THE LORD

THE LORD’S PRAYER

SCRIPTURE: JOHN 17: 20-23

MAIN POINT: THE WORLD IS WATCHING

INTRO: I DO NOT HAVE MUCH TIME TO RESEARCH THE GREEK AND CROSS REFERENCE THE SCRIPTURE VERSES ANYMORE, SO I AM RELYING UPON THE HOLY SPIRIT TO LEAD ME IN THE MESSAGE THAT HE HAS FOR YOU HIS PEOPLE. AND YOU ARE HIS. HE HAS CALLED YOU FROM THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH TO BE HERE TODAY. I KNOW THAT GOD HAS A PERFECT PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE AND HE WANTS TO LIE OUT THE BLUE PRINTS OF THAT PLAN FOR YOU, BUT IT IS UP TO YOU TO FOLLOW HIS PLAN. HE WILL GUIDE YOU AND LIGHT YOUR PATH BUT IT IS UP TO YOU TO SEEK THE LIGHT AND FOLLOW HIS PLAN BECAUSE YOU ARE HIS.

I HAVE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT THE FIVE-FOLD PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH. WELL LET ME REMIND YOU OF THEM; 1. WORSHIP 2. FELLOWSHIP 3. EVANGELISM 4. MINISTRY. 5. DISCIPLESHIP. THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST TODAY NEEDS TO BE FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS HIMSELF AND FULFILLING THAT WHICH HE HAS CALLED US TO DO. AS WE LOOK INTO THE SCRIPTURE TODAY I WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS IT SPEAKS TO YOU ABOUT YOUR PART IN GOD’S GREAT PLAN FOR LIFE ETERNAL.

1^ST POINT: THE 17^TH CHAPTER OF JOHN IS TRULY THE LORD’S PRAYER

IT IS THE LONGEST RECORDED PRAYER OF OUR SAVIOR. IN THIS PRAYER HE TELLS US HIS WILL FOR OUR LIVES. HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANYONE PRAY FOR YOU AND AS THEY SPOKE TO GOD YOU KNEW THAT THEY WERE NOT ONLY INTERESTING FOR YOU BUT THAT GOD WAS SPEAKING BACK TO YOU IN THEIR PRAYER. THIS IS WHAT JESUS IS DOING FOR US IN HIS PRAYER. SO MANY PEOPLE ASK WHAT IS THE WILL OF GOD FOR THEIR LIVES, WELL JESUS GIVES YOU THAT ANSWER IN THIS CHAPTER OF SCRIPTURE AND IT IS NOT SOME VAGUE THEOLOGICAL THEORY, IT IS AN IN YOUR FACE, GET IT RIGHT, PRACTICAL, WAY OF LIFE. THIS IS THE LORD PRAYER. THE PRAYER THAT WE REPEAT WHICH GOES “ OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN HOLLOWED BE THY NAME THY KINGDOM COME THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD, AND FOR GIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE GLORY FOREVER. THAT IS THE PRAYER THAT OUR LORD GAVE TO HIS DISCIPLES. SO IT SHOULD BE CALLED THE DISCIPLES PRAYER. DO NOT GET ME WRONG IT IS A WONDERFUL PRAYER FULL OF WISDOM AND TRUTH HOWEVER TODAY I WANT US TO LOOK AT THE PRAYER OF JESUS. THE PRAYER THAT HE PRAYED FOR US.

2^ND POINT: THERE IS A NEW COVENANT. GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU TO SHOW FORTH THE GLORY OF GOD. (JOHN 17: 22) YOU HAVE HEARD THAT GOD WILL NOT SHARE HIS GLORY. AND THAT IS TRUE BUT HE WANTS YOU TO HAVE THE GLORY OF JESUS CHRIST HIS SON. THE GLORY OF GOD IS AVAILABLE TO YOU. THE BRIGHTNESS OF CHRIST CAN BE YOURS. THE JOY OF THE LORD WHICH IS OUR STRENGTH CAN SHINE UPON YOU NOW AND THROUGHOUT ALL ETERNITY AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FEEL ASHAMED, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FEEL GUILTY, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FEEL UNWORTHY. GOD WANTS TO FREELY GIVE TO YOU THE GLORY THAT WILL NEVER LOOSE ITS SHINE.

THERE WAS A COUPLE THAT CELEBRATED THEIR 50^TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. THE OLD MAN LIFTED HIS GLASS TO TOAST HIS WIFE AND SAID; “ AFTER FIFTY YEARS YOU ARE STILL TRIED AND TRUE.” THE OLD WOMAN, WHO COULD NOT HEAR SO WELL HELD HER HAND TO HER EAR AND SAID “EHHHHH” SO THE OLD MAN SAID HIS TOAST A LITTLE LOUDER “ AFTER FIFTY YEARS YOU ARE STILL TRIED AND TRUE.” THE OLD WOMAN SPOKE UP “WELL AFTER FIFTY YEARS I’M TIRED OF YOU TOO!” THE GLORY OF GOD IS SOMETHING THAT WILL NEVER TARNISH IT IS THE TREASURE THAT WILL LAST FOR ETERNITY AND CONTINUE TO AWE US WITH ITS SPENDER.

3^RD POINT. I BELIEVE THE MAIN POINT OF THE LORDS PRAYER IS FOUND IN JOHN 17: 21; “THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE, AS THOU, FATHER, ART IN ME, AND I IN THEE, THAT THEY ALSO MAY BE ONE IN US; THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE THAT THOU HAST SENT ME.” IT IS THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTIAN UNITY. NOW BEFORE YOU JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS AND THINK THAT I AM GOING TO START TALKING ABOUT BROTHERLY LOVE AND LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR AND ALL OF THAT LETS START RIGHT AT HOME. BEFORE WE CAN EXPECT TO BE UNITED A CHURCH FAMILY WE NEED TO BE UNITED IN OUR OWN FAMILY. RIGHT IN YOUR OWN HOME. I SEE MORE FAMILIES COME TOGETHER WHEN THEY HAVE A COMMON ENEMY. TOO OFTEN THE ENEMY IS WITHIN THE FAMILY ITSELF. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A UNION AND UNITY. TWO CATS TIED TOGETHER AT THE TAILS ARE UNITED BUT THEY MOST CERTAINLY WILL NOT BE IN UNION WITH ONE ANOTHER.

TOO OFTEN WE ARE UNITED MORE LIKE CATS TIED TOGETHER BY THE TIER TAILS THEN BY BEING ONE BODY OF BELIEVERS. IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT WE ARE THE ONLY ORGANIZATION THAT SHOOTS IT WOUNDED. BUT THEN LET’S NOT GO TO THE OTHER EXTREME WHICH IS TOLERANCE OF SIN. SO HOW DO WE SHOW THE LOVE OF GOD YET NOT BE CONDEMNING. WE LIVE BY EXAMPLE. WE CAN NOT SACRIFICE BIBLICAL TRUTH FOR A FALSE SHOW OF UNITY. JESUS IS OUR EXAMPLE AND HE LIVED A SINLESS LIFE. HE MINISTERED TOO SINNERS BY SHOWING THEM HOW MUCH OF A GOOD TIME IT WAS BY DOING WHAT IS RIGHT. HE DID NOT CONDEMN ZAKEUS NOW DID HE CONDEMN THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY. HE SHOWED THE LOVE OF THE FATHER TO THEM AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY COULD GO AND SIN NO MORE. JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD NOT TO CONDEMN THE WORLD BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED.

CONCLUSION: SO HOW DO WE APPLY THIS INFORMATION TO OUR DAILY LIFE? WELL WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. JESUS LIVED A SINLESS LIFE AND DIED UPON THE CROSS SO THAT OUR SINS COULD BE FORGIVEN. IT IS WHEN WE CONFESS WITH OUR MOUTH THAT JESUS IS OUR LORD AND WE BELIEVE IN OUR HEARTS THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD THAT WE ARE SAVED. ETERNAL LIFE IS THE FREE GIFT OF GOD WHEN WE ASK JESUS TO FORGIVE US OF OUR SINS AND COME INTO OUR HEART. THAT ONE TIME CONFESSION NEEDS TO BE LIVED OUT EVERY DAY. THE CLOSER WE GET TO JESUS THE CLOSER WE WILL GET TO ONE ANOTHER AND VISE-VERSA. THE CLOSER WE GET TO ONE ANOTHER THE CLOSER WE WILL GET TO CHRIST. AND THE CLOSER WE GET TO CHRIST THE CLOSER WE GET TO THE GLORY OF GOD. THE CLOSER WE GET TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE MORE PEOPLE SEE THE TRUTH WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS. AND SO IN THAT WE ARE FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMISSION TO GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL. THE PREACHING THAT WE NEED TO DO IS LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THE GOOD NEWS. THEY ALREADY KNOW THE BAD NEWS. PEOPLE KNOW THEY ARE EMPTY AND ALONE. PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEIR LIVES ARE NOT ALL THEY COULD BE. PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY ARE MISSING SOMETHING. WE NEED TO SHOW THEM WHAT THEY ARE MISSING. BUT FIRST WE NEED TO HAVE IT. SMITH WIGGLESWORTH WAS AN EVANGELIST AROUND THE TURN OF THE CENTURY AND HE THOUGHT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT HE HAD THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. WELL LET ME READ TO YOU THE ACCOUNT OF WHEN HE TRULY RECEIVED THE BAPTISM. “ FOR FOUR DAYS I WANTED NOTHING BUT GOD. BUT AFTER THAT, I FELT I SHOULD LEAVE FOR MY HOME, AND I WENT TO THE CHURCH TO SAY GOOD BYE. I SAID GOOD BYE TO MRS. BODDY, THE PASTOR’S WIFE: “I AM GOING AWAY, BUT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE TONGUES YET.” SHE ANSWERED, “IT IS NOT THE TONGUES YOU NEED IT IS THE BAPTISM.” I HAVE RECEIVED THE BAPTISM, SISTER,” I PROTESTED, “BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOU LAY HANDS ON ME BEFORE I LEAVE.” SHE LAID HER HANDS ON ME AND THEN HAD TO GO OUT OF THE ROOM. THE FIRE FELL. IT WAS A WONDERFUL TIME AS I WAS THERE WITH GOD ALONE. HE BATHED ME IN POWER. I WAS CONSCIOUS OF THE CLEANSING OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD, AND I CRIED OUT: “CLEAN! CLEAN! CLEAN!” I WAS FILLED WITH THE JOY OF THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE CLEANSING. I WAS GIVEN A VISION IN WHICH I SAW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. I BEHELD THE EMPTY CROSS, AND I SAW HIM EXALTED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER. I COULD SPEAK NO ENGLISH BUT I BEGAN TO PRAISE HIM IN OTHER TONGUES AS THE SPIRIT OF GOD GAVE ME UTTERANCE. I KNEW THEN, ALTHOUGH I MIGHT HAVE RECEIVED ANOINTING PREVIOUSLY, THAT NOW, AT LAST, I HAD RECEIVED THE REAL BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AS THEY RECEIVED ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST.”

JESUS SAID: “BUT YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER, AFTER THE HOLY SPIRIT IS COME UPON YOU; AND YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME BOTH IN JERUSALEM, AND IN JUDAEA, AND SAMARIA, AND UNTO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH.” (ACTS 1:8)

THE WORLD IS WATCHING. DO YOU TRULY HAVE THE LOVE OF THE FATHER? IF YOU DO THEY WILL WANT IT TO BECAUSE THE GLORY OF GOD WILL SHINE IN YOUR LIFE AND YOU WILL BE SHINING LIGHTS UNTO ETERNAL LIFE. IF YOU WANT MORE OF WHAT GOD HAS AVAILABLE FOR YOU THAN PRAY BELIEVING THAT THE GOD WHO PUT THE STARS INTO PLACE AND GIVES YOU THE VERY BREATH YOU BREATHE WILL POUR ONTO YOU HIS HOLY SPIRIT. ASK HIM TODAY TO FILL YOU WITH HIS PRESENCE. ASK HIM IN THE NAME OF JESUS TO BE ONE WITH YOU THAT YOU MIGHT SHOW THE WORLD HIS GLORY THOUGH HIS SON YOUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO IS THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. AMEN

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one:

I in them, and thou on me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

John 17_20-23 kjv.