Because Jesus Prayed (John 17:20-23)
Gary McManus, 04/21/2019Part of the Prayer series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019
A good case can be made that while Jesus was buried in the tomb,
the disciples, the eleven, prayed. (Mark 15:42, Mark 16:1, Acts 1:12-14, John 20:19, John 20:26)
But in hiding and on the sabbath, there were doubtless prayers for the Sabbath Day.
Jesus had demonstrated prayer.
Jesus taught prayer.
In the garden Jesus prayed to the Heavenly Father for strength. –for help. Jesus prayed for the help to DO his heavenly Father’s will.
(We should note that knowing the Heavenly Father’s will is probably easier than actually DOING the Heavenly Father’s will.)
See Luke 24:1-12, Mark 16:1-8 , Matthew 28:1-10, Acts 2:42, Mark 7:34, Luke 6:12-13, Matthew 26:42, Luke 5:16, Matthew 14:19, Matthew 26:26.
The Lord WILL help us. . .
The Lord will answer the prayer to help us DO what the Lord wants us to do.
How could Jesus do what he did?
Jesus did nothing wrong but suffered--was arrested tried, abused,
mocked, beaten and THEN nailed to a cross.
Jesus took all our sin upon himself that we might be forgiven sin.
How? The answer is prayer.
The answer was prayer and the answer is still prayer.
Some scholars say that it was Jesus’ angry outburst
in the Temple that really brought the authorities down on him hard. He upset the tables of the money changers
—Jesus interfered with the commerce of the Temple.
Jesus said (Matthew 21:13)
“It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”
My house—God’s house—a house of prayer.
John shows us Jesus praying. . .and John records some of the prayers:
Jesus in all that he went through was always aware of, convinced of,
,assured of God’s love.
[YOU] have loved them, heavenly Father, even as you have loved me.
John 14:23-31
Love me, do what I say. . .I do what the Father wants—I love Him,
the Father loves me. Peace is not of this world—peace is from me, Jesus. Don’t WORRY. Don’t be afraid. I am going to the Heavenly Father.
John 15:10: If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
John 15:12: My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Amen.
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