John 17:6-10: The People Christ Prays For

Hebrews 8:10–12 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Intro

Who does Christ pray for?

In the High Priestly Prayer in John 17 vers 9, Jesus says I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

Jesus prays for His people.

He intercedes for His people.

He does not pray for the world, but for those who belong to Him… the people given to Him and entrusted to Him by God.

The High Priestly Prayer gives us an opportunity to listen into and hear Christ’s prayers… and His heart for us.

His intercession for us that continues even today in Heaven.

If you could listen in on Christ’s prayers… wouldn’t you?

It is such a blessing and comfort when we know people are praying for us.

How much more of a comfort would it be to hear Christ’s own words praying for us?

In Christ’s High Priestly prayer we hear His heart and His will for us… what Christ wants for us most and what most burdens His heart as He carries us in His prayers to His Heavenly Father.

What does Christ pray… for you?

That’s what we are going to be looking at over the next couple weeks as we look at Christ’s High Priestly prayer in John 17 to see the heart of the Savior for us.

Outline of 17

In John 17:1-5 Jesus prayed for Himself… Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…

Father… bless the sacrifice I’m about to make… let it make atonement for sin and be pleasing to you.

Then through the rest of the prayer Jesus prays for us… for the Disciples and those who would eventually believe in His Name.

But the first request doesn’t come until verse 11… Father keep them in your name…

That’s the first thing Jesus asks for on our behalf.

Before that Christ prays who we are to Him.

He gives us our identity as the people Christ prays for.

Who are the people of Christ?

What blessings and benefits do we have in Him?

Identity

Identity is so important in the Christian life.

When you know who you are you know what to do.

You know what’s True!

It gives you an anchor for your soul that when the storms of life come you aren’t blown about.

You’re Identity tells you who you are at sets you on a straight path.

For example… you lose your job, you get sick, something terrible happens… does God hate you?

No your identity is a beloved son or daughter of God and nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:39).

That identity gives you stability and enables you to endure your trial and suffering with joy (James 1:2).

What if persecution comes and the whole weight of the world is bent on crushing your faith or trying to get you to compromise?

Well Jesus said If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you… and A servant is not greater than his master (John 15:18, 20).

You’re a follower of Christ… called out of the world.

That identity helps you stand firm.

Should I not expect to suffer in my Master’s footsteps? Should I not stand firm and hold fast to Him?

Am I called out of the world or not?

If I’m not of the world then don’t be conformed to the World (Romans 12:1-2).

What about some besetting sin?

A false identity can say you are already defeated before the fight even starts.

That’s just who you are… you’ll never be free…

You can never beat lust…

Be a good mom…

Stop yelling at your kids…

You’ll always be anxious…

Whatever it is… it will never get better!

Well are you a slave of sin or are you redeemed by Christ?

Are you powerless against sin or do you have the Holy Spirit living in you?

Are you already beaten doomed to give into this sin again and again and again or are you a New Creation and more than a conqueror in Jesus?

Every aspect of our Christian life is lived out of our identity of who God says we are in Him.

When we know who we are in Christ… that identity gives us an anchor for our souls that we can always lean back on when the world is raging around us.

And when we know who we are that identity speaks directly to the blessings and promises that are ours in Christ!

What comforts and graces does He give to strengthen us and help us to live out our faith.

My goal today is very simple.

I want you to know who you are in Christ.

I want you to know who you are and leave today with the grace and the promises and the blessings that are yours out of that identity.

Who does God say that you are so that you can have His Word and His promise as an anchor for your soul.

We are going to have 2 points today.

Believers are God’s Own Chosen and Precious People

Believers are Purchased by Christ and Free in Him

Let’s start with point number 1…

I. Believers are God’s Own Chosen and Precious People

John 17:6, 9 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… I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

The people Christ prays for belong to God.

They are His own treasured possession… His beloved people chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World (Ephesians 1:3).

Look what Jesus says… Yours they word and you gave them to me!… I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours!

If you are in Christ you belong to God!

You have been called out of the world… out of sin and death and devoted to Him… gathered to Him.

This is one of those precious truths and promises that is so easy just to… brush over.

We usually think, “We worship God… We serve Him… we follow Him.”

But how often do we look at it from the other side… God is chosen us.

Its not just, “I will be your God”… its “You will be my people!”

You are chosen… precious… Beloved in God!

God’s special favor… grace… love… and blessing is on you.

Over you… guarding you… protecting you.

We don’t just worship God… God has chosen us for Himself!

Sometimes we can get such a stuffy view about God.

Its all just perfunctory worship… “Yes, Yes, worship Me. Glorify Me.”

But God delights in us… The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing (Zephaniah 3:17).

Isaiah 62:5 As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

If you really are God’s chosen and precious people then God is not far off… He’s not aloof… He’s not hidden.

He invites you to draw near.

To find your life in Him.

To drink from the Fountain of Living Waters (Jeremiah 2:13).

Draw near to God and He will Draw Near to you (James 4:8).

He will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

Does God Love You?

You don’t have to convince your Heavenly Father to love you.

So many Christians struggle with hard thoughts about God.

That He’s always upset… Always disappointed… always sitting in Heaven crossing His arms tapping His foot.

And so what happens is we grow insecure.

And so we struggle and we fight to try to earn God’s love and any time we slip or fall we are right back in the doghouse.

And the joy of knowing God and His love for us stays always out of our reach which just reinforces those hard thoughts about God.

And we spend all of our Christian life feeling like… failures… outcasts… have nots.

And the joy of our salvation is robbed from us.

But when your identity is God’s Chosen and Precious people… and you believe that truth more than your feelings and your circumstances… that changes everything.

You get off the treadmill of failing and trying to earn God’s love and you get to rest in the love you already have in Him.

In love He predestined us… In love He chose us before the foundation of the world and entrusted us to Christ (Ephesians 1:3-4).

Your’s they were and you gave them to me.

Our love is secure in God’s eternal and sovereign will and purpose.

You are already loved… Already chosen and precious. You’re not trying to earn it or prove your worthy of it!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (John 3:16).

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

When you have this as your identity then the promises of God become easy to believe.

Promises like Jeremiah 32:41…

Jeremiah 32:41 I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.

With all my heart and my soul I will rejoice in doing them good.

That’s God’s promise to you!

The kind of promise that can help you weather the trials… storms… hardships… and failures of life?

No matter what comes your way All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness for those that love Him (Psalm 25:10).

And you might be wondering, but isn’t that Israel?

It says I will plant them in the land in faithfulness?

How do I know that promise is for me and not the Old Covenant people of God?

Now we don’t have time to get into all of it, but the Church is the New Covenant, Spiritual fulfillment of Old covenant Israel.

Paul says that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham… And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:7, 29).

And that a Jew… someone who is marked out and belongs to the People of God… is not merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter or in other words not by the Law (Romans 2:28-29).

True Jews… the True Sons of Abraham… are those that have faith in Christ.

That’s why Peter says in…

1 Peter 2:9–10 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Now notice who Peter is talking to.

He’s talking to the Church… New Covenant Christians.

And Peter goes all the way back to Exodus 19 and takes the blessings and titles given by God to Old Covenant Israel and applies them directly the New Covenant people of God… the Church.

The Church is the New Covenant, Spiritual fulfillment of Old Covenant Israel.

Gentiles are grafted in and now all who trust in Christ both Old Covenant and New Covenant are the True Israel of God.

God’s own chosen and precious people.

Peter says Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people.

And what marks God’s people?

Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

The People of God are under God’s Mercy and grace in Jesus Christ.

Speaking to the Church He says you are a people for His own possession.

The Old Testament background says treasured possession among all peoples.

That’s who you are in Christ.

God’s True Israel… His True Covenant People.

Romans 9:8 It is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.

In other words… all those in Christ who are counted as God’s Own Chosen and Beloved People.

The Church… all those who trust in Christ… are True Spiritual Israel.

Zion

This Covenantal interpretation and understanding of Scripture will help you read certain passages of Scripture especially God’s promises in the Psalms and see their relevance for you today.

When God makes promises to Israel, Mount Zion, or Jerusalem we should filter those through this covenantal lens and see their spiritual fulfillment as the people of God… you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession in Christ.

All the promises of God find their yes and Amen in Him (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Not every time… we still need to use good, biblical hermeneutics to see if a Psalm is talking about “Jerusalem” is it referring to the Physical Old Covenant city of earth and dirt or is it referring to the spiritual reality of the People of God.

But as a general rule… when I read the Psalms and I see a word like Mount Zion, Israel, or Jerusalem… I filter it through that New Covenant, spiritual lens and read those promises as representing the people of God and the Church.

So promises for us.

Let me show you.

Psalm 132:13–18 For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place:

Using that Covenantal Lens Zion isn’t just the physical mountain of the Temple… its the people of God and ultimately the people of God defined as the New Covenant Church…

All those who trust in Jesus Christ.

We see this in the New Testament.

The Author of Hebrews says in Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem talking to New Covenant Christians and Paul says in Galatians 4:26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

This is why I read verses like this where the Lord has chosen Zion and desired it for His dwelling place and see the Church.

Promises given to us in Christ.

God says…

“This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread.

God will supply all that we need.

Her priests I will clothe with salvation,

You are a chosen race a royal priesthood…

and her saints will shout for joy.

Jesus said I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).

There I will make a horn to sprout for David;

So Jesus…

I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown will shine.”

In other words… Christ would conquer all our enemies.

He would be victorious and triumphant and deliver us from sin, Satan, and Death.

And don’t miss your identity.

This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell.

As God’s chosen and precious people, God is with you.

He will never leave you or forsake you… Here I will dwell… you are eternally secure.

Look at Psalm 48.

Psalm 48:1-3, 12-14 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God!

Remember Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.

His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress.

For all those in Christ… born of the heavenly Jerusalem… God is a fortress.

Our Defender and Strong Tower (Psalm 61:3).

The righteous runs into it and is safe (Proverbs 18:10).

Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.

Psalm 125:1-2…

Psalm 125:1–2 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore.

The Lord surrounds you like mountains surround Jerusalem.

You are safe and secure in Him.

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion which cannot be moved.

Those are God’s promises for you as His Holy, Chosen, Precious, and Beloved People.

Presence, Power, Promises

Now here’s what all this means on a practical, day-to-day level.

Remember I said when you know your identity you know what’s True.

Being one of God’s Chosen and Precious People means I will be their God and they will be my People.

Everywhere you go… no matter what you face… no matter how difficult the road or how steep the climb…

You go with God’s Presence, Power, and Promises.

Say asks you to go through the valley of the Shadow of death…

You have a miscarriage…

Can’t get pregnant.

You lose your job or get sick.

Say you feel like a failure…

That you’re out of your depth… you’re absolutely drowning in an ocean.

What God has asked you to do is too big… do hard… to challenging… and you don’t know if you’re going to make it.

Or say you’re struggling with that sin again and you’re starting to lose hope that you’ll ever be free…

When you know your identity you know what’s True.

You’re not alone.

God’s not abandoned you.

And your resources are not just your own strength and power.

Presence

You have God’s Presence.

God goes with you.

He said I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,… why… for you are with me.

No matter what you might face… you’ll never face it alone.

You’re part of God’s chosen people.

Power

You have God’s Power.

When you feel weak and like you’ll never make it God says My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Whatever it is might be too great for you… to big… to strong… too much of a Goliath… but its not too great for God (1 Samuel 17:45-47).

Promises

And finally as one of God’s Chosen and Precious People, you have God’s Promises.

That God is sovereign, Almighty, Good, and in control.

That He is your Heavenly Father who loves you.

That whatever discipline or testing that comes into your life comes first through His loving hand (Hebrews 12:7-11).

And that God works all things together for good for those who love Him and nothing… [not life or death, angels or rulers, things present or things to come]… nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:28, Romans 8:38–39).

Your identity as one of God’s own Chosen and Precious people says that you have God’s Presence, Power, and Promises everywhere you go.

You are not alone.

When the storms of life come you have an anchor for your soul.

The question is will you believe God’s Word more than you’ll believe your eyes and you’re life’s circumstances?

Number 2…

Believers are not only God’s Own Chosen and Precious People…

Believers are also Purchased by Christ and Free in Him.

II. Believers are Purchased by Christ and Free in Him

John 17:6–8 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. 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.

So all those that belong to God were entrusted to Christ and chosen in Him in eternity past.

That’s what Jesus means when He says Yours they were and you gave them to me.

We looked at this last week when we talked about the Covenant of Redemption.

The Father entrusted Christ a people to save…

A people to suffer and die and lay down His life for.

Jesus said I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).

All those entrusted to Christ are ransomed… purchased… redeemed by Him.

Yours they were and you gave them to me that I might lay down my life for them and save them from their sins.

This speaks to our identity as the People of Christ… Christ’s Sheep… those for whom Jesus came to die.

Now what does this identity say about us and our life?

That you are actually forgiven!

That you are saved… washed… cleansed… ransomed… delivered from all your sin.

That there is no wrath… there is no condemnation… you are beloved… redeemed… adopted in Him.

If you belong to Christ you share in all His blessings and benefits.

He lived a perfect and sinless life on your behalf.

And He suffered and died in your place for your sins bearing the wrath your sins deserved to save you from sin and death.

That’s what it means to be purchased by Christ.

We belong to Him… He takes us as His own… takes responsibility for us and gives us His own perfect righteousness.

And all those that belong to Christ have Eternal Life.

Jesus laid down His life for His Sheep… He purchased them with His own precious blood…

And He says My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:27-28).

Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:14).

Free

When Jesus died on the cross He said… It is finished (John 19:30)

Literally you could translate that as paid in full.

Christ paid the full debt of our sin in His once for all perfect death on the cross and now we belong to Him.

Whatever belongs to Christ He now freely gives to us.

And so we are free in Him.

We are free from sin…

Free from death…

Free from Condemnation.

We are united to Christ… and Jesus said If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36).

Penalty

You are free from the penalty of your sin.

That’s everything we just looked at.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

Power

And you’re free from the power of it.

In Christ you have the indwelling Holy Spirit.

you have a new heart… new mind… new will…

You are a New Creation with new spiritual power to put your sin to death and live a holy and righteous life (2 Corinthians 5:17).

You are no longer a slave to sin.

A slave destined to follow and give in the very things that bring death to you.

You are free in Christ.

So much of the Christian life is living out your new identity and putting off the Old Self and Putting on the New (Ephesians 4:22-24).

Temptation comes… “That’s not who I am… I belong to Christ!”

I’m not doomed to fail… its not inevitable… I’m not hopeless with whatever sin I just keep falling into again and again and again.

I’m purchased by Christ.

He has saved me… redeemed me… ransomed me… and He will save me from this too.

This sin will not define me… it will not own me… it will not wreck my whole life… it will not always have a hold on me…

According to Christ’s own promises It will one day serve as a testimony to His power and His grace.

You are free from sin and living out your identity in Christ means living out that freedom.

Faith

But now we come to a very important question.

Who are the People that are God’s Own Chosen and Precious People and Purchased by Christ and Free in Him?

How do you become one of God’s People?

How do you have your sins forgiven?

By believing the gospel and receiving Christ as the Messiah and the Son of God.

This is the key.

This is what separates you from being dead in your trespasses and sins to being a child of God.

Jesus said 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.

The Word Christ brought from heaven.

The Word from God’s own mouth how we might be saved (cf. John 12:49).

This “word” is defined in verses 7 through 8.

Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.

So God’s own word.

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.

The disciples were certainly confused about Christ’s coming crucifixion and death.

They didn’t know what He meant by “A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” (John 16:17).

But here’s what they did know… that Jesus had come from God and had the Words of Eternal Life (John 6:68).

They had placed their faith in Him.

Now what does that mean?

Believed that you had sent me is a loaded term.

It means that Faith… 1. Believes Jesus is the Son of God and 2. that He is the Messiah.

Son of God

He is the GodMan.

The Eternal Son of God incarnate in human flesh… truly and fully God and truly and fully man… one person; two natures - human and divine without any mixture or confusion of the two.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).

As a Man Jesus was able to die as a substitute of our sins.

And As God Jesus was able to pay for them from His infinite value and worth.

No man can pay for their own sins… we are saved solely and fully by the grace of Jesus.

Messiah

And number 2… we believe that He is the Messiah… the Christ… the Anointed One.

That’s what Christ means.

Its not Jesus’ last name… its His title and office.

He is the Anointed One… the Anointed Prophet, Priest, and King sent from God the Father.

As Prophet… Jesus reveals God and His will for our salvation.

As Priest… He offered His life as a sacrifice for our sins and lives forever to intercede on our behalf (Hebrews 7:25).

And as King… He rules over all for His glory and our good conquering all our enemies and bestowing on us all the blessings of His Kingdom.

Personal Faith vs. Intellectual Assent

And to believe in Jesus Christ means that you believe He is the Messiah and Son of God and receive Him as your Prophet, Priest, and King.

Its a personal faith.

Its more than intellectual assent.

Its more than just believing, “Yea, I believe that Jesus died and rose again.”

There’s a personal faith and personal commitment.

I want to emphasize this point because we have a lot of kids.

And kids… I want you to know… and parents I want you to know what true saving faith is so that you can have these conversations with your kids and raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

The Gospel is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again three days later.

Faith… believing… means receiving Christ and giving your life to Him.

Give your life to Christ.

Peter said, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

Repent… you turn from your sin.

And Baptism… you identify with Christ commit all of your life to live for Him.

You trust in His once for all perfect sacrifice on your behalf and live your life for Him.

This giving your life to Christ is the act of personal faith.

Gospel Test

Do you believe that Jesus is the perfect and sinless Son of God?

Do you believe that He died on the cross for your sins?

Do you believe that he rose again three days later and is ruling and reigning as King of kings and Lord of lords and will return to judge the living and the dead?

So you have the theology.

The question is have you given your life to Christ?

Have you received Him? Believed in Him?

Well what does that mean?

Have you repented of your sin… turned from your sin and said, “God I need your grace.”

Its a simple prayer.

God, Will you please save me?

Jesus I believe you died and rose again for my sin. Will you take my sin and make me clean?”

And then you receive Christ as your Prophet, Priest and King.

Receiving Christ as your Prophet means He is the only way to know God and have eternal life and so you listen to Him and Hold fast to Him and His every word.

Receiving Christ as Priest means you trust in His sacrifice as the only way to be forgiven of your sin.

And Receiving Christ as King means all of your life now belongs to Him… You live for Him… obey Him… and follow Him.

Conclusion

We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

If you do that you will be saved.

You will become one of God’s Chosen and Precious People Purchased by Christ with all of your sins paid for in Him.

And all those promises… all those blessings… all that freedom… will be yours.

John 17:10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

All those who trust in Christ belong to the Father and the Son and our life and our salvation is secure in them.

God’s Chosen and Precious people purchased by Christ and free from sin.

Let’s Pray

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