praying

P R A Y

for Others

Jesus

Pray for Unhindered Fellowship John 17:9-12 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be full.	REVIEW Christ is a Master that delights in the proficiency of his scholars. Those that keep Christ’s word, and believe on him, let Christ alone to commend them, and which is more, to recommend them to his Father. Wilt thou not secure them, that they may not be run down by the devil and the world. The Father and Son to be one in essence and one in interest. What the Son has as Redeemer is designed for the Father. All the benefits of redemption purchased by the Son are intended for the Father’s praise: All mine are thine. The Son owns none for his that are not devoted to the service of the Father. Now the first thing Christ prays for is their preservation. Keeping supposes danger, and their danger arose from the world; the evil of this he begs they might be kept from. It is his will that we should take up our cross, and not outrun it. In pity therefore to this dark world, Christ would not have these lights removed out of it, especially for the sake of those in the world that were to believe in him through their word. Many good people are spared to live, because they can ill be spared to die. Not that they may be kept from all conflict with the world, but that they may not be overcome by it. It is more the honour of a Christian soldier by faith to overcome the world than by a monastical vow to retreat from it; and more for the honor of Christ to serve him in a city than in a cell. It is the unspeakable comfort of all believers that Christ himself has committed them to the care of God. He here puts them under the divine protection. To this prayer is owing the wonderful preservation of the gospel ministry and gospel church in the world unto this day. He puts them under the divine tuition. We need God’s power not only to put us into ha state of grace, but to keep us in it. If he be a holy God and hate sin, he will make those holy that are his, and keep them from sin, which they also hate and dread as the greatest evil. Keep them in the knowledge and fear of thy name; keep them in the profession and service of thy name, whatever it cost them.” Let they name be their strong tower. Keep them from the evil, or out of the evil. He had taught them to pray daily. Deliver us from evil, and this would encourage them to pray. Keep them from the evil one. Keep them from Satan as a tempter, that their faith may not fail. Keep them from his as a destroyer. Keep them from the evil thing, that is, sin. Keep them, that they do not evil. Keep them from the evil of the world, and of their tribulation in it, so that it may have not sting in it. Not that they might be kept from affliction, but kept through it.
Pray for Joy in the Midst of Opposition John 17:13-16 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.	REVIEW Christ earnestly desired the fullness of the joy of his disciples, for it is his will that they should rejoice evermore. When they thought their joy in him was brought to an end, then was it advanced nearer to perfection than ever it had been, and they were fuller of it. We are here taught to found our joy in Christ. Christ is a Christian’s joy, his chief joy. Joy in the world is withering with it; joy in Christ is everlasting, like him. To build up our joy with diligence. No part o f the Christian life is pressed upon us more earnestly, to aim at the perfection of this joy. Philippians 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. In order hereunto, he did thus solemnly commit them to his Father’s care and keeping: These things I speak in the world. Saying this in the world would be a greater satisfaction and encouragement to them, and would enable them to rejoice in tribulation. Christ has not only treasured up comforts for his people, but has given out comforts to them. He here condescended to publish his last will and testament, and (which many a testator is shy of) lets them know what legacies he had left them, and how well they were secured. Christ’s intercession for us is enough to fill our joy in him; nothing more effectual to silence all our fears and mistrusts than this, that he always appears in the presence of God for us. Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them. He pleads the ill usage they were likely to meet with in the world, for his sake (v.14): “I have given them thy word, and they have received it, and therefore the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, any more than I.” The world’s enmity to Christ’s followers. While Christ was with them it hates them, much more would it do so when by their more extensive preaching of the gospel they would turn the world upside down. “Father, stand their friend,” says Christ. “Let them have thy love, for the world’s hatred is entailed upon them.” It is God’s honour to take part with the weaker side, and to help the helpless. The reasons of this enmity, which strengthen the plea. One reason is because they had received the word of God by the hand of Christ, when the greatest part of the world rejected it. Those that receive Christ’s goodwill and good word must expect the world’s ill will and ill word. Gospel ministers have been in a particular manner hated by the world, because they call men out of the world, and separate them from it, and so condemn the world. “Father, keep them, they are sufferers for thee.” Those that keep the word of Christ’s patience are entitled to special protection in the hour of temptation. That cause which makes a martyr may well make a joyful sufferer. Another reason is more express; the world hates them, because they are not of the world. Those to whom the word of Christ comes in power are not of the world, and therefore the world bears them a grudge. He pleads their conformity to himself in a holy non-conformity to the world (v. 16): “Father, keep them, they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” Those may in faith commit themselves to God’s custody, who are as Christ was in this world. God will love those that are like Christ. (1) Jesus Christ was not of this world; he never had been of it. This intimates, First, His state; he was none of the world’s favorites nor darlings; worldly possessions he had none, not even where to lay his head; nor worldly power. Secondly, His Spirit; he was perfectly dead to the world; the prince of this world had nothing in him. (2) Therefore true Christians are not of this world. It is their lot to be despised by the world; they are not in favour with the world any more than their Master before them was. It is their privilege to be delivered from the world. Christ’s disciples were weak, and had many infirmities; yet this he could say for them, they were not of the world and therefore he recommends them to the care of Heaven. (Glory!)
Pray for Devotion to Jesus’ Mission John 17:17-19 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.	REVIEW The next thing he prayed for them was that they might be sanctified; not only kept from evil, but made good. Here is the petition (v.17) Sanctify them through thy truth; they word is truth. He desires they may be sanctified, as Christians. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1) The grace desired—sanctification. He prays, Father, sanctify them. “Conform the work of sanctification in them, rivet their good resolutions. Carry on that good work in them; let the light shine more and more. Complete it, sanctify them throughout and to the end.” He cannot for shame own them as his, either here or hereafter, or present them to his Father, if they be not sanctified. Those that through grace are sanctified have need to be sanctified more and more. Not to go forward is to go backward; he that is holy must be holy still, more holy still. It is God that sanctifies as well as God that justifies. (2) The means of conferring this grace—through thy truth, thy word is truth. Divine revelation, as it now stands in the written word, is not only pure truth without mixture, but entire truth without deficiency. This word of truth should be the outward and ordinary means of our sanctification. It is the seed of the new birth, and the food of the new life. 2. As ministers. “Sanctify them; let their call to the apostleship be ratified in heaven. Qualify them for the office, with Christian graces and ministerial gifts. Separate them to the office. I have called them, they have consented; Father, say Amen to it. Own them in the office let thy hand go along with them. Sanctify them to thy truth, to be the preachers of thy truth to the world.” Jesus Christ intercedes for his ministers with a particular concern, and recommends to his Father’s grace those stars he carries in his right hand. The great thing to be asked of God for gospel ministers in that they may be sanctified, entirely devoted to God, and experimentally acquainted with the influence of that word upon their own hearts which they preach to others. II. We have here two pleas to enforce the petition, 1. The mission they had from him (v.18): “As thou hast sent me into the world, so now have I sent them into the world.” (1) Christ speaks with great assurance of his mission: Thou hast sent me into the world. He was sent of God to say what he said, and do what he did, and be what he is to those that believe on him. (2) He speaks of the commission he had given his disciples: “So have I sent them on the same errand”; to preach the same doctrine that he preached. He gave them their own commission with a reference to his own, and it magnifies their office that it comes from Christ, and that there is some affinity between the commission given to the ministers of reconciliation and that given to the Mediator. Only they are sent as servants, he as a Son. Christ was concerned so much form the, because he had himself put them into a difficult office, which required great abilities for the due discharge of it. Whom Christ sends he will stand by. What he calls us out to he will fit us out for, and bear us out in. He committed them to his Father, because he was concerned in their cause, their mission being in prosecution of his. The Father sanctified him when he sent him into the world. Now, they being sent as he was, let them also be sanctified. 2. The merit he had for them is another thing here pleaded (v.19) For their sakes I sanctify myself. (1) Christ designation of himself to the work and devoted himself to the undertaking, and all the parts of it, especially that which he was now going about—the offering up of himself without spot unto God, by the eternal Spirit. This he pleads with his Father, for his intercession is made in the virtue of his satisfaction. (2) Christ’s design of kindness to his disciples herein; it is for their sakes, that they may be sanctified, that they may be saints and ministers, duly qualified and accepted of God. The office of the ministry is the purchase of Christ’s blood, and one of the blessed fruits of his satisfaction. The real holiness of all good Christians if the fruit of Christ’s death. He gave himself for his church, to sanctify it. And he that designed the end designed also the means, that they might be sanctified by the truth. The word of truth receives its sanctifying virtue and power from the death of Christ. And this Christ has prayed for, for all that are his; for this is his will, even their sanctification, which encourages them to pray for it.

**REVIEW taken from the Matthew Henry Commentary