01-13-2019 – All Glory goes to God.

These are the insert from the bulletin. Click Sermon Notes for the complete sermon.

01-13-2019 - All Glory goes to God.

John 17:1-5

Prayer is very important for our spiritual life.
1Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”
The Bible records many prayers of God’s people in the Old Testament: Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Hannah, David, Solomon, and Jonah.
The New Testament believers continually cried out to God in prayer. The apostles devoted themselves to prayer.
Jesus prayed at His baptism, before choosing the twelve apostles, before feeding the 5,000 and again the 4,000, before raising Lazarus from the dead, at the Last Supper, from the cross, and at His ascension.
John 17:1a... “Jesus spoke these things,” in chapters 14-16: His leaving to go back to the Father, His return for them. Sending the Holy Spirit, the persecution to come.
Jesus now, lifts up His eyes to heaven” and says, “Father, the hour has come.” The “hour” is His death, resurrection, and subsequent ascension.
John 17:1b... The glory of God is the main subject. At cross Jesus brings glory to the Father, and the Father glorifies the Son through salvation to all who believe. John 17:2... God’s Son has been granted authority to give eternal life (see John 10:17-18).
Jesus died for the sins of the world, was raised back to life, ascended to heaven where the Father (Ephesians 1:20-21), “seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”
Earlier Jesus said (John 14:6), “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” He alone grants forgiveness and eternal life. John 3:35-36, “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not [a]obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
John 17:3... Eternal life belongs only to those who belong to “the only true God,” made possible through Jesus Christ, sent by the Father.
Acts 4:12, “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
See John 1:1-4, 14, 18... Jesus is the revelation and embodiment of God, and He has the Life of God [Zoe = eternal, spiritual] in Himself.
Everyone who has the life of God possess God’s peace (John 14:27), love (John 15:10), joy (John 15:11).
Jesus said (John 5:24), “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
1John 5:13, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
John 17:4-5... Jesus brought glory to the Father carrying out His will completely, while remaining sinless.
To the Jews Jesus said (John 8:46), “Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?” Paul said (2Corinthians 5:21), “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Only an unblemished and sinless sacrifice could be provide final payment for all sin, for all time.
Hebrews 9.22, “all things are cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Hebrews 9:12, “through His own blood... once for all...He obtained eternal redemption,” (Hebrews 9:26), “He has [come] to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself,” (Hebrews 10:12), “He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God.” See Luke 18:9-14 (cf. Isaiah 55:6-7)... Without the cross, no one, could be saved from sin’s condemnation. The eternal plan of God to save us, was made effectual through the cross of Christ.
The glory of God is Christ crucified and resurrected, for it is through the glory of the cross that we are able to bring glory to God while we are on earth, and forever in heaven.