Holy Father
Tim Keller | May 7, 2017
Overview
John 17 is one of the most astonishing passages in the Bible. There’s no other place in the Bible where you actually get any insight into an actual conversation inside the Godhead, between Father and Son.
Jesus is praying to the Father on his deathbed, as it were, and what is the main thing that is on his mind? It’s us — his disciples, present and future. Here we have Jesus asking the Father for five things for us: 1) Truth, 2) Unity, 3) Joy, 4) Mission, and 5) Holiness.
Outline
Sermon Summary
John 17 reveals an intimate dialogue within the Triune God, where Jesus, facing His impending death, prays for His disciples. This chapter, which comforted Scottish Reformation leader John Knox on his deathbed, explores Jesus’ five requests to the Father: truth, unity, joy, mission, and holiness. It invites deep reflection and can serve as a spiritual anchor in times of need.
1. Truth, unity, joy, mission, and holiness
In a society where truth is perceived as subjective, it becomes challenging to reach a consensus on what is genuinely true. Modern society grapples with a fear of commitment and a longing for unity, issues that can be addressed through the loving community offered by Jesus. The paradox of God’s nature, being both holy and loving, raises questions, yet it is this very nature that provides hope for the world.
2. How we get them
Jonathan Edwards’ sermon delves into the profound suffering Jesus Christ endured in the garden of Gethsemane, willingly accepting the wrath of God out of love for humanity. The sermon stresses the evolution of people’s perception of God, from demanding to accepting, yet accentuates that the true God, as revealed in the Bible, is infinitely more holy and loving. The essence of unity, truth, and forgiveness is encapsulated in Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, and only by comprehending this paradox of divine love and holiness can we aspire to be Christ-like.
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