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Well, please turn with me in 
your Bibles to John's gospel. We're in John chapter 17, the 
high priestly prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ, verses 20 to 26. Jesus extends from the apostles 
to include all believers in our Hope was this morning to look 
at verses 20 to 23, but I don't wanna try and shove it all in. 
So we're gonna just focus on verse 20 this morning, but I 
do wanna read beginning in chapter 17 at verse nine. I pray for them, I do not pray 
for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they 
are yours, and all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am 
glorified in them. "'Now I am 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. "'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 scripture 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're 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 also have sent them into the world. And 
for their sakes, I sanctify myself that they also may be sanctified 
by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, 
but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that 
they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, 
that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe 
that you sent me, and the glory which 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 
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. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
Father in heaven, we thank you for this high priestly prayer 
of our Lord Jesus Christ. We see it as a very holy place 
to come and to see our Lord at prayer prior to that hour that 
has come upon him. As well, Father, we pray that 
your spirit would guide us. We know that we stand in constant 
need and dependence. As Jesus says in John 15, apart 
from him, we can do nothing. So supply the spirit that we 
might receive these things, that it might be under edification 
for your people, And God, may it be for salvation to those 
who are dead in their trespasses and sins. We know that you have 
planned and purposed to save a great multitude that no man 
can number, from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 
And we rejoice in this, and we pray that you would bless the 
gospel as it is proclaimed today all over the earth. May it run 
swiftly, may it be glorified, may it accomplish the purpose 
for which you sent it. And may you indeed cause many 
to come out of darkness into marvelous light. We ask now that 
you would forgive us for all of our sins and cleanse us in 
the blood of the lamb. And we pray in Jesus name. Amen. Well, as we work our way through 
this high priestly prayer, we remember that in verses one to 
five, Jesus prays specifically for himself. And then in verses 
six to 19, we see he prays specifically for the apostles. those men that 
had the authority, they had the spirit, they would receive the 
spirit and great power on the day of Pentecost, and they would 
go into the Roman Empire and turn the world upside down, proclaiming 
the gospel, making disciples, baptizing them, and teaching 
those disciples to observe all that the Lord had commanded. 
In other words, they will fulfill the Great Commission, or at least 
begin that. And then here in verses 20 to 
26, Jesus prays for all believers, those who will believe what the 
apostles preached in terms of the gospel of Jesus Christ our 
Lord. And very briefly, what he prays 
for in the first petition is unity. Unity among God's people. It's somewhat similar to what 
we're seeing in Philippians chapter 2, when the apostle tells us 
to let nothing be done with selfish ambition or conceit, but rather 
we are to look to others as better than ourselves. We are to give 
preference to others. We are to be seeking and striving 
after unity. The apostle in Ephesians chapter 
four says, we're to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit 
and the bond of peace. So those men didn't make this 
up, but rather they received it from the Lord. And that's 
the emphasis in verses 20 to 23. And then Jesus prays in verses 
24 to 26, in terms of another petition, the future glory of 
God's people, that they will be with Jesus where he is. So 
I said, there's a lot going on here in terms of our blessed 
Savior, so I didn't want to throw in too much. And I think verse 
20 is very instructive for a few reasons. First, the prayer for 
the apostles. Second, the exclusion of the 
world. And then thirdly, the prayer for all believers. First 
of all, the prayer for the apostles. I just rehearsed that. In verses 
6 to 11a, he gives the reasons why he prays for the men that 
are in his presence. And then in verses 11b to 16, 
he gives the particular petitions. He prays for their protection 
from the evil one and their sanctification unto the Holy One. Now, because 
he shifts and prays not just for the apostles alone, but for 
all believers, he doesn't mean that all believers don't need 
that protection from the evil one and that sanctification unto 
the holy one. Of course they do. In fact, the 
language suggests as much. I do not pray for these alone, 
but also for those who will believe in me through their word. I don't 
pray for these alone, but I also pray for all believers. So whatever 
he prays for the apostles in terms of protection and sanctification 
applies to all believers. If you want to learn how to pray 
for your brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus' prayer here is 
very much a good example. Pray for the protection of your 
fellows, being kept from the evil one, and as well, sanctification 
by truth for their usefulness to the Holy One. Notice then 
the exclusion of the world. It's a pretty strong statement. 
He says in verse 20, I do not pray for these alone, but also 
for those who will believe in me through their word. There's 
no world there. There is an exclusion conspicuously 
of the world by no manship. We've already seen in verse 9, 
I pray for them, I do not pray for the world, but for those 
whom you have given me, for they are yours. So with reference 
to the prayer for the apostles, he says, I don't pray for the 
world. And here with reference to the 
prayer for the believers, he does not say, I don't pray for 
the world, but it's certainly implied. And it's implied from 
all of John's gospel. In fact, you can turn to John 
1 in the prologue. John 1, specifically at verses 
10 to 13. There is an announcement at the 
very outset of the gospel record that there is enmity between 
the world and God. Between God and the world. And 
in John 1, verse 10, we read, He, Jesus, was in the world. 
That certainly refers to the earth. The world was made through 
Him. That's the entirety of the cosmos. And the world did not know Him. 
It's used there ethically. Those God-hater rebels in the 
world that have an axe to grind with Yahweh certainly have an 
axe to grind with the Christ whom He sent, with the Son, with 
the Word. Notice in verse 11, He came to 
His own, His own did not receive Him. But as many as received 
him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to 
those who believe in his name, who were born, not of blood, 
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of 
God. So you see that verse 11, he came to his own and his own 
did not receive him. He came into this world, sinners 
to save. And in his own context, there 
were rebels. There was a confederacy of rebellion 
against him. And as we move our way through 
that gospel record, we see it very conspicuously in terms of 
unbelieving Jews. They rejected the fact or the 
notion that he was indeed the Messiah. They rejected his assertion 
to equality with the Father. They rejected his teaching. They 
rejected his miracles. They rejected everything about 
him and showed their enmity toward the living God. Jesus specifies 
in John 3.16, look there, this text, Admiral Mine quoted it 
accurately, for God so loved the world that all the believing 
ones should not perish. So God so loved the world that 
he gave his only begotten son that all the believing ones should 
not perish but have everlasting life. There is a clear distinction 
between those whom God has purpose to save and the reprobate. The 
Scripture teaches double predestination. The Scripture teaches in Romans 
9, verses 22-23, some are ordained as vessels of mercy and others 
as vessels of wrath. Notice in John 6, verse 44, John 
6.44, no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws 
him, and I will raise him up at the last day. This is not 
to discourage anybody from seeking after the Lord Jesus. This is 
not to discourage anybody from looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ 
in faith. But it is to put the emphasis 
on where salvation comes from. It's not in the man who wills, 
it's not in the man who runs, but it's in the God who shows 
mercy. It's in the God who has awakened, the God who regenerates, 
the God who sends the spirit so that men can be born again 
and see the glory of Jesus Christ and by grace, believe on him. 
Turn to John 8 in verse 44, Jesus' dispute with the unbelieving 
religious leaders in Israel. Notice in John 8, 44, you are 
of your father, the devil. Well, certainly in John 17.9 
and John 17.20, he's not praying for the children of the devil. 
He's not praying for the reprobate. He's not praying for those who 
continue in their enmity and in their rebellion against the 
living and true God. Grace distinguishes, and that 
by God, for His glory and for the good of His people. The High 
Priestly Prayer reiterates this reality, that the world is excluded 
with reference to Jesus' intercession, just as they are with reference 
to His atoning sacrifice. He came to save His people from 
their sins. We preach an effectual atonement. We preach a particular redemption, 
limited by God's grace and God's design. Not in its power, not 
its ability, but rather in God's purpose. He has purpose to save 
a great multitude from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. 
When it comes to those who are not saved, when it comes to the 
reprobate, to the very child of the devil, to the sons of 
rebellion, Jesus does not pray for them. So be encouraged in 
John 17 verse 20, our Lord Jesus Christ prays for his church. He prays for his people. And 
then that brings us specifically to the prayer for the believers 
in verse 20. I do not pray for these alone, 
the apostles, but also for those who will believe in me through 
their word. So in other words, he prays for 
the lack of all ages. He prays for every sinner by 
God's grace who comes to the Lord Jesus Christ. He prays for 
those in the early church. He prays for those in the medieval 
period. He prays for those in the reformation 
period. And lo and behold, he prays this 
for us as well. And it's a very instructive and 
a very wonderful prayer. And I want to draw out some doctrinal 
implications and practical applications from this verse. I do not pray 
for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me 
through their word. The first doctrinal implication 
is that it confirms justification by faith alone. Notice, I pray 
for those who will believe in me through their word. We teach, 
we preach, we remind. As Pastor Kim on Sunday night 
said, we need to preach this often. Perhaps Luther was in 
the background for our brother's statement. Luther said, I preach 
justification by faith every week because my people forget 
it every week. It is justification by faith 
alone, not by a mingling of faith plus words, not by a mingling 
of grace plus law, but we are saved by grace through faith 
in Jesus by virtue of his active and passive obedience imputed 
to us and received by faith alone. This is an overarching emphasis 
and concern in John's gospel. In fact, that's how the gospel 
ends, technically, in terms of justification by faith. But go 
back to the prologue in John 1. John 1. Verse seven, this man came for 
a witness, to bear witness of the light that all through him 
might believe. Verse 11 again, he came to his 
own, but his own did not receive him. But as many as received 
him, to them he gave the right. The reception there is faith. 
The reception there is to look onto the Lord Jesus Christ in 
faith. 316, that all the believing ones, 
how do we move from a state of wrath and curse and punishment 
under a righteous and holy God? Grace through faith in the Lord 
Jesus Christ. Notice in John 3.36, 3.36, he 
who believes in the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe 
the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. 
Notice that it's salvation by God's grace through faith in 
our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice in 441, 441, and many 
more believed because of his own word. Then they said to the 
woman, now we believe not because of what you said, for we ourselves 
have heard him. And we know that this is indeed 
the Christ, the savior of the world. Notice in John six at 
verse 29, Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work 
of God, that you believe in him whom he sent. John 6, 40 And 
this is the will of him who sent me, that everyone who sees the 
Son and believes in him may have everlasting life, and I will 
raise him up at the last day. 7, 37 and 38, on the last day, that 
great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, if 
anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes 
in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers 
of living water. John 8, verse 24. John 8, 24. Therefore I said to you that 
you will die in your sins, for if you do not believe that I 
am, you will die in your sins. John 14, 6. A little bit more 
recent in terms of our exposition. I am the way, the truth, and 
the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. We 
don't come to the Father except through faith in Christ. Belief 
on the Lord Jesus. that everywhere emphasis in John's 
gospel with reference to receiving by God's grace, through faith, 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Notice in John 20, John 20, specifically 
at verses 28, and 29. Thomas answered and said to him, 
My Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, Thomas, because 
you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not 
seen and yet have believed. Note where the emphasis lay. 
It's on belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. And then as I said, technically 
John ends the epistle with verses 30 and 31. 21 is a bit of an 
epilogue. Notice in verse 30, truly Jesus did many other signs 
in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this 
book, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is 
the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life 
in his name. One more passage is in 1 John 
chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3. Not one more in that, that's 
only the last one. Just one more that I wanna look 
at. The whole emphasis in the New Testament and the Old is 
justification by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. But notice 
in 1 John 3 at verse 23, this is his commandment, that we should 
believe on the name of his son, Jesus Christ, and love one another 
as he gave us commandment. This is his commandment. Perhaps 
you've heard that it's presumptuous to believe on the Lord Jesus 
Christ. I would suggest it's presumptuous not to. It is to 
say that what God has commanded and what God calls us to and 
what God requires of us is something that we're not going to give 
any attention to. John says, this is his commandment 
that we should believe on the name of his son, Jesus Christ. 
John specifies the purpose for his gospel record, or these are 
written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the 
son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. 
The same Bible that affirms God's predestination, the same Bible 
that affirms God's election, The same Bible that affirms the 
doctrine of reprobation is the same Bible that calls all men 
everywhere to believe and repent. It's the same Bible that calls 
upon you right now, if you're an unconverted person, to hear 
and give heed, to take heed to God's scripture, that those who 
believe may have everlasting life. How is it presumptuous 
to do what God calls you to do? How is it wrong to say in light 
of 1 John 3.23, nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross 
I claim? Or to say, foul I to the fountain 
fly, wash me, Savior, or I die. How is it presumption to do what 
God calls you to do? Again, I would argue that it's 
presumption to resist this, to reject this, and to continue 
to stiff arm it. I would suggest it's presumptive 
and it's rebellious to say, I know that the Bible emphasizes faith 
in Jesus. I know that the Bible everywhere 
calls upon sinners to repent and believe. I know that, but 
I'm not going to. I'm going to continue in some 
sort of a landing hold or a holding pattern and not come to the Savior. Brethren, come to the Savior. 
Unconverted friend, come to the Savior. Believe on the Lord Jesus 
Christ and you will have everlasting life. Jesus envisions in John 
17 20 that there are persons subsequent to the apostles that 
are going to hear this message and they're going to believe 
this message. And as a result, he prays for those particular 
persons that they would know unity in the church and glory 
in the future. Back to John 17, 20, I would 
emphasize, secondly, in terms of a doctrinal observation that 
comes from the text, I do not pray for these alone, but also 
for those who will believe in me. Note, through their word, 
through their word, instrumentality of faith, it's not a blind leap. 
It's not just faith kind of nebulously and undefined. I've got faith. 
It just happens to be in a rock. I've got faith. It just happens 
to be in myself. You get that sometimes. It doesn't 
matter who you believe or what you believe, as long as you believe. 
That's garbage. It's wrong. It's incorrect. It's 
to be thrown to the dogs. It's a dunghill sort of a doctrine. 
It is wrong that it doesn't matter who you believe in or what you 
believe, but as long as you believe. Again, that is patently false 
in terms of the scriptures. Note the emphasis in the particular 
text when Jesus says, but also those who will believe in me 
through their word. It is absolutely crucial for 
the preaching of God's gospel to go forth throughout the world, 
conquering sinners. God, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 
1, is well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached 
to save those who believe. So that God who elects, that 
God who predestines, that God who ordains according to His 
own good pleasure is the God whose purpose to use means. He doesn't just snap his cosmic 
fingers and we wake up one day born again. It's through the 
instrumentality of faith in the Word. The written, objective 
content of propositional revelation that we have in Genesis to the 
book of Revelation. Several emphases or several texts 
emphasize this. Turn to Romans chapter 10. Romans 
chapter 10. I won't give the whole context 
because that'll take us too far afield, but notice specifically 
at verse 17, so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the 
word of God. You're hearing the truth as it 
is in Jesus. You're hearing the truth about 
the Lord, the gospel, the life, the death, the resurrection of 
our Lord. Make sure we get that. The gospel 
isn't my warm feelings or your warm feelings. The gospel isn't 
a shared experience. The gospel is not subjective. 
The gospel is the objective content of the written word of the living 
and true God. It is about His life of perfect obedience to 
the Father's law, about His death on the cross as a sacrifice and 
a substitute, and then, as well, His resurrection from the dead 
on the third day. That's the good news. That's 
the gospel. The life and death and resurrection 
of our Lord. Whoever believes in that shall 
be saved. Faith comes by hearing and hearing 
by the word of God. Notice in Ephesians 1, Ephesians 
1, similar emphasis on the necessity of that apostolic word. Ephesians 
1, verse 13, in him you also, after you heard the word of truth, 
the gospel of your salvation, in whom also having believed, 
you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. You see that? You heard the word of truth, 
the gospel of your salvation, after you believed you were sealed 
with the Holy Spirit of promise. That is crucial, that word. Notice in James 1.18, James 1.18, 
after having said that every perfect gift comes from our father 
above, he gives the illustration of the bestest gift of all. Notice 
in chapter one, verse 17, every good gift and every perfect gift 
is from above and comes down from the father of lights with 
whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Does that 
apply to your pony? Yeah, I guess so, if God's given 
you a pony. Does it apply to your new car? 
Yeah, God is the giver of good gifts. The gift of gifts is verse 
18, of his own will, he brought us forth by the word of truth 
that we might be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. That's 
the bestest gift of all. It's of His will. He brought 
us forth, that one from whom every good and perfect gift comes. 
But note the instrumentality of His word. 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2, verses 22 and following. Since you have purified your 
souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, in sincere love of 
the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart. 
Having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, 
through the word of God, which lives and abides forever, because 
all flesh is as grass and all the glory of man as the flower 
of the grass. The grass withers and its flower falls away, but 
the word of the Lord endures forever. Now, this is the word 
by the gospel or which by the gospel was preached to you. My 
brother, one of the reasons why I'm making these doctrinal implications 
is one, they come right from verse 20, but two, to show you 
a connection between your Lord and apostles. The apostles weren't, 
you know, rebuilding or making anew the wheel. The apostles 
in their epistles are explaining what the Lord gave them. The 
Spirit did bring to remembrance all things. The Spirit did teach 
them. The Spirit did guide them and direct them and lead them 
into all truth so that what they inscripturate in their holy epistles 
are the mind of Christ for his church. And much of it right 
here from the high priestly prayer of our blessed Savior. So the 
confirmation of justification by faith alone, second, the necessity 
of the apostolic word, but thirdly, the expectation concerning evangelism 
and missions. Doesn't Jesus assume here, one, 
that the apostles aren't gonna be ministers of manipulation, 
but ministers of the word, but it assumes success. It assumes efficacy, it assumes 
power. It assumes that Christ has not 
been kidding when he says, I will give you power, I will fill you 
with power from on high, such to enable you as the initial 
representatives of the church, and then the church in subsequent 
ages, to go on this blessed task of making disciples of all the 
nations, of baptizing those made disciples, and then teaching 
those made disciples all things to observe all things that I 
have commanded you. And then His promise is, and lo, I'm with 
you always, even to the end of the age. Jesus assumes gospel 
advance. Jesus assumes gospel conquest. There is a expectation on the 
part of the Savior concerning missions and evangelism. And 
we should expect that from the one who expects that. Psalm 2, 
ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, 
the uttermost parts of the earth as your possession. It's prophesied 
concerning the servant of the Lord in Isaiah 42 and 49, that 
he will be a light unto the Gentiles. It's too small a thing for you 
simply to go after the tribes of Jacob. I will give you as 
a light unto the Gentiles. Jesus' choice of language in 
Matthew 28 seems to assume those previous revelations through 
prophecy concerning the scope of Messiah's conquest. Go, therefore, 
and make disciples of all the nations. Well, how can you say 
that, Lord? Because my Father already gave 
them to me. And connect this to what was 
told Abraham, that in the seed of Abraham all the nations of 
the earth would be blessed. Even go back behind Abraham to 
the oracle of Noah. What do we have? We have Japheth 
finding safety in the tents of Shem. That's Gentile inclusion 
in the covenant promises of God originally given to the nation 
of Israel. We see that blessed flow in scripture such that when 
Jesus says, go and make disciples, this isn't suggestive. This isn't, 
oh, I don't know, in the absence of good entertainment, why don't 
you try this? This is the mandate. This is 
the emphasis. And John has a theology of the 
world. I know I've only given it to 
you negatively, ethically, those who oppose Jesus, but we see 
those Samaritans say he is the savior of the world. And there 
I think they mean that every tribe, every tongue, every people, 
every nation, which John makes clear in the book of Revelation. Revelation chapter seven. Assembled 
before that throne is what? A handful of people that went 
to one particular church. Mr. Motley Crue of fellows that 
fell into heaven on the coattails of some guy that was able to 
teach and chew gum at the same time? No, it's a great multitude 
that no man can number. When Jesus inaugurates the supper 
in his blood, what does he say in Matthew's gospel? This is 
my blood which is shed for what? For many, for the remission of 
sins. I realize there's a text that 
says, many are called and few are chosen. Those aren't contradictory 
to each other. Remember, he came to his own 
and his own received him not. Many are called in that ministry 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, but few are chosen. There are Matthews, 
there are Marks, there are Lukes, there are Pauls for sure, but 
I would suggest that a lot in that first century generation 
was in antipathy to our Lord and his ministry when they cry 
out, away with him, away with him, crucify him. So contradiction 
in Matthew's gospel with the many are called and few are chosen 
and with the shed blood for many for the remission of sins. There's 
ethical impression made in the parable. In other words, look 
at yourself. Are you one who believes on the 
Lord Jesus Christ? When he speaks of the scope and 
significance of his shed blood, it's for many. Brethren, the 
Lord Jesus assumes here the very foundation for our evangelism 
and missions. We know that there are going 
to be those who believe. We know that there's going to 
be a great multitude that no man can number. Jesus assumes 
it. Jesus commissions his church 
upon that assumption. And again, it's not an assumption 
he just made up. It's an assumption all throughout 
the Old Testament that Christ, according to his humanity, would 
have read and would have understood and would have known that this 
was his mission. This was part and parcel of it, 
to come to the tribes of Jacob, but as well to be a light unto 
the Gentiles. It's beautiful, it's blessed, 
it's wonderful. I would suggest fourthly that 
this at least implies the certainty of election and predestination. 
How could he know that there will be those who believe in 
me through their word unless he was convinced that God the 
Father in his sovereignty chose in Christ before the foundation 
of the world? Again, this is not contrary to John's thought. 
This is not contrary to what John has written in the book 
of John. It tells us several times, back to chapter six for 
a moment, Jesus understood all too well the sovereignty of God 
in the matter of salvation. without ever mitigating the instrumentality 
of faith, without ever neglecting that, without ever suggesting 
it was unimportant, without ever suggesting, well, God's sovereign, 
predestination's true, election's a reality, so just kind of sit 
there and wait. Just kind of sit there and wait? Yeah, just 
sit there and wait. One of these days, the divine 
click will come and you'll be passed into life. That's not 
the emphasis in scripture, brethren. God is absolutely, comprehensively, 
100% sovereign, always, in all things. It's hard to even quantify 
it like that. God, definitionally, is sovereign. God, by virtue of God, is sovereign 
and predestinates and elects. Not like he looks down the tunnel 
of time and says, you know, I think that guy's a pretty good guy. 
I'll pick him. That's not how the whole doctrine works. He 
chose us in him before the foundation of the world. When Paul is arguing 
thus in Romans chapter nine, he goes back to the twins in 
the womb. Before they had been born, God had already made a 
distinction. But that God, who had already 
made a distinction, already made it very clear that it's faith 
in Christ. It's belief in the gospel. It's 
look ye all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no 
other. That's always been the emphasis. For since in the wisdom 
of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased 
God through the foolishness of the message preached to save 
those who believe. John 6.37, all that the Father 
gives me will come to me. And the one who comes to me, 
I will by no means cast out. Doesn't get much clearer than 
that. 17.2, 17.2, as you have given him authority 
over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many 
as you have given him. And then in John 17.6, I have 
manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of 
the world. Verse nine, I pray for them. 
I do not pray for the world, but for those whom you have given 
me, for they are yours. So when he gets to verse 20, 
there is an assumption behind this prayer that sovereign grace 
and election and predestination are absolutely positively 100% 
true. And all this to show that when 
Paul comes out of the gate in Ephesus and says, blessed be 
the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed 
us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. 
And then he says, who chose us in him before the foundation 
of the world. They're simply rehearsing what they'd received 
from the Lord. when Luke tells us in Acts 13 that Gentiles, 
as many as had been appointed to eternal life, believed. Note 
the order there. They believed, so therefore they 
were appointed to eternal life. That's not the order. The order 
is they had been appointed to eternal life, and as a result, 
they believed. Notice in John 14, I'm sorry, Acts 14, the apostles 
so spoke that a great multitude believed. Huh. Sounds like the 
apostles because they were such great orators and such good speakers 
that that's why all these people believed. Brethren, I think that's 
part of it in instrumentality. Acts 13, 38, all those who are 
appointed to eternal life believed. Acts 16, when Paul comes to Lydia 
and he speaks to her by the riverside in Philippi, it says the Lord 
opened her heart to receive the things spoken by Paul. Luke sees 
no contradiction. Luke sees no problem. Luke sees 
no difficulty whatsoever between a statement like 1338 and 1604, 
I think it is, with a 14-1-2. They so spake that a great multitude 
believed. How do you explain that? You 
explain it with the Scriptures. God is absolutely sovereign. 
God has predestined. God has elected. God has chosen. God has given to the Son. For 
if God didn't do that, no one would be saved. No one can come 
to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. See, there's a 
big sin problem. There's a big deadness problem. 
There's a big reality that sinners don't want God. They don't want 
Jesus. So if there's a change wrought, 
it doesn't come from their wisdom. It doesn't come from their running. 
It doesn't come from their free will. It comes from God who shows 
mercy. So brethren, there is no problem 
affirming the emphasis on the proclamation of the truth, the 
emphasis on the belief in the truth, somehow negating the absolute 
sovereignty of God. These things work beautifully 
and hand in hand. I would suggest fifthly in the 
text, again, it's by way of implication, the solidarity of the world. 
The solidarity of the world. I do not pray for these alone, 
but also for those who will believe in me through their word. And 
then he prays specifically in verses 21 to 23 for their unity. Not that he would pray for the 
reprobate children of the devil, but if he did, he certainly wouldn't 
need to pray for their camaraderie. He wouldn't need to pray for 
their solidarity, but he does have to for his church. He does 
have to tell us. He does have to have the apostles 
say, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond 
of peace. He does have the apostle tell us to do nothing out of 
selfish ambition or conceit. He does have to tell us over 
and over again in the New Testament epistles to pursue unity with 
one another. But before we get there, the world, they're already 
aligned. that they already have solidarity. I know there's many different 
representatives. I know there's many different 
groups. I know there's many different 
sort of nuances and, you know, makeup and situation and whatever 
their particular ax to grind is, you know, ad nauseum. Everybody's 
got an ax to grind today. When were we ever just thankful 
that we're breathing and eating and drinking water and enjoying 
the sunshine? It's almost like self-identity 
today is to complain about whatever. You name the subject, and there's 
a group out there mad about it. Everybody's mad all the time. Everybody's upset. It's like 
everybody needs to chill out and just relax. We don't need 
this. But anyways, I digress. The enmity is announced in Genesis 
3.15. You can't read the Bible and 
exclude the reality that in Genesis 3.15, God tells us there's gonna 
be enmity between the righteous and the unrighteous. I will put 
enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her 
seed. He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. 
It's a God-imposed enmity. Which makes sense. You've got 
a bunch of dead sinners who always want to complain, who always 
want to argue, who always want to yell at each other and get 
violent and nasty and disgusting. They're going to be against those 
who stand for God. That confederacy is exposed in 
Psalm 2, 1 to 3. Why do the nations rage and the 
people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves 
and the rulers take counsel together against Yahweh and against His 
Christ saying, let us break their bonds and pieces and cast away 
their cords from us. So we've got this enmity announced 
in Genesis 3, we've got this confederacy exposed in Psalm 
2, 1-3, but you see the rebellion displayed in the life and ministry 
of our Lord. Luke's gospel is instructive 
here, 23, 6-12. What does Pilate do when it's 
time for him to render a verdict concerning Jesus? He does what 
every politician since has done. Pass the block! Right? That's not my responsibility. 
That's not my jurisdiction. That falls under Herod. So he 
sends Jesus over to Herod. It's interesting because after 
that sort of deal, it says in verse 12, that very day, Pilate 
and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they 
had been at enmity with each other. Huh, it's kind of like Psalm 
2, 1 to 3. Or what about that scene in Acts 
chapter 23, 11 and following? It says some Jews got together 
and started to conspire how they might get rid of Paul. Huh? Solidarity, unity. I think in some ways the world 
and the godless confederacy shows us up in this. You get three 
people, you end up with four churches sometimes. I mean, it's 
pretty amazing. I don't know how that's possible, 
but we seem to have mastered it. They make a pact, they make 
an oath. They swear they're not gonna 
eat until Paul is dead. Wow, that's some commitment there. But I would suggest that opposition 
is controlled. that opposition is controlled. 
Remember, if God puts the enmity there, God supervises the enmity 
that is there. In Acts 4, specifically verses 
27 and 28, that apostolic prayer meeting for truly against your 
holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed both Herod and Pontius 
Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered 
together to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined 
before to be done. We can rest assured that whatever 
opposition is out there for the people of God announced by Jesus 
in John 15, 18 to 16, 4, Whatever's out there, it's ultimately for 
our good. I realize that's a tough proposition. It is tough practically 
more so than doctrinally. We get it in God's sovereignty 
and His providence. Sometimes, you know, conformity 
to Jesus comes through suffering. Practically, it's tough. Practically, 
it's tough. We need to keep it in mind, just 
like the apostles did. And I think with the backdrop 
of Psalm 2 there and the servant songs of Yahweh from the prophet 
Isaiah. So brethren, in terms of some 
practical applications in this context. I wanna just give us 
a quick rundown and then we'll close. First, I would suggest 
that in the teaching or praying of our Lord, the necessary emphasis 
in the gospel ministry. This indicates to us, verse 20 
indicates the necessary emphasis in the gospel ministry, but also 
for those who will believe in me through their word. What does 
Jesus want in terms of the apostles? Go out and manipulate the crowds, 
Go out and fill the stadiums. Go out and get thumbs up or hearts 
on your social media page. No, go out and make Christ and 
him crucified and resurrected known, that they may believe 
in me. John Murray comments on Romans 
10, 17. The main point is that the saving 
relation to Christ involved in calling upon his name is not 
something that can occur in a vacuum. That's the faith comes by hearing, 
hearing by the word of God. It occurs only in a context created 
by proclamation of the gospel on the part of those commissioned 
to proclaim it. He's right. So the necessary 
emphasis in the gospel ministry, this is going to be profound, 
you might want to Facebook this later, is the gospel. Really? You'd think that was 
radical today, with the self-helpery and the self-do-goodery and the, 
you know, be a better you-ism. the therapeutic deism that passes 
for Christian preaching, which actually should nauseate any 
of the blood-bought children of God. Listen to Machen when 
he's talking about that old proposition you've probably heard that, you 
know, preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use 
words. Huh? My life without words can 
show the gospel? I guarantee you, you will never 
look at me and say, life, death, resurrection of Jesus. Not gonna 
happen. Listen to Machen. We can preach 
the gospel, they tell us, by our lives, and do not need to 
preach it by our own words. But they are wrong. Men are not 
saved by the exhibition of our glorious Christian virtues. They're 
not saved by the contagion of our experiences. We cannot be 
the instruments of God in saving them if we preach to them, thus 
only ourselves. Nay, we must preach to them the 
Lord Jesus Christ, for it is only through the gospel which 
sets him forth can they be saved. Amen. Secondly, the necessary 
qualification for the gospel ministry. Yes, there's a list 
of virtues in 1 Timothy 3, verses 1-7. I don't deny that. He must 
be the husband of one wife, must be able to manage his own house, 
must not be pugnacious, must not be giving a whine, must not 
be greedy for money. All those virtues, all those 
graces that evidence a genuine Christian experience. There's 
one gift in there that is absolutely crucial and unfortunately has 
been neglected. He must be able to teach. He 
must be able to take this word, open his mouth, and get it into 
the ears of others. He needs to be able to defend 
it, proclaim it, teach it, preach it, celebrate it, praise it, 
proclaim it, whatever, people need to get the gospel. Listen to Warfield. B.B. Warfield made this observation. If the whole function of the 
minister is inspirational, which is another nauseating thought, 
rather than instructional, then no doubt we may dispense with 
all serious study of the scripture. If you want cheerleaders, there's 
plenty out there. They shouldn't be in pulpits. 
He says, but if, kind of falling down, if the minister is the 
mouthpiece of the Most High, charged with a message to deliver, 
to expound and enforce, standing in the name of God before men, 
to make known to them who and what this God is, and what his 
purposes of grace are, and what his will is for his people, then 
the whole aspect of things has changed. Then it is the prime 
duty of the minister to know his message, to know the instructions 
which have been committed to him for the people, and to know 
them thoroughly, to be prepared to declare them with confidence 
and with exactness, to commend them with wisdom, and to urge 
them with force, and to defend them with skill, and to build 
up men by means of them into a true knowledge of God and of 
his will, which will be unassailable in the face of the fiercest assault." 
Amen, warfare. His brothers got it. They didn't 
make it up. They got it from the apostles 
who got it from our Lord. And the Lord prays for subsequent 
generations of believers. He assumes that those believers 
are believers because the apostolic word was faithfully preached 
in time and sinners believed it and were saved. If that's 
it, that ought to be definitional for the Christian pulpit today. 
That's it. That's what it's about, to make 
Christ and Him crucified known. I would suggest thirdly, by way 
of a doctrinal implication, the necessary pursuit in the church 
of Christ. It's gonna lead us into our study 
next week, verses 21 to 23, that they all may be one. This unity that Jesus prays for 
here is prevalent in the New Testament. It's prevalent in 
the Old Testament. We just sang, or Mark just read 
it in Psalm 133. It's like that oil that runs 
down the beard of Aaron. It's a blessed thing. This unity, 
this peace, this endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit 
and the bond of peace. Now brethren, there's a legitimate place for 
apologetics in the church. I'd point to the episodes in 
the book of Acts, specifically in synagogal preaching, when 
the apostles defended and reasoned from the scriptures and explained 
that Jesus was in fact the Christ. That's apologetics. It's defending 
the faith. Or Stephen in Acts chapter six, 
when the Hellenists tried to best him and him filled with 
the spirit and wisdom bests them. So what's their response? Well, 
we've got freedom of speech in this land, not turn them over 
to the Sanhedrin and kill him. Because we don't like what he 
has to say. That's what happened to Stephen. He was an apologist. He's defending the Christian 
faith. There's actually a place for debate in the Christian church. Debate. Sometimes truth is arrived 
at by good men getting together, disagreeing, arguing, not fighting. There was an instance of a duel 
in the history of the church that broke out after a meeting 
of such. I'm not advocating that. I'm 
not, especially in Canada, I can't have a gun. We definitely, we're 
always gonna lose that. We'll always lose that duel. 
But there's debate. When Judaizers came in Acts 15 
and tried to compel Gentiles to be circumcised, what does 
the church do? They convene, they discuss, they talk, they 
exchange data, they exchange experience. In the case of Paul 
and Barnabas, we went, we preached, they were saved. That's legit. But what cannot be legit is the 
disunity. the disjointedness, the destruction 
of a party spirit in our day. I'm of Paul, I'm of Cephas. Paul's response is, I wasn't 
crucified for you, Christ was. Brethren, social media betrays 
a big problem with unity in the church today. Social media displays 
a big problem in the church today. I was thinking about this recently. 
I'm on Twitter, and I'm there more for the politics. I'm not 
here to tell you I'm there for Christian experience. I'm not. 
But inevitably, Christian experience ends up in my thing. And I see 
everybody mad at each other. And I know what it is to be mad 
at people. I'm not, Mr. Holy pie. No, no, no, no, no. 
I just don't tweet how mad I am at them. I try not to do that. It's like if I said to Barcelos 
a lot, I'm proud, but I usually don't tweet about how proud I 
am. I try to hide it like I think 
most people do. There's some serious problems 
over tertiary things. And I thought about this recently. 
We're actually forbidden by the Lord to do that. Ephesians 4, does it not apply 
to these delicate snowflakes to do nothing with selfish ambition 
or conceit? Do you know how conceited you 
look when you come out of the gates in social media, acting 
like you know everything, and you're 20 years old, no less? Some of the brothers here have 
heard me say it. I'll probably say it again. You probably shouldn't 
talk for the first 15 years after you're converted. the tendency 
is to jump out into the fray and take on all comers. Again, 
you know how foolish it looks for a 20-year-old kid? And I 
think 20-year-old kids should study theology. They should learn. 
They should grow. They should understand, though, 
that you don't debate a guy who's been 40 years in gospel ministry 
and come off with absolute no respect and act like you know 
everything better. You know, mommy or daddy should 
have told you. You don't know everything better. Stop it. Unity is something we 
are to endeavor to pursue. Not a suggestion, not an if all 
things being equal. That doesn't mean individuality. 
It doesn't mean sort of a totalitarian church state. It doesn't mean 
that at all. but brotherly love, brotherly 
affection, brotherly harmony, grounded in the faith that was 
once for all delivered to the saints. The Lord Christ, in his 
high priestly prayer, prays for unity, that they may be one. 
We need to hear that. We need to respond to that. And 
I would suggest finally, the necessary response for all sinners 
is to come to the Lord Jesus Christ, but also for all those 
who will believe in me through their word. John 3.16 tells us, 
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. But 
all the believing ones may not perish, but have everlasting 
life." You know, even prior to that, through the old covenant 
prophets, God declared that same truth. Look to me and be ye saved, 
all the ends of the earth, for I am God. And there is no other 
Isaiah the prophet. We have many passages of Holy 
Scripture in the Old Covenant prophets, many passages of Holy 
Scripture in the New Testament apostles, all with the same emphasis, 
all with the same message, all with the same reality. Come to 
the Lord Jesus Christ in faith, and you'll be saved, whether 
you're young or old, whether you've been really, really bad 
or just kind of bad. Kind of bad is enough to end 
you in hell forever and ever and ever, I should note. But 
it doesn't matter your background. It doesn't matter your upbringing. 
It doesn't matter your station, your status, your economic, whatever. This idea that Christianity is 
the religion for the white man. Well, why is there every tribe, 
tongue, people, and nation under heaven gathered together on that 
great day? The emphasis is, believe on the 
Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved. Saved from damnation, 
saved from the penalty involved with sinning against a holy God, 
saved from God's wrath and fury and curse. Saved means justified. Justified includes the forgiveness 
of sins and the righteousness of Christ given to us and received 
by faith alone by which we may enter in to the presence of our 
great God. So believe on him and as believers 
be encouraged that Jesus prays. Well, let us pray. Father in 
heaven, thank you for your word. Thank you for the clarity of 
our Lord's prayer here in John chapter 17. We pray that this 
word would go forth and that you would bless it. Bless it 
in our own congregation. Put it upon our hearts to take 
seriously this high priestly prayer at the point of unity. 
take seriously what we find in Ephesians 4 and Philippians chapter 
2 and all throughout the Bible. We know this is pleasing in your 
sight, God, so grant us grace to put to death that selfish 
ambition, that conceit, to consider each other as better than ourselves, 
to esteem them more preferable than us. Give us grace in this 
as we confess it is against the grain of our own remaining corruption. 
So guide us by the Spirit, and we pray this in Jesus' name, 
amen. Well, you can turn in your hymn 
books to number 572 as we conclude our service, 572. believing is and the communion of the Holy 
Spirit be with you all. Amen.