John 17
1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
The Doctrine of Salvation: Eternal life would be given to all those that would know the Father, and Jesus Christ; this is eternal life; the Father gives to Jesus Christ all those that begin a relationship with Him and His Son…which is through His Son. Eternal life, and thus salvation, is centerred around ‘knowing the only true God’.
The Doctrine of the Glory of God: Jesus Christ’s suffering, crucifixion, death, and subsequent raising from the dead, would constitute the request “glorify thy Son”. What Jesus Christ did for us, for His Father, truly did glorify Him! It also glorified the Father. It appears that the main way that Jesus glorified His Father on earth was by finishing the work which He gave Him to do. Jesus Christ had great glory with the Father before the world was created.
6 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. 7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. 8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. 9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
The Doctrine of Dicipleship: These men, Jesus’ disciples, were saved and thus became the Father’s possession, and then the Father gave them to His Son, specifically to be in His Son’s ‘body’, and for His Son to pastor, teach, and train. Jesus Christ made sure that they were taught right and followed what they were taught; they kept His word. Jesus Christ was passing on the words of God to these men. This is what a good pastor will do. He will make sure they are taught very well, and that they keep the word; they need to be faithful Baptist men!
The Doctrine of Prayer: Jesus Christ prays primarily and specifically for those that are in His churches; those that are truly His disciples. And, this may extend to all Christians in general (children of God). Also, Jesus does not necessarily pray for the whole world, i.e., for the lost. Should we follow this prayer methodology?
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
The Doctrine of Unity: A pastor, like Jesus did here, should not lose any of those that become a member of the church; should not lose them to another church… or to another type of church… or to the world…(?) He needs to keep them unified as servants of Christ; disciples. However, there may be a ‘devil’ amongst them…i.e. Judas Iscariot. Jesus Christ wants His body, each church, to be as united as He and His Father are. There is no greater joy than to be fully unified within a body of believers with Jesus Christ the Son of God, and God the Father, via the Holy Spirit.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
The Doctrine of Separation: By giving (teaching, preaching) the disciples the word of God (Bible), they will become ‘not of the world’; the Bible should cause one to separate themselves from evil; one is ‘sanctified’ thru the truth of God’s word. ‘We are in the world, but are not to be of the world’. God wants us to be in the world, but He wants us to be separate from evil…from the evils of this world. As a Christian, especially a church member, Jesus is sending us out into the world…to be witnesses for Him. Jesus is not praying for us to be out of the world; i.e. to be taken to Heaven; or, to be living in a ‘commune’ totally separated from anyone else.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
The Doctrine of Unity: Jesus Christ has been praying for you, for your church, for about 2000 years. The context here are those disciples that were part of that first church. The key reason for church unity is so that the world may believe in Jesus Christ.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
The Doctrine of the Glory of God: It appears that Jesus strongly desired(s) that His disciples should be with Him in Heaven and behold His glory; it must be something quite impressive indeed! He oh so wants us to see it.