Compelling Love

The prayers of David and Asaph both speak of living life in the presence of God, leading to eternal glory.  David prays in Psalm 16:11, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”  Asaph prays in Psalm 73:23-24, “Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand.  You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”

The prayers of Jesus in John 17 reveal the way to eternal life and everlasting glory.  In verse 3, he declares: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”  He prays that the Father will glorify His Son, so the Son may glorify the Father, “with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

John 17 (NKJV)
¹ Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, ² as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. ³ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. ⁴ I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. ⁵ And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Redemption of believers through His Son was God’s plan even before Creation.  Paul in Titus 1:2 speaks of the “hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began”.  Jesus describes this priceless gift of God’s love in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Referring to those who believe in Him, Jesus declares in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  He goes on to describe how as the good shepherd he will lay down his life for the sheep, not only those “of this fold” but of others to come, “and there will be one flock and one shepherd.”  He then explains that he is laying down His life for them willingly “of Myself” and that He will rise again, according to the command of His Father.

John 10
¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  … ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. ¹⁵ As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
¹⁷ “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

Continuing in John 17, Jesus prays for a deep unity in his disciples, that they may be one as He and the Father are one.  He prays that they would be sanctified – consecrated and set apart – by the truth, just as He is set apart and consecrated for them.

John 17 (NKJV)
⁶ “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. ⁷ Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. ⁸ For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.
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. ¹³ But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. ¹⁴ I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. ¹⁸ As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

Finally, Jesus prays for all believers that they may share the love and glory He had with the Father before the foundation of the world.

²⁰ “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: ²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
²⁴ “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵ O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. ²⁶ And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Jesus is speaking of a love and glory which we can begin to experience right here and now, because of the gift of the Holy Spirit who lives in every true believer.  In John 14:17 and 23, Jesus teaches that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit will make their home in those who love and obey Him.

Paul likewise speaks in Colossians 1:26-27 of “the mystery which had been hidden from ages and from generations”, which is “Christ in you, the hope of glory”.  In Romans 5:5, Paul declares that “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us”.

Truly, He guides us with His counsel and afterward receives us to glory.  He shows us the path of life; in His presence we have fullness of joy;  at His right hand are pleasures forevermore.  (Psalm 16:11; 73:24).

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, https://compellinglove.net/
7/3/2016