“GLORIFY THY SON” (Jn 17:1)
June 1st, 08
Int. There are many petitions in this passage of Scripture, but only one does Christ present for Himself.
I. CONSIDER OUR LORD’S PETITION (Vr. 1)
A. CONSIDER HIS EARLIER PRAYER.
1. (John 12:27-28) "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. {28} Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."
2. His petition was that, “God might glorify Him in his sufferings, and after his sufferings.”
3. The motive for letting our light shine is to glorify God.
4. Jesus had one motive in life: "I must be about My Father's business," and in the shadow of the cross, he said: "Father, glorify Thy name...I have glorified Thee on earth." (Jn 14:13; 15:8).
B. CONSIDER HIS GLORY IN HIS SUFFERINGS.
1. (John 13:31-32) "Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. {32} If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him."
C. OUR LORD WAS GLORIFIED BY THE MIRACLES THAT ACCOMPANIED HIS DEATH.
1. (Mat 27:51) "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"
2. (Mat 27:54) "Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."
D. THE FATHER GLORIFIED HIS SON AFTER HIS DEATH.
1. (John 7:39) "(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)"
2. Paul declared Christ to be head of his church after his resurrection.
a. (Eph 2:20-22) "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; {21} In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: {22} In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."
3. His Divinity was formally declared after his death and Resurrection.
a. (Col 2:15) "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
4. Our Lord was glorified after his death and resurrection.
a. (Eph 4:8) "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men."
5. It was after his death and Resurrection that the Father exalted him or glorified him.
a. (Phil 2:9-11) "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: {10} That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; {11} And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
6. Isaiah spoke of His Glorification:
a. (Isa 55:4-5) "Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. {5} Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee."
II. CONSIDER NOW A SLIGHT PROBLEM WITH OUR TEXT... “Glorify Me.”
A. CONSIDER SOME PASSAGES THAT SOUND SO DIFFERENT.
1. (John 8:50) "And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth."
a. J. C. Ryle: “The Bible would not be a book "given by inspiration of God," if it did not contain many things which pass man's finite understanding.”
2. The solution to this problem is simple:
a. In (Jn 8:50) He was disclaiming any personal aims, affections or self esteem.
3. In (John 17:1) “He says: “The Hour is come.”
a. It is to be noted that our Lord first had “the hour” and then “the glory” (No Cross—No Crown)
4. It was after the crucifixion that Jesus declared: (Luke 24:26) "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?"
5. (Rom 8:17) "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."
III. CONSIDER HIS PETITION AGAIN. “Glorify Me”
A. CHRIST SHOWED NO INTEREST IN THE EMPTY THINGS OF THIS WORLD.
1. And neither should we be: (Col 3:1) “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”
a. J. S. Baxter's Awake My Heart. (S-1-4) pg150 "Grapes of Eschol! "A young lady was once converted by meditating on the first question in the catechism--"What is the chief end of man?" The answer, "To glorify God, and enjoy Him forever." She felt that she was not fulfilling this end while spending her time in vain and worldly pleasures. By the grace of God she gave them up, and became an eminent Christian."
2. Robert Haldane: "God is glorified in the prayers and praises of His people. This object, then, they should never forget. They should acknowledge Him and praise Him in every part of His character, however offensive it may be to the world. He is glorified by them literally with one mouth in prayer. He who prays is to be considered as uttering the prayer of the whole multitude of disciples, and each of them should follow in spirit, praying with him as he utters the words"
B. OUR LORD’S PETITION TO BE GLORIFIED IS EVIDENCE OF HIS ABASEMENT.
1. Our Lord thought it not robbery to be equal with God; and yet here we see him upon his knees in prayer.
2. He who possessed the Key of David is now knocking at the gate of Heaven.
3. That is, He who might take without robbery, “GLORY” as His due; yet, as our Mediator, he is to ask.
C. OUR LORD WAS ASKING FOR WHAT HE KNEW WOULD BE GIVEN.
1. (John 8:50) "And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth."
2. Consider that the Father was jealous for the Son’s Glory.
a. (John 12:28) "Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."
3. The Father would do this by strengthening him with Angelic help.
a. (Mark 1:13) "And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him."
D. FROM THIS VERSE WE SEE THAT GOD’S PROVIDENCE DOES NOT TAKE AWAY THE NEED OF PRAYER.
1. We are to ask, though our heavenly Father knows we have need of these things.
2. It was when Daniel understood by books the number of the years that he was mot earnest in prayer.
3. It was when Elijah heard the sound of rain that he prayed.
IV. CONSIDER THE REASON FOR SUCH A PETITION. (VR. 1)
A. HE WOULD ALWAYS HONOR THE FATHER.
1. (Mal 1:6) "A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?"
2. The answer to the question in (Mal 1:6) is found in (Mt 5:16)
a. (Mat 5:16) "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
b. Alexander Maclaren: “Lamps are not lit to be looked at, but that something else may be seen by them. Men may see God through our works.”
c. Hallock relates the story about a pastor who visited a man who had dropped out of church and sat by the fire place until the fires went out. He then picked up the cold dead ember and placed it back in the fire. The man got the message.
d. John McDuff: “What unspeakable injury has been done to the cause of Christ, by the inconsistent lives of many professors of religion!
e. Gilmore wrote:
Though the world won't read the Bible,
Your life it will surely heed;
When Jesus dwells in your being
And speaks through your every deed.
3. (1 Cor. 10:31) would certainly describe our Lord.
a. Thomas Brooks: "A man's most glorious actions will at last be found to be but glorious sins, if he hath made himself, and not the glory of God, the end of those actions."
4. (Phil 1:20) "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified (or glorified) in my body, whether it be by life, or by death."
5. We should desire God’s glory in our lives. (Eph 1:6) “To the praise of the GLORY of his grace, wherein he had made us accepted in the beloved.”
a. (1 Sam 2:30) “Those that honour me; I will honour them.”
Conclusion: He tells the Father that He has finished the work that the Father had given him to do. (Vr. 4)
1. Christ accepted is the pledge of our Glory.
2. Christ dwelling in us is the hope of our Glory.
3. Christ walking with us is the light of Glory.
4. Christ on us is the garments of Glory.
5. Christ’s fulness is the measure of our Glory.
6. Christ Himself is the crown of our Glory.
7. Christ crucified and raised from the dead is:
a. Christ glorified.
b. Christ glorified is the God the Father glorified, the Holy Spirit Glorified, and the believer glorified.
c. “Father, glorify Thy son, that thy son may glorified Thee.”