THE HEARTBEAT OF JESUS | RUSTY NELSON

JOHN 17

1. KNOW HIM — RELATIONSHIP

 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”  John 17:3

• Everything begins with knowing Him. 

• Jesus did not come merely to give us information about God. He came to bring us into a relationship with the Father. 

A.W. TOZER  “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

2. KEEP THEM — PRESERVATION

 “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me.”  John 17:11

• Jesus did not pray for our escape from the battle. He prayed for our faithfulness in the battle. 

• We are in this World without the World being in us 

     Charles Spurgeon: “By perseverance, the snail reached the ark.”

3. SANCTIFY THEM — TRANSFORMATION

 “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”  John 17:17

• Jesus does not merely want a protected church. He wants a transformed church. 

• The Word of God does not adjust itself to fit us. The Word of God transforms us to look like Jesus. 

4. SEND THEM — MISSION

 “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.”  John 17:18

• The Church is not simply a GATHERED people. We are a SENT people. 

• We gather in His presence so we can carry His presence. 

      David Livingstone: “God had an only Son, and He made Him a missionary.”

5. MAKE THEM ONE — UNITY

 “That they all may be one… that the world may believe that You sent Me.”  John 17:21

• Our unity is apologetic. 

• Our unity is the visible evidence of an invisible Kingdom. 

Francis Schaeffer: “Our relationship with each other is the criterion the world uses to judge whether our message is truthful.”

• The Holy Spirit came to testify of Jesus and unify his people. 

 “He will testify of Me.” John 15:26

 “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3

• The Spirit does not erase our distinctions; He overcomes our divisions. 

6. BE WITH ME — GLORY & PRESENCE

 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory.”   John 17:24

• The ultimate destination of salvation is with Him. 

• The Gospel begins with God coming to be with us and ends with us going to be with Him.” 

C.S. Lewis: “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” 

7. MY LOVE IN THEM — IMITATION

 “That the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”  John 17:26

• Jesus prayed that the love between the Father and the Son would become visible through his people. 

• The world should see something of the relationship between the Father and the Son through the way the Church lives and loves.” 

KNOW HIM. 

KEPT BY HIS NAME. 

SANCTIFIED BY HIS TRUTH. 

SENT INTO HIS MISSION. 

UNITED FOR HIS WITNESS. 

DESTINED FOR HIS GLORY. 

FILLED WITH HIS LOVE. 

“WE ARE STILL LIVING INSIDE THE PRAYER OF JESUS.”