Good morning again.
Welcome to our gathering as a church family.
For those that may not know me, my name is John.
I'm a regular member of this church and currently training in a theology college
to know God more and to better serve all of you.
So each year, as part of our training, the students have opportunity to team up with churches
and organizations for a week of intense ministry and mission works.
So last week, the students were all around Australia and also overseas to spread the good news of God.
We had teams in Melbourne, northwestern Australia.
We have people in the Bible College in South Africa and a couple of Anakin churches and schools in Hong Kong
and all over Sydney, with the closest one being Ataman and the Shores School.
I myself joined 12 students, one faculty and one lady chaplain in Hong Kong
to partner with St. Andrew's Kowloon.
We were involved in kids and youth ministry, men's breakfast, women ministry, home workers' devotion.
We visited three universities to reach out to the students.
And we also get a bit of sightseeing around Hong Kong and we actually joined the gaily dance,
which is a Scottish dance that you go around and around like that.
So for those of you that have kept me in your prayer, I really want to thank you for your support.
I would also like to especially thank my wife, Vivian, because she took a look after our two kids while I was away.
The team in Hong Kong had a very encouraging time.
It was mostly encouraging, but we had a very encouraging time because we actually had a lot of chance to speak to people around in Hong Kong.
But personally, I was most encouraged because I got to catch up with three friends that is from high school,
which I haven't seen for 30 years.
And it was very encouraging because we were able to speak from our heart and I was able to share my faith with them,
get to know them more.
And I guess when I left Hong Kong, we were sort of on a good friendship already.
So I was able to rekindle that friendship and hopefully maintain that friendship.
It was very encouraging to me.
And also to actually find out that a lot of my old high school classmates are actually believers,
faithful believers, brother and sister in Christ, that we are serving the same God.
It's also very encouraging to me.
So if you have a chance to catch up with some long-lost friend,
what would you be focusing on with your conversation?
What would you hope to happen during that meeting?
Are there issues that you might have left and dealt with that need to be resolved?
And what would you celebrate about?
Nick already shared that since last few weeks ago and leading up to Easter,
we as a church family have been looking into the book of John
to actually see Jesus' interaction with his follower
before his imminent departure from earth to go back to God's side.
We saw how Jesus reassure and encouraged his follower,
promising the sending of the Holy Spirit after his departure
to remind them of things that he has spoken to them until he returned.
Jesus then pointed out that as someone follows him and do his command,
that person will be transformed to be his friend
and the transformed life will be a fruitful life.
This new life that he gives will also be an uncomfortable one
because the world hates and will persecute those that follow Jesus.
However, he also pointed out that he has overcome the world
and his followers will live a joyful life
when they see the return of Christ Jesus their King.
In all this conversation,
Jesus has been using a future tense when he referred to his departure.
But now we come to chapter 17.
At the very beginning, Jesus says,
the hour has come.
The hour for his arrest and to face his death
and his resurrection is only a few hours away.
And Jesus takes this time to speak with his Father.
In this chapter, we can see what concerns Jesus the most.
We can see what is on Jesus' heart.
As we drop in on Jesus' conversation with God,
we will know Jesus more.
A German reformer that worked with Martin Luther
and had contributed a lot towards the Reformation
is Philip Malenthin.
And he said this about this chapter.
There is no voice which has ever been heard,
either in heaven or in earth,
more exalted, more holy, more fruitful,
more sublime than this prayer
offered up by the Son of God himself.
Most scholars and commentators would say
this is where we are given
the most profound revelation
of the very heart of our Lord Jesus.
If you have been a Christian for a while,
I encourage you to take some time
to read through this chapter again after today.
And if you do not know who is Jesus
that many people have decided to follow,
you should also read this chapter.
This chapter provides the best evidence
of the deity of Jesus Christ,
his self-consciousness of his identity,
the claim that he made about himself,
especially of his universal dominant,
his reference to a previous existence
in living unity with the eternal God.
Leave us with no match,
not much choice.
We can either decide that he's a lunatic,
he's insane, or he's God.
Even if you're not interested
in who Jesus really is,
but interested in what life is about
if someone decided to follow Jesus
and become a Christian,
you can also find the answer here
by Jesus' own words
as he prayed for those that were following him
and for those that would believe in him
through the message of those followers.
So please open your Bible to John 17 again
and let's walk through this chapter together
to see what it has to offer to us.
We'll begin from verse 1 to 5.
After Jesus said this,
he looked towards heaven and prayed,
Father, the hour has come.
Glorify your Son,
that your Son may glorify you.
For you grant him authority over all people,
that he may give eternal life
to all those you have given him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they know you,
the only true God,
and Jesus Christ,
whom you have sent.
I have brought you glory on earth
by finishing the work you have gave me to do.
And now, Father,
glorify me in your presence
with the glory I have with you
before the world began.
As I'm meeting up with my old school friends,
in our polite nature,
the question of
who's your best friend at school
has often come up.
But we rarely ask them,
like,
who upsets you the most
or who you dislike the most.
I guess it goes without saying
that the kind of student
that we dislike the most
would be those teacher's pets,
self-glorifying and self-centered people.
As you read this passage,
it comes across Jesus as a bit selfish
by starting praying for himself.
But however,
it's furthest removed from selfishness
as possible.
Jesus prayed
to be glorified
in order that
he might glorify his Father.
And there's a reason
that he can offer
eternal life
to his follower.
First one,
he says,
Father,
the hour has come.
Glorify your Son
that your Son may glorify you.
For you grant him authority
over all people
that he might give eternal life
to all those
you have given him.
By his request
to be glorified,
Jesus referred
to his crucifixion
that is going to happen
within a few hours.
His triumph over the grave
after three days,
his ascension,
and supremely
his outpouring
of the Holy Spirit.
To glorify someone
is to make that someone known.
Jesus decided to be known
in his true character
as an obedient,
divine Son of God,
as a gracious Messiah,
as a merciful Savior
of the world.
All these attributes
were manifest
in the hour
which had come
and extended
to the time
when all the believers
gather together
and receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit.
This gift
constitutes
or secure
the answer
to his prayer.
by the glory
of the Son,
by Jesus making
the true character
and identity
of himself
known to the world,
people will come
to know the Father
and the glory
of the Father
was secured.
God was never
so fully refilled
in all his justice
and love
and holiness
and grace
as by the hour
with which
we are focusing
our current
preaching series on.
In addition,
eternal life
was also secure
for the follower
of Christ.
In verse 3,
it says,
this is eternal life
that they know you,
the only true God
and Jesus Christ
whom you have sent.
To know
is not just
an act of mind.
It's not just
a head knowledge
because in that sense,
demons know God.
But to know
it represents
love,
obedience,
faith,
the response
of an entire
human being.
To know
is to be intimate
and have close
relationship
with someone.
Therefore,
the eternal life
that is referred to
is not only
a future event
but a present
experience.
It means
endless
existence
in the future
but also
a present
heavenly blessedness.
We know
we can go to heaven
but at this stage
right here
we can experience
the blessedness
that God gave us.
Jesus
prays this prayer
based on
the fact that
his entire
earthly task
was completed.
First of all,
he says,
I have brought you
glory on earth
by finishing
the work
you have gave me
to do.
The supreme
sacrifice
seems to him
to have been made.
His work
was finished.
He would
therefore pray
and now
Father
glorify me
in your presence
with the glory
I have with you
before the world
began.
If you are told
your death
is only a few
hours away,
will you have
the confidence
to say
my life
is complete
and his work
is finished.
To many of us,
life seems to be
a pathetic series
of beginnings
and failures
and imperfect
strife
and endeavours.
However,
if we do
the will of God,
the symbol
of our life
need not to be
some broken columns.
for someone
who had only
three years
of ministry,
only healed a few
sick people,
preached only a few
sermons,
only 11 followers
secured
and many
deserters,
no book
have written,
no church
or organisation
established,
it seems a bit
premature to say
my work on earth
is finished.
But the hour
has come,
his work on earth
about to finish
and he need not
to linger anymore,
only the cross
remains
and the glory
fulfilled.
We follow on
in this passage,
Jesus pray for,
pray next
for his immediate
disciples,
for the twelve
who have followed
him and been
with him.
this is a very
special group
of people
that have the
privilege
to be the eyewitnesses
of Jesus'
ministry on earth.
However,
the term
disciples
is not just
reserved for them.
Anyone can be
Jesus' disciples,
anyone can be
counted as a
Christian.
So have you
ever asked
who is a
disciple?
What does it
mean to be a
Christian
or a follower
of Christ?
Jesus has
provided the
answer personally
in this prayer
for these
questions.
In verse 6
to 8,
he identified
his followers
as those
whom God
gave him
out of the
world,
whom have
obeyed God's
word.
There are those
that accepted
the words of God
that were given
through Jesus
and they believed
that God
sent Jesus
and knew with
certainty that
Jesus came
from God.
So a disciple
or follower
of Jesus,
a Christian,
is one
who got
taken out
of the world
to believe
God sent
Jesus and
believe that
Jesus came
from God.
This belief
came from
accepting and
obeying the
word of God
that was
presented through
Jesus.
At this
special moment,
Jesus prays
specifically for
his immediate
disciples and
asked two
specific things
for them.
First,
he prayed that
they may be
kept from
evil.
In verse 11,
it read,
I will remain
in the world
no longer,
but they are
still in the
world,
and I am
coming to you.
Holy Father,
protect them
by the power
of your name,
or Father,
keep them
faithful to
your name,
the name you
gave me,
so that they
may be one
as we are
one.
It is because
Jesus is
leaving them
that he
prays for
his
disprotection.
While Jesus
was with
them,
he protected
them,
but now
he is
leaving,
and he
knows that
the world
will hate
them.
He
commits
them to
the care
of his
Father.
It is
at this
verse and
previous
verse that
we also
see what
Jesus
claimed about
himself.
The first
thing before
that is
verse 10,
he said,
all I have
is yours,
and all you
have is
mine.
So that
they may
be one
as we
are one.
Jesus is
claiming that
he is one
with God,
that he
and God
is one.
In his
prayer,
he does
not ask
that they
shall be
taken out
of the
world.
He does
not ask
that they
shall be
kept from
sorrow and
pain and
temptation.
But he
prays that
they will
be kept
from gloom
and
discouragement
and sin.
Verse 15,
it reads,
my prayer
is not
that you
take them
out of
the world,
but that
you protect
them from
the evil
one.
What is
the difference
between sorrow
and gloom?
Pain and
discouragement,
or temptation
and sin?
The differences
are very
similar.
Feeling
sad about
something or
some situation
is one thing,
but gloom
is hopelessness,
is giving
hope.
Feeling
pain is
a sign
of growth
and suffering
will eventually
make us
stronger.
However,
discouragement
only happens
when someone
gave up
their courage,
gave up
their vision
and focused
on what
is immediate.
We may
be tempted
but not
sin.
To sin
is a
decision
to let
go of
our
true
identity
as the
children
of God
and give
in to
the world.
So,
Jesus
prayed
these first
things
for them
is for
the
disciples
to be
kept
from
evil.
Second
thing
that
Jesus
prayed
for
this
is
his
disciples
may
be
sanctified
in
verse 17
to 18.
Sanctify
them
by the
truth.
Your
word
is
truth.
As
you
send
me
into
the
world,
I
have
sent
them
into
the
world.
In
here,
sanctification
doesn't
mean making
them holy
because the
first part of
the prayer
already prayed
for that.
In
here,
sanctification
means more
about setting
a path
for service.
Because in
verse 18,
it says,
as you send
me into
the world,
I have
sent them
into the
world.
the
service
that
is
required
of
Jesus'
follower
is
witnessing
to
the
truth
to be
Jesus'
messenger,
to testify
to the
truth.
The
truth of
God,
the
word of
God,
will
sanctify
those
who hear
the message
and believe
in Jesus.
And the
final section
of this
chapter shows
how Jesus
prayed for
all believers
for the
world.
And the
main focus
is that
all of
them may
be one,
and that
at last
they may
be with
him in
heavenly
glory.
The
oneness
that
share
among
the
Trinity,
the
three
persons
of God,
the
Father,
Son,
and Holy
Spirit,
is
emphasized
by
Jesus'
own
word.
In
this
last
session,
Jesus'
father,
just as
you are
in me
and I
am in
you,
I have
given
them
the
glory
that
you
gave
me,
that
they
may
be
one
as
we
are
one,
so
that
they
may
be
brought
to
complete
unity.
Righteous
Father,
though the
world does
not know
you,
I know
you.
Theologian
Charles
Edmund
says that
the oneness
mentioned in
this
chapter
contemplates
a
spiritual
unity,
which must
be given
visible
expression,
by which
in its
essence
consists of
a union
with Christ
and through
him with
God.
Jesus
prayed for
us,
his followers,
to be part of
that unity
that's shared
among the
Trinity,
that loving
relationship
that is between
the Father,
the Son,
and the Holy
Spirit.
if we
look through
this
section,
Jesus
said this,
may they
also be
in us,
so that
the world
may believe
that you
have sent
me.
Then the
world will
know that
you sent
me and
have loved
them even
as you
have loved
me.
I have
made you
known to
them and
will continue
to make
you known
in order
that the
love you
have for
me may
be in
them and
that I
myself may
be in
them.
Christian
exists to
make Christ
known to
the world
by the
spiritual
unity that
we share
with Christ
and with
our Father
in Heaven.
Becoming a
Christian is
not to have
a better
way of
life or
to give
us a
relief from
the pain
and sorrow
and temptation
and the
trouble of
the world.
Christianity
is not just
another religion
to try out.
To be a
follower of
Christ is
to participate
into the
oneness of
God, to
share the
glory of
God that
existed before
the beginning
of the
world and
to make
God known
to the
world through
that
participation.
To know
God and
to have
eternal life
is to
experience the
presence of
God and
the heavenly
blessedness in
your day-to-day
life, to
use the
glory that
is given
to you by
God to
glorify him.
Those that
have
understood and
accepted the
word of
God is
revealed by
Jesus.
Those that
have
understood and
accepted the
words of
God as
revealed by
Jesus, those
that make the
decision to
follow and
obey God's
word, knew
with certainty
that Jesus
comes from
God and
believe that
God sent
Jesus.
And also
are those
that through
whom glory
has come to
Jesus.
And they
will have the
full measure
of Jesus'
joy within
them.
And they
will also
experience the
opposition of
the world.
So now
this is
eternal life,
that they
know God,
the only
true God,
and Jesus
Christ,
whom God
has sent.
let's
pray.
Father,
thank you
so much
for sending
Jesus.
Thank you
so much
for Jesus'
obedience to
you,
that he's
willing to
reveal the
fullness of
you to
us,
that he
has protected
us while
we're on
earth,
and now
he has
sent the
Holy Spirit
to guide
us,
to live
our life,
that you
want us
to live.
God,
thank you
so much
that you
have called
us to
be your
follower,
to be your
children,
that you
didn't cut
our sin
against us,
but you
have gave
us eternal
life.
You gave
us a way
to know
you through
Jesus,
to learn
about you
through your
word.
You also
give us
the ability,
the strength
to carry out
your will,
God,
help us
to really
truly
understand
what it
means to
have a
relationship
with you.
Help us
to not
just live
our religious
life,
but really
live our
a true
Christian
life,
that is
enjoying a
daily
relationship
with the
hope of
future
heavenly
life,
and live
our life
in faith
according to
your word.
Thank you
so much
for what
you have
done for
us.
In a
prayer of
this,
amen.