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      "The Requests of the Lord"
      John 17:9-13
      Theme: The joy of the believer is directly connected to his freedom from worldliness.

        1. The Credentials of the Disciples – 17:9-10

          1. Their Ownership – vv. 9-10a

            1. Jesus continues his prayer – interceding on behalf of the disciples – by stating "I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me."
            2. Jesus’ heart’s burden is being clearly evidenced as He spends these last few moments prior to His arrest and subsequent crucifixion.
            3. He is fulfilling His role has the Mediator – representing specifically those who have been given to Jesus out of the world – and exclusive to the world.
              1. Jesus does pray for the world as a man – cp. Matthew 5:44; Luke 23:34
              2. But, as the Mediator, He intercedes on behalf of those who have been delivered by the Love of God – Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:21
            4. Thus, He is clearly limiting His focus to those who are the saints – those given to Him by the Father; hence, the "love-gifts."
            5. There is such an affinity between the Father and the Son that they share all things – "… and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine."
            6. Thus, what causes the faithful ministry of the Lord to the saints is not their performance or their own faithfulness, but the fact that they belong jointly to Him and to the Father.
            7. Notice that they "were" the Father’s (v. 6) but now belong to Jesus – but there is no possessiveness – they belong to both because the Father and Son are One.

          2. Their Occupation – v. 10b

            1. Unity is able to exist because they belong to the Father and Son together.
            2. In addition, Jesus indicates that their careers consist of bringing glory to the Son – "… and I have been glorified in them."
            3. In addition, the disciples have devoted themselves to providing Jesus Christ with highest esteem and consideration – "glorifying" Him in what they did.
            4. When a believer or group of believers possesses as their great desire the glory of Jesus Christ, then other believers are able to gather with them despite various other differences that exist among them.
            5. Gender, Race, Nationality, Social Status, Educational Methodologies, Wealth, Language and any other "barrier" that might exist is broken down and irrelevant when the glory of Christ is the pursuit and career choice of the believer.
            6. These things matter when instead of Christ being served, one’s own agenda or bias is being dominant.
            7. So whenever schisms exist, the immediate conclusions are that one or both of the parties are failing to truly seek the glory of Christ Jesus.

        2. The Concern for Unity – 17:11-12

          1. The Predicament regarding Unity – v. 11a

            1. However, a major change is about to occur that will potentially threaten the ability of the disciples to maintain their spiritual integrity – "I am no longer in the world."
            2. This is another example of Jesus considering the work of redemption so certain that it has already occurred.
            3. Prior to the death of Christ the power that had keep the disciples together had been Christ Himself.
            4. At His death the disciples would be left in a hostile world without Him – the One on whom they had customarily & summarily depended.
            5. Thus, Jesus is concerned for them in light of the fact that they will be left in such a situation – "and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You."

          2. The Preservation of Unity – vv. 11b –12a

            1. So, the Lord Jesus makes arrangements – "Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are."
            2. Jesus recognizes the tremendous contrast between the Father and the world by use of the term "Holy Father" – they are not comparable in any sense.
            3. Essentially, Jesus calls on the Father to keep them in such a condition as what is consistent with His name –
            4. He asks the Father to guard the disciples from the dangers of being defiled by the world that surrounds us, from falling into worldly patterns.
            5. He reiterates the dependency that exists by the disciples – "While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me."
            6. The result of Christ being central is absolute unity and holiness – cp. "and I guarded them and not one of them perished …"

          3. The Perversion of Unity – v. 12b

            1. However, when Christ is rejected and there is a corruption present, the results are treacherous within the body of Christ.
            2. Jesus acknowledges what happens when such is the case – "… not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled."
              1. "Son of Perdition" – refers to Judas, who was an opportunist who played along with the rest, but never accepted the personal Lordship of Christ.
              2. Far from proving that in this one instance the plan from eternity was defeated and prophecy left unfulfilled, this happened in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled – cp. Acts 2:23.
            3. Whenever there exists schism and disunity, there exists a spirit that has diminished the centrality of Christ and supplanted it with a personal agenda or desire – cp. James 4:1-10; 1 Corinthians 1:11-12.

        3. The Completion of Joy – 17:13

          1. The Presentation of Joy –v. 13a

            1. However, when the Word of God provides direction and the Lord Jesus is the Master and Head over the church, there is unity even in the midst of diversity.
            2. Here we find that the key to the unity of the church when Christ leaves is the preeminence of the Word – "But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves."
            3. Thus in Christ’s absence, joy is something that springs directly from the influence of God’s Word in the hearts of true believers.
            4. The disciples are able to hear the Lord making this request that they receive joy as the Word of Christ is left with them.

          2. The Perfection of Joy – v. 13b

            1. This joy that is Jesus’ to dispense is something that is sourced in the Word, but made complete as the Word is implanted and bears fruit in the hearts of men – "… that they may My joy made full in themselves."
            2. Previously, speaking of the Holy Spirit’s role in producing obedience in the lives of believers, Jesus stated that this obedience is essential to the fullness of joy – cp. John 15:11
            3. It is also connected to the role of the Holy Spirit in providing believers with answers to prayer – cp. John 16:24
            4. Thus, essential to the joy of the Lord being fulfilled in the life of the believer, there must be:
              1. The centrality of Jesus Christ,
              2. The obedience to the Word of God
              3. The humility in seeing answers to prayer
            5. The concept of a miserable Christian is a self-contradiction – the work of Christ is redeeming men is to produce people in whom rests joy being constantly made full.

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