Study 8

Text: John 17

"I HAVE GLORIFIED YOU…" John 17:4

One of the things that Jesus was most conscious of when He walked on earth was that He must glorify God. To "glorify God" simply means, "to bring glory and honour to the Name of God."

Let's take a look at one particular passage where this consciousness of bringing honour and glory to God was obviously foremost in the mind of Jesus. The Lord Jesus was entering into His last week on earth. He had ridden into Jerusalem triumphantly. The last week was spent ministering in Jerusalem predominantly. He spent most of His time teaching His Disciples, preparing them for His eventual death.

On one occasion, He said to His Disciples,

"The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.
Most assuredly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat
Falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone;
But if it dies, it produces much grain"
John 12:23-24

Jesus was teaching His Disciples how one must be prepared to die. One must not fear dying. Great blessings would come because of His death.

On that occasion, He also spoke to His Father in prayer. To be mentally prepared for death does not prevent moments of sadness from hitting Him. Even as He spoke to His Disciples about death, His heart was moved.

"Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say?
'Father, save Me from this hour?'

But for this purpose I came to this hour.
'Father, GLORIFY Your Name"
John 12:27-28

Jesus was struggling with two main thoughts. One was a very human thought. It was to ask His Father to save Him from the hour of death!
The second thought prevailed. It was the desire to glorify God's Name! Jesus saw Himself as coming into the world for this purpose... for this hour! He had come to die. It was through His death that He would truly be able to bring honour and glory to His Father's Name.

He desired very much to glorify His Father's Name. This thought was so strong that it overcame His human thoughts.

How we too must cultivate a strong desire to bring honour and glory to God's Name. This desire can be cultivated. It can become such a strong desire that it overcomes the greatest fears of our life- and that is often the fear of death! As you seek to deepen your spiritual life, would you pray that you may always desire to bring honour and glory to the Name of the Lord?

"I HAVE FINISHED THE WORK WHICH YOU HAVE GIVEN ME TO DO…" John 17:4

Another major area of concern in the life of the Lord Jesus has always been the work that His Father had given Him to do. Two passages may be cited to demonstrate the acute consciousness of His life's work,

"My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me,
and to finish His WORK"
John 4:34

"I must WORK the WORKS of Him who sent Me
while it is day;
The night is coming when no one can WORK"
John 9:4

It is wonderful to be able to say like the Lord Jesus Christ, at the end of life, that we have finished the work that God has given us.

WHAT IS THE WORK THAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU TO DO?

As we study the prayer of the Lord Jesus, and how He spoke about having glorified God, and how He had completed the work assigned to Him - we cannot help but ask the following questions:-

• What is the work that the Lord has given us to do?
• Are we doing His work faithfully?
• Would we be able to say confidently, that we have glorified the Lord, because we have faithfully done all the work that He has entrusted to us?

THE WORK THAT CHRIST HAS GIVEN TO THE CHURCH

There were a number of things that the Lord Jesus gave to His Disciples and the Church at large to do. Let's highlight just a few things that God wants us to do:-

• We are to bear witness for Him (Acts 1:8).
• We are to make Disciples for Him (Matt. 28:19-20).
• We are to grow the Church (Eph. 4).

Let us learn to pray as Jesus did. Let us ever seek to glorify our Father in Heaven. Let us seek to do His work faithfully always.

~ Pastor Charlie Tan ~

First released 24 June 2001 © Bethany Independent-Presbyterian Church, Singapore