The Prayers of Jesus Before and on the Cross
The Prayers of Jesus Before and on the Cross
Brooke Mackall
April 16, 2024
Prayer: ”is spiritual communication between man and God, a two-way relationship in which man should not only talk to God but also listen to Him. Prayer develops our relationship with God and demonstrates our trust and dependence upon Him.”
The Three Prayers Before the Cross
John 17
Jesus Prays to be Glorified
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.
Purposes:
Glorified- We need to have humility and submission to God’s will.
Eternal Life- Our free gift –> through belief in the Son
Knowing God- 2 Peter 3:18 NKJV “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”
Our goal is to glorify God on earth: amongst your friends & family and in the way you live and to finish the work the Lord has given us
1 Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All, who are mine, belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory.
As vessels of the Lord, it is imperative to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord AND keep His Word
James 1:22 NLT “But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”
John 10:30 NLT “The Father and I are one”
11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold. 13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
John 10:28-30 NLT “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
John 15:18 NLT “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.”
Remember: this current world is not our home. We are aliens in the land, therefore living life for Christ there is a high chance of persecution and hatred; but if they hate you, they hated Jesus first.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.”
Acts 4:32 MSG “The whole congregation of believers was united as one - one heart, one mind! They didn't even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, "That's mine; you can't have it." They shared everything.”
"Our conduct is an advertisement for or against Jesus Christ. That’s why unity in the body of Christ is so important." -Elizabeth George
24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! 25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”
We need to make our Father known on earth so the world can know true love and receive eternal life through Christ 🩶
Romans 10:15 NLT “And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
The Three Prayers on the Cross
Though He was dying, thankfully these prayers were not His actual last words because our redeemer lives, He has resurrected from the dead and sits on the right hand of God.
#1 Luke 23:34 “Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.”
Jesus pleads to God to have mercy on the people murdering Him
Pray for your enemies
1 Peter 2:23 “He did not retaliate when He was insulted, nor threatened revenge when He suffered, He left His case in the hands of God who always judges fairly.”
Isaiah 53:12 “I will give Him the honors of a victorious soldier, because He exposed Himself to death, He was counted among the rebels, He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.”
#2 Matthew 27:46 “At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me”
Psalm 22:1 NKJV “My God, my God why have you forsaken me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of my groaning.”
Our perfect Savior took on the sins of the entire world
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be the sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
#3 Luke 23: 46 NLT “Then Jesus shouted, “Father I entrust My spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.”
Psalm 31:5 NLT/NKJV “I entrust my spirit into your hand; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.”
