R286 Search for Meaning

Different times of our life we find ourselves searching today's message in Dr. Moulton is searching for meaning the concept of searching for purpose, searching for fulfillment, searching for meaning in today's message will head straight to John 17's and study God's word together connecting online as well GVW online.org now Dr. Wilson with me in your Bibles warning John's gospel chapter 17. John's gospel in chapter 17 it is rather significant that just hours before his experience upon the cross that Jesus would pray this extraordinary prayer found in John chapter 17. Now most of us associate the Lord's prayer with what Jesus said when his disciples said, Lord, teach us to pray. Jesus put it like this. He said our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name asked quite correct to associate that with the Lord's prayer because it is there is no doubt that in John chapter 17. We have a most extraordinary prayer that our Lord Jesus prayed in a most extraordinary moment in time. Yeah Jesus was about to fulfill and to consummate his expressed mission and purpose upon the earth), John chapter 17. We have some of the most powerful doctrinal instruction that Jesus could ever give to anybody.

I don't make the statement loosely, but I want you to know the congregation noted there is a very real sense in which we could spend the next six months. In John chapter 17 and I would say to you that we wouldn't even scratch the surface as I have been studying in this passage. It has boggled my mind to discover more and more of the depths of God's grace here in John chapter 17 every utterance, every word that Jesus expresses your falls into that category. Let me read it for you.

John chapter 17 and I want you to follow with me in your Bibles often. Jesus said this, he looked toward him in any prior father.

The time has come.

Glorify your son, so that your son may glorify you for you granted him authority that would authority by the way, is the same word for power due to much. It is the word for power. Therefore, you want to be in power and authority over all people that he might give eternal life to those all those who you have given him. Now this is eternal life. They may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do now. Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began when he pulls there for a moment when Jesus came to earth, he he discarded. He left his glory behind now there is a sense in which if we were to try and understand what was happening with the Lord Jesus. There is a sense in which, as he is about to go back to be with the father.

He is going to be reunited with his glory. We only have had glimpses of his glory during his ministry upon the earth. Now we going to see him in all of his glory as they can find not one verse six. I have reviewed you to those whom you gave me out of the world they were yours. You gave them to me and I have obeyed your word now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. Fry gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you and I believe that you sent me. I pray for them. I'm not praying for the world.

But for those you have given me, they are yours.

All I have is yours and all you have is mine. Glory has come to me through them.

I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world and I am coming to you.

Holy father protected by the power of your name. The name you gave me so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name that you gave me none has been lost, except the one due to the structure so that the Scripture would be for food. Let me pause there again. Jesus was talking about Judas Iscariot, you can go back in the John chapter 6 verse 70 other passages that we've discovered and studied together what Jesus was saying to his disciples, is that they was one among us who look like us. He spoke like us, he received the benefits of everything that I have given to you is, those who are closest to me and hit he was lost and yet he was lost water tragedy. Verse 13 I'm coming to you now, but I say these things while I'm still in the world so that you might have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world's hated them, for they are not all of the world anymore than I am in the world. My prayer is not that you take them off to goodwill father that you protect them from the evil one.

They are not all of the world, even as I am not of sanctified them by the truth. Your word is truth. As you say to the world.

I've seen came into the world with them. I sanctify myself the day to may be truly sanctify. Then Jesus shifts here again, having prayed for his disciples, he now begins to pray for all believers. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one father just as you are in me and I am in you might also be in us so that the world may believe that you have same for me. I've given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one, I in them and you and me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved me even as you have loved me.

Let me pose again. You've heard me speak many times about the importance of church unity I become more and more convinced beloved friends. The more I study God's word of the imperative of spiritual unity that I'm convinced today that one of the major reasons why God has blessed First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, South Carolina is because of the spiritual unity of the men and women and boys and girl in this congregation, please allow me as your cost to command you as a congregation for your faithfulness and for your spiritual unity. One of the greatest tragedies in the world today.

My friends is that the world is seeing the Christian world in a spirit of disunity and disharmony.

I hear all kinds of war stories right throughout Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. God's word commands and exhorts God's people to be unified around the cross of Christ Jesus, I love you from the bottom of my heart and I command you today congregation for your spirit of unity. Listen to what he says let's go to verse 20 again. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one father just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one, I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those here. You gave me to be with me where I am and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world righteous father. Though the world is not know you. I know you and they know that you have sent me.

I have made known to them. I have declared to them and will continue to make note in order that the love you have for me may be in them that I myself may be in them by the Lord, right his word upon our hearts.

There's so much in this passage, six lessons that Jesus was trying to share with us in the opening statement. Let me remind you about them very briefly.

Number one he was trying to remind us that God's timing is perfect. That's right there in verse one father. The time has come.

Number two.

He was trying to remind us that God's glory is ultimate. Also in verse two we kind understand that for the father to glorify the son is for the sun to glorify the father. Why, because of the indissoluble indistinguishable relationship that existed between God the father and God the son when Jesus came to the server. He didn't lay aside his deity.

He laid aside his glory, and except for brief glimpses of the glory of God.

It is only now, as he begins to move toward the cross that we begin to understand the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and full of God's truth. What a tremendous joy number three, he was demonstrating the God's authority has been drawn to and we discovered that they were dead. In verse three is the word for power. We know very clearly that God that the Lord Jesus had power over fish.

He told them where to swim in which Nick jumping to. He had power of the beasts he had power over the fowl of the air. He had power even of the car could prove. I mean you just think about that.

That car crowed three times in the mind of God. At the very split-second timing of God. You don't suppose for one minute. My friend that God decreed from the portals of heaven that the clock would three times at the right moment in the right circumstances in the right time according to the heartbeat of God's wonderful plan. God's power was intended to be given to the first people who created Adam and Eve. Genesis told us that they were created to have dominion and power and to play failed God and not Jesus Christ write you at the foot of the cross is reminding us that he's going to the cross because the father has given him power over eternal life power the line and power other day and the ultimate power that God has invested any so is the power to change men and women and boys and girls like you and me forever and forever and forever.

There was 1/4 thing that he told us that God's position is absolute that God's position is absolute right there in verse three Jesus was saying any spread that God is not up to grant God's not open to debate folks.

You cannot play games with God and I believe that what Jesus was trying to teach his disciples was simply this, that God's position is absolute, it's beyond debate. It's not open to discussion. He was coming down upon the churches of America and he was saying to them this is one absolute truth that, contrary to public opinion.

You don't need to call a deacons meeting to discuss the absoluteness of the power of God.

There was a first thing the Jesus was saying he was flying the God's work is complete. It's right there in verse four I brought you glory on earth by completing the work that you gave me to do and then finally Jesus was saying that God's son is now back home with her father right there in verse five. So far we'd only been made aware of the incarnate son. Now we were becoming aware of the finite one.

What Jesus was saying is that there is a glory that outshines the noonday sun.

It's the same glory of the only begotten of the father.

It's not glory before which the shining ones in Isaiah's friend. It is that same glory before which sold on the road to Damascus.

So in the presence of God. Next time glory before which John the apostle fell prostrate in Revelation chapter 1 and verse 17 Jesus was saying any credit to the father. There is a glory which #the noonday sun and I'm back hello glorify seated at the priest table of the King of Kings and Lord of lords, and I want you to know that where I am, there you are going to be also. And it's at this juncture, the Jesus begins to take us and to delve us into the very mind of God and to the application of the mind of God. He interpreted through the life of man through the exercise of man mix. Look at it briefly, what was Jesus. I as far as mankind is concerned.

Number one that God's servants have been chosen.

Verse six. Jesus was saying when he began to pray for his disciples he was saying.

I want you to know God's servants having I have reviewed you to those you gave me all the world. They were yours. You gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. What was Jesus. I Jesus was saying my friend simply this, that these people who serve you Andrew. Love you have been given as a special gift from God. What a wonderful thing it is a great gift and forgive the interruption will be back with the completion of today's message in just a moment with Dr. Wilson. Once we let you know where you're connecting right now it 866-899-WORD that's 866-899-9673 or online@twonline.org TW online.org.doc today's message with Dr. Don Wilton, you know I've had that many people come to me over the years talk to me about God's call in their life and it's a one, and I guess I will little smile on my face and I know I know that you understand what I'm saying but I said to many a man and woman have spoken to me about the ministry that if you are not prepared to rise to the label that God wants you to rise to. If you are not prepared to do what God wants you to do. Why don't you go back and become president of the United States of America or, if that's all you can do you see friends when God calls his servants, he tells us that we are cool from before the foundation of the world and there are so many people to say welding preacher. I can just relax because I have not been called abusive brother Norman Sanders my I submit to you, sir. That's what the Billy Graham training center at the Cove is all about.

It's not just for preachers. It's for every man and woman who has been called to be a servant of the gospel that is every born-again believer upon the face of the earth.

All of us to be washed and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb are called to be the ministers of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, God's chosen us. Paul put it like this in Corinthians, he said, we become co-laborers together we become God's ambassadors, Jesus was just reminding his disciples that all of God's servants have been chosen. Number two. He was reminding them that God's provisions are guaranteed looking me in verse three big part in verse seven, at verse seven. Now they know that everything you've given to me comes from you, Jesus was saying in his disciples that God's provisions are guaranteed. Do you know what Jesus was saying when he said that God's provisions are guaranteed by our out of the profoundest respect of my heart. As we look up to God in heaven say Lord Jesus, thank you that you never let us down. Jesus was saying to his disciples at the foot of the cross Bible let you down. God never let us down the wonderful truth is he was saying that God's servants are being chosen number to the God's provisions are guaranteed with number three that God's promises must be accepted. Now we start to meddle with humanity that God's promises must be accepted.

That's right. In verse eight. Four. I gave them the words you gave me.

Well, let's just stop it right there. See, Jesus didn't stop her drive.

He said I gave them the words that you gave me and guess what, they accepted them.

Perhaps what the Lord Jesus was doing as he was providing us with a glimpse into the exercise about faith is the one thing that we struggle with most of all, we struggle with the fact that God said what God said and that God is going to do what God said and we not prepared to accept.

We say I wanted. Now God says white we say we want it now we live in the instant copy generation. Jesus was saying, listen, they accepted the words that I spoke to them what a tremendous for what was Jesus trying to teach his disciples. He was trying to teach them the gods not in a hurry that God doesn't operate according to man's timetable that God is a God of these word that God servants to be chosen God's provisions always guaranteed and that God's promises must be accepted. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and goes it's not good enough to say you love the Lord Jesus Christ and then not accepting his word.

That's what faith is its accepting his word. That's what makes the body of Christ function of you ever thought about that. If we not willing to accept one another and trust one another. How do we function as the body of Christ. How do Christians operate. We are the bride of Christ.

We are the body of Christ, and Jesus was sorry beginning with our relationship with Almighty God, we are unique frequently intertwine into the heartbeat into the blood flow of everything that God is therefore we must accept God and take God at his word, but there's a full thing that Jesus was trying to teach us and it simply, this God's instruction is always certain. Look at verse nine. I pray for the then he says something interesting. I struggled with this. He said I am not praying for the world.

I wait a minute. This is God what you mean he's not praying for the world. Some people have even suggested that writer at the foot of the cross, Jesus was about to reject the world. No sir.

Jesus was going to the cross because of the world. Jesus was going to the cross because he loves the world. Jesus was going to the cross so that the world might believe in my preferred but here at this junction is instruction is instruction is always certain my friend.

It's right on the button you see in verse nine he says I'm not praying for the world but I'm praying for those you have given me specific. How specific. How certain is the instruction of Jesus Christ that he would take each one of us created in the image of God, and he would feed our souls and he was to us and tell us the way we ought to walk number five God's protection is always sure not like this one God's protection is always sure. Look at verse 11 with me. Yet Jesus said I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world. If you read this syntactically. Of course we broken it down here in our English translations to try and help us to understand God's word and again I say this respectfully but it's almost as though the Lord Jesus talking to the father in heaven was saying, Lord, I'm coming back to be with you and what a grand time.

This is going to excuse me, Lord, I forgot something. They are still in the world. You see, this was a time of great panic for the disciples.

This was a very disturbing time.

Why because Jesus Christ was about to be taken from them, and if you read write your in verse 11. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world and I'm coming to you. So what is going to happen to them after I leave.

He says it holy father protect them by the power of your name. No other name but the name of Jesus. No other name but the name of the Lord know the name but the name of Jesus is worthy of glory and worthy of honor and worthy of power and worthy of praise, no other nine. If you go down to verse 15 Jesus elaborates on their he says I'm not going to take you out of the world, but I'm going to pray the divine mind name you are going to receive protection. I'm going to God, you, Peter put it like this in first Peter. He said that we all guarded all we are garrisoned by the gospel. There is a military fortress that is placed around us and that God by his grace has sent these angels to protect us from our difficulties and from the challenges that we face in this world to buy, but there is a final thing that he said, one with God. Servants of being chosen. Number two, the God's provisions are guaranteed.

Number three that God's promises must be accepted number for the God's instruction is always certain number five God's protection is always number six God's commission is very, very clear look at me in verse 18 is you sent me into the world so have I sent them into the world where all on mission God is sending us a pray that you'd open your hearts, not just to the teaching of Dr. Wilton as you've heard today from John 17 but right now as he steps in studio which you open your heart to what he has to say next.

Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now.

Dear God, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me cross today, I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God.

This is exciting news. If you given your life to Jesus is Dr. Wilton pray follicle once recalls let's put some free resources in the hands number 866898668999673 love to connect with you and maybe connect with great resources like this, Jesus said you the right of the world gives us so many opportunities to share the gospel happily today. Our friends, family and neighbors are reading so are the light of the world. Jesus brings there is more fierce spiritual warfare going on like leaving never experienced. We had better wake up America to encourage one another in times like these, encouragement, life changing ministry changing from a good friend of mine for your gift of support The Encouraging Word.

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