The Saviour is Waiting for You - Part 617

Jesus states that He wanted none -- not any one of us -- to miss an opportunity to experience His abundance of love toward us. His grace and mercy. His ongoing commitment towards His creation. "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign" even more. (Romans 5:21) This is why the depth of our Father's love becomes evident when Jesus is praying, just prior to being taken to the cross. Jesus' prayer also serves as a reminder of how much our Lord God and Saviour loved us -- that even when He was destined for the cross, His heart shone on you and I. Paul attempted to capture this thought when he said in Ephesians 8, "Unto me who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." John 17 further elaborates on this point. Therein, Jesus lifted up His eyes to Heaven and prayed because the hour had come. The appointed time, decided before the world was formed. Indeed, beyond Jesus praying, the entire chapter of John 17 shares with how Jesus had manifest His name unto the world -- the precious name of Jesus -- so that we would know "all things whatsoever that Thou hast given are of Thee." (John 17:7) He is not referring to Biblical scholars here -- but rather, each and every one of us. Biblical commentator Matthew Henry makes a similar observation about Jesus prayer in John 17. Henry writes, "Thou gavest them Me, as sheep to the shepherd, to be kept; as a patient to the physician, to be cured; as children to a tutor, to be taught: thus He will deliver up His charge." These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee." Jesus was going to be no more in this world. Still, as a good Shepherd, He loved those who would remain in the world and prayed earnestly that the Father would "keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as we are one." (John 17:11) Jesus wanted none to be lost (except the son of perdition). Indeed, He wanted those who loved Him to have His "joy fulfilled in themselves." (John 17:14) To live knowing and believing the words that He had given to be truth. Further, Jesus prayed, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy Word is truth, as Thou has sent Me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world." (John 17:17-18) In the beginning God. (Genesis 1:1) In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God .. and the Word became flesh. (John 1:1-14) "For there are three that bear record in heaven; the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one." (I John 5:7) Jesus said, "For I have given unto them the words which Thou hast gavest Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send Me." (John 17:8) "I and my Father are one." I am thy Lord your God and Saviour. There is no other beside Me. (Hosea 13:4, Isaiah 43:11, 25, 43, Isaiah 45:5, Malachi 3:6, Matthew 1:20-23, John 10:11, Hebrews 13:8) It is no wonder that Jesus concluded His prayer with the following words: "O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee; but I have known Thee and these have known that Thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them Thy name -- [Jesus] -- and will declare it; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:25-26) Shortly after Jesus finished, we read that a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees came over the brook Cedron and into the garden where Jesus had ventured with His disciples. "Jesus knowing all things that should come upon Him went forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye?" (John 18:1-4) The men answered Jesus saying, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus responded saying, "I AM He." As soon as these words were spoken, the scriptures record that the men fell backward to the ground. Once again, Jesus asked, "Whom seek ye? I have told you that I AM He. If therefore ye seek me, let these go their way." (John 18:6-8) This statement was recorded in this manner so that the saying, "Of them which Thou gavest Me have I lost none" might be fulfilled. (John 18:9) Indeed, our Lord God and Saviour loved us enough to become as one of us and shed His precious holy blood on the cross for our sins. So that we might experience His abundant love. His grace. His mercy. For God so loved the world -- you and I -- even before the foundation of the world was formed. Moreover, on the cross Jesus said, "It is finished." (John 19:30) His blood shed so that our sins -- our transgressions -- would be forgiven once and for all. That is, if we would only believe on Jesus. Come to Jesus today. Ask Jesus to fill your soul with His peace and joy. Stand in the offering plate.