18:13) of lifting up his eyes to heaven. Some suggest that he is outdoors, after being in the upper room, and looks up to the starry sky and prays. Some suggest other things it might mean. The only thing we know for sure is that he feels the need to spend time with his Father in prayer. There are many times I also feel this way. Again and again I must stop what I am doing and pray. It is part of my assignment from God, to listen and know when to pray and for what. In the same way thoughts come from God’s word and I must stop and take notes or I will forget and I will lose something very special. Jesus says: “Father, the hour has come.” His Father had sent his only Son into the world in fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies. It was the hour when the true Passover would be sacrificed, when he would bruise the head of Satan and accomplish the purchase of our salvation.

Jesus then says: “glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.” By saying this, Jesus is claiming deity because Isaiah 42:8 and 48:11 affirm that God will not give his glory to another. For a touch of this glory we can go to Mark 9:2 – 8 and read the transfiguration account in which Jesus was transfigured, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white. We then turn to Galatians 3:13, we find it written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on tree (the cross).” The holy one of God being cursed in our place is the epitome of shame. Jesus is asking that once he bears such intense shame as a cursed man, that he be raised back up to his former position of glory. Through the work Jesus will accomplish on the cross in obtaining victory over sin and death, the Father will be glorified.

Prayer

Father, as I think about this verse I can’t help but think about those who are giving their lives for being a witness, or having a Bible, or simply being a Christian. They are being persecuted as the scum of the earth; pollution to be eliminated, but yet they stand firm in their faith because they know who they are in Jesus Christ and the worth they are to you. They suffer or die as trash to be destroyed and as they pray for their persecutors, they look forward to the glory they will receive in heaven. What an example Jesus is for us. 

Peace or Tribulation

Lesson #271

The disciples are making progress in understanding what Jesus has been teaching them, but there is trouble coming! “Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me” (John 16:32 ESV). A time of great testing is only a day away when Jesus will be seized, condemned and crucified as a malefactor. When this happens the faith of the disciples will be so shaken that they will run away from him to their own homes. When they see Jesus die they probably supposed that his work was defeated. It is probable that the two disciples going to Emmaus were on their way to their homes. We will cover this when we get to John 21:1 – 14.

The disciples will heave Jesus alone, but Jesus tells them he will not be alone because his Father will be with him. His Father was his friend and in the prospect of his sufferings he could still look to him for support. Even in his dying moments when he suffered so much when our sin was placed upon him and his Father had to turn away from him, he still addresses him as his God when he cries out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). When his time of death finally came, he was still able to call out with a loud voice, saying, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46 ESV). Through all of these sufferings he had the assurance that God was his friend and that he was doing his will. If our identity is clearly in Jesus Christ, then it matters little who else forsakes us. If God is with us during the time of pain and even death and if we have the consciousness of his presence and his favor, then we may fear no evil for his rod and his staff, they will comfort us. Without the assurance of his presence, suffering and death would be full of horrors. This posture is clearly seen as we witness our brothers and sisters going through the torture of persecution. The Christian can die saying, I am not alone, because the Father is with me. The sinner dies without a friend that can alleviate his sufferings.

We chose chapter 16 with Jesus telling his disciples: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 ESV). Jesus is giving them this warning as another proof that he knows all things and in the end they may look to him alone for peace and happiness. In Jesus Christ we have peace and joy, but in the world you will experience tribulation in some form, depending where in the world you live. When Jesus is nailed to the cross and dies the disciples are told not to give up in despair because Jesus has the power to overcome. When he rises from the dead, the powers of darkness have been put on notice of their coming judgment, but we have the victory and our salvation is secure.

Prayer

Father, when our time of tribulation comes, what will we do? Will we deny our faith to save our self or will we stand with endurance and steadfastness with the Lord? Father, help us make the correct choice now and be prepared if our time comes. Help us count the cost now and prepare us to give everything if called on to do so. Jesus gave his life for our salvation; the least we can do is be willing to give ours in return. 

Now You Are Speaking Plainly

Lesson #270

Jesus came into the world to purchase our salvation and once that is accomplished he will return to his Father. He came to build a bridge from the world to heaven; that bridge is the person of Jesus as there is no other way to the Father. The disciples are apparently beginning to understand this because they respond in a positive manner: “His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech!”” (John 16:29 ESV). The disciples have experienced enough with Jesus to understand that he is from God by what he is capable of doing. They are also beginning to understand that the Holy Spirit will come to be with them once he is received by his Father. What that will be like and what he will do is still beyond their understanding and will be until Pentecost or after. There seems to be joy for the moment, but between now and Pentecost there will be times of deep darkness and discouragement.

The disciples continue: “Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God” (John 16:30 ESV). We have encountered examples where Jesus knew the thoughts and responded to their questions without them asking. An example of this is in 16:1, where Jesus said, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” Then in 16:19, “Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’?” Jesus knows the thoughts of all men, even the secrets of their hearts. Jesus could come up to a person and start a conversation based on what the person was thinking. There was no need for the person to express first what the conversation should be about; Jesus knew.

“Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?”” (John 16:31 ESV). His question was a challenge to them to consider if they really do believe. He wants them to do a full examination of their hearts to determine if their faith is unshakable; faith that would endure every trial they would face. He warned them that they were about to go through situations that would test them; tests where they would need confidence in God to endure. When we feel strong in the faith we should examine ourselves. It may be that we are deceived; and it may be that God may even then be preparing trials for us that will shake our faith to its foundation.

In our next lesson we will look at a coming trial so severe that it will scatter the disciples away from Jesus.

Prayer

Father, the struggle the disciples are going through in gaining understanding is not unlike the struggle an unbeliever goes through in coming to salvation or even the struggle a believer goes through when encountering a new truth in the Bible they had not thought about in the past. Father, at times learning is not easy. There have been times when preparing these lessons that I have encountered verses that needed an extra amount of effort to properly understand, but endurance has yielded the blessing of understanding. I am so thankful you challenged me to commit to preparing these studies. They have been a real source of joy in my life.