On Sunday we rejoiced with Samuel and Everline as they brought baby Ruth to the Lord for dedication.We pray God’s blessing on Samuel, Everline and their family!
Couldn’t resist it! There was more I wanted to preach from John 17 as I near the end of this series. This week I preach on the two words featured in this chapter, ‘glory’ and ‘honour’.
The sermon is available as a Podcast. Notes are below. The material is made available so that any may use it, adapt it and preach it.
Feedback has told us that the recording have been a bit quiet. We are trying to correct this but it meant a bit of noise this time. Please bear with us, we should get it right soon
John 17
‘Glory’ & ‘Hour’
John 17:1-5
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. NKJ
John 17:22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. NKJ
1) Glory
Glory?! What glory? When? Where?
What does it mean to speak of glory in v5 & v10? The answer is given in the words of Jesus when he speaks of a grain of wheat falling to the ground (dying) in John 12:23-25 .
23 Jesus replied, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24 I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
The answer then is dying, sacrifice.
John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Hebrews 12:14-29 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm (verse 18).
Philippians 2:7-8
“..but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross!”
All glory must go to Jesus/God. God will not share his glory with another. Be careful lest you be found stealing God’s glory. See Isaiah 42:8, I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
We are to be the display of his glory. How? By laying our lives down for him in service, being the fragrance of Christ, by being salt and light. See Ephesians 1:5,6 ..he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will 6 to the praise of his glorious grace..
What glory was given to the disciples?
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Joy v13 I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
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unity v23 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.
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love v26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.
2) Hour
At the wedding feast an Cana Jesus declared his hour had not yet come (John 2:4).
A time came when those who heard him in Jerusalem wanted to to seize him, rebelling against God’s message, but were unable to do so because his ‘hour’ had not yet come (7:30; 8:20).
After his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (celebrated each Palm Sunday) he told them in John 12:23 “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Then again in John 12:27, Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour‘? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. The passover and the Passion both begin at this time. Truly this was his hour!
‘The Donkey’ by G. K. Chesterton (a poem about a donkey who knew his hour)
When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.
With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil’s walking parody
On all four-footed things.
The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.
Fools! for I also had my hour;
One fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.
Can we recognise it when we have our hour, our special moment? Or an hour, a special moment?
So, this is your hour:
Philippians 2:1-4
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfil my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
This is the second part of a series John Usher is doing on the Holy Spirit in 1 Samuel. This week John looks at the anointing of Saul.
No notes this week but the podcast is available as usual.
Last night saw four teams pit their wits against each other in a joint St Laurence’s-Elim Quiz night.
The teams were:
The Pink Princesses (and Jany the Destroyer)
The Tornadoes
Ancient and Modern (Standard Version)
Unique (2)
And the winners were Ancient and Modern (Standard Version) with a whopping 88 points! Runners up the Tornadoes had 80 very closely followed by Unique with 79.5.
The winning team went away with free books from the Barbican Book Shop and the runners up got a bag chocolates.
Highlights of the night included: The Disposable Cups Challenge - As a team we had to build the highest tower using only disposable plastic cups, in only two minutes. The Pipe Cleaner Challenge - Each team was given a packet of pipe cleaners to make a model of St Lawrence’s Church, in 10 minutes.
I think I speak for everyone when I say it was a great laugh!
This is part 14 of Graham’s preaching series on John’s Gospel chapters 13 to 17.
This week the sermon is looking at John chapter 17.
The sermon is available as a Podcast and notes are below.
The material is made available so that any may use it, preach it or adapt it.
John 17:1-26
Intro
These words were probably overheard after they left the upper room (chapter 14 verse 31?) and before they crossed over the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives. Again I think someone would have acted as a scribe, recording this precious and intimate prayer.
Many commentators have seen a structure to this prayer, or a “shape” as Donald Goggan put in his excellent book, ‘The Prayers of the New Testament’. However, we should not be limited in our thinking by this perceived structure, though it does help us connect with this prayer.
The “shape” can be represented by imagining three concentric circles. The first circle is concerned with Jesus himself (v1-5). The second concerns those around him then, his close followers (v6-19). The third is concerned with the church that is yet to be in the future (v20-26).
This prayer is a conference between The Son and The Father.
1) First Circle, 1-5
“Glorify your son” verse 1
“Glorify me” verse 5
He asks that he be glorified, that his authority to give eternal life be shown to all as his unique right, that his true identity be finally revealed for all to recognise.
See:
John 20:30-31
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
1 John 5:13
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
2) Second Circle, 6-19
“Keep/protect” verse 11. Protection from evil - attack or onslaught from without.
See John 10:27-29(KJV)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
“Sanctify” verse 17. Protection from sin - injury springing from within.
This is a perilous moment for the young church as Jesus moves them into the new position outlined in my previous sermon. They needed great care and protection, and what better care and protection than the prayer of Jesus and the imminent presence of his Holy Spirit?
- I want to cooperate with his work of keeping/protecting me.
- I want to cooperate with his work of sanctifying me.
3) Third Circle, 20-26
(a) “I pray” verse 20.
(b) “I desire/want” verse 24.
(a) “I pray” verse 20. He prays for our unity.
It seems from this record that Christians have unity granted to them by this prayer of Jesus, And what prayer of Jesus would we not expect to have been granted!? Unity must not be violated or we vandalise holy things.
What is unity?
Isaiah 12:2,3
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Christian unity is an ability to disagree even as we draw water from the wells of salvation. Yet our unity as that we are gathered around the same well, drawing the same water.
(b) “I desire/want” verse 24. He desires to be united with them/us in glory.
See chapter 14 verses 1-3
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
We may long for our welcome home, but it seems he longs for our return too.
Conclusion
The three circles of concern are recounted by John for one great purpose. See chapter 20 verses 28 to 31
Thomas said to him, My Lord and my God!
Then Jesus told him, Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
It’s simple to view a pdf of the most recent News Sheet by clicking here.
Graham continues his series on John’s Gospel chapters 13-17, picking up here in chapter 16 from verse 17.
Notes:
John 16:17-33
16:33 “In me” compared to “In the world”
1) As he explained previously, his departure was necessary for the Spirit to come
2) His departure was necessary so they could have access to the Father
v 26 “I do not say that I will pray for you”
Now we can talk directly with the Father.
Last week we looked at the need for Jesus to depart to allow the Counsellor (Holy Spirit) to come. Now we see there are more privileges, prayer and access to the Father.
Let us come boldly. Hebrews 4:14-16
14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
3) “In me” shows them to be re-located
Moved to “heavenly realms”, see Ephesians 2:3-6
3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved.
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
“Heavenly Realms” are mentioned five times in Ephesians. Paul explains that the Christian’s union with the exalted, risen Christ effects us in a number of ways.
(a) We are already in possession of every spiritual blessing in Jesus (Ephesians 1:3).
(b) Ephesians 1:20-22 Christ is enthroned and we share in his enthronement and rule from heaven
(c) By gathering Jews, Gentiles, male, female, slave and free all together, he displays his “manifold wisdom” to the rulers, authorities in the heavenly realm.
Romans 3:22
22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
Romans 10:12
12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile- the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,
Galatians 3:28
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
(d) That is why our struggle is not merely against flesh and blood (see chap 6) but against the great spiritual powers that wage war against God. See Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
“In Christ” occurs 12 times in verses 3-12 of Ephesians 1. This is the revelation first introduced by Jesus himself, as recorded in John’s gospel.
Conclusion
We are back to the beginning of the sermon John 16:33 “In me” compared to “In the world”. Once we understand this, how will it effect our response to temptation?
England’s Messiah by Martin Saunders - A Book Review
“Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I’m very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”
(Bill Shankly, Liverpool Manager 1959-1974)
This is a Christian novel for anyone who loves football, although it is probably best suited for 15-18 year olds. Having said that it was a book I really enjoyed. It’s a fairly easy read and follows the progress of the two main characters in a way that draws you in. By the end of the book you really feel that you are sharing in their lives. Harry Foster is a bitter and cynical football reporter whose own career as a player was cut short by injury. He has all but lost faith in football until he sees a young man, John Christie, playing football at the local park. Thanks to his intervention John’s life changes forever. The rest of the book follows his rise to prominence and the trials and tribulations that come with that rise. This book is designed simply to entertain, however the behaviour of John Christie, a devout Christian, draws parallels with the life of Jesus and offers us insight in how we can behave at work and in the world in a way that is different and that makes a difference.
- This review was written by Hamish.
