Episode 114 - "That they may be one, as we are one" - John 17:9-11

John 17:9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 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.

As we continue to walk through this prayer of Jesus, I am going to point out four simple, but profound things from these three verses.

First, in verse 9, the people Jesus is praying for are his disciples; those who’ve received the words from the Father that he has spoken to them and believed in Jesus. He is very specific here that he is NOT praying for the world. Has Jesus given up on the world? Has he abandoned it? No. John makes it clear that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son . . . (John 3:16) Jesus came into the world to fulfill everything the Father gave him to do and that was to involve laying down his life for the sins of the world. But, it is only those who “believe in him” that appropriate the benefit of that sacrifice for their sin. Only those who have true faith in Jesus “shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” (3:16) The point of Jesus praying only for his followers becomes evident in the context of what follows.

Second, Jesus’ followers belong equally to the Father and the Son, and Jesus is glorified in those believers. Have you ever considered that? If you trust in Jesus, you bring him glory. Here is an action point from this principle. Make it a point to pray and ask the Lord to help you bring Jesus glory each day.

Third, Jesus is leaving the world soon when he returns to heaven with the Father. But, the disciples will still be in the world. The point is that as followers of Jesus, they will face persecution and difficulties because of their faith. Jesus is acknowledging that and this is one of the reasons he is specifying that he is praying for his followers alone. Jesus prays that the Father will keep these followers of Jesus “in your name, which you have given me.” (v. 11) I take this to mean that Jesus is praying that his followers will be divinely protected in their identity to Jesus and the Father and that these followers will boldly understand and value their relationship to Jesus and the Father.

Finally, Jesus’ prayer for his disciples is “that they may be one, even as we are one.” (v. 11b) Wow! As I think about how fractured the church has become over politics and many other social issues, it seems to me that we, as followers of Jesus, are not glorying Jesus when we can become so divisive amongst ourselves with these kinds of issues. It suggests that we have lost our focus upon our common identity in Jesus. In light of this prayer of Jesus, we must reprioritize our unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ that we may best glorify Jesus.

Episode 72 - "No one will snatch them from my hand" John 10:19-30

John 10:19   There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” John 10:22   At that time, the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

We have a little more text this week than I often have, but, I want to focus on one key aspect of Jesus’ words in this section after I mention the context.

Jesus has just claimed to be able to raise himself from the dead after laying down his own life. Understandably, people would have a problem with such a claim. People predictably argued that he was insane or possessed by a demon. But, others rightly questioned whether a demon had the power to open the eyes of a blind person.

So again, they collar him at the temple and insist that he plainly make his claim that he is the Christ. He reiterates what John has recorded him saying earlier, and they need to look at the evidence he’s given them. In other words, don’t just ask me (Jesus) to tell you with words. What does the evidence of my works reveal?

But, Jesus doesn’t stop with this. He tells them outright that they don’t believe because they don’t belong to his flock of sheep. He says that he gives his “sheep” eternal life, and “they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” 

Here is the point I want to make. I realize that some wonderful Christians have different views on the idea of “eternal security.” Eternal security is that if you’ve been saved, you cannot lose your salvation.” I have good Christian friends who don’t believe that. However, you have to deal with this text if you don’t. If Jesus gives you eternal life when you place your trust in Him and you are figuratively “in his hand,” he’s suggesting that he has each believer securely protected in his care and no one (not even you) can take them away from Jesus’ possession. 

If that promise were not enough, he adds that the Father, who gave these sheep to Jesus,  is “greater than all,” and no one can take them from Him. 

What kind of picture does that paint about our security in Jesus? I cannot think of a passage that is more comforting than this promise by Jesus.

I hope that you will not let guilt, shame, failure, or anything else distract you from your joy and peace, knowing that you are safely and firmly in God’s protection if you’ve placed your trust in Jesus.

Episode 45 - Jesus will not lose anyone who comes to him - John 6:35-40

John 6:35   Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Jesus had just spoken to these people whom he’d miraculously fed. They saw this and they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”  When they come looking for him, Jesus tells them, “For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” (vv. 33-34) Now, Jesus tells them that he is the “bread of life.” He promises that those who come to him will never hunger or thirst. 

Notice the context is speaking of eternal life. Personally, I believe God is concerned about the physical needs of this life. In Matthew 6:25-33 Jesus taught the people to not worry about what they will eat, drink, or wear. He suggests that if God cares for the birds enough to provide for them, he cares for us as much or more. But, there is something more important than our needs for this life and that is our needs for eternal life. This life is temporary. But, in our text for this episode, Jesus is telling these people that he is the “bread of life.” He is what they really need to consume for eternal life.

Then, Jesus says something that I believe should provide tremendous encouragement to everyone who trusts him. He says (again) that his sole purpose is to do what the Father wants him to do and the Father wants him to lose no one that the Father gives to him. He promises that anyone who comes to him will not be rebuffed and under no circumstances will he lose any whom the Father gives him. Even death itself cannot break the grasp Jesus has on those who trust in him. He promises that those who trust in him and then die, he will “raise up” on the last day. He repeated this promise in verse 40 by saying it’s the Father’s will that everyone who looks upon Jesus and believes in him will have eternal life and Jesus will raise him up. 

This means that everyone who believes in Jesus now has eternal life now. Nothing in this text suggests that we will have eternal life only after we’ve been raised. Those who have placed their trust in Jesus have eternal life at that moment. That’s his promise. He does not deny that people will still die physically. He’s simply saying that our life in Christ is eternal and the full experience of that will result in a resurrection and eternal presence with God. Death cannot undo eternal life. That is good news!