Cultivating a Deeper Prayer Life - A Theology of Prayer

Study 24

Text: John 17

"AND FOR THEIR SAKES I SANCTIFY MYSELF..." John 17:19

What an awesomely deep thought we have here! The words of Jesus uttered in this prayer takes one's breath away!

"For their sakes..." Imagine Jesus saying these words. This principle must have been in His mind all the time as He lived and as He served. He was most conscious of how His life and ministry could have impacted His Disciples.

The Disciples probably did not fully understand all that their Teacher did for them. Jesus now spoke of what He did for them… that they might grow well in their faith and in their understanding of their ministry.

"FOR THEIR SAKES..."

What were some of the things that Jesus did... for the sake of the Disciples? Let us take time to study one classic example of what Jesus could have meant when He spoke about doing things for their sakes.

Jesus was teaching His Disciples about how He would have to die on the Cross. Of course, humanly speaking He was "troubled" (John 12:27).

He shared with His Disciples these deep thoughts,

"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

Immediately, His Father replied from heaven and said,

"I have both glorified it
and will glorify it again"
John 12:28

Jesus then went on to say,

"This voice did not come because of Me,
but for your sake"
John 12:30

Jesus knew that His Disciples were even more troubled than He was. If His soul was troubled, a quick word of prayer to His Father would immediately bring great comfort to His heart. However, this was not the case where His Disciples were concerned. They did not know how to draw that kind of comfort, and courage when they faced pain - such as the thought of their Master having to die on the Cross!

God understood how Jesus felt towards His Disciples. His Father responded and once again the Disciples were privileged to hear the very voice of God. He must have called upon His Father to encourage the hearts of His Disciples. For the Son's sake, the Father complied. What a deep and awesome thought this is!

"THAT THEY ALSO MAY BE SANCTIFIED BY THE TRUTH..." John 17:19

Let us imagine Jesus drawing a circle. This circle represents God sanctifying Him, or setting Him apart for the work that He had given to Him.

Jesus drew a larger circle now, and in this larger circle He drew in His Disciples. They were also sanctified. They were also set apart by Him. They were going to be sent out to be His Disciples and His servants.

The circle that Jesus drew was Truth. The Disciples were sanctified by the truth that Jesus had taught them. They were safe and sound in that circle of truth.

THE CHALLENGE TO ABIDE IN THE CIRCLE OF TRUTH

How important it is to remind ourselves again and again that we must abide in the truth that Jesus taught! It is only when we truly abide in the truth of God's Word that we will understand what it means to be sanctified by the truth.

The Disciples never stepped outside the circle of truth that Jesus drew for them. They faithfully preached the Word given to them by their Master. They remained faithful and true to the Word of Truth that their Master had sanctified them with.

This must also be our challenge. There are many who proclaim "new and novel" ways of praying which promise to yield better results. Let us choose to emulate the example of the Lord Jesus. Let us decide that we want to remain in the circle of truth and there discover the depths of prayer!

~ Pastor Charlie Tan ~