THE CHURCH IS ONE FOUNDATION

TEXT: JOHN 17:1-26.

INTRODUCTION

In this series of messages “Prayer changes things “, we have seen prayer warriors interceding for their people. David “came to God as he was “,  Solomon prayed “Thy will be done”, Hezekiah “Tried and tried Again”, he appealed to God.    Daniel “Stood in the gap” for his people, Ezra “rebuked his people for the unequal yoke”. Today, we look at the intercession of our Lord  Jesus Christ for His own Church, “The church’s one foundation”. Christianity is a praying faith because our Lord is a praying Lord. John 17 is the longest recorded prayer in the Bible. Jesus Christ prayed this prayer just before He was betrayed and arrested in John 18. the hour had come for the glorification of God’s son (John 12:23-24). When Christ prayed, He did not pray for His destiny, deliverance, dignity, relief or release from suffering, shame and scorn. Let us pray as He prayed.

Let us learn:-

I.  PRAY FOR THE SALVATION OF THE LOST. (John 17:1-3)

• An Elderly man was crossing a river one day when a frog called out to him and said “Old man, if you kiss me, I’ll turn into a beautiful princess”. He bent over, picked up frog, put it into his pocket and continued walking. The frog spoke up again “if you kiss me I will turn back into a beautiful princess, I will stay with you for one week”. The old man took the frog out of the pocket and smiled at it and returned into his pocket. The frog called the old man again “if you kiss me, I will turn back into a beautiful princess, I’ll stay with you and do anything you want “. Again the old man took the frog out, smiled at it and put it back into the pocket. Finally, the frog asked “what is the matter ? I have told you I am a beautiful princess and that I will stay with you and do anything you want, why don’t you kiss me? The old man said “ look, I am old man and at my age, I’d rather have a talking frog”.
• Long life, personal safety and divine intervention were not high on Jesus’ prayer list.
• Instead, Jesus Christ offered eternal life to sinners.
• Eternity is God’s most precious gift to man (John 3:16)
• The word “Give” occurs 17 times in this chapter.
• The other word related to the word eternal include Eternal glory-(2Tim.2:10, I Peter 5:10), eternal salvation (Heb.5:9), Eternal redemption (Heb.9:12) and eternal heritance (Heb.9:15) The opposite words include “Eternal fire” (Matt.18:8, 19:16, 25:41), Eternal damnation (Mark 3:29), Eternal judgement (Heb.6:2).
• Hell is for the lot of those who reject Jesus Christ.
• The biggest terror and dread and pain in life is life without God.
• Life without Jesus Christ is a waste and crisis, it is hollow, flat and bleak. It is a life of vanity, meaningless, a chasing after the wind (Ecc.1:14, 2:11,2:17,2:26, 4:4, 4:6, 6:9).
• Shakespeare writes in Macbeth “life is but a walking shadow, a poor player who struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”.
• Life is but a day; a fragile dew-drop on its perilous way from a tree’s summit”
• He is hard to imagine and hard to accept.
• Life without Christ is a roller-coaster, downward spiral and futile exercise.

II.  PRAY FOR THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE SAINTS (John 17:14-17)

• Conversion is a one time act and decision, however, sanctification (v.17) is a lifetime process and determination.
• Sanctification is an obedient life, ever being set apart.
• The attraction of the world, the weakness of the flesh and the onslaught of the devil are daily battles for the Christians.
• Sanctification is not about avoiding or escaping the world but yielding and surrendering to God.
• Our weapons against the world’s beliefs, values and attitudes are prayer for God’s intercession (v.9), Obedience to God’s word. (v.6,8,14) and reliance on God’s name (v.11)
• In Christ we are overcomers, conquerors and victors.

III. PRAY FOR THE SOLIDARITY OF THE CHURCH (John 17:20-23)

• Thomas Jefferson said “An association of men who will not quarrel with one another is a thing which has never existed”
• Jesus Christ used the word “One” five times (v.11,21,22,23)
• The unity of God’s church should reflect the unity of the Father and the Son.
• The Son is obedient to the Father and the father loves the Son.
• To be one is not the absence of opinions, but absence of divisions, it is unity, not uniformity.
• Disunity weakens, scatter and muffles the church.
• No bandage or tape or glue can piece together a divided church.

CONCLUSION.

• Do you know what today, tomorrow and eternity holds for you?
• Do not put down God’s offer of salvation.
• Do you bring unity, harmony and reconciliation or disunity, disharmony and discord to church and fellowships ?