Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• John 17 is a heavy chapter - the High Priestly prayer
• The relationship that Jesus has with God the Father and the Spirit
• Speaks of the glory Jesus had before the world was created
• Jesus was given a people
• Jesus was sent by the Father to save the people
• John 17 is also a chapter about heavenly and glorious things
• Suddenly and dramatically the scene changes (18:1)
• Jesus must bring these things to pass of which He has been speaking to His Father
• Jesus must secure the people He was sent to save
• Quote from Matthew Henry
• Jesus never lost His sovereignty or control
• Jesus was sovereign when we was asleep in the little boat
• He is in control now
• This is for our immense comfort
• Is Jesus your captain and Saviour?

The Control of the Lord Jesus Christ

• The foundational claims Jesus makes about Himself
• He is Jesus of Nazareth but also the 'I AM' (v5, 6, 8)
• I am the Jehovah
• I am the true and living God
• I am the God of Moses
• I am the self-existent and everlasting God
• Jesus knows who He is
• The reaction of the men:
• The men drew back and fell to the ground after Jesus said 'I AM'
• They recognised something more in Jesus than just a prophet, than someone causing trouble, than whose own people hated Him
• Example from work about behaviour and morality
• Jesus is not in the same league as mankind
• People are sinful
• There is great potential for sin and hatred in our heart
• Jesus is in a category by Himself
• John 1:1-3
• What do you think of Jesus Christ?
• Not about church, religion, a respect for the bible or anything else

The Compassion of the Lord Jesus Christ

• "Let these go their way" (v8-9)
• [The disciples]
• Jesus words are on the same level of Scripture (John 17:12)
• Jesus is presenting Himself as a substitute for His friends and people
• He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
• Jesus is guarding His friends
• Jesus is the substitute and come to be the ransom for many
• He has come as the representative for all those who believe in Him
• Once Man's live offered in the place of many
• 'Having loved them, He loved them right to the end'
• Peter is full of indignation and a desire to protect Jesus
• He cuts off the ear of the Malchus
• He makes a fundamental error with regards to the mission of Jesus
• It is not about an earthly kingdom or the power of the sword
• He has not yet grasped that Jesus must be crucified and rise on the third day
• The way to the Kingdom is through the sufferings and death and rising of His Master
• Jesus takes control and steps in to secure the safety of His friends

The Commitment to Suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ

• "Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?" (v11)
• Matthew, Mark and Luke - Jesus prays the cup is taken away from Him
• He recoils from it in His human nature
• In John Jesus goes further and says He will drink from this cup
• The cup is given to the Son by the Father
• God has put the sin, shame, transgressions and disgrace into this cup
• God has given this cup to His Son
• The cup is associated with the wrath of God - Isaiah 51:17, 22
• Jesus has drunk this cup down to the very dregs
• If we do not trust in Jesus then we have to drink these dregs
• But Jesus has taken this cup for us
• It was Christ's joy to do the will of the Father
• He committed Himself to do this
• He speaks about what He is gladly to do in John 17
• The account from Gethsemane is terrible and unimaginable
• Jesus is not shrinking back - He is reaching out His hand to
  take this cup
• He did not want to be King (when the people sought to make Him)
• He committed Himself to the sufferings when the people came to take Him

The Courage of the Lord Jesus Christ

• This struck me the most
• We shouldn't neglect this important part of His ministry, although we know He was more than this
• Mark - A great multitude of men in Gethsemane
• Jesus "knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward" (v4)
• He stepped up to the plate
• He knows what is going to happen but steps forward
• He presents Himself to them
• Contrast Jesus with Judas
• Judas' deceit and trickery
• Judas' lack of faith but Jesus standing plainly for truth
• The Victoria Cross
• A total disregard for their own personal safety - by the actions they protected and saved their comrades
• Jesus will have more than a medal

Closing Remarks

• Jesus presents Himself on behalf of His people:
• In control
• Laying down His life for His friends
• Confronting His enemies
• What a Saviour we have
• Without Him we are lost and defenceless
• There is a spiritual war about us and only Jesus can protect
• The world about is is constantly moving
• Things are happening in our minds and hearts
• People passing into eternity
• It is time to choose

Closing Prayer