If you will, turn with me to John chapter 17. We'll continue our study here of this great prayer. If you recall, we're doing this study. We're looking at the nature of the attributes, the character of God, and we have already studied the importance of knowing God and who He is. We also have seen the problem of people who say, well, I cannot believe in a God that, and then when you go and you study out the scriptures, God actually says He is that. And you hear this many times from Christians simply because, or people who profess to be Christians, simply because they don't know the Word of God. They haven't studied it. And it is interesting, is it not, that someone can say, I've been a Christian for 30, 40 years, but yet know nothing about their God. And we just accept that as though that's okay. But Christ himself says eternal life is equated with what? Knowing God. We can't just worship any old God of our imagination. We must worship the God of the Scriptures. And so this is what we've been doing. We've looked at the holiness of God. We've seen that the holiness of God gives us a responsibility as in both the Old and New Testament it teaches us to be holy as God is holy. We also have seen and started looking at the sovereignty of God. We've noted the sovereignty of God in His creation, that He reigns supreme within His creation. He is sovereign over the weather, the elements, He is sovereign over even His beast. If He desires to have a man of God go to Nineveh, If he has to use a fish to get him there, he will use a fish to get him there. If he has to use a donkey to stay the madness of a prophet, he will use a donkey to do so, warning. God is sovereign over all of his creation. God is even sovereign over the wills of men. We saw this with Nebuchadnezzar. And when Nebuchadnezzar came to his senses, he didn't say, God, how dare you? You violated my free will. But Nebuchadnezzar, when he came to his senses, came to worship and acknowledged that God is sovereign over all. We saw that God is sovereign over the empires that He raises up and He brings down. Over and over again, the Scriptures teach us this. Then we start looking at the sovereignty of God in salvation. That in this area, there are those who would say that God is not necessarily sovereign in salvation, but He is. And we've looked at many verses that have taught us this. We've looked at the decrees of God. We have looked at what God has to say about Himself concerning salvation in John 6. All that the Father gives to me, Christ says, will what? They will come. So who is coming to the Son? All those that the Father gives to the Son. You are a love gift to the Son, and the Son says, I want the love gift from the Father, and I will lose none of them. I will not turn any of them away. And you say, well, certainly He wouldn't turn us away because we're so lovable. Well, that's not what the Bible says about it, is it? It says we're enmity with God, we're enemies with God, we're sinners, we're rebels. And Christ accepts you not because of how good you are, but because you're a gift from the Father. John 6 is a glorious chapter. Well, so is this one that we have been studying here in John 17. So let's read it, and then we'll continue our study of it. John 17, verse 1. Jesus spoke these words. We want to look at the sovereignty of God and salvation, and this prayer brings this out again. Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you. As you have given him authority over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him. And this is eternal life. that they may know you. And I think that's a key critical verse when it comes to, well, what is salvation? What is eternal life? Eternal life is to know God. In Jesus Christ whom you have sent, he says, verse 4, I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do. And now, oh, Father, glorify me together with yourself with the glory which I had with you before the world was. I have manifested your name to the men you have given me out of the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they have known all the things that you have given me are from you, for I have given them the words which you have given me. And they have received them, and have known surely that I come forth from you, and that they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them, I do not pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. all are mine and all mine are yours and yours are mine now I'm glorified in them I'm no longer in the world but these are in the world and I come to you Holy Father keep through your name those whom you have given me that as they may be one as we are while I was with them in the world I kept them in your name those whom you gave me I have kept and none of them is lost except the son of perdition that the scriptures might be fulfilled But now I come 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. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they may also be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but for all those who will believe in my name through their word, and that they all may be one as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, and that they also may be one in us, and that the world may believe that you sent me, and the glory that you gave me, I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one. I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them as you have loved me. Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me, may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known you, that you sent me. And I have declared to them your name, and will declare it, that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them. And so we've looked at these first 10 verses here and we see, if you want to break it out, in this Christ basically is praying for His glory in verses 1-5. Then in verses 6-20 He begins to pray for His disciples specifically. And then as you read the remaining portion of the chapter we see that Christ is then going to pray for all those who believe in His name. And as we come this morning I want to start dealing with verses 11-19. Now I'm no longer in the world, but these are in the world. And I come to you, Holy Father, keep through your name those whom you have given me, that they may be one as we are one. And so one writer commenting on these verses, he says this, Through Jesus Christ, every believer has been granted direct access to the very throne room of God. Each can draw near with confidence to the throne of grace and receive mercy and find grace to help in the time of need. Though formerly His enemies, they have been reconciled to God, they've been adopted into His family through faith in Jesus Christ. Because they are His children, the glorious God of the universe graciously, willingly, and lovingly responds to their prayers, no matter how small or feeble they may seem. And I want you to think about that this morning. What a great blessing it is to think that God takes us who were once His enemies, once who were separated and alienated from Him, and He makes us His children. By doing this, by making us His children, He gives us access to Him. And so God hears our prayers through the work of Christ, because of what Christ has done for us. Yes, our sins have been forgiven. Yes, we have eternal life. but we have so much more than that. We are adopted into His family as children, which means we have access to the Father. And it's interesting, not only does God hear our prayers for ourselves, but in addition to that and to our prayers, God hears the prayers of those who intercede on our behalf. In fact, I want to take a few moments to talk about this. Paul emphasizes the need for this kind of intercessory work within the life of the body. Turn to Ephesians 6. Ephesians 6. Remember, in this prayer we have the great example as Christ intercedes on our behalf. It's a reminder that we should intercede for one another as well. But Paul, think about Paul. Paul could say, you know what, I'm the super apostle. I've done all this stuff. Look at my pedigree. Look at all I've accomplished. Don't worry about praying for me. But that's not his approach, is it? When you read the writings of Paul, Paul is over and over again asking the saints to pray for him. Why? Because he's not arrogant like that. He's very humble. He recognizes he's a man, a needy man, a man in need of grace, one who needs the Lord Jesus Christ to move on his behalf. Notice what Paul says in Ephesians 6, verse 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth with boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak." And these verses are interesting because they come right after all those great passages dealing with spiritual warfare. And he warns them that you're not wrestling in flesh and blood. And he says here, after that warning, Paul stresses here in verses 18-20 the importance of praying for the saints. The importance of praying for one another. We have this great responsibility. We have a great duty to uphold one another in prayer. And this is why we have that in our church statement. This is why when we covenant with one another, one of the great statements and emphases in that covenant is to pray for one another. We have a duty and responsibility to do this. You know, sometimes, you know, I hope you don't have this attitude, but you've met people like this. You know, they should feel privileged in praying for them. No, it is your responsibility to pray for one another. Why? Because the Bible teaches. We have this great pattern, the great example from Christ who intercedes and prays for us here in John 17. We see all these great examples given to us here, and we'll look at a few more in just a moment. But we have this great responsibility to uphold one another in prayer. And maybe this is something you're prone to neglect. You ever thought about why? Have you been neglectful in praying for one another? Could it be that we just get too busy? We allow things in our lives that distract us from this spiritual discipline? That could be it. And if that's the case, then this morning is a simple reminder of the importance of praying for one another. And we need to calibrate the way we think. We need someone to remind us and to tell us, to recalibrate the way we behave spiritually speaking, that we need to bring this discipline back into our lives. Now that could be one issue. Hey, we've just gotten busy, we've let our guard down, we have forgotten to pray for one another. However, it could be that some of you don't think prayer is important. You may think that praying for yourself is not so that important, so you neglect even yourself. And if you think prayer is not important, then you're not very prone to pray for others, are you? And this disobedience, and you do understand that's disobedience because you've been told to pray for one another, this kind of disobedience needs to be repented over just as if you were lying or stealing or killing or doing any other kind of sin. You need to repent, turn from it, and turn towards God and faith and begin to pray for one another. There may be another reason why we don't pray for one another. There may be a neglect for praying for one another because, well, we don't like them. and you gotta get over that. If God sees someone as precious, and when I talk about precious, precious because Christ has shed his blood for them and bought them and purchased them, then they are precious, whether you like them or not. Sometimes we have to get over ourselves, and we've already dealt with this, and Christ is the great example here. Sometimes we don't pray for one another, well, that person let me down. They didn't do what I wanted them to do. They did behave the way I wanted, But the whole prayer in John 17 is for a group of people that were about to let Christ down, and he knew it. He's only hours before his trial. He's only hours before his crucifixion. But yet he doesn't have this sad, sorry, pity party for himself. He recognizes that these saints, these men, need to be prayed for, because in their strength they would not stand. And that's the way we need to look at prayer for one another. Sometimes we just don't pray for one another because we're selfish and we're only consumed with ourselves. And we need to understand that this is just another dynamic of prayer that needs to be added to your life. It's not all about us. We need to pray for one another that God would uphold and actually carry out. I mean, if you're saying, well, I'm not sure what to pray for for one another. Well, go to Jesus' prayer here. What Christ is praying for for these men and those who would believe in his name, those are valid things to still pray for today. And we'll see why in just a moment. And I think as you begin to pray for others, if you're prone to being selfish and self-absorbed and only thinking about yourself and your causes and your business, then I think you won't be so self-absorbed when you start thinking of others and praying for others. Paul stresses the importance of making prayers and supplication for the saints. We see it here in Ephesians 6. Turn over to 1 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. Notice what Paul says here in verse 25. he ends this letter simply saying, brethren, pray for us. Not a lot of detail there is. Not a lot of commentary around this, but basically he says, we need you to pray for us. In other words, Paul's recognizing and acknowledging that he's a man of clay feet, that he is prone to fall, that he is prone to read things wrongly, and that he needs God to be with him, to guide him, to rect him. But he also needs the power of the Spirit of God to awaken sinners from spiritual death to spiritual life. Turn to II Thessalonians chapter 3, look at verse 1. Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified just as it is with you. Just as you Thessalonians have received the Word of God, pray that those that we're going out to speak to would hear the Word of God. Hear these prayer requests week after week as we pray for loved ones, or people, friends that maybe we work with, or people we meet out in the community. Continue to remember and lift those people up that the Word of God would run swiftly, that the Word of God would be glorified in their lives, that they would be brought from spiritual life to death. You may not have the actual interface with that person, Maybe one of you guys are out there and you're sharing the gospel with someone, but we as a body can pray for that person. We can pray that the Lord, His will would be accomplished within that person's life. Turn over to Hebrews 13. Hebrews 13, look at verse 18. The writer of Hebrews, and many think Paul wrote this one, but in any event, in verse 18, it says, pray for us, for we are confident that we have a good conscience in all things, desiring to live honorably. So over and over again we see this plea, this petition within the New Testament for these writers to say, pray for us. Go back to Colossians. Go to Colossians 4. Look at verse 2. Paul says here, And that's interesting because remember, Colossians is one of the prison epistles. Paul's writing from prison, and he's not saying, pray that I get out of here. He's saying what? Pray that doors will be opened. And then later on, I mean I love this, later on here in Colossians, or I'm sorry, over in Philippians where he ends that letter saying, hey, some of the household of Caesar say, hey, Paul seized upon every opportunity that God gave him, even within chains. And we need to remember that principle that we have here. And I love this. Write this one down. Mark it out. Just meditate on it. Think about the fact. Look at the context. Paul's writing from prison, and he's not saying, hey, pray that I get out of here. Just pray that some doors will be opened up around here. Pray that some other prisoners will come in. Pray that some other guards would be brought here so I could sit down and be chained with them and have a little chat with them. I mean, that's how he thought. And isn't it interesting, we let the sniffles get us to the point where we, well, you know, I can't be used today. I got a hiccup. I got a little cough. No, in all things that we can be used by God, and we should pray this way, that God would open doors for you, that God would open doors for me to share the gospel to others. About to pray for one another. Paul understood the importance of prayer. prayer as he's asking others to intercede on his bath, as he's asking others to pray for him. This kind of thinking led Spurgeon to challenge his own congregation. I mean, we think of Spurgeon, the prince of pastors, or the prince of preachers. Spurgeon said this, oh, may God help me if you cease to pray for me. Let me know the day, and I must cease to preach. Let me know when you intend to cease your prayers, and I shall cry, oh my God, give me this day to my tomb, and let me slumber in the dust. He understood something about the importance of prayer. We always think about a church that size. I mean, what was it? But they said that over 300 to 500 people would be in the basement while he's preaching, and their sole responsibility would be to be preaching or praying for the souls of those who'd be hearing the Word. Incredible. He understood the importance of prayer. I think we've lost that zeal in our nation, haven't we? We've lost that sense of zeal that prayer should be a priority. that prayer should be a spiritual discipline. It is my lifeline to God. It's time for me to commune in fellowship with my Father. Christ never, if we look through the Gospel, He never missed those opportunities to spend time. And it's interesting, the Gospel spends a lot of time showing us examples of Christ, the sinless one, the all-knowing one. the time he spent praying and communing with his Father. A lot we can learn from him, isn't it? I think we need such a passion and a zeal when it comes to prayer. And my fear is that we may be conditioning ourselves to have a false sense of security. We may be conditioning ourselves to have a false assurance when it comes to our own personal wall, because we don't have this zeal, we don't have this passion for such a prayer life, both for ourselves and for one another. I think it's interesting that maybe within the church there's this bad attitude around, see, look at that poor person over there stumbling and falling. I knew they couldn't make it. But did you pray for him? See, I think we had to have our thinking recalibrated and transformed by the Word of God, and look at this example. Christ knew these men were going to fail him, didn't he? He knew Peter was going to deny him, but yet he prayed for him anyway, didn't he? Remember when Christ told Peter, He says, Satan desires to have you. But I pray for you. What kept Peter from falling away? It was the prayer of his Savior. Let's not underestimate the importance of prayer for one another. I think it's an essential element of the church's spiritual life, and certainly the New Testament contains numerous examples of praying for one another. And I think, there again, John 17 is one of the greatest examples. But in addition to Christians praying for one another, go to Romans 8. The Spirit intercedes on our behalf as well. Go to Romans 8. Let's look at this. Romans 8, look at verse 26. It says, Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray, for as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. So this helps me to understand that with all my imperfections that keep me from praying as I should, when I talk about praying as I should, I need to be praying consistently within the will of God. But we know that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit intercedes on behalf of each Christian. He faithfully brings the Christian's knees before God, even when we are confused as to what our knees may even be. And so we know that those prayers are answered because the Spirit intercedes, and according to verse 27, when He intercedes for the saints, He always intercedes according to the will of God. His prayers are perfect. And then turn over to Hebrews 7. There's still another who prays for us. We should pray for one another. The Spirit of God prays for us. And then in Hebrews 7 verse 25, it says, It's Christ Jesus that's being spoken of here. Memorize this. It is He who lives. He's not a dead God. He is a living God, and He lives for this purpose, to make intercession for who? For His people. The Lord Jesus Christ intercedes continually for His own people. Many times He prays in response to the accusations of Satan, that Satan would bring charges against His elect. And Christ says, no, they're closed in my righteousness. There's not one that can condemn those I've saved. One writes it this way, His meditatorial work of intercession is as real and indispensable as His work of atonement. It was the death of the Lord Jesus Christ that gave believers eternal life. It is His intercessory work for them that sustains that life, bringing them from justification through sanctification to glorification. So as you are growing in grace, as you are growing in holiness, understand it is the Messiah who is praying for you that makes that happen. And I hope you begin to appreciate as we try to pull all this together we've been studying over the last several weeks. I hope you're beginning to appreciate that it is Christ's intercessory prayers that assures us fulfillment of John 6 27 when he said, all that the Father gives to me will come to me and the ones who come to me I will certainly not cast out. And then in verse 40 he says, for this is the will of my Father that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in him will have eternal life and I myself will raise him up on that last day. These promises will only happen because the Son is praying for us. We learned last week that Christ prays for those that are His. He says, I do not pray for the world. I only pray for those that the Father has given me. And so when we come to chapter 17, we see an example of His current intercessory work. In the prayer that is given to us in John 17, Christ is entrusting His people to the Father. He intercedes for them. Remember, this is just hours before His death. And in this prayer, we see a death of communion with the Father, and we see His compassion for His own. One commentator observed the magnificence of this aspect of this prayer. He says, it's setting forth the identity of being, and power, and love, and two-fold personality of the God-man. We are brought by it to the mercy seat, into the heaven of heavens, to the very heart of God, and we find there a presentation of the most mysterious and incomprehensible love to the human race, embodied in the person, enshrined in the words of the only begotten Son." And so this prayer marks out the transition from his earthly ministry to his heavenly ministry. What is he doing now? He's praying for his people. He is your mediatorial priest. He's provided the sacrifice, He's performed that work of a priest, but His work of a priest is not done, is it? He still offers up prayers and intercedes on behalf of His people. And so after completing His work of redemption on the cross and triumphing over sin, death, and Satan, Jesus will ascend to heaven where He continually, constantly intercedes for us. Now, as we go here and turn back over to John 17, as we read through John 17, we understand all the disciples are there. They're present in the room. When Jesus, remember, he stooped in John 13, he washes their feet. He has this final meal with them. And remember, all this prayer, all this stuff that we've been reading through and trying to understand, all this is important to grasp because, remember, not all the 12 are his disciples, and Jesus knew this. Remember, Judas was there, and he's among these disciples. And if you look at Judas, from all externals, he looks like a true disciple, doesn't he? Christ is not fooled by this. Judas looked so much like a disciple that when Jesus said that one of you would betray him, nobody ever really suspected Judas. Turn back over to John 13. Look at this. Pick it up in verse 22. Well, go back to verse 21. Jesus had said these things. He was troubled in spirit and testified, Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray me. And then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom he spoke. So they had no idea it was going to be Judas. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom, one of his disciples whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom he spoke. and then leaning back on Jesus' breast, he said to him, Lord, who is it? And Jesus answered, It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it. And having dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered to him, and then Jesus said to him, What you do, do quickly. But no one at the table knew for that reason he said this to him, for some thought Because Judas had the money box that Jesus had said to him, buy those things we need for the feast, or that he should give something to the poor. Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately, and it was night. And so Judas is important for us to consider. Why? Because Judas is not an atheist. He's a very religious man, isn't he? And he was close to Christ. He was as close to Christ as one could still get, but at the same time very far away from salvation. You've just got to consider the level of wickedness within the heart of this man to betray the sinless Son of God. He heard the teachings of Christ. He saw the miracles. He saw the miraculous works of Christ, but yet he still betrayed Him. And he should cause many of us, or all of us in here, to just consider If you're here playing games, if you are here going through the motions of religion, that's what he was doing. You should be very concerned for your soul. If you're just going through the motions of religion, but yet you don't trust God, you don't love Him, you don't seek His wisdom, you don't adore Him, your life is not set up such that you can serve Him because everything is structured in your life to serve yourself, you hate the fact He calls you to worship and serve Him, you hate to spend time with Him in fellowship and communion, I would say then you need to be very concerned. So young people, those of you who have made a profession of faith to Christ, you come to the Lord's table each week. Let me ask you this. If your parents did not wake you up, would you show up? Do you see that it is a benefit and a blessing to your soul to come and worship the one true God? Do you see it as a benefit and a blessing and a privilege to come and give Him worship? for all that he has done for you. I suspect that if Judas was in our midst, we wouldn't be able to pull him out, pick him out either, would we? Because these are internal things. These are things, we were talking about this a couple of weeks ago. It is easy to come in here dressed in a certain way, speak in a certain way when you're in front of others, to go watch certain movies, but not other types of movies, right? The externals are easy to fake, aren't they? You know what's not easy to fake? The Sermon on the Mount. Praying for your enemies. Forgiving others. Right? Think about the Sermon on the Mount and what Christ actually teaches there. You can't fake those things. So I'm sure Judas dressed like the rest of them. He prayed like the rest of them. In public conversation, he sounded like the rest of them. But in his heart, he had a real problem, didn't he? It takes a very wicked heart to betray the sinless Son of God. And so we need to make sure that we understand and we can learn from this man. He can be there amongst you. And once again, the point of this is not for you to start saying, I wonder who in here is Judas. The point of this is you need to be examining your own heart. I want to make sure I haven't deceived myself by trusting in the externals. but yet I wouldn't forgive anybody. You stick me in the eye, I'm gonna stick you back and I'm gonna stick you harder. If that's your attitude, if that's the way you think, if that's the way you behave, if you have a hard time forgiving, if you love to create strife, if you love having a lying tongue, if you like having impure thoughts, the list could go on and on and on. You need to be very careful and be very concerned for your soul if that describes you. Let's get back to this prayer. When we look to the behavior of the true disciples, so Judas is something different, isn't it? But when we get back and look at the other disciples, we still see the necessity of this prayer. Think about Peter, for example. Certainly he's outspoken. Christ informed him here in John 13. Look down at verse 30. Go to verse 31. Peter learned something about himself. So when he had gone out, Jesus said, Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him immediately. Little children, I shall be with you a little longer, for a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, where I am going you cannot come. So now I say to you, a new commandment I give to you. that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another." Simon Peter said to him, And Jesus answered, where I'm going you cannot follow me now, but you shall follow me afterwards. And Peter said to him, Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for your sake. And Jesus answered, will you lay down your life for my sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow until you have denied me three times. So Peter learned something about himself. And this really had to be disturbing to Peter. You remember earlier he was concerned about, well, who would betray the Son of God? And now he's hearing, well, Peter, you're gonna be one that denies me. But in John 17, this prayer is prayed, and Peter is hearing Christ pray this prayer. He hears Christ praying for him and his other disciples. And Christ is really incredible that he would pray for one that he knew would deny him. Jesus knew this, but yet he still prayed for Peter, didn't he? Why? Why would he pray for Peter? Because he loves the gift that the Father was going to give to him. Remember Jesus said earlier in John 17, I pray for those that you have given me. I don't pray for the world. I pray for those you've given me. Yeah, even these rascals over here who are going to deny me. So Christ loved Peter because God the Father gave Peter to him. Think about the other disciples. Certainly they were distraught over the fact that Christ was going to leave them. And just think, many of them were just fishermen. Matthew was a tax collector. Tax collectors were despised by the Jews. Simon was a political revolutionary. Remember he's referred to as the zealot. He was despised by the Romans. They really had no resources to speak of. Why? Because they had left everything to follow Christ. They were ordinary men. They had the same weaknesses that we have in common with them. Remember, Thomas was skeptical. James and John were hotheads. Remember, they were referred to as what? The sons of thunder. Philip showed signs of not having spiritual discernment at times. They all failed in grasping Christ's role as the suffering servant during his first coming. The sons of Zebedee, do you remember their problem? They showed signs of pride. They wanted the preeminent position. They sent their mama to speak for them. And every one of them fled when Christ was arrested. And when Christ, in His hour of need, requested that the disciples pray for Him, what did He find them doing? Sleeping. This led one writer to say this, from a human perspective, this ragamuffin group of followers was anything but extraordinary or impressive, yet they were called to continue Jesus' work in the world after He was gone. Having been given the responsibility of taking the gospel throughout the world and shepherding the church through their teaching and oversight, they played a vital role in the future of the Christian faith because God had chosen them to tell of the redemption through His Son. And so it's no wonder that Christ comes here in John 17 and intercedes for them. The bulk of this prayer focuses on them. His confidence was not in their skills, his confidence was not in their moral character or their abilities, but his confidence was in the Father. Jesus knew that the Father would hear and answer this prayer. This was the will of the Father to preserve these men so that these men would be given to Christ on that last great day. Christ knows this, and so His prayer is in the will of the Father. And so the purpose of prayer is not to change the will of the Father, but to call for His will to be done as it is in heaven. And we need to remember that. The Bible says, for example, that the Lord desires the nations to be disciples, doesn't He, in Matthew 28. And so we should pray that His will would be done. And as we pray, we should have the faith that as we carry out the Great Commission, His will would be done, that souls would be converted. And I'm afraid at some point maybe we've gotten a little too pessimistic here. Well, after all, nobody seems to be responding to the Gospel. I bet there were a lot of days in Paul's life where there were many Gentiles who just did not hear him. In fact, I bet there were some days when some Jews and Gentiles picked up stones to throw at him. Okay, but Paul continued to persevere. Why? Because he had faith that God's will was that the nations would be disciples. And so this prayer was prayed aloud so that the disciples could hear this prayer and they would be encouraged by it. Now let's go to John 17, verse 11. There's your introduction. Let's get into it. Now I'm no longer in the world, but these are in the world. And I come to you, Holy Father, keep through your name those whom you have given me that they may be one as we are. And at the time of this prayer, he knows that he will be removed from the world and no longer there to protect and take care of his disciples. Now they're going to be remaining back in the world. And it's his desire that they remain in the world to carry out his great commission. And the language here tells us that after the events of the next few hours are taking place, his earthly ministry would be complete. And so he's going to go away, and they were going to stay. They desire to go with him. You read this in John 14, but it's critical that they stay behind. Why? The gospel needed to be taken to the world, to the nations. If Christ did not leave these men behind, there would be no church and no subsequent generation of believers. And so the disciples were left behind to be a witness of Christ's power and His glory. And so Christ is interceding for them, and this is a means that God would use to accomplish His will. And so you have to ask yourself, why are you here? I mean, why not, at the point of salvation, doesn't God just take you away to bring you with Him? Well, you're here for a purpose, aren't you? You're here to be a light. You're here to be salt. You are here to be a witness of the saving power of Christ. I mean, you are a witness. The question is, are you a witness of His saving power and His grace within your life? And so, in verse 11, we read again, now, I'm no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to you, Holy Father, keep through your name. those you have given me, that they may be one as we are. And the world that Christ is going to lead them in." If you think about this, the word world is used in different ways in the Gospel of John, but here this is used as a reference to those that would be hostile towards them, because the world is a place that is hateful, it's in rebellion to God and to his Son. The world is in spiritual darkness, it's within confusion, It gives resonance to sin and temptation of every kind, and this is the place where Christ is going to leave them. Remember, go back to John 1. Hold your place in John 17. In John 1, verse 11, he says this, He came to his own, but his own did not receive him. This is the world. The world did not receive its Messiah, its Lord, the one who spoke everything into existence. Turn to John 15. Notice what Christ says about the world. John 15, pick up the reading, verse 18. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you are the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, I chose you out of the world. Therefore the world hates you. That's pretty straightforward. Look at John 16, verse 33, what he says. These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Let me just read you one more in Luke 21, 12. You can just read it, you can write it down. Luke 21, verse 12, it says this. But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. And the same is true today. Past Christians understood something that we don't get in our modern day. They understood that the advancement of the kingdom of God in a world that hates God would only bring conflict, right? And you need to understand that as the gospel goes forth, as the kingdom of God is expanding, that expansion only comes through conflict. We have to confront the world with the claims of Christ, that the world does belong to Him, and we must submit to His will. But there's this modern-day approach that's kind of got the church by a stranglehold. This idea of, well, we don't want to be offensive, and conflict's not good. I mean, that doesn't advance His kingdom at all, does it? And maybe you have this false view. Well, we don't want to ruffle any feathers. We don't want to offend anybody. All the prophets, and for those who have that, it's a perverted idea. Because anyone who has that idea just hasn't read the scriptures. They don't know the Bible. All the prophets, all the apostles, Christ himself did what? They confronted the world with the truth. And when they did, there was conflict. And that conflict led to many of them dying. Certainly our Lord Jesus Christ died because of the conflict he had with the Pharisees, didn't he? And this is important, I think, for our young men. Our young men need to get this. We do not need to feminize our young men with this plague, this cancer, this false idea that there are no battles to fight in this evil age. And this idea, I hope you're not training your young men. Just go along, get along. Don't cause a ruffle any feathers. That's so unbiblical. Have you ever noticed that it is the Christian who has convictions that is told to keep his mouth quiet and don't disrupt peace? You ever have any family holidays? You got some family members, some compromising Christians coming over? Or these hypocrites? And it's not the hypocrites that's being warned. Don't come into the house with your hypocritical nature. Or to the uncompromising, lukewarm Christian, don't come into this household with being lukewarm and compromising. We don't want to hear it. It's always the convicted Christian that says, don't stir any feathers today. Just talk about things that don't matter. Right? It's always that way. Nowhere does the Bible teach us to allow God-haters, hypocrites, and compromising Christians to set the terms of the relationship or to set the tone of the conversation. I can't find it. It's not in there. Christ has set the terms. He says, you're either for me or you're against me. There is no middle ground. And for those who try to navigate in the middle ground, then you are referred to as lukewarm, and Christ says, for the lukewarm person, you make me sick. I will vomit you out of my mouth. We all understand the visual. So sick, I want to just throw you up. Don't forget this principle. The world hates God, and so you have to decide who you're going to identify with. And here's the problem. When the world loves you and embraces you, I think it's not because it's necessarily because you're so passionate about the gospel. It's that you've compromised somewhere. Well, because the world hates us, Christ knew this. He prays this prayer, and I'm no longer in the world, but these are in the world. And I come to you, Holy Father, keep through your name those whom you have given me, that they may be one as we are one. And notice here, that since the world hates God, those who belong to Him, these disciples were going to be in desperate need of the Father's protection. Christ is going to a trial. Christ is going to be crucified. Christ is going to be in the grave for three days. He's going to rise again and then ascend to heaven. And Christ is saying, Father, keep them, protect them. Now notice what he says in verse 11. He says, Holy Father, keep them in your name. And Jesus begins the request for his disciples by addressing God as the Holy Father. And this is the only time this title is used. The emphasis on God's holiness sets the stage for the rest of the section because the rest of this section down to verse 19 deals with the holiness of the disciples in the midst of a hostile world. And we need to remember that. Even though the world is full of wickedness, even though the world is full of sin, full of rebellion against God, our relationship to God is a sanctifying relationship. We are to be holy in conduct. We are to be holy in speech and thought despite the resistance to holiness within our world. And even though these disciples were unholy men in that they were sinners, right? They had been brought into a purifying relationship with God through the Son. And so Christ refers to him as Holy Father. Now notice the first petition. What's the first thing Christ prays for? He says, keep them. Keep them through your name. Keep them in your name. And this is a request for the disciples' spiritual security. Remember, the name of God represents who God is. And within this context, the emphasis is on a Holy Father. Jesus is asking His Father to guard the disciples according to His holy character and according to His holy attributes. And that request is all-encompassing and it extends to all believers. One commentator said this, That keeping means everything. Keeping from falling away, from evil doctrines, from being overcome by sorrow, or in tribulation and suffering. Keep them in life and death. From this first petition of our Lord's Prayer, we learn the absolute security of a true believer. If a true believer, one who belongs to Christ, who has been given by the Father to the Son, for whom the Son of God intercedes, can be lost, it would mean the loss of Christ's glory, the loss of a part of his travail of his soul. And he says, that can't happen. And just think, we are kept by God the Father until the day Christ returns. Turn over to Jude, because Jude talks about this. Jude gives us a great definition of what it means to be a believer, what it means to be a called one. Turn over to Jude 1. Notice what he says, Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ to the brother of James, to those who are called, loved by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ. So the called ones are to the ones who have been called. When you read this statement about the called ones, we're talking about Christians. All Christians, all believers, are called ones. One writer says this, in Pauline theology, this stresses the sovereign activity of God's grace in summoning to salvation. The term, the called, is synonymous with a Christian, and he's right. So when we talk about the called ones, we're talking about believers. I want you to think about something. Every time you read the word called in the epistles, it always refers to an effective call, an effectual call. It always refers to something that works. So I think it would be worthwhile. Let's talk about this term because to be a called one means that we are loved by God and we are kept in Jesus Christ. So when Jesus is there in John 17 saying, Father, keep them. Keep them from what? Well, let's look at this in a little bit more detail. Now let's talk about the origin of the effectual call. Where does this call originate? And this term is so common in the New Testament, we don't have time to look at everything, but let's just look at a few verses. Go to 1 Corinthians with me. 1 Corinthians 1. Where does the call originate? 1 Corinthians 1. Look at verse 9. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. And so the Apostle Paul tells us that God is faithful, and He is the one who calls us into the fellowship of His Son. And this verse seems to indicate that the call finds its origin within God. Now turn over to 1 Thessalonians 2. 1 Thessalonians 2, look at verse 10. You are witnesses, and God also, how divinely and justly and blamelessly we have behaved ourselves among you who believe, as you know how we exhorted and comforted you and charged every one of you as a father does his own children, that you should walk worthy of God who calls you into his kingdom and glory. And once again, Paul tells us that it's God who calls us into His kingdom of glory. And so it starts with God the Father. Go over to 2 Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians, look at chapter 2. Look at verse 13. But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in truth, to which he called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is certainly a lot within these verses, but we see that God's election, his calling, we see the Holy Spirit sanctifying, and the Son all share in God's glory. But we see that the call originates with God the Father. Now, open your hymn book, turn to page 676. Let me just read here about what our confession says about the call, the calling of God. Page 676. So I think this would be a good place to get a good understanding of what we believe here in this church. It says in Section 1, it says, Notice what takes place in the calling. Section two, this effectual call of God is free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man nor from any power or agency in the creature, co-working with his special grace, the creature being wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses until being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit. He is thereby enabled to answer this call and embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it and that by no less power than that which raised up Christ from the dead. And one of the things our confession tries to teach us, to get us to see, is that the effectual call is the sovereign work of God, and it always works. In other words, there's not one that God predestines that He does not call, and there's not one that He calls that does not respond. And that's what is stated there in the Confession. The Confession says that we are all called out of this state of sin and death, that we are born naturally into a state of sin and death. We're called out from that. And this Confession states that although the call originates in God the Father, it is God the Holy Spirit that enables the elect to answer the call because they're being brought from death to life. That heart of stone is being transferred into a heart of flesh. A heart of flesh is just a picture of a heart that receives and responds. Remember, a heart of stone doesn't respond to anything. And so we're not going to have time this morning to go through everything within our confession. I would just encourage you to go back through our confession and just remind yourself of what we say we believe the Bible teaches. Let me just read you some quotes about some men I appreciate on this subject about the effectual call. J.I. Packer says this, the effectual call is the sovereign work of God performed by the Holy Spirit. Burkoff says this, the effectual call is the call by the Word of God savingly applied by the operation of the Holy Spirit. Another one writes, this is the call that only the elect respond to through faith and that results in their salvation. This is God's work though He uses the proclamation of the Word of God. Let me give you another one. Dag in his manual theology says this, this always produces repentance and faith and therefore secure salvation. And we can read these forever. They're basically saying the same thing our confession teaches here. But the Bible is what we're concerned about. And when we look at what the Bible says, particularly in 1 and 2 Thessalonians, it outlines that God the Father, the call originates with God the Father, but it is effectually applied by God the Holy Spirit. Well, one of the things that needs to be pointed out is this other section within our Section 4 where it says, Others not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operation of the Spirit, yet not being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither will nor can truly come to Christ, and therefore cannot be saved. Much less can men that receive not the Christian religion be saved. Be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature and the law, of the religion that they do profess. And one of the things that needs to be pointed out here is that from this section of the confession is that there's what theologians refer to as the general or the external call. And this is where the gospel presentation is freely given to all men. But we need to recognize that all men will respond to that gospel and Jesus talks about this. Turn over to Matthew. Go to Matthew 20. I'm going to let you go back and spend time reading through the parable of the workers in the vineyard. You're familiar with that one, but notice how he ends it. In verse 16 he says, So the last will be first, and the first will be last. For many are called, but few are chosen. Many are called, but there are few who are chosen. Go to Matthew 22, and notice what he says over here in the parable of the wedding feast. You're familiar with that one, but he says it again in verse 14. For many are called, but few are chosen. There are many who are called. The gospel goes out to all men, but not all respond. Why? Because not all men have had their hearts regenerated. And we see over here in John 10. Let me just read one more. Let me read one more about this. John 10, look at verse 22. He says, in John 10, 22, it says, Now it was the feast of the dedication in Jerusalem as it was winter, and Jesus walked in the temple on Solomon's porch. then the Jews surrounded him and said to him, How long do you keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. And Jesus answered them, I told you, and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name they bear witness of me, but you do not believe. And notice why he says you don't believe. Because you're not of my sheep. Read that again. You do not believe because you are not of my sheep. And then he goes on to say, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me, and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hands. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one. I want you to think about that. Here Jesus is addressing this group, and He tells them plainly, His sheep will hear His voice, and they will respond. But there's something that has to be pointed out in verse 26, and it's this cause-effect relationship. Notice Jesus doesn't say they're not his sheep because they refuse to believe. Rather, he says, they don't believe because they're not my sheep. They don't belong to me. Christ came for his sheep, and they respond. He says, they hear and they follow my voice. Pharaoh Griswold stated it this way. He says, Jesus did not come to convert goats into sheep. He came to get his own. And so the point of this is that the New Testament teaches that there is a general call where all men are invited to come into the kingdom. But there's an effectual call whereby God moves within the hearts of men and they do respond. And so go back over to Jude. Go back over to Jude. So when Jude is writing, those who are called. He's not talking about those who have been generally called. He's talking to those who have responded in faith to those who are called. Notice they are loved by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ. So let's look at this description of a called one. Now when I think of the called ones, I'm thinking of people who have been called by God to be His people. These are ones who have left the world of darkness and sin. They've entered into this life of light. And here Jude describes the called ones in this verse. And we need to address something real quickly. If you've got a King James Version, it says the called ones are sanctified by God the Father. And that's a possible reading. But I don't think that's really what he's saying here. I think it's doubtful. Hold your place here. And there's a very same concept. 1 Corinthians 1, very same concept that the writer of, or Paul speaking of here in Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 1, look at verse 2, where it says, And so here's the concept. What you see here in this verse is that there are individuals, believers, who have been set apart for Jesus Christ. And so I don't have a problem with this idea that Believers are sanctified or set apart. The problem here is that in Jude 1, the word in the Greek is not this idea of being sanctified, but the word is really to be loved. And so if you look at the more modern translations, if you have something other than the King James Version, they all bring this thought out, is that a called one, yes, they are sanctified. But a called one here, according to Jude, is loved by God the Father. The NIV says it this way, to those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father. The New American Standard says to those who are called, beloved in God the Father. And so over and over again, the ASV says it, to them that are called, beloved in God the Father. The RSV says it, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father. And so I think we get the idea. And what I want you to see is that I believe what Jude is writing here, he's saying that the called ones, and then he describes what it means to be called. And the first description he gives is that a called one is first and foremost, loved by God the Father. There's one more thing I want to point out. The tense of the verb in Greek is perfect, which means that this love was something that was manifested in the past with continuing and abiding results into the present. And so this suggests that these individuals not only love once upon a time, but they continue to be the object of God's great love and always will be. And that's a beautiful kind of thought. And so when people say, well, you know, you don't need to learn the Greek. I'm telling you, when you don't understand the Greek, there's a lot you can miss out here. There's a lot you can miss out here. Because the problem is not with our translations. The problem is with the English language. The English language has a real hard time bringing out the thrust of these ideas. And so, once again, you can read this to say to those who are loved by God the Father, but it's not just a past tense event. It's a continuing event, and it always will be this way. And that's an incredible thought. We have been loved by God the Father. Hold your place here. Go back over to John 17. Go back over to John 17. John 17 verse 23 says this, I and them and you and me that they may be perfect in one and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them. How? What's the degree, the extent to which God loves us? He says that they have loved them as you have loved me. Can you put a limit? Can you define or bracket the love that God the Father has for the Son? And Christ says the world needs to know that you love them as much as you love me. I hope that brings you comfort. That means God loves me just as much as he loves the Son. That's staggering. Turn over to chapter 16 look at verse 27 John 16 verse 27 for the father himself loves you because you've loved me and believe that I've come forth from God so here the father the father himself Jesus says loves you and I mean think about it we're loved by God and now he becomes my father and I have access to it I mean that's an incredible thought now contrast that with you Contrast that with, you know your sins, you know what you're like, right? But God loves sinners. He sent his Son to save sinners. That's an incredible thought. He is so unlike us. And this is why I'm saying when you look at how Christ laid down his life when we were enemies, right? You look at the kind of love that Christ has for his people and he is the example. This is why I'm saying external Christianity is easy to fake. True Christianity is not something you can fake. So when you see a hardness of heart, a person who's refusing to forgive, a person who cannot love like this, you're gonna say there's something fundamentally wrong here. There's something fundamentally wrong with this person who cannot love like this. Yeah, it's hard. It's tough. Your flesh doesn't want to. I get it. But Christ has set the standard, and that standard is something that cannot be easily faked. Well, go back over to Jude. Jude is writing to the called ones who have been loved, and this will never change. He talks about it in Romans 5.8 and Romans 5.10. But notice there's a second verb to describe the called ones here in Jude. Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, who are loved, and will continue to be the object of God's great love, and preserved or kept in Jesus Christ. Now the second verb that's used to describe the called ones, my translation says, one who's been preserved. And when we think of this little verb, preserved, or in the Greek it means to watch over, to guard, to pay close attention to. And when it's used in a friendly sense, it means to be kept safe from harm. So it means to preserve. That's the idea. One writer says this, the word expresses the watchful care given to someone. And so it means to be kept safe from harm. And that's a glorious thought. And what is interesting about this word is that it's in the perfect tense in Greek as well. So just like love is in the perfect tense, the same is true of this word. We are kept in the past and we are preserved and continue to be kept preserved into the present. And this is why the writer of Jude could say this in verse 24, He can write that great doxology because of what he wrote there in the beginning. If you are a call one, you are the object and always will be the object of God's great love, and you will be kept, preserved, safe from harm, not once in the past, but continue to be kept safe from harm. One writer said it this way, it is an activity initiated in the past and continuing undebated in the present. And that's our word. So how would you read it? I would read this verse like this. To all the called ones, to the called ones who have been loved and continue to be the object of God's great love and have been kept and continue to be kept or preserved for Jesus Christ. Now there's one more thing I want to point out. A little technical, but you might enjoy. He says you're kept, preserved and then you have this little preposition in if you get the NIV it's you might have the preposition by Jesus Christ mine has the word in if you got the New American Standard that little preposition is translated kept for Jesus Christ the ASV has kept for Jesus Christ the RSV says kept for Jesus Christ and so there's very various opinions about how that little preposition should be translated One of the lexicon reads it this way, who have been kept unharmed for Christ. And I'm not going to go through all the argumentation because we don't have time this morning. But let me just tell you, it should be translated for. We are kept, we are preserved for Jesus Christ. And that's a great statement. I mean, why do we even read something like this? Well, it's an answer to the prayer of the Son of God. Go back over to John 17, and I'll try to bring this to a close. I want to try to tie all this together for you. Why does it matter? Why are we reading it this way? Why are we answering it this way? Well, in John 17, 11, we read this. I'm no longer in the world, but these are in the world. I come to you. Holy Father, keep through your name those you have given me. And so you have this verb, and it's found four times in John 17. You see it used one time in verse 6, and that's not really what we're talking about there. But in verse 6, he's referring to the disciples keeping or obeying the commands. But we see here our word in verse 11 where Jesus says, keep, protect, preserve them from all harm, Father. I'm leaving them in this hateful world. Keep them. Preserve them. Look at verse 12. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. Those whom you have gave me, I have kept, and none of them have been lost except the son of perdition, that the scripture may be fulfilled. And then we see it in verse 15. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. And so this verb is used several times. He says, I kept them, I protected them. He says, now Father, keep them. I'm leaving them in the world in verse 15. Keep them, protect them from the evil one. And so Christ is asking His Father in verse 11 to keep them. In verse 12 He says, I kept them safe while I was in the world. He says, but now I'm leaving. And then He says in verse 15, keep them, protect them from the evil one. And so let me just stop here with this glorious thought. There's so much going on behind the scenes, isn't it? That we are so just experientially unaware of. We are so unaware of what God is doing behind the scenes of keeping us, preserving us, protecting us. And if he hadn't given us his word here, if he had not taught us this in his word, I mean, we wouldn't know. And so I want you to pause and think. Why didn't you stumble and fall into perdition this week? because the Father has sent the Son who prays for you. He prayed here in John 17. We'll see in verses 20 and follow. He's praying for you there. Remember when he says, I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me. He prays for you there. He's praying now for you. He's interceding on your behalf. The Spirit, according to Romans 8 26, is interceding on your behalf. There are Christians who pray for one another and pray on behalf of one another. God has set it all up, structured it up in such a way that the true Christian cannot fall or stumble, but that Christ, according to Jude, would present you faultless before the Father on that great day. You think you have something to praise God over now? I hope that encouraged you today. I hope it encouraged you to say, I never really thought about what all the Father has done for me. I want to go study out more. I want to draw closer to him. I want to draw near to him to know what he is doing for me, because I just don't know. You remember the example I gave you in Ephesians, when we looked at something in Ephesians where, envision someone who has this rich relative, distant, didn't know him that much, but when that rich relative died, left them an inheritance, but because they didn't know him, they didn't know they were rich. Well, that's kind of what Paul does in Ephesians, doesn't he? He talks about the riches, the inheritance that we have in Christ Jesus. And unfortunately, many there in the church in Ephesus, they didn't know the riches they had in Christ. And I think that's the way it can be for us. We're walking around like poor beggars without a rich father. And we have so many, you know, inheritances that were given to us by the Son. And we don't even take it, we don't acknowledge it, we don't grasp a hold of it because we don't know about it. But just remember this, God is keeping you even when you're not aware of it. God has set everything up so that you would be brought and presented spotless and pure before his son. And so his son prays for you, his spirit is working with you, he's protecting you, keeping you from falling. And so I think this gives us much reason to praise his name. So let's close in prayer. Father, we thank you so much for what you have given to us, the riches and grace that we have in Christ Jesus. Oh, and this is just one more reminder this morning that we have to continue to worship and praise your name. You're so good to us. Oh, Father, may we marvel in the greatness of Christ who prays for us, who works on our behalf. But Father, may we also follow his example. Maybe we've been too neglectful to pray for one another and lift one another up. And so, Father, may we not be negligent anymore. May we follow the great high priest in his example. May we learn to pray for one another. May we learn to come along beside one another, encourage one another to stay on the narrow path. And so, Father, we ask for your grace and your mercy to be poured out upon us. We pray that your Spirit is doing His great work within our lives, even at this moment. If there's areas of our lives that we need to repent and turn from, we pray that your Spirit is doing His great work within our lives. If there's just more areas of just our minds being opened up to the reality of the greatness of Christ, we pray that He would open our eyes to see Christ magnified in our mind, that He might be more enlarged in our mind and in our thinking. May it also cause and motivate us to tell others about this great King, And so, Father, we pray that we would not be a faithless people, that we in faith would pray, that we in faith would follow the great commands given to us to love one another, to give the gospel out, to share it. And, Father, may we do that with a joyful attitude. And so, Father, we ask for your blessing to be upon us this day. And may everything we do be pleasing unto you. And it's in Christ's name we pray. Amen.