Date: April 2, 2023

Bible Text: John 17:1-5 |

Series:

In the final moments of someone’s life, their priorities and most fundamental concerns become very clear. Many want to spend that time surrounded by those they love the most, reliving their most treasured memories or visiting their favourite places. They do whatever is necessary to make sure that those they care about are well taken care of. In the same way, at the end of his farewell to his closest followers, Jesus’ deepest priorities and concerns are revealed in a prayer to the Father.

Throughout the gospels we have a record that Jesus prayed, but in only one place do we see an extended recording of what Jesus prayed. In John 17, just hours before he would go to the cross, to take the full weight of the wrath of God against sin, to make a way by which all who would find life in his name could be forgiven, in the presence of his disciples, Jesus lifted his eyes to the heavens and prayed to his Father. It’s an incredible, unique passage of Scripture that gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the relationship between God the Father and God the Son and it unpacks clearly for us what Jesus was all about, and how we should be living our lives, in fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer, as he prayed for us.

In the final moments of his life, Jesus prays the most powerful prayer ever prayed. Over these four weeks we’ll look at this intimate moment between the Son and the Father and consider whether Jesus’ priorities are ours.

Series: The Most Powerful Prayer Ever Prayed
Todd Dugard
Message: 1 – The hour has come
Harvest Bible Chapel
Text: John 17:1-5
April 2, 2023

There is no voice which has ever been heard, either in heaven or in earth, more exalted, more holy, more fruitful, more sublime, than the prayer offered up by the Son of God himself.
Philip Melanchthon

To pray as Jesus prayed means that I should also pray…

…heaven-directed (v. 1a)

God as Father, Gerald Bray
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/god-as-father/

…Christ-centred (v. 1b-2)

A template for prayer:
Jesus prayed… I will pray…
Father, the hour has come… Father, I’m going through a thing…
glorify your Son please do a work in me through this
that the Son may glorify you. so that I would glorify you

Romans 8:26b

…mission-oriented (v. 3-4)

…keeping-the-big-picture-in-mind prayers (v. 5)

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