Message Notes

SUNDAY SCHOOL SPECIAL                                                     15 JANUARY 2023

Text: John 17:9-12

Subject: A Special Prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ III

⁹ “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 

¹⁰ And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 

¹¹ Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 

¹² While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 

John 17:9-12

NOT PRAYING FOR THE WORLD

1. This statement must be carefully studied and understood

2. It does not mean that the Lord Jesus is unconcerned for the world

3. The “world” that the Lord Jesus is speaking about:

a) It is not a reference to the earth

b) It is a reference to the world that is controlled by Satan

c) He did not and would not pray for the world that is so full of evil

PRAYING FOR THE DISCIPLES

1. The Lord prayed for His Disciples

a) They were given to Him by God the Father

b) They are the LORD’s

c) All that belong to the Lord Jesus are also the LORD’s

d) The Lord Jesus is glorified in the Disciples

2. Praying that the Disciples might be kept (protected)

a) The Lord Jesus was conscious that soon He would depart

b) The Disciples would need to be especially kept

c) He entrusted their safety to the Father

3. Praying that the Disciples may be one (united)

a) Oneness (unity) was vital

b) The Disciples were not very united at this point of time

c) They had strong personal ambitions

d) They were influenced to seek after the wrong things:

i) Position

ii) Power/ Authority

iii) Leadership roles

e) Oneness

i) Harmony

ii) As the Father and the Lord Jesus were one!

4. Reflecting on how the Lord Jesus had kept the Disciples

a) The Lord Jesus had kept the Disciples in the name of the Father

b) All who were truly given by the Father, none was lost

5. The son of perdition

a) Perdition means “damnation”

b) This is a reference to Judas Iscariot

c) He knew that Judas would betray Him

⁷⁰ Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 

⁷¹ He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

John 6:70-71

d) The Lord Jesus gracious chose Judas to be among The Twelves

e) Judas was described as “a devil”

f) He would betray the Lord Jesus one day

CONCLUSION

1. Learning to pray for:

a) Others

b) For our SS pupils

2. Things to pray for:

a) Protection

b) Oneness

3. Things we must also do as we pray

a) To teach

b) To guide

c) To admonish