← Back to sermon library

17, the high priestly prayer of our 
Lord. Just by way of reminder, after the upper room discourse 
in chapters 13 to 16, Jesus prays in the presence of his disciples, 
and then Gethsemane comes in chapter 18, verse 1. We're moving 
slowly through John 17, but it would have not been that way 
chronologically. It would have been very quick 
after the upper room discourse, after the prayer, then we see 
Jesus in John 18 turned over to the hands of godless men by 
godless men, such that he could be offered up as a sacrifice 
to God for us men and for our salvation. Well, I want to read 
John chapter 17, beginning in verse 20. We'll read to the end 
of the section. 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 Lord's Day. We thank 
you for the privilege to gather in your house with your people, 
to call upon your great and awesome name, and to hear from Holy Scripture. 
We pray that the Spirit who gave us this word would guide us now 
as we consider the Lord Jesus in this high priestly prayer, 
and not only in terms of his place in redemptive history just 
before Gethsemane and the cross, but in terms of his example for 
praying with reference to the church and those things that 
we need to seek hold of. We thank you for our Lord. We 
thank you for his life, his death, his resurrection. We pray that 
wherever this gospel is preached today, the Spirit would attend, 
saving sinners and sanctifying saints and all that for the glory 
of God Almighty. Do forgive us now for all sin 
and unrighteousness. Cleanse us in the precious blood 
of the Lamb. And we ask in the name of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Well, in this particular 
prayer, it starts off with Jesus speaking petitions concerning 
himself in verses one to five, and then the apostles specifically 
in verses six to 19, and then he extends that to all believers 
at all times in our section in verses 20 to 26. And essentially 
what he prays for all believers is unity in the first section, 
and we're gonna be focusing on that this morning, and then their 
future glory in verses 24 to 26. So as I said, our focus this 
morning is on verses 21 to 23. Probably be good to sort of fly 
over it and just give a comprehensive view, but there's so much good 
theology in sections like these that we do a disservice if we 
don't spend some time looking at it and understanding it in 
light of John's Gospel as a whole, in the entirety of Scripture. 
the reality that in this divine and infinite being there are 
three subsistences or persons, the Father, the Son, or Word, 
and the Holy Spirit, each having the whole divine essence, yet 
the essence undivided. They have the same glory, the 
same substance, the same eternity. They're distinguished by those 
eternal relations of origin. The Father is unbegotten, the 
Son is begotten by the Father, and the Spirit proceeds from 
the Father and the Son. Theologians didn't just make 
that up, but they rightly and properly reflected on words like 
John uses throughout his Gospel record to set forth the glory 
of the triune God, even Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So last 
week we saw verse 20, I do not pray for these alone, but also 
for those who will believe in me through their word. So he's 
with the disciples, the apostle specifically has given them some 
specifics that are very unique to them, protection, sanctification, 
such that they will be equipped to go out and preach the gospel 
in the then known world. to make disciples, to plant churches, 
to baptize those disciples, and to do so for the glory of Christ. 
So now he extends that to all believers, and it's very clear. 
I do not pray for these alone, my immediate apostles, but also 
for those who will believe in me through their word. The apostles 
were preachers. The apostles went out into that 
then-known world to proclaim the truth of Christ and Him crucified. 
When you look at the book of Acts, that's precisely what happens. 
Preaching, disciple-making, church-planting. and then worship in those churches 
on the Lord's day. So now in verses 21 to 23, he 
speaks specifically concerning the unity of all believers, the 
unity of all believers. And here under verses 21 to 23, 
we'll note first the petition in verse 21a, that they all may 
be one. Secondly, the paradigm, verses 
21b and 22, God is the divine exemplar for the saints in this 
particular context. And then thirdly, the purpose 
in verse 23. And we see that basically what 
Jesus is saying, that those conquered by sovereign grace are something 
of a great testimony to the power of God almighty in the sending 
of the son of his love to save us from our sins. That's the 
emphasis behind this section. So note first the petition, very 
simple, verse 21, that they all may be one. Matthew Poole simply 
states to be one in faith and one in brotherly love. Now, when 
it comes to this unity, what is not in view is a loss of our 
individuality. I know that's very important 
for us, especially in North America, because we're all delicate snowflakes, 
and we pride ourselves on our individuality. But that's not 
the nature of the petition. Individuality remains. Believers 
aren't sort of subsumed into one big mass or one big conglomerate. We're each distinct persons. 
We each have our distinct personalities. We each have our distinct backgrounds. We each bring certain things 
to the table. We all have contribution to make. 
But I would suggest that in terms of the petition, that they all 
may be one. Believers have a common faith. 
They have a common faith, and by that I don't mean their subjective 
hold on Christ, but rather the objective content of the Christian 
gospel, that they all may be one when it comes to the doctrinal 
content of the Christian message. There are those things in which 
we will probably always disagree in terms of tertiary matters. 
But those things necessary to be believed for salvation, those 
things necessary concerning who God is, that triune God who ever 
lives or is eternal as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or the 
doctrine of justification by faith alone, we must hold that 
in common. Jude writes in his epistle, I 
write so that you may contend earnestly for the faith which 
was once for all delivered to the saints. The faith there, 
again, isn't your subjective grasp upon the promises of the 
gospel. I'm not denying that, not suggesting 
that's a bad thing, but the faith delivered to the saints is the 
written content of God's holy word. And so believers are to 
have that unity marked by that common faith. As well, believers 
have a common orientation. And here you can turn to Philippians 
chapter 2. And if what I read here in Philippians chapter 2 
whets your appetite, you should come tonight, because we're in 
Philippians chapter 2, and we're going to be focusing on verse 
8, but notice verses 1 to 4. Therefore, if there is any consolation 
in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the 
Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being 
what? By being like-minded. Again, 
not subsumed into one conglomerate. As individuals, Have that common 
faith and have that common orientation. He says, fulfill my joy by being 
like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of 
one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish 
ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others 
better than himself. Let each of you look out not 
only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 
So we noticed last week that much of what our Lord prays in 
His high priestly prayer is assumed by the apostles and passed on 
in epistle form. In other words, the apostles 
aren't making up new content. They're simply amplifying the 
content that they had received from the Lord as they take pen 
to paper under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the lessons 
are the same. The lessons remain true. The 
lesson is, is that there must be this unity, and that is what 
our Lord prays for in his high priestly prayer, that they all 
may be one. And believers have a common goal. Ultimately, it's the glory of 
God. It's the exaltation of Jesus Christ. It is the magnification 
of God Most High. Like we see in Mary's Magnificat. 
As we see in Zechariah's statement. What are they doing? They're 
not rejoicing in their privileged status. They're rejoicing in 
the God of heaven and earth. They're magnifying the glory 
of the Most High. And as believers, we have a common 
faith, a common orientation, and a common goal. Now, in terms 
of emphasis in the Bible, when Jesus prays what he prays here, 
that they all may be one, that's not new either. The Old Testament, 
the law specifically, the Torah, the five books of Moses, encourages 
the people of God to live together as a covenant community by not 
committing crimes against each other, by not stealing each other's 
spouses, by not killing each other, by not stealing each other's 
property. They were supposed to relate as a body politic that 
was covenantal in nature, and thus, in a way, show forth that 
unity. Solomon says in Proverbs 6, God 
hates one who sows discord among brethren. These six things Yahweh 
hates. He hates seven are an abomination 
to him. And then he highlights those 
six things. And he ends that with those who 
sow discord among brethren. Turn to the book of Romans, almost 
said the gospel of Romans, which I don't think would be out of 
line, but notice in the book of Romans in chapter 12 at verse 
16. This petition is not unique to 
our Lord, but it reiterates what was given prior, and it is emphasized 
and amplified by his apostles. Notice in Romans 12, 16, be of 
the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high 
things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your 
own opinion. Romans 15 5, Romans 15 5. Now may the God of patience and 
comfort grant you to be like minded toward one another according 
to Christ Jesus. First Corinthians chapter 1 verse 
10. Now I plead with you, brethren, 
by the name of the Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all 
speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, 
but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and 
in the same judgment. Notice in 12.12, again, the diversity 
of gifts does not destroy the unity of the body. 12.12, for 
as the body is one and has many members, but all the members 
of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. I've already mentioned Philippians 
2. What about Ephesians chapter 4? Endeavoring to keep the unity 
of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Peter says likewise in 
1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 8. Going back to the high priestly 
prayer of our Lord, it ought not to surprise us that he prays 
that they may be one, that they may express that unity, that 
common faith, that common orientation, that common goal. And may that 
be a defining characteristic among them, such that the apostles 
can come along and say, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit 
and the bond of peace. So back to our particular passage, 
then we come to the paradigm or the pattern. Look at what 
Jesus does in this particular instance. So he says, verse 21a, 
that they all may be one. Now note the comparative statement. 
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. That's what I mean. There's a 
lot going on in a passage like that. It's a lot going on such 
that if you just read through it, you kind of go, I kind of 
get something out of that. I kind of get some general idea, 
some vague notion. But to locate it in John's gospel, 
which has as one of its primary emphases is to set forth the 
word. who was with God and was God, the Word became flesh and 
dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the 
only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. That 
one who is in the bosom of the Father, whose purpose and the 
mission was to declare the Father, we need to understand what Jesus 
is speaking concerning in this particular section. I would suggest, 
first, the relation of the Father and the Son, secondly, the communion 
of the believer with God, third, the revelation of the believer 
to the world, and then finally, the communication of blessing 
to the believer. All that in the space of 21b 
and 22. Now note, first, the relation 
of the Father and the Son. Verse 21, that they all may be 
one as you, Father, are in me and I in you. We've met this 
concept previously. If you turn back to John 14, 
specifically at verses 10 and 11, Jesus says the same thing. 
On the heels of a question. We'll just pick up that question 
in verse 7. If you had known me, you would 
have known my father also. And from now on, you know him 
and have seen him. Philip said to him, Lord, show 
us the father and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, if 
I've been with you so long and yet you have not known me, Philip, 
he who has seen me has seen the father. So how can you say, show 
us the father? Do you not believe that I am 
in the father and the father in me? The words that I speak 
to you, I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells 
in me does the works. Believe me that I'm in the Father, 
and the Father in me, or else believe me for the sake of the 
works themselves." So he uses that similar language here in 
John 17, again, as the divine exemplar for the way that believers 
are to maintain unity with that common faith, that common orientation, 
and that common goal of the glory of God. Now, I think in John 
14, 10, and 11, it's used a bit differently than what it's used 
here. I think here, Jesus is speaking according to his humanity 
as the mediator of the new covenant. I think in John 14, 10, and 11, 
he's speaking according to his divinity. And if it rises up 
in us to say, well, that seems confusing, I would suggest that 
is exactly what we would expect based on the reality of the hypostatic 
union. the one person with two natures, 
and those natures are not confused, they're not mingled, they're 
not a little bit of this and a little bit of that, or a little 
bit of that and a little bit of this. We would expect the 
one person to speak as simply and as casually, I don't mean 
that in the way I think it might be understood, and straightforwardly. The person doesn't say, wait 
a minute now, listen guys, I'm going to put my God cap on and 
tell you really good stuff. Now, in another context, listen, 
guys, I'm taking the God cap off, I'm putting on the man hat, 
and I'm gonna talk to you. He doesn't do that. What we find 
in the presentation of our Lord in the gospel records is exactly 
what we would expect based on the reality that you've got one 
person, two natures. There's no toggle switch Jesus. 
Doesn't flip it on and be God on Sunday, and then he's man 
Monday through Saturday. So before we say, well, that's 
confusing that he does, I think, context. I think overarching 
concerns theologically help us to get at meanings of texts in 
specific contexts. Now in 14, 10, and 11, when he 
says that he is in the Father and the Father is in him, we 
define that concept way back then, I checked the notes, as 
perichoresis, which is a theological word. Perichoresis, or circumcession, 
simply means that the Father indwells the Son. The Son indwells 
the Father. The definition, or theological 
term, refers primarily to the co-adherence of the persons of 
the Trinity in the Divine Essence and in each other, in such a 
way that each person is fully possessed of the entire Divine 
Essence. In other words, it's exactly 
what we would expect in light of, in this divine and infinite 
being, there are three subsistences or persons. We would expect perichoresis, 
and we have it in the pages of Scripture. Stephen Duby says, 
one of the entailments of the Father, Son, and Spirit having 
one and the same divine essence is their mutual indwelling. The mutual indwelling is an implication 
of the essential unity. Remember, when we talk about 
the trinity of persons in God, it's never at the expense of 
the unity of the divine nature. We must maintain both as Trinitarian 
believers. This one living and true God 
exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is imperative 
that the church understand that. that she appropriate it in terms 
of the pages of scripture and in terms of the theology and 
commentary and creedal and confessional expression in the best ages of 
the church, and that we maintain that against heretics, against 
those who would subjugate our Lord in the economy or rather 
in theology, against those who would posit within God himself 
there's relations of authority and submission. These things 
are rife today in the church today, and it's a simple reality 
that that's not contending earnestly for the faith which was once 
for all delivered to the saints. As I've said on many occasions, 
we all probably disagree on eschatology. You say, but there's only three 
positions, and there's 50, 60, 70 people in here. I'm not good 
with numbers. It's only 25, brother. there's probably that many variations. Are the, you know, the third 
of the people that think this, not, no, they're going to make 
it by God's grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. But 
why the church has taken that sort of an approach, which with 
reference to theology proper and Christology, I just don't 
think that's authorized. I don't think it's good to depart 
from the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints, 
to misogyn, to manipulate it, to capitulate it, to serve whatever 
it is we think we're gaining by these particular tactics. 
Our Lord here is speaking about the relationship He has with 
the Father according to His humanity as the mediator of the New Covenant. God the Father is one with Him. The Father loves the Son. He 
approves of the Son. He dwells with the Son in His 
mission as the mediator of the New Covenant, and He has received 
the presence and fullness of the Spirit without measure according 
to John 3.34. Notice then 21d, the communion 
of the believer with God. So 21c, as you father are in 
me and I in you, that they also may be one in us. That they may 
also be one in us. That the world may believe that 
you sent me. The unity of the divine persons 
in this particular situation, the son and the father, is the 
the template for the unity of believers, one with each other. 
It's an amazing thing. Paul does something similar to 
this in Ephesians 5, 22 to 33. In Ephesians 5, 22 to 33, he 
says, life, submit yourselves to your own husbands as unto 
the Lord. And then he says to the husbands, husbands, love 
your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for 
her. And yeah, he deals with the very mundane practical realities. There's even a terminology in 
that, you know, not only in the Bible, but in the literature 
of the day. It's called a household code. 
Basically, how do husbands function? How do wives function? How are 
servants to function? How are children to function? 
It's a pretty common motif. But after having given us what 
the wife's responsibility is and the rationale behind it and 
what the husband's responsibility is and the rationale behind it, 
he invokes Genesis as sort of the backdrop for his argument 
in that context. And then he says, I'm speaking 
in terms of the mystery of Christ and his church. I've often thought 
about that. And if you've done premarital 
counseling with me, I'm sure I had said this. You know, a 
Christian marriage, a husband and a wife functioning together 
in the same home, sends a message to the neighbors about Christ 
and his church. I think we can extrapolate that 
lesson from that emphasis there in Ephesians chapter five. Husbands 
love your wives just as Christ loved the church. If the next 
door neighbor hears you screaming bloody murder at your wife, What's 
he gonna conclude? Huh, that Jesus screams bloody 
murder at his wife. If your neighbor hears you ladies 
screaming bloody murder at your husbands, what are they gonna 
conclude? That's probably the way the church 
behaves, and they're not wrong here. That's the way the church 
behaves towards her head. There's this paradigm or an exemplar 
or a template that God has imposed. That doesn't mean we need to 
bring down the divine being and creaturely or make him creaturely. But the apostle uses that imagery 
in the book of Ephesians. Nevertheless, he concludes, he 
says he's speaking the mystery of Christ in his church in verse 
32, verse 33. Nevertheless, let each one of 
you love his own wife and make sure that the wife submits to 
her husband. there's something bigger and greater going on. 
I think that's what we're supposed to appreciate here when the church 
is unified with one another. And again, that's not strict 
uniformity and everybody doing the exact same thing all the 
times and wearing the same sort of clothes. but a common faith, 
a common orientation, and a common purpose or objective, the glory 
of God. So, notice, the unity of the divine persons is the 
exemplar for the believer. Now, when he says what he says 
there in verse 21, that they also may be one in us, he's not 
meaning incorporation into the divine essence. He does not mean 
that we now are partakers of the actual essence of divinity. That's not what he means there. 
I think the emphasis is on communion with God. They may be one in 
us, that they also may be one in us. It's already mentioned 
this in John 14, that the father and the son come to dwell with 
the believer. We see it all throughout scripture 
that we have the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit 
dwelling in us. Again, it's not us being transformed 
into divinity, but it's rather God and his transforming power 
and grace communing with us. Yes, making us more like his 
son, but not at the level of essence. Our flesh isn't becoming 
divinized. We can't fly. We can't walk through 
doors. We can't multiply fish and bread. We're not participants, or rather, 
inheritors of the divinity. But we are participants in the 
glory of God. Gil says, there is a mutual in-being 
of the Father and the Son, who are one in nature and essence, 
in power and will, and in understanding and affection. Which union, though 
it infinitely transcends any kind of union among men, or that 
can be conceived of by men, yet is the exemplar of the saints' 
union one with another. and to the divine persons, and 
which must be understood not of an equality, but a likeness." 
He means not an equality of essence. We don't become divine, but a 
likeness to that essence. Now notice then, thirdly, under 
this head, the paradigm, the revelation of the believer to 
the world. Look at the end of verse 21. 
Verse 21, that they all may be one as you father are in me and 
I in you, that they also may be one in us. Notice this, that 
the world may believe that you sent me. That's amazing. That the world may believe that 
you sent me. What does us in the church, does 
us? Sounds right, but it doesn't. 
What does us pursuing that common faith, that common orientation, 
that common goal and purpose to bring glory to God, what does 
that communicate to the world? The incarnation and passion of 
our Lord Jesus Christ. This is sublime. This is otherworldly. Look at what he says at the end 
of verse 21, that the world may believe that you sent me. A consequence of our collective 
redemption is the communication of that redemption. You get it 
with the angels in Philippians, I'm sorry, Ephesians chapter 
three, they look down at the church and they say, wow, look 
at the glory of God. Those guys are here, that guy 
made it, that is the glory of God. Well, brethren, with reference 
to a lost and dying world, they should be able to look at a church, 
and again, this is assuming they're thinking properly, They don't 
always do that, but let's just assume for the moment. And they 
would have to conclude that based on what these people do, what 
these people say, and what these people's endgame is, namely the 
glory of God, what they've claimed about the mission of the Son 
is true. Look at it. That they also may 
be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. Now brethren, this phrase, that 
you sent me, is one that we've looked at numerous times in John's 
Gospel. It's not just simply a point 
A to point B sort of location change. It's not simply representative 
of now Jesus is walking down the streets in Israel and he's 
talking to their... The you send me reflects the 
eternal procession of the Son. It reflects the eternal generation 
of the Son. It reflects the theology of John 
as a whole and the glory of God most high. And for the church, 
conquered by sovereign grace, pursuing or endeavoring to keep 
the unity of spirit and the bond of peace, is going to publish 
to a lost and dying world that the Jesus we claim was sent by 
the Father is in fact sent by the Father. The incarnation and 
the passion of our Lord is communicated by us as saved sinners. Remember, he's not just praying 
for the apostles. He's praying for all believers. Sometimes believers want to do 
great things for God. And I say, good, just demonstrate 
the glory of the Savior in your life. That's probably the greatest 
thing any of us can do. And as we have opportunities, 
set forth the glory of that Christ with words and gospel texts and 
old covenant promises and everything that shines the light upon our 
Savior King. Notice what he goes on to say. 
Finally, in this section under the paradigm, the communication 
of blessing to the believer, verse 22, And the glory which 
you gave me, again, I don't think this refers to the inherent glory 
of Jesus, the divine son. I mean, it is Jesus, the divine 
son, but according to his humanity, he came to do what the father 
gave him to do. And the father glorifies him 
as a result of that. But this interesting statement, 
he says, I give that glory to them. This is not an easy passage, 
brethren, and I'm not sure what I'm about to say is going to 
accurately describe what I think may be going on here. Notice 
in verse 22, and the glory which you gave me, I have given them 
that they may be one just as we are one. What glory does Jesus 
give to the disciples? There's many suppositions. John 
Gill says it's the gospel. The gospel is the gospel of glory. Christ had that gospel of glory. Christ passes it on to the apostles, 
and by extension to all believers. So the glory is clearly the gospel. I think that's probably the easiest 
way to answer it. Some say the glory is to do the 
miracles that the Savior did, which I think would be tough 
because I think the apostles were authorized miracle workers, 
but not all believers. So Gil's probably more on the 
right path. I just think it means that when 
God saves a sinner, When God shows a sinner that Christ is 
the one sent by the Father, who assumed our humanity, who lived 
for us, who died for us, and who was raised again for us, 
when the Spirit regenerates us, when we are given the graces 
of faith and repentance, when we close with Christ, to use 
an old Puritan sort of a phrase, we have glory! not in ourselves, 
but in the one who loved us and who gave himself for us. Intriguingly, 
one of the passages that I thought of as I was working through this 
text was Jeremiah the prophet, chapter 13, verses one to 11. 
I'm hesitant to say anything, because I didn't see it in Gil, 
I didn't see it in Paul, I didn't see it in the guys that I lean 
upon. But Jeremiah 13 is an interesting context. Basically, what the 
prophet is doing is upbraiding the nation of Israel, specifically 
Judah, for their covenant unfaithfulness. for their covenant breaking, 
for their wretchedness, which is the predicate for the judgment 
that is coming upon them vis-à-vis the Babylonians. So in Jeremiah 
13, verses 1 to 11, the prophet is told to engage in an acted 
parable. God says, grab a sash, or 21st 
century, belt. And I want you to take that belt. 
I don't want you to put any water on it. I just want you to put 
it around your waist. A few days had passed by, or maybe it was 
the next day. I might be getting the chronology 
wrong. God says, take that belt off, go down to the river Euphrates, 
and put it into a hole in a rock. The prophet does that. And then 
God says, go get the sash. The prophet does that. What does 
the prophet say? The prophet says, the sash is 
a mess. The sash is messed up. Seems 
that putting a sash in the hole of a rock isn't the best way 
to preserve your garments. It's an acted parable. Who's 
the sash? Judah. How has Judah functioned? with utter contempt against Yahweh, 
with utter rebellion, with flagrant sin, with covenant breaking. They've invoked the curses of 
the covenant specified in Deuteronomy 28, and God is gonna bring that 
to bear upon them. But intriguingly, in the passage, 
the last verse, God gives this lesson to Jeremiah. For as the 
sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house 
of Israel and the house of Judah to cling to me. It was God's 
special possession, God's special article. says the Lord, that 
they may become my people for renown, for praise, and for glory. But they would not hear. God 
would wear Judah the way a man wears a sash. And that sash would 
be for renown. It would be for praise. It would 
be for glory. Whatever the glory that Jesus 
is passing on to the believer, it is not intrinsic to the believer. It is a gift given by Jesus, 
and it is to express the glory that transcends the one common 
objective of the church here to its terminus, which is the 
glory of God Most High. Jesus says, I've received glory, 
I've given them glory, that they may be one in us. In other words, 
to display that renown, that praise, that glory, to communicate 
redemptive truth that Jesus is the sent one. Jesus is the Messiah 
promised in the Old Testament. Jesus is the incarnate Son and 
divine Lord. He is the one alone in whom the 
church boasts or glories. And then finally, notice the 
purpose in verse 23. You've got the believer in God, 
the believer in one another, and the believer in the world. 
Note the believer in God. He basically reiterates what 
he's just said, I in them and you and me. Zanke says, while 
Christ was one with the Father, he also made himself one with 
us so that we might be one with God through Christ. Mediation, 
function in terms of the incarnation and passion. But then notice 
the believer in one another. He revisits this, that they may 
be made perfect in one. Now, perfect there, brethren, 
doesn't look at sinless perfection. For those that think you're gonna 
make it to sinless perfection on this side of glory, I've got 
a bridge to sell you that I can give you a really good deal on. 
It's not gonna happen. Contrary to the perfectionists 
in the history of the church, contrary to some abuse texts 
in 1 John, there's no sinless perfection on this side of glory. 
This perfection is the maturity, the wholeness, the unity of the 
church. Again, I'm struck at how many 
times in the epistles of our apostles, they reflect what Jesus 
says here in the upper room or in the high priestly prayer. 
Turn to Ephesians chapter four. Ephesians chapter four. Intriguingly connected to that, 
that exhortation in verse three, endeavoring to keep the unity 
of the spirit and the bond of peace. He grounds that in the 
Trinity. There is one body and one spirit, 
just as you were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, 
one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all who is above 
all and through all and in you all. So this endeavoring to keep 
the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace is grounded first 
and foremost in who God is. then as well it's grounded in 
the purpose for the pastoral ministry. Notice in verse 11, 
he himself gave some to the apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, 
some pastors and teachers. Note the threefold purpose for 
the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for 
the edifying of the body of Christ. Now know what Paul goes on to 
say in verses 13 and following and wonder with me if whether 
or not He was thinking high priestly prayer or at least emphases that 
had come through our Lord's teaching on more than one occasion. Till 
we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of 
the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature 
of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children 
tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. 
by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful 
plotting. But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things 
into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined 
and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to 
the effect of working by which every part does its share, causes 
growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Same emphasis, 
same mindset, same direction, same orientation, same goal that 
we find here in our Lord's teaching. The perfection is not sinless 
perfection on this side of heaven. The perfection in view is wholeness 
or completeness in complying with the instructions of our 
Lord Jesus Christ and those things he prayed for us to endeavor 
after and what the apostles command us in terms of this unity thing. And then note the believer in 
the world. Final part of verse 23. I in them, 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. The 
world gets the message, again, through consistent, faithful 
behavior, not perfect, on the part of the people of God. And 
here, it's expanded. They learn of the mission of 
the Son. They learn of the love of the Father. You know, one 
of the best proofs of God's grace and love, generally speaking, 
is that He has given grace and love to us. How do you know God's gracious? 
Because once I was lost, but now I'm found. How do you know 
He's loving? Because I was blind, but now 
I see. And I have his promise that when 
that obtained, there wasn't this miserly response in heaven, that 
guy. There's rejoicing in heaven over 
one sinner who repents. One of the best testimonies of 
God's love and grace are the trophies of his grace. I've used the analogy. If I have 
a trophy on my shelf, you know, the guy bowling, people don't 
go into offices and say, wow, that trophy's amazing. Unless 
it's made of solid gold. Then I'd probably say, yeah, 
it is pretty amazing. Look at the way his arm is poised to 
launch that ball. They say, whoever won that trophy, 
there's something special about him. I know it seems silly with 
bowling, but. What do we communicate? How do you know God's gracious? 
How do you know He's loving? Well, let me just tell you a 
little bit about my background and let you conclude. Right? Isn't that what Jesus is saying? 
There's something about the unity of the believers in the life 
of the Church that is powerful in terms of its communication 
of redemptive truth, the revelation of the mission of the Son. Notice 
in verse 23, 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. The 
salvation of sinners reveals the Savior of sinners. Somebody 
says, are you saved? Again, we're operating in a context 
where I get it. People don't usually ask that 
question in whatever we're calling, you know, North America today. 
I don't know if it's postmodern. I don't know if it's whatever 
it is. We got problems and people don't 
usually wander up to Christians and say, so tell me how you got 
saved. They just don't. But assuming 
for a moment. Well, it was through the sending of the sun. It was 
through what we call in Christianity the incarnation, the enfleshment, 
the divine word assumed our humanity. And then hopefully they'd say, 
well, why would he do that? So that he could do what we could 
never do. See, our God is holy, and our 
God is righteous, and our God is just, and our God must punish 
sin and sinners. And our God has promised to punish 
sin and sinners in what we call in Christianity everlasting hell, 
the place created for the devil and his angels. But all unsaved 
sinners are going to end up there as well. So hopefully they're 
interested. Well, so again, what's the significance 
of Jesus taking on humanity? Well, he lived a life of absolutely 
positively spotless obedience to that law. So your questioner 
says, did he do that as an example? And you, as an honest believer, 
says, no. I mean, he did, yeah, but that 
wasn't the primary focus. He did that because I could never 
do that. He did that because I, like Solomon 
says, am a sinner that drinks iniquity like it's water. We 
needed a righteousness. We needed 33 years of obedience. I'm not sure that 33 was absolutely 
necessary. Don't pin me to that. Could it 
have been 23? That's a question for Aquinas 
and those guys. But we needed an obedience. Every 
jot and tittle of obedience to the law is seen in our Lord. 
So hopefully the questioner is now interested. So he assumed 
the humanity your humanity so that he can live for you? Yes, 
so that he can live for us. So why did he have to die on 
that cross? Did he die for you too? Yes. And why that? Because again, 
back to that earlier statement, God's holy, God's righteous, 
God's just, God must punish sin and sinners. And it's either 
he punishes sin and sinners in the person of his son on that 
cross, or he punishes the sin and sinners in the persons of 
themselves. Hopefully by this time they're 
saying, what, that means everlasting destruction? Yeah, that means 
everlasting destruction. So what hope is there? Well, 
it's in that life. It's in that death. And all of 
that is sealed and confirmed and affirmed and ratified and 
brought to fruition in the resurrection on the third day. He was delivered 
up because of our offenses, and he was raised for our justification. And the way to receive that, 
asks the questioner, What do I have to give? Where do I have 
to go? What do I have to do? What do 
I have to buy? You look and you live. You believe 
and you'll be saved. There's a picture of this in 
the Old Testament. Again, you're answering the questioner 
here. There's a picture that is constructed 
in the book of Numbers. Many times people read their 
scriptures and they make it through Leviticus. They loyally lumber 
on and they make it to Numbers. Oh, that's it. Numbers holds 
gold for the patient reader. And one of those places is when 
the children of Israel grumbled against God. What happened when 
they grumbled against God? God sent fiery serpents to bite 
them. He'd say, you must be real life 
of the party if you think that's encouraging. You like that story? I like the remedy. I like what 
our Lord does with that remedy in John 3. See, the remedy was 
simple. Moses was told to make a brazen 
or a bronze serpent and lift it up in the wilderness. And 
anyone who was bitten by those fiery serpents, they looked and 
they lived. They weren't told to drag themselves 
over and kiss the foot of the serpent. They weren't told to 
suck the venom out first, spit it out, and then hopefully they 
might make it to the bronze snake. It was a look and live. Our Savior 
says in John 3, just as Moses lifted up the serpent, so also 
must the Son of Man be lifted up. That's right before even 
the person that's asking questions, right before the text that probably 
everybody who's ever lived knows. Isn't that amazing backdrop to 
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that 
all the believing ones should not perish, but have everlasting 
life? It's like that statement of John 
3, 16 is amazing, but backing it up just a bit to the Moses 
analogy, to the brazen servant analogy, to the look and live 
motif, that's glorious. Now, if you haven't looked and 
lived, if you haven't believed the gospel, if you haven't looked 
at the one who lived for us, who died for us, and was raised 
again for us, may I encourage you to come to the Savior, to 
come to Christ in faith. Look at what he says. 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." Brethren, the very conduct of the people 
of God, the redeemed sinner, is calculated to preach redemption. Now again, you know my thoughts 
about, you know, preach the gospel at all times and when possible 
or necessary use words. You're not going to be saved 
by looking at the virtue of a believer's life. You're not going to be 
saved at the do-goodery involved in a person's life. You need 
gospel. You need propositional revelation. You need the reality. 
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. But in 
this context, Jesus seems to envision that when the church 
is functioning as she should, when that unity is present, That 
is a context where the redemptive truths of the Incarnation and 
the great love of God is communicated to others. Don't you love that? How do you know God loves you? 
Well, the Bible tells me so, and this is one of those places. 
"...and have loved them..." I love the comparative. "...as you have 
loved me." That ain't chump change love. 
That's the real deal. As you have loved me, the Father 
loves the Son. The Son assumed our humanity. 
The Son does what we're supposed to do. The Son goes to the death 
of the cross on our behalf. The Son is raised again. This 
is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, the Father says, 
at the Mount of Transfiguration, at the baptism of our Lord. He's 
got that approbation, that approval, that love, that fondness for 
his Son. And Jesus says that that's the 
love the Father has for us. Doesn't John celebrate this? 
Behold what manner the love the Father has given unto us, that 
we should be called the sons of God. It's an amazing reality 
that a unified corporate body of believers who have God Most 
High as their Lord and Savior, Christ who came to redeem us 
from our sins, we have a powerful message to communicate to a lost 
and dying world. Well, in conclusion, believers 
are blessed. Believers are blessed. They have been saved by grace 
through faith in Jesus Christ. Verse 20, I do not pray for these 
alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their 
word. We've seen John many times in his gospel emphasize faith 
in Jesus. How do we receive Jesus? Believe. 
Just as Moses lifted up the serpent, so must the Son of Man also be 
lifted up. The implication is obvious. Look 
to Him. Don't try to suck the poison 
of your own sin out of your arm and then drag yourself over to 
the cross. Look and live. grace through faith. They enjoy 
communion with the triune God that they also may be one in 
us and I in them. They have been joined with others 
in faith and brotherly love in what we call churches, local 
churches. They have been given glory by 
the sun. And it's not like that sash that 
was buried there by the river Euphrates. In this new covenant 
era, to use the sash analogy, God has us around His waist for 
renown, for praise, and for glory. The church is to function as 
a trophy case, celebrating the grace of our blessed God and 
the mission of the divine Son. They have the privilege of declaring 
to the world that mission. Why do you guys meet on Sunday? 
Why do you do what we do? Because Jesus came into the world, 
sinners to save. Why do you go to church so much? 
Because Jesus came into the world, sinners to save. Why do you teach 
those kids that Bible? Because Jesus came into the world, 
sinners to save. That's a perfectly appropriate 
response to every question you're ever asked, because Jesus came 
into the world sinners to save. It's a good response. And they 
enjoy the love of the Father. If you ever doubt God's love, 
you should not only ponder John 3, 16, But you should ponder, 
John 17, 23, 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. What a glorious 
and wondrous statement concerning the love of the Father for us 
as adopted sons and daughters of the living and true God. And 
in terms of Christ, what does this display about his glory? 
He has a confident expectation of gospel success. He has a confident 
expectation of gospel success. Just before Gethsemane, he says, 
I do not pray for these alone, my immediate apostles, but also 
for those who believe in me through their work. In other words, Gethsemane, 
the Sanhedrin, the Pontius Pilate's tribunal, the cross. That's not 
the end of Jesus. Part of the hour, with reference 
to Jesus, but the end of Jesus, at least in terms of the hour, 
is resurrection, ascension on high, exaltation of the right 
hand of the Father in current session, where he must reign 
till he makes all of his enemies his footstool. And he has this 
confident expectation that there are going to be those who believe 
the gospel through the word of the apostles. He says as much 
right here. I would suggest his glory is 
seen in the petition expressed to the father. Think about it. What is it that we pray for? 
We had an interesting thing in the last hour in our prayer meeting. 
We get updates from ministries in Cuba. And you know what they 
ask us to pray for? That the electricity would remain 
on. I have to share that I've never 
prayed that on a Sunday morning. God, can you make sure the electricity 
comes on over there at 45592 Wellington Avenue? I've never 
even thought of that. Just take it for granted. The 
electricity always comes on, doesn't it? Not if you're in 
commie Cuba. It doesn't always come on. But 
that's an interesting petition. Well, when we jump into this 
high priestly prayer, these are very interesting petitions. For 
the apostles, protection from the evil one, sanctification 
unto the holy one. for all believers, I think those 
two are included for all believers as well, unity, and then future 
glory. God takes unity seriously. Why? Because the way that we 
conduct ourselves reflects, maybe just in a small way, what is 
true of God himself. In the same way that if we're 
screaming at each other and our neighbors are hearing it, they're 
getting the wrong message concerning Christ and his bride. Let us 
not undo by our works or our conduct what Christ has wrought. And I would suggest, finally, 
in terms of the glory of Christ, his accomplishment of redemption. He's not frustrated in his task. He doesn't fail in his task. He's not stopped in his task, 
whether it be unbelieving Jews or a gutless, pontious pilot. 
He will accomplish the purpose for which the Father sent him. 
And that means a salvation of a great multitude that no man 
can number, from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 
I don't pray for these apostles alone, but I pray for those who 
will believe through their word. If that's Jesus' mentality with 
reference to the advancement of his kingdom on earth, it ought 
to be ours as well. Proclaim Christ and Him crucified. proclaim the glorious gospel 
of redemption, talk to people about the Incarnation and about 
the Passion, talk to people about the One whom the Father sent, 
because without the One whom the Father sent, sinners are 
liable to the just and furious judgment of God Most High. The 
one way of hope is to look and to live. Well, let us pray. Our 
Father in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for 
this high priestly prayer and what it teaches concerning our 
Savior, what it teaches us concerning his emphases at this final part 
of his earthly ministry. What we see reiterated throughout 
the New Testament epistles, even into the Old Testament, we see 
these things. We thank you for such a great 
salvation through such a great Savior. And may you help us to 
constantly reflect upon the love of the Father for us. It is truly 
amazing. It baffles our minds that you 
would love such unlovely ones, but we bless you and we praise 
you and we thank you for your sovereign grace that made its 
way to our heart by your purpose and by your will. We ask now 
that you would be glorified, help us to have a good Lord's 
Day, to sanctify the day, to call it a delight, and we pray 
through Christ our Lord, amen. Well, you can turn with me in 
your hymn books to 572. 572, we'll stand as we sing together. To the Son and to the Holy Ghost, 
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, forever 
and ever. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ 
and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you 
all. Amen. Well, please be seated for a 
brief time of meditation and contemplation on the things of 
God.