Pray Like Jesus #5 – Pray for Yourself, Christians, and Non-Christians
Pastor Mark Driscoll looks at Jesus’ longest recorded prayer in John 17:1-26 to teach us how to pray for yourself, Christians, and non-Christians.
Pray Like Jesus #4 – The Lord’s Gethsemane Prayer
Let Gods’ will be done and not seek upon our own understanding. Pastor Mark Driscoll shares the reality of walking within God’s will even if it doesn’t match our own understanding. Pointing to Jesus’s Gethsemane prayer as guidance to our toughest days.
Pray Like Jesus #3 – The Lord’s Prayer
Pastor Mark Driscoll compares Religious vs. Spiritually prayers by looking at The Lord’s Prayer.
Pray Like Jesus #2 – Pray Like Jesus
In the second sermon from the Pray Like Jesus series, Pastor Mark Driscoll discusses the different ways Jesus prayed and how we can model our prayer after the way He prayed. Our prayers should be woven throughout our daily life to create a loving and intimate relationship with the Father.
Pray Like Jesus #1 – Jesus’ Secret to Prayer
This introduction to the Pray Like Jesus series introduces Jesus’ secret to prayer, healing the father wound, and the idea of God being Father rather than master and that we, as God’s kids, should feel like son rather than slave.
Can A Christian Lose Their Salvation?
John 17:9-12 – “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”
During His final week before dying on the cross, Jesus stopped to pray His longest recorded prayer. In it, Jesus speaks of Christians retaining their relationship with God not by their own effort or merit but rather by God the Father “keeping them”. In this way, the assurance and perseverance of our salvation are in the faithfulness of God so that we continue walking with God who continues to walk with us.
God is our Father. Our Father both loves his children and is sovereign over them (as he is over the entire world), so we can be assured that our future is secure, that we have hope now and forever. Our Father loves us and is “keeping” us.
Assuring true believers that our relationship with God and eternal life are secure, Jesus says, “Not one of them has been lost”. Jesus says that none of the elect were ever lost during his ministry.
This is more cause for hope. It speaks to the enduring concern of the convicted Christian. Can we lose our salvation?
The answer is No.
We maintain our relationship with God because God keeps us. It is not maintained because we have it all together, walk faithfully, keep our chin up. We do persevere, we do work out our salvation, as Philippians 2:12 tells us, but the next verse reminds us that it is God who works in us. Salvation is a work God does in us, and our obedience is a work God does through us, as the fruit of Christ’s perfect life grows in us in the power of the Holy Spirit. God is a good Dad who promises to keep us. Hebrews 13:5 tells us that God has promised never to leave us or forsake us. Jesus told his followers that nothing can snatch them from the Father’s hand.
Over the years, I have had the blessing of traveling a lot and taking the family with me around the world. Every place we’d go, we’d end up mingling with lots of crowds in strange places where we do not speak the language. I have learned to keep an extremely watchful eye on my five kids. Throughout the day, it is an unending effort to keep them all accounted for. Grace and I end up counting 1 to 5 thousands of times a day. But the result is that they are kept together. And they are kept together not because they stay in lockstep and follow closely. They are kids. They wander, they get distracted.
For some of our kids, I had to hold their hand. Now, some of them I could not lose if I tried. I cannot lose one son. He was always there. If I could see him, it is because he was too close, actually, right behind me and up against my legs. He’d stick extremely close. But some others do not. They see something shiny: they are gone. Some are compliant, some wander wherever they want. But they are all kept together not by their effort, but mine. They are kept accounted for because Grace and I keep a close eye on them. We watch over them and keep them. God is the same way. Some of his children wander more than others, but we are all kept by the same hand and watchful eye: His. We are not lost because he keeps us found.
How has God brought you back from wandering away from Him?
Jesus Versus the World
John 17:9-11 – “I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me…”
In the midst of His longest prayer in John 17, Jesus makes this curious statement, “I do not pray for the world”.
This statement is understandably confusing to many. This is because the word “world” is used in at least seven senses throughout the New Testament. Sometimes it means the entire creation, sometimes the inhabited world, sometimes people, sometimes the fallen system of attitudes and values that run counter to God’s design and sometimes various shades of each of those things. Context is always key.
What these particular words do not mean is that Jesus does not love everyone. When he says he is not praying for the world, it does not mean he discriminates against certain types of humanity. Jesus loves people of all races and cultures, and the great eternal worship song in Revelation 5:9 tells us that Jesus’ blood purchases men “from every tribe and language and people and nation”.
Here, “not praying for the world” means that Jesus is referring to the system of thinking, speaking, and acting that is in rebellion to God, in allegiance to Satan, and at war against the kingdom of God. This is the “world” the Apostle Paul most often warns against in his letters. In specifically exempting the world from his intercession, Jesus is implicitly praying that such sin and rebellion will be cursed and crushed, damned and destroyed, because it is utterly dark and demonic. In addition, to pray for the community of his followers, as in this instance, means praying against the forces of darkness as Paul later expounds in this way:
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand . . . And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:12-13, 18)
The world is like gravity that pulls us toward sin, folly, rebellion, perversion, pride, selfishness, and death. By not praying for the world, Jesus is praying against the “powers of this dark world” and for “all the saints”, echoing even his earlier instructions in the Lord’s Prayer by doing spiritual battle so that his followers will be “led not into temptation.”
What sinful gravity in the world are you battling against right now?
Pray to Prepare For Big Moments
John 17:1-3 – “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
If you had one week to live, what would you pray for? Who would you pray for? In John 17, we read of the longest prayer Jesus ever prayed. He is in the final week of His life, headed to the cross to pay the penalty for the sin of the world. In Jesus’ prayer, as you would expect, he does pray for Himself, but he actually spends most of his prayer in selfless intercession for his disciples and for all the believers who will result from their continued ministry.
Every day matters, but some days matter more. There are windows of sacred and significant opportunity that, if we do not capture, are gone forever. Jesus knows that He is fast approaching the most important day of His life on earth and the goal of His mission, which was to glorify the Father by saving the sinners.
Life can get so busy and we can get so distracted that we miss the big moments. The key, as Jesus models, is to stop and pray so that we capture the big moments and prepare ourselves to either have God get us around it, or have God get us through it. These big moments can be a big opportunity, a big obstacle, or a big decision. Our first priority must be prayer, to connect with God and align with His will for our life. When big moments are on the horizon, it’s more important than ever to push everything else down our priority list and pray first.
Are there any big moments in your life or on your horizon that you need to be diligent in prayer for?
Should We Only Pray to God the Father or Can We Pray to Jesus and the Holy Spirit?
John 17:1 – “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said Father…”
As I’m taking roughly 45 weeks preaching through John’s Gospel, we arrived at Jesus’ longest prayer in John 17. There, Jesus prays to God as “Father”, which is his common pattern. After each service, as Grace and I were visiting with and praying for our people, many of them had the same question, “Should we pray to God the Father or can we pray to Jesus and the Holy Spirit?”
That is a common question. As a general rule, most of our praying should be to God the Father. Jesus taught us saying in Matthew 6:9, “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven”. Jesus modeled praying to God as Father repeatedly as some 165 times in the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), He refers to God as Father which is His favorite name for God.
Sometimes, it is fine to pray to Jesus. There is an occasion when an early church leader named Stephen prayed to Jesus as he was dying. We read in Acts 7:59 that Stephen saw Jesus in heaven and “he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’”.
Christian prayer is most often Trinitarian. Practically, this means we pray by the Spirit, through Jesus Christ our mediator, to God the Father. Praying by the Spirit is clearly taught in the Bible. Ephesians 6:18 says we should be, “praying at all times in the Spirit”. Jude 1:20 says we should be, “praying in the Holy Spirit”. Praying through Jesus Christ is what He meant teaching us to pray, “in my name” (John 14:13-14).
There are times, however, when it is sensible to pray to Jesus or the Spirit. For example, if you are reading the Bible and reminded that Jesus died in your place for your sins on the cross, it is a good thing to stop and thank Him for doing that work on your behalf. Or, if you love someone who is far from God and not paying any attention to the bad decisions that are harming their life and relationship with God, you can pray to the Spirit to convict them of their sin as that is one of His ministries (John 16:8).
Which member of the Trinity do you feel most familiar with? How can you get to know the others?
While walking on the earth, the Lord Jesus was constantly referring to God the Father. Jesus’ favorite title for God is Father and this is reported roughly 65 times in three gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke). In John’s gospel, Jesus refers to God as Father roughly 100 times. In the longest recorded prayer of Jesus, He begins by praying to God as Father yet again.
Our big brother Jesus is modeling some very powerful truths in His prayer.
First, we need God like a small child needs their parent. No matter how old we are, we are still the Father’s kids and always need His help.
Second, the God of the Bible is relational. The entire concept of the Trinity is that God is relational – one God in three Persons in perfect and eternal relationship.
Three, in any relationship, communication is key. When we read the Bible, we are listening to God speak to us. When we pray to God, He is listening to us.
Four, as a Father, God hears and answers prayer like any parent – yes, no, later. Just because we do not get God to give or do what we ask does not mean that He is not hearing. Rather, His answer may simply be no or later. It might not be His will, or it might not be His timing.
How is your time listening to God’s Word, and praying to God going each day?
Pray to Deepen Your Relationship with God
John 17:1 – “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said Father…”
Who do you talk with the most? Who do you talk about the most? That person is probably the one you love and lean on the most.
While walking on the earth, the Lord Jesus was constantly referring to God the Father. Jesus’ favorite title for God is Father and this is reported roughly 65 times in three gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke). In John’s gospel, Jesus refers to God as Father roughly 100 times. In the longest recorded prayer of Jesus, He begins by praying to God as Father yet again.
Our big brother Jesus is modeling some very powerful truths in His prayer.
First, we need God like a small child needs their parent. No matter how old we are, we are still the Father’s kids and always need His help.
Second, the God of the Bible is relational. The entire concept of the Trinity is that God is relational – one God in three Persons in perfect and eternal relationship.
Three, in any relationship, communication is key. When we read the Bible, we are listening to God speak to us. When we pray to God, He is listening to us.
Four, as a Father, God hears and answers prayer like any parent – yes, no, later. Just because we do not get God to give or do what we ask does not mean that He is not hearing. Rather, His answer may simply be no or later. It might not be His will, or it might not be His timing.
How is your time listening to God’s Word, and praying to God going each day?
Pray Like Jesus: Prayer is How We Talk to Dad
John 17:1-5 – “Jesus…lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ’Father’.”
As countless times before, Jesus begins this, His longest prayer, with the simple word “Father.” In the most difficult season of his life, with his crucifixion impending, Jesus the Son of God turned to God the Father to strengthen their relationship.
God the Father is largely forgotten. In most evangelical, reformed, and Bible churches, the focus is on Jesus Christ the Son of God. In most Pentecostal and charismatic churches, the focus is on God the Holy Spirit. Books are written on the Son and Spirit, and hardly anything is written on the Father. Sadly, it is Mormons and Muslims who are filling the gap and talk a lot about their false and unbiblical views of god as father. This might explain the growth of the Mormon cult and allure of Islam to young men around the world.
To be a Christian is to experience the fullness of, “adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:5). When a child gets adopted, they need to get used to having a father and spend time getting to know their new dad. To become a Christian is to get a new family (the church), new big brother (Jesus), and new Father (God).
The Old Testament talks a lot about fathers and even includes genealogies listing generation after generation of dads. God is referred to roughly 15 times, and those few occasions are in reference to God’s relationship with the nation of Israel and not warm and personal communication to an individual. Everything changes with the coming of Jesus Christ. His favorite title for God is Father – and in the four gospels alone He calls God His Father roughly one-hundred and sixty-five times using the word Abba which is translated in most Bibles as “Father”.
This is a stunning statement. The Jewish people of the Old Testament did not refer to God as Father but on very rare occasion. Furthermore, the concept of God as Father is an intimate, warm, and relational one that other religions in history and the present day do not share. Most religions see God either as an impersonal force, or a frightening judge who punishes evil. The word Jesus uses for God the Father – “Abba” – was commonly used by children, young and old, in His day to refer to a dad who loved them.
For the Christian, we too can call on God as Father like Jesus. Romans 8:14-17 says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ…” How amazing is that! God is your Father, and prayer is how you build your relationship with your Dad by speaking and listening.
Take a moment right now and thank God that He wants to love you like a Perfect Father who wants a loving healthy relationship with the child they adore.
Pray Like Jesus: Pray to Pull Heaven Down
John 17:1 – “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said…”
It seems like every good superhero movie in some form or fashion borrows the storyline of the Bible. The people of earth are in danger, and a hero comes from another planet to defeat some evil villain and save the lives of people otherwise doomed to destruction.
Somewhere deep in the human soul, it seems like we know that our only hope is a savior coming in from outside our fallen planet. The storyline of the Bible is even more fantastic than any comic. God came down from Heaven on a mission to seek and save people on the earth. His name is Jesus Christ.
The longest recorded prayer of Jesus Christ occupies the entire chapter of John 17. There, Jesus begins to pray by looking up. Prayer is how we look up to the Kingdom of God. Prayer is how we invited the hope, help, and healing of the Kingdom to come down to the earth. While we remain on the earth, we need to look up to heaven as Jesus did for at least four reasons.
This world is not normal. This world is filled and fraught with sin that brings suffering. The Kingdom of God is normal, and this world is abnormal. When we look up and pray, we are inviting God to make this abnormal world like His Kingdom.
This world is not home. One day, we will die and be in the Kingdom forever. When we look up and pray, we remind ourselves where our real Home is.
This world is not forever. This world is coming to an end and will be replaced by the perfect eternal Kingdom of God. When we look up and pray, we remind ourselves that whatever needs we are praying for today will be answered in full on the final day.
This world is where we pull heaven down or pull hell up. Standing on the earth, when we choose sin, folly, rebellion, bitterness, strife, lies, pride and the like we are literally pulling hell up into our life because in eternity the only place those things will be is in hell. By looking up to heaven in prayer, the Holy Spirit helps us choose holiness, wisdom, obedience, forgiveness, love, truth, humility and the like and, in so doing, are pulling heaven down into our life. Prayer is where we look up and pull heaven down rather than looking down to pull hell up.
What are you most looking forward to in the Kingdom of God forever?