Easter 7
24 May 2020
John 17:1-11
“The Glory Hour Has Arrived!"
Jesus, fully aware that His mission of salvation. Will
soon reach a successful culmination. He is anxious. To return back to the
Father in heaven. Through whom He also will be glorified. And He comes to His disciples. In whom,
through faith, He also dwells in glory.
By faith you will glory in knowing Christ. And in
participating by grace in a perfectly crafted salvation plan for which God in
His fullness deserves all glory.
We are often slow to understand this glory. And even
slower to realize that life eternal is knowing God completely. All because we
too readily follow our natural inclination to be with ourselves. Alone.
And not to be one with God.
Through the Gospel - God leads us from sin to
salvation.
Almighty God,
as Your only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into the heavens so
may we also ascend in heart and mind to
continually dwell there with Him. Ascended Lord, Bless Thy Word, that we may
trust in Thee.
Sometimes, people pat themselves on the back because
no one else will do it. They want at least someone to acknowledge that they
have done something praiseworthy. If no praise will come they might act out
just to get attention.
So often we see this happen in the classroom at
school. From observation. And from experience. We might soon discover that the
"class clown" acts up because at least he is getting some sort of
recognition. Acknowledgment. Or attention.
Do we have to
act up or speak out to get God's attention? Not so. God has honored us. Not
because we have done something worthy.
But because He has done something noteworthy for us.
He has glory in the accomplishment of our salvation. And we, by grace, are
granted the privilege to share in His glory.
In Christ's redemptive work there is no question that
The Glory Hour Has Arrived!
1 The
glory hour has arrived for a Father whose plan is always perfect.
A. As a part of this plan God the Father
gave Jesus the power to save us. ‘For You
granted (the Son) authority over all people, that He might give eternal life to
all those You have given Him.” (V.2)
That was the Father's perfect plan. From
the very beginning of time. To save the world through His Son Jesus. He gave
His Son both the power and the authority to grant life eternal to those who are
called to believe and trust in Him.
B. Your salvation was never left up to mere
speculation. The Father was directing your salvation every step of the way. He
guided the process. - From the beginning to the time it was brought to
completion.
“I have brought You glory on earth by
completing the work you gave Me to do. And now, glorify me in Your presence
with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (Vv.4-5)
C. What wonderful news this plan of salvation
happens to be. The Father not only directed the process from beginning to end.
He also directed His Son to the right people. In the right way. With exactly
the right words to say. This is what we call "divine" or
"special" revelation. The voice of Jesus when He spoke while being in
the world. And now. As it comes to you
from the pages of the Bible. He speaks the Father's message to you.
“I have revealed You to those whom You gave
me out of this world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me and they have obeyed
Your word.” (v.6)
He delivered His word of truth when He
said from the cross; "It is
finished!" He further confirmed that Word in you. When He called y by
the Gospel in your baptism. And today.
Through the power of that same Word He
says to you, "I am with you always
even until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:28)
Transition: The Father set His plan of saving this world into
motion when His own Son Jesus Christ broke into time and space. To live with
and among us. As Jesus walked the face of this earth. He was moving in a fixed
direction to the cross. By these words spoken by our risen Savior. He says to
the Father that His mission has been accomplished.
2
The
Glory Hour has arrived for Jesus whose mission was accomplished.
A.
To accomplish His mission Jesus gave up
something. He surrendered His rightful glory in order to carry out His
work. “And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with
You before the world began.” (v.5)
John in his gospel describes Jesus' leaving the glories
of heaven this way, "And the Word
became flesh and dwelt among us...and we have beheld His ...full of grace and
truth" (John 1)
B.
In accomplishing
this mission. Which the Father gave to Jesus. He did exactly what the Father
told Him He was supposed to do.
1. The meaning of eternal life was made
plain in this plan. For Him to suffer and die meant that there would be a great
exchange taking place. The Father exchanged your sin for His own Son's
righteousness. That you might receive all of the righteousness of God which was
found in Him.
2. What does this mean for you? What all
this means is that the people to whom Jesus was directed learned of Him and
believed. You have learned of Jesus. And you too believe. These words of the
Savior are directed and intended for you. The glory hour has arrived. You have
beheld the glory of Jesus. And by faith.
Worked into your heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. You too believe.
Transition: In sending His Son the Father had you in mind. He
sent Jesus to accomplish His mission for you, that you might receive salvation
and live. As a result this salvation is for each and every believing child of
God.
3. The Glory Hour has arrived. For
it is intended for those whose faith in Christ is central.
A. As a believer you are the recipient of a
saving knowledge that only God could give. You know and believe in Jesus Christ.
Because Christ. Working through His Holy Spirit. Has brought you to a saving
knowledge, faith and trust in Him.
B. As a believer. You have a Savior who is
also praying for your endurance in faith. Jesus says, "Father I am praying for those who will
believe that they might remain strong and pure and committed no matter what
circumstance might come their way." (v.11)
Jesus knew that there would be
challenges in living the faith. And remaining faithful. That is why He went to
the Father in prayer for you. And continues to intercede for you. That you might remain faithful unto death -
and thus receive the crown of everlasting life
C.
As a believer - You
now have the honor of reflecting the "oneness" which comes from
knowing Christ by faith. As the Father and the Son are one. So likewise - In
having a connection with the Savior - You are one with Christ.
As the hymn writer so wonderfully reminds us "As the branch is to the vine, I am His and
He is mine." [TLH #342 stanza 1]. There is an oneness. A uniqueness. A togetherness. That each Christian has with
the Savior. And it is all made possible because the Savior’s prayer for you. That
you might remain in Him.
When Jesus was on the verge of accomplishing
everything He came to do. He knew the time for glory had arrived. His Father
deserved glory. He received glory. But wonder of wonders. And miracle of
miracles. You as a believer. As being a part of being His people. You too
benefit from the glory of His salvation.
In Christ the
"glory hour" has arrived.
And He has honored you by inviting you through faith to share in it.
Therefore come and receive these good things. For in
Christ you share in His glory.
_________________
Words – 1,370
Passive Sentences – 7%
Readability –80.4 %
Reading Level -4.4
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