Learning Jesus | Week 37
Learning Jesus Week 37
arThe Heart of All Prayers = His Glory
Key Word – pray >> Central for self – John 17 Central for group – Mark 14:32-42
When Jesus added humanity to His divinity, He became a bond-servant. Because Jesus’ glory was veiled, He appeared as any ordinary man and not as One having equality with God (Phil 2:6-7). Throughout his gospel, John has used the word “hour” to refer to Jesus’ glorification; this hour is His very purpose for adding humanity to His divinity. Anticipating His trial, scourging, mockery, and crucifixion, Jesus said, “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose, I have come to this hour. ‘Father, glorify your name’” (John 12:27-28). In our reading this week, Jesus’ “hour” is just literally hours away. So, what does Jesus choose to do? He chooses to pray.
Day 1 – Jesus Prays for the Father’s and His Own Glory
Read John 17:1-8 below.
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, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. 6 “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. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 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.
Background Information – Before the Cross, Jesus had already brought glory to the Father (17:3-4). In verse 3, we read that eternal life is knowing the one true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. To know Jesus is to know God. When Moses asks to see the glory of God, the Father says that His goodness IS His glory (Exodus 33:15-20). In the Old Testament, the glory of God is often revealed through bright shining light called the Shechinah glory. But when Jesus came to earth, His Shechinah glory was veiled. Instead, His glory, His goodness was revealed in His work, which included His teachings and miracles, but also His perfect obedience to the Father that will soon culminate in the cross.
The pattern is that God reveals His glory to those created in His image in some tangible way. Therefore, when Jesus asks the Father to glorify Him in verse one, He is requesting something tangible. We will read this semester how after Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples many times and even to a gathering of 500 brothers and sisters. That is tangible.
1. Read Jesus’ first request and the reason He gives to the Father for granting His request in verse 1.
o How would raising Jesus from the dead utterly vindicate His work before all creation?
o How would He thus bring glory to the Father?
2. Read Jesus’ second request in verse 5 above. Then read verse 6 for the reason Jesus gives to the Father for granting His request. Jesus is requesting that the Father restore His Shechinah glory when He ascends to heaven. Since Jesus has added humanity to His divinity, He will ascend bodily to heaven and sit in His human body on the throne at the right hand of God.
How would restoring Jesus divine Shechinah glory in the Father’s presence utterly vindicate the Son’s work before all creation?
Background Information – Jesus’ prayer in John 17 is often called the High Priestly Prayer. Remember that only Israel’s human high priest could enter the holy of holies to intercede for himself and the people in God’s glorious presence. Warren Wiersbe describes Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer here as the “holy of holies” of all that is recorded in the gospels.
3. Consider Jesus’ requests to be glorified and to have His former Shechinah glory restored (John 17:1, 5). How in these requests is Jesus entering the holy of holies with His Father?
Approach the throne of God yourself with humility and worship. Meditate on the glory Jesus is enjoying in the Father’s own presence right now and praise Him for being willing to veil that glory while He walked the earth.
Day 2 – Jesus Prays for the Eleven Apostles
Background Information — In our Day 1 text, we saw that Jesus prayed that He and the Father would be glorified and that His Shechinah glory would be restored. Jesus knew the Father would glorify Himself when He raised the Son from the dead, and He knew the Father would restore His Shechinah glory when Jesus ascended to heaven. Even though He knew the Father’s will, Jesus still gave the Father reasons for His requests. His two reasons included: 1) He had brought glory to the Father by teaching Israel eternal life is knowing the Father through the Son and 2) He completed the work the Father gave Him to do, including revealing the Father specifically to the apostles whom He would send in His name.
In our reading today, Jesus shifts to praying for the Eleven, and His requests include: 1) the preservation of the Eleven 2) the protection of the Eleven, and 3) the sanctification of the Eleven.
1. Read John 17:9-19. Underline or highlight Jesus’ reason for His petition in each section of John 17 below. A few examples are bolded to get you started.
a. Apostles’ Preservation
o I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. (17:9-10)
o And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. (17:11a)
o Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. (17:11b)
o 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. (17:12)
o But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 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. (17:13-14)
Your observations —
b. Apostles’ Protection I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. (17:15-16)
Your observations —
c. Apostles’ Sanctification
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. (17:17-19)
Your observations —
2. Immediately before Jesus prayed this High Priestly Prayer for Himself and the Eleven, He stated: “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.” Given that Jesus has overcome the world, how is the apostles and all believers’ preservation, protection, and sanctification absolutely sure?
3. Using Jesus’ words in His requests today, enjoy a time of praising God for your preservation, protection, and sanctification. Ask Him to help you to live out of your secure relationship with Him so that you can bring glory to Him.
Day 3 – Jesus Prays for All Believers
Background Information — Jesus has prayed for Himself, for the Eleven, and now in today’s text He prays for all believers; this includes the Eleven and all who received Christ through their testimony, and that, my brothers and sisters, includes us! What is foremost in Jesus’ prayer for all believers is their unity and their glorification.
1. Read John 17:20-23 below. In each section, highlight or underline Jesus’ reason for His request.
a. Believers’ Unity
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. (17:20-23)
Your observations —
b. Believers’ Glorification
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. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (17:24-26)
Your observations —
2. You know that it is God’s will that the love with which the Father loved the Son be in you and that Jesus be in you. If you are in Christ, then your position with the Father and Son is sure. The love of the Father for the Son is yours and the Son is yours. How, however, can you bring glory to God by living confidently in that reality?
3. Enjoy a time of praising God. Pray that He would enable us to be unified so that we can bring glory to Him.
Day 4 – Jesus Prays the Father’s Will Be Done
Background Information — Again, Jesus’ prayer that we have been studying is often called the High Priestly Prayer. As we have learned, in His last days, Jesus is transitioning from His ministry as a prophet to His intercessory ministry as our High Priest. Jesus may have prayed this prayer as He and the apostles walked to the Garden of Gethsemane. The word “gethsemane” means oil press. John states that Jesus and the disciples crossed the brook Kidron where there was a garden. Luke adds that this garden was on the Mount of Olives and that it was Jesus’ custom to go there with His apostles. So traditionally it is believed that Jesus experienced His agony in the Kidron Valley at the foot of the Mount of Olives.
The name Kidron refers to either the “darkness” or “murkiness” of the water that flows through this wadi on occasion or to the cedars that grow there. In this valley the dead bodies of common people were laid and to this valley idols were removed and burned during the reforms of King Josiah, King Asa, and King Hezekiah. According to gotquestion.org, this place is associated with “sorrow, judgment, and death,” and the landing page for Kidron Valley at this site lists several stories to develop this idea. Many associate this valley with the “valley of decision” where God will gather the nations to “decide” their judgment after the tribulation before Jesus sets up His 1000-year reign (Joel 3). Finally, in the same chapter where the prophet Jeremiah promises the New Covenant, he foretells that this valley, from the brook Kidron to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, even with its dead bodies and ashes, “shall be sacred to LORD. It shall not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever” (31:40).
Read Mark 14:32-34.
32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”
Background Information — Jesus leaves eight of His disciples to watch as He prays, and then takes His inner circle of Peter, James, and John farther into the garden with Him as a second watch while He prays. The phrase “greatly distressed” in Greek means to be “utterly surprised” or “stunned with astonishment.” To be “troubled” means to be “full of heaviness.” His sorrow that was “even to death” reveals Jesus’ weak state at this time.
Read Mark 14:35-36; Luke 22:43-44.
And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:35-36).
And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22:43-44).
Background Information — Joachim Jeremias notes that in the Old Testament, God is referred to as Father just a few times, but He is never addressed by anyone as “my Father”; also, no one addressed the Father with the endearment “Abba.” But Jesus refers to the Father using “my” and “Daddy.” This is interesting since the word cup is used throughout the Old Testament to symbolize the wrath of God poured out in response to sin. The consequence of sin is death, and the ultimate death is to be spiritually separated from God the Father.
Jesus had never experienced spiritual separation from the Father. Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum states that this separation affected only Jesus’ human spirit, but not His divine spirit which could never die. In anticipation of separation from His Abba, the Fully Man Jesus was in such agony that the capillaries surrounding His sweat glands ruptured and blood entered these glands, giving Him the appearance of sweating blood.
1. Re-read the text and notes for today and highlight the details or words/phrases that speak the story of the Bible, God’s story of creation, fall, redemption and restoration. You will see that in each paragraph, I highlighted 1-2 details to illustrate.
Transfer your details and words/phrases here. You can list these under the categories of the fall (-) and redemption/restoration (+). I got you started with examples using some of the grey highlighted words.
The Fall (-) Redemption/Restoration (+)
agony New Covenant
idols sacred to the Lord
Read Mark 14:35-42.
2. When Jesus says, “Yet not what I will, but what you will,” what does He reveal about —
o His love for the Father?
o His love for those who apart from His finished work on the cross would remain eternally separated from the Father?
3. Reflect on today’s texts and your answers to #1 and #2 above. How could you share the gospel using the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane? Perhaps start with the story of Adam who made a different choice in another garden.
Day 5 – Jesus Prays the Father’s Will Be Done
Today we are going to review the same story in the Garden of Gethsemane, but this time we are going to focus on learning how to follow Jesus’ example as one who prays.
Re-read Mark 14:32-42. Go to Day 4 for that text.
1. Keep in mind what Jesus has repeatedly prophesied about His “hour” (Mark 8:31-33; 9:30-32; 10:32-34). Why did Jesus need to pray?
2. Keep in mind what Jesus has prophesied about how the apostles, Peter in particular, would respond to Jesus’ hour (Matthew 26:31-35). Why should the apostles have remained awake to pray?
Background Information — Could Jesus pray that He not experience spiritual death? Fruchtenbaum points out that the Old Testament prophesies only of Jesus’ physical death and that only Jesus’ physical death was essential for our atonement, for without the shedding of blood, sins cannot be forgiven (Leviticus 17:11).
3. We read on Day 4 that Jesus’ spiritual separation from the Father affected only His human spirit, for His divine spirit could never die. Think about Jesus anticipating how for the first time He would experience separation from the Father!
o Read Hebrews 4:14-16. What does this text about Jesus’ current role in heaven teach you?
o How did Jesus’ agony of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane prepare Him to be the sympathetic High Priest who now hears our prayers at the throne of grace?
Reflecting with Your Group
In His High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prayed for Himself, for His own glory to be vindicated and restored. He prayed for the apostles’ preservation, protection, sanctification, and He prayed for the unity and glorification of all believers. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He asked that He not experience spiritual death, and He asked His friends and brothers, His apostles to pray with Him.
This is how Jesus spent His last precious hours before His hour of trial, scourging, mocking, and death.
1. What are your thoughts about this? How does this get you thinking about your prayer life…about your relationships with others…about how you bring glory to the Father through prayer?
2. After sharing a bit, enjoy time at the throne of grace in praise, confession, thanksgiving, and petition with your group. If you have specific people you want to pray for, keep in mind that we can continue to pray for our preservation, protection, sanctification, unity, and glorification. These are clearly in keeping with the will of God.
God’s joy and strength to you, brothers & sisters,
kpaulson@gracelaredo.org