Prayer Meeting                                     Notes 2000

" YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN... "    Luke 11:2

" I HAVE FINISHED THE WORK... "    John 17:4

THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE LORD JESUS ABOUT DOING GOD'S WORK EVIDENCED FROM START TO FINISH

1. The work that God had given was the "food" of the Lord Jesus John 4:34

a) It "fed" Him

b) It sustained Him

2. The word of God was compelling in more ways than one John 9:4

a) There was a time constraint

b) There must therefore be a special sense of urgency too

WHAT WAS THAT "WORK?"

1. It was the same as "doing the will of Him who sent Me" John 4:34

2. The sign-miracles

a) The healing of the paralysed man (John 5:1-23; "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working; For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all the things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel..." John 5:17, 20)

b) The works of the Lord Jesus as His "witness" of His Messianic Identity John 5:36

THE STRESS AND STRAIN OF DOING GOD'S WORK

1. Thank God that there were some who believed John 4:39-42; 4:53

2. But there were many who opposed the Lord Jesus

a) He had no honour in His own country John 4:44

b) There were those who were out for His blood John 5:18; 7:25, 30

i) They were convinced He was a law-breaker

ii) He had blasphemed, claiming equality with God

c) There were those who abandoned/deserted Him John 6:66

d) There was one who betrayed Him John 6:70-71

e) There were people who sought to teach that Jesus was a deceiver John 7:12

f) There were those who accused Him of being demonised John 7:20; 8:48; 10:20

g) There was "division" of opinion and sentiments as to who Jesus really was John 7:43

h) There were those who sought to trap Jesus by some means to accuse Him John 8:6

i) Ultimately the battle is between the Lord and the devil John 8:44; 13:2, 27

j) They were people who were prepared to stone the Lord Jesus John 8:59; 9:31

k) They were people who would resort to abuse of religious authority to pursue and achieve their goals John 9:22, 34; 13:42-43

l) The bottom-line - "they plotted to put Him to death" John 11:55

a) "Then Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews" John 11:54; 12:36 (No more signs John 12:37-40)

b) Special personal (mental) preparation for "the hour" of His death John 12:23-24

c) Prayer John 12:27-28; John 17

d) Last Supper John 13

e) Focus on giving special instructions to His disciples John 13-16

i) Concerning death John 13-14

ii) Concerning humility John 13

iii) Concerning Christian love John 13

iv) Concerning the Holy Spirit John 14-16

v) Concerning abiding in Christ John 15