Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
· John 1:10 He was in the world he made, that knew him not.
John 17 – World is seen in 14 of the 26 verses.
V1-3 Notice how Jesus begins by speaking in the third person. In V4 He begins speaking in the first person.
· His apostles heard this prayer. In 16:33 Jesus told them you will have tribulation in this world, “but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” not I will overcome the world.
· By speaking in the third person than the first person He was letting them know for sure He is the Son of God and the Christ. What all Jews must come to know (Acts 2:36)
· The Son of God, the Christ was praying to God the Father for them!
V4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. V8 . . . given unto them the word which thou gavest me. He had passed on all the words the Father gave him to pass on.
V5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (John 1:10)
V6-8 ¶ I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
· The apostles were pulled out of the world Christ made by the Father and given back to Christ.
· V7-8 Those given to Christ received the words the Father gave Christ and they believed the Father sent Him into the world. But how far did their belief go? What was their first reaction to the tomb empty?
· John 16:30 Through His plain speech: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. V31 . . . Do ye now believe?
· Mark 9:24 . . .I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
V9-10 This prayer is not for the present evil world but for those given Him by the Father.
V11-12 Why this prayer? He was no longer in the world. From this point on they were alone in the world and they were going to suffer tribulation. The world hated them. While He was in the world He kept them from the evil.
· Notice: Jesus was not praying for Judas Iscariot who chose the world and was given over to what he chose.
V13 Jesus spoke all the words the Father gave (Including John 16:33) to them so they (those He kept) so His joy would be fulfilled in each of them.
His joy: Jude 24. So Jesus would experience the joy of setting them down in the presence of His glory and so they to could have joy in the presence of tribulation.
V14-15 The Father was asked to keep them from the evil while they were in the world (alone).
V16-18 Those whom were given to Christ by the Father were no longer of the world, they were once, just as Christ was not of the world, He never was.
While Christ was no longer in the world, they would be sent into the world.
· Mark 16:15
What were they given by the Father though the Son that is key in their overcoming the evil and the joy of Christ fulfilled in them.
· V13 what He spoke
· V14 the word of the Father.
· V17 set apart from the world – thy word, truth
· Something Jesus spake to them: John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. See John 20:22 they received the comfort (not the power)
V19 Jesus said “I sanctify myself”, he is holy and pure so He dedicates himself to a holy purpose. He did not sanctify himself just in the past, He always is completely sanctifying Himself. They had to be sanctified through THE TRUTH – Jesus is the truth
V20 This verse makes it plain Vs 1-19 were also for us, not just His apostles. We come to God through their word – scripture, the Bible!
· Ephesians 2:19-20 We are no longer strangers to God, “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; “
· Ephesians 2: 21-22 we are builded together unto a holy temple for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
V21-26 Every single thing Jesus prays the Father for this chapter we have!
· How are we one as Jesus and the Father are one, a holy habitation of the Holy Spirit - Through salvation and the knowing the Truth, His words. How are we kept from the evil, through the power of the Holy Spirit and knowing the Truth, His words.
All these promises are ours; but for a purpose.
V23 . . .that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
This world offers temptation, tribulation, rejection, sorrow, fear, doubt, ect.
How do we overcome what this world throws at us and still experience His joy in us – by faith and hope in His words.
While we see all have in Christ, this prayer is an indictment against this present evil world we live in.
Psalm 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.