In this sixth verse, Jesus said, 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. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are thee. 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. Let's read you verses 6, 7, and 8 of John chapter 17. You may be seated. We've all heard the statement about someone's child, a boy or a girl, your father or your mother, however, will never die as long as you're living. We know that the Father in heaven would never die, but he surely was replicated and represented by the Lord Jesus. It might also be said about a child, you talk like your daddy. or you walk like your mother. Your gestures are like your mother. Your attitude is like your dad. Your smile is like your mother's. These are just statements. that remind us how that our children are reflections of ourselves. Of course, the Lord Jesus, although he was co-eternal with the Father and co-equal with the Father and co-existent as the God-man, however, he was such a full complete representation of the Father. He was sent by the Father. He came from the Father. He worked for the Father. He stood for the Father. He spoke for His Father. He did for his father. He even said to Mary and Joseph, know you not that I must be about my father's business. We have been looking at some of the I have statements of John 17. These are not the only I have statements of Christ. Since there is a constant reference and repetition of the I have claims. We've been looking at these in what we know as our Lord's high priestly prayer. It's as though he's saying, Father, all the assignments that you gave me are now accomplishments. I have. glorified thee on the earth. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And tonight, verse 6, I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. On the Lord's day yesterday, we looked at the I have of Christ's magnification or His honor, His exaltation of the Father. I have glorified Thee on the earth. And then last evening, we looked at the I have of Christ's ministry or His service. I have finished, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, because of the word manifested. In verse six tonight, we come to the I have of Christ's manifestation. I'd like to say three things tonight, God helping me, on this I have of Christ's manifestation. Let me mention them and then we'll come back and underline them and accentuate them. First of all, using the word manifested, I want to say something about Christ's unveiling of the Father. Christ's unveiling of the Father. I have manifested thy name. And then second, because he talks about the Father giving Him men out of the world. He says, Thine they were and Thou gavest them Me. And he added in verse 8, I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me. I would underline secondly, Christ's unity with the Father. They're one. The Godhead is three in one and one in three. And here we see the unity of Christ with His Father. Then as He talks about the disciples to the Father, isn't that something? Jesus, God, is talking to the Father, God, about His own. By the way, He's still doing that. As Christ intercedes for us, God is talking to Himself about us. And the Holy Spirit prays for us and intercedes for us. God talking to Himself about us. It's amazing. It's hard for me to grasp. but we're a conversation piece before the throne of grace. So our mission thirdly tonight, Christ uplifting to the father, uplifting the disciples. Now with those three thoughts, let's get into the message. First of all, I want us to look at the first part of verse 6. And I would underline Christ's unveiling of the Father. Jesus said, keep in mind every petition, we could put Father before everyone. Father, I have manifested thy name under the men which thou gavest me out of the world. The word manifested has to do with showing or portraying. I've already used the word represented. I would say firstly, in Christ unveiling the Father, He showed forth the Father. Being one with the Father. He could not help but be like God, for he was God. There are those who say, oh yes, Jesus is like God, and now God has exalted him. Or, this is my, what's the word? I guess my mockery of that. He was a good little boy, and the father exalted him. He was like God, but he could not help but be like God, for he was God. He showed forth the Father. Back in John chapter 1, the Holy Spirit said through the penman John, He said that He hath declared Him. No man hath seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He, that is Christ the Son, hath declared Him. Jesus showed forth the Father. And therefore he said about his deity, if you have seen me, you've seen the Father. On another occasion he said, I and my Father are one. So the word manifested in our text reminds us of how he showed forth the Father. He testified. He exemplified the Father. There's a further idea here. I have manifested thy name, or thy person, as a name represents one's person. So he said, I have manifested thy name, thy person, unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. How did he unveil the Father? First of all, He showed forth the Father. He represented the Father. Further, He sent forth the Father. He did like the Father would have done. He said what the Father would have said. So it was not only His deity, by which He unveiled the Father, but it was by His deeds, His actions, His works, were the works of His Father. I say, this I have, I have manifested Thy name, speaks to us of Christ's unveiling of the Father. He showed forth the Father. He set forth the Father. In fact, John said, in 1 John chapter number 1, he said about Jesus, he said, the life was manifested, and we have seen it and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us. He said, we're just showing to you what God showed to us in Christ. Now we come to several phrases that are burdensome to some folks. but they are blessed to many of God's people. I would mention not only Christ unveiling of the Father, He manifested Him, He portrayed Him, He showed Him. But secondly, I would mention Christ's unity with the Father. Now, I have purposefully not made this statement as of yet, but I want to underline that the Father's will was Christ's will. He was one with the Father in His will. Thus, the Father's purpose was Christ's purpose. The Father's plan was the Son's plan. There was a special unity between the father and the son. It thrills me how this chapter begins. Forgive me for reverting back to verse one. Keep in mind, he is at the table, giving a table talk to his disciples about his going back to the father. And it could be he's standing at this point, But he just simply lifted his eyes toward heaven. In oneness with the Father, he began to say, Father, the hour has come. This oneness, this unity is special. And we see Christ's unity with the Father in at least two different ways. Notice the phrases. 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. First of all, Jesus shows his unity with the Father in the choosing of his own. He said, Father, these men were in the world, than they were, and thou gavest them to me out of the world. Of course, you remember he said back in chapter 15 to his disciples, you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name. He may give it you. Then again in verse number 19, he said, if you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I've chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. And so he's in accord. He's in oneness. He's in unity. with the father in the choosing of his own. Now, this is not a foreign truth to you here at this church. Let me remind you that many think they have the ability and the authority to choose their bride, but they don't want to let Jesus choose him. I want to say he has more authority than we have. And he has chosen a people for his name. Along with the father, he said, I've chosen you out of the world. By the way, we would still be in the world had God not been pleased to choose us as his own. Oh, what a humbling truth! It's not a hateful truth, it's a humbling truth! That God would shed His love and His affection upon us. So Christ's unity with the Father is set forth in the choosing of His own. Notice, furthermore, He said, Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me. He is also in unity with the Father in the conferring or the giving of these to him. Now, the Father did not ask Jesus, would you like for me to give you some people? And Jesus did not say, oh Father, wouldst thou give me some people? Let me have some for my own. No. the father purpose to give his people to Christ. Thine they were and thou gavest them me. God has given us as a gift to his son. Now, we make much of this and we ought to make much of this. God gave Christ to us. But glory be to God. He has given us not only to Christ. They're giving Christ to us, but he's given us to Christ. I can't grasp. I can grasp how I needed Christ to be given to me, but I cannot grasp how Christ needed me to be given to him. What a truth. What a divine principle. Christ is not against it. He's in unity with the Father, not only in the choosing of his own, but in the conferring or in the disposal, in the giving of his own to Christ. Really, We're gods in the twofold way, are we not? God has chosen us, and he has given us to Christ. I love that statement in John chapter 10, where Jesus said, I give unto them eternal life, And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. And then he added, my father, which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my father's hand. It was Ed Korn, a preacher from North Carolina that I first heard say this. I've heard others say it since. But in my teenage years, I heard Brother Ed Korn, who at one time pastored my home church. Now with the Lord, I have great memories of him. But he said, he said, I'm not only in the hands of Jesus, but I'm kept in the hands of the Father. And he said, for the devil to get to me. He will have to come through the Father. And He will have to come through the Son. And He said, because Christ's blood avails for me, He'll have to come through the blood. And you know if He ever gets His power in the blood, He'll be a saved devil. And that will never be. I'm telling you, brother, God has secured us in Himself and in His Son. He has chosen us and he has given us to Christ. Hallelujah. We have an inheritance in him. He has an inheritance in us. Brother, it's too big for me. Let's just pause and rejoice about it a few minutes. Hallelujah. I have an inheritance in Him, but He has an inheritance in me. Glory to God and the Lamb forever. I got in a big hurry preaching some years ago in the state of Texas. And I said, Glory to God and the Lamb forever. And this dear woman came up to me after the service And she said, what did you mean when you said, glory to God, the lamb's in the river? And I had to explain to her, sister, I did not say glory to God, the lamb's in the river. I said, glory to God and the lamb forever. But I said, I think a couple of times tonight, he almost pulled me out in the river. It's about where I am tonight, hallelujah. This I have of Christ says something to us about Christ's unveiling of the Father. He manifested Him. He portrayed Him. He showed Him forth. He unveiled Him. It also says something to us about Christ's unity with the Father. He was one with Him in the choosing of His own. He was one with Him in the conferring or the giving of his own. Now we come to verses 7 and 8, and I'll revert back to verse 6 at the conclusion. Jesus said, Father, now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have, here's two I has in this context, 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. Here we have Christ uplifting to the Father. Uplifting his own to the Father. He uplifts them as those who have embraced the word or the truth. His two words are receive and believe. Look again at verse 8. They have received them, the last phrase, and they have believed that thou didst send me. All he's doing is commending his disciples back to the Father. Isn't that wonderful? I'll say more about that in a moment. They were not perfect. They were not without doubts and without denials and without a lack of confidence in Him. And yet he said, father, these are they. And they have embraced the word. How did he do it? Father, they received the word and they believe on me and that thou didst send me. Of course, being a gospel preacher, I must ask us tonight, have we received his word? Have we believed that he came from the Father? I'd like to say with Simon Peter, when Jesus said after he had asked him, who do men say that I the Son of Man am? And they had given an array of answers. He then said, but who do you say that I am? And Simon Peter, I think he must have raised his hand and said, Lord, let me, I know, Lord, like a third grader. I know, Lord, let me. And maybe Jesus nodded. And Simon Peter said, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. I'd like to say tonight, I believe I have received the word and I believe that he came from the father. I believe that he is the Christ, the son of the living God. I believe, I believe. Yes, and I'm sure that he is eternal life. As we read earlier, this is life eternal. that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. So he has not only unveiled, we're told here, of his unveiling of the Father, and his unity with the Father about his own being given to him, but he is Now uplifting to the father, his own. And he says, father, they have embraced thy word. They received it and they believed it. May I say that's one of the comforts of being a gospel preacher. I know that everyone will not receive the message. I know that everyone will not believe the truth as it is in Jesus. But hallelujah, along the way there are those who receive the truth and believe the truth and Jesus commends them to the Father. You'll notice as well, going back to verse 6 for our closing emphasis. Jesus also said, Father, not only are these they who have embraced thy word, but these are they that have esteemed thy word. Go back to verse number 6. Let's read the whole verse again. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me. Here it is. And they have kept thy word. He of course is not referring to Judas Iscariot. who has revealed that he was the deceiver among them. However, he is referring to the other 11 disciples, all of which became apostles. And he says, Father, here they are. These are they. And they have kept thy word. Now hold it, Jesus. I've read that two of your disciples wanted to call down fire out of heaven and kill their adversaries. I've read where Thomas was so full of doubt, he said, I'll not believe until I see the wounds in his hands and the wound in his side. I read where Simon Peter, Lord, denied that he even knew you. I read where he cursed in the process. I've read also, Lord, that Philip had trouble believing that you were God in the flesh. And you had to ask him, Philip, have I been with you this long time? And yet you did not realize that if you've seen me, you've seen the Father. We could mention the others. Some were quieter than others. But they all said, knowing their fallacies, they all said when Jesus said, one of you will deny, will not only deny me, but betray me. They said, is it me? Is it me? Is it me? And yet Jesus says here, Father, These are they which have kept thy word. They've not only embraced it, but they've esteemed it. The word kept is the word in the New Testament for guarded or protected. They held on to it. They cherished it. They were willing to stand for it, just as Jesus had stood for his Father. So they would stand for the Word, just as Jesus had spoke for his Father. So they would speak the Word, just as Jesus had come from the Father. So he said to them, as the Father has sent me, even so send I you. Lord, surely you see them for what they are. Yes, but Father, these are they which have kept thy words. Brother, he says that about you and me tonight. Is that not precious? When we know we're full of fallacy? And we've come short not only of the glory of God, but we've come short of our own expectations and the expectations of others. We have failed to give God all the glory. And yet Jesus says, Father, here they are. These are they which have kept thy word. Well, let me admit, I believe this. And I want to keep his word. My wife, Kathy, is quite a sight. I'll say, Kathy, every now and then, and I just about know she's going to say it. I'm going to say, Kathy, you're a good woman. And here's what she'll say. Tom, I want to be good. She's cutting up with me. I want to be good, Tom. And then I have to say, Kathy, you're more than wanting to be good. You're good. I want to tell you, brother, as God's children, we want to be good. We want to do right. We want to honor God. We know the flesh, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is sometimes weak. And yet he claims us as his very own. These are they. Father, look at them. Here they are. Here's my crown jewels. Here's my my followers, here's my people, these are they which have kept thy word." Yeah, boy. Well, I enjoyed that more than I played along. I'm going to tell you, Christ uplifted his own to the Father. We all know about the tomb of the unknown soldier at Arlington Cemetery in Washington, D.C. I read the tomb is guarded and has been guarded every minute of every day since 1937. Tomb guards are held to the high standards of behavior. and can have their badge taken away for any action on or off duty that could bring disrespect to the tomb. And that's for their entire lifetime, by the way, even well after his or her guarding duty is over. Soldiers guard the tomb of the unknown soldier. So we must keep his word. We're not guarding an unknown soldier. We're guarding the word of God. We're keeping, we're protecting, we're cherishing, we're holding fast to the truth of the word. May the Holy Ghost grant that to be so, even when it may seem that we're off duty. May we fall in a line of respect for the truth of God. Let me repeat my emphasis tonight. We've looked at the I have of Christ's manifestation. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. I've emphasized Christ's unveiling of the Father. I have manifested thy name, thy person. I've represented thee on earth. I am one with thee, Father. I've also emphasized Christ's unity with the Father in the choosing of His own and in the conferring or the giving of His own. Just as He says, Here Thine they were and Thou gavest them Me. He said in a couple of chapters previous, I have, you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. The unity of Christ with His Father. A gift, we're a gift to the Father. And then I've concluded with Christ uplifting to the Father, holding up these disciples who have held fast the Word. Sounds to me like he loves his people. He cares for his own. To such a degree, he would say, Father, can you say this of us tonight? Father, there they are, than they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word. Oh, that he might say that of you and say that of me. You've been so kind tonight. to hear as I've tried to pour out my soul to you.