I Am Coming - Part 1

Bryan Chapell: Jesus is praying for his disciples, and and he is telling them who they were created to be. And in some way, reminding them the Christian walk, being a disciple of Jesus Christ, is not just about performing the drill, a matter of rules and regulations. It's it's about a relationship that that actually is going to be empowering as we perceive its true purpose.
Guest (Male): So glad you joined us for today's Unlimited Grace, the audio broadcast ministry of pastor and author Brian Chapel. In today's episode, pastor Brian shares a lesson from John 17. Dr. Chapel outlines the promises of God to his people as fulfilled through the life and death of Jesus Christ. You can find this lesson and many others when you visit unlimitedgrace.com. And while you're there, look for pastor Brian's book, The Multi-generational Church Crisis. This compelling book asks the question of the church, what could be accomplished in the name of Christ if we could better understand each other? Let's hear now from Dr. Brian Chapel as he shares the lesson, I am coming.
Bryan Chapell: In the movie Blind Side, an affluent Southern family adopts a street kid who is big and strong and fast and easily fooled. Which means though by appearances he should be a football natural, when you put him on the field, he's a football nerd. He just can't do what everybody's expecting him to do. One practice his coach is trying to get through to him. So he just he just yells at him after every drill to try to get him to do perfectly what he's supposed to be doing. And of course, he just plays worse and worse and worse. But on this particular day, his adopted mom is watching from the stands. And so she gets up out of the stands and kind of marches past the coach. She doesn't yell at him, but you know something's about to happen. And so she goes up to her adopted son, and she grabs him by the jersey, and she says, Michael, I want you to look at this young man here. He is your quarterback. And when you see him, I want you to think of me, your mother, and I want you to protect me from the bad guys over there. Then she goes and she grabs another player, and she said, Michael, this is your tailback. When you see him, I want you to think of your little brother who you have protected from everyone and everything in his life. Michael, this team is your family. Michael, are you going to protect your family? And of course, he says, yes, ma'am. And he's transformed. Because he begins to see what he is doing, not not just as a drill of techniques to perform, but he actually perceives the real goal of what he was created to be. He's he's there to protect his family. And in protecting his family, he finds ability and power such as he never had. He finds out who he was created to be. In this prayer of Jesus, this high priestly prayer prayed at the end of the last supper before he goes to the cross, Jesus is praying for his disciples, and and he is telling them who they were created to be. And in some way, reminding them the Christian walk, being a disciple of Jesus Christ, is not just about performing the drill, a matter of rules and regulations. It's it's about a relationship that that actually is going to be empowering as we perceive its true purpose. And what Jesus says to his disciples in this prayer as there's listening in to him praying to the Father as he says, you must understand what your real purpose is. It's it's not protecting the family. It is protecting the name of Jesus. That's your purpose, too. We can get dissuaded by a lot of other things that the Christian life is about success and happiness in the world and accomplishment, I think, but but for Jesus. Our highest purpose and what actually empowers us for that purpose is knowing that what we are called to do more than any other thing is to protect the name of Jesus. Now in order to get her son Michael to protect his family, his mom had to remind him first they were the family. And the first thing Jesus does to have us understand our priorities in the world is to tell us what family we are a part of. I know you think you know, but Jesus is actually saying, your most compelling identity for now and for eternity, your most compelling identity is that you are part of a holy family. If you look at the words of verse 10, all mine are yours, says Jesus to God the Father. And yours are mine. I mean, you almost recognize you're you're getting some reflection of a movie about the Brady Bunch, right? Yours, mine, and ours, you know. Some from yours, some from and and we're all together now in this family. And there's actually some truth of what's being said there. Jesus is saying, Father, you have given me these disciples. And and I have preserved them for you. Now all mine are yours, and all yours are mine. Father, make them one even as we are one. Which means those that are claimed by Christ for the Father are all part of his holy family. One with God, one with Jesus, one with one another, that is who we really are. Now the importance of understanding that identity is to understand what the disciples concerns may be and why Jesus is praying as he is. I mean, there has to be a concern. You begin to sense it in verse 11. Jesus says in praying to the Father, I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. And I'm coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name which you have given me that they may be one even as we are one. Jesus has brought his disciples to this holy family. But now Jesus is leaving. And a natural question of anybody who's been brought into the family by one party is to say, if that party leaves, am I still part of the family? Kathy and I have friends whose who first children were peer ages of our children, except all their children were boys. So they had four boys early on. And the mom always wanted a girl. And so as their lives progressed and she was not having more children, they decided to adopt. So they adopted another boy. Just the way the circumstances unfolded, just the people they were trying to help out, they ended up adopting another boy. More years go by. And they adopted again. This time Kim finally got her girl, Delilah. Multiple, multiple handicaps, desperately in need of somebody to care for her. But this was truly the apple of her mother's eye. This was her girl precious to her. Some years later, as this family who were an open-hearted family begin to open their home to foster children, those needing care in various ways, they began to care for a young woman, a a young girl that they discovered by caring for and with her had been deeply and horribly abused by her birth family. They wanted to rescue her out of that situation, only to discover that she had a sister still in the situation. They ended up adopting both sisters that they could still be one in the family with this new family, too. All large family, but but then after having their biological kids and adopting all of these other kids, the discovery that now Kim, the mom has serious heart problems. And when that was announced, particularly to these sisters who had been in such an abusive situation in their biological family, when they were told that their now adopted mom had serious heart problems, what is their first question? If mom goes to heaven, do we still have a home? Are we still welcome here? What did the dad say? You're part of the family. We are one. And what Jesus is doing here in in ways that are not are not so mysterious is simply saying in the hearing of his disciples, Father, when I come to you, keep them one. Keep this family in your name. I kept them in your name. Now you keep them in the name. You keep us one. You're part of the family. And so his prayer is explained, verse 11. What is he say? He says in the middle of verse 11, Holy Father, keep them in your name. Preserve them. Make make us a family and keep us a family. But it's even more than that. If you look in verse 12, while I was with them, I kept them in your name which you have given me. I have guarded them. This is not just about preservation. It's about protection. And the reason for that is explained more in verse 15. As Jesus is praying to the Father, he says, I do not ask that you take them, that is his disciples, out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They're part of the family, Father. So I'm not only asking that you keep us together. You keep us one. Keep us in your name. Keep us covered by the holy promises that you have given to the people of Keep us all in the covenant, one together. But Father, also protect them from the evil one when I come to you. Because when I was with them, I guarded them. But now as I come to you, you will have to guard them from the evil one. Even the wording evil one becomes important because it's taking in the minds of a Jewish disciple that promise all the way back to the beginning of creation. When there was, you remember, a promise of the gospel even at the time of Adam and Eve. When after Adam had fallen, had abandoned the promises and the covenant of his God, what did God say to Satan at the time? I'm going to put enmity between you and the seed of the woman. What's going to happen? You evil one, you are going to strike his heel, but what's he going to do? Crush your head. There is going to be a promise that that Christ will be the one who will protect his people of all time from the evil one. And now he says, I'm coming to you, Father. You must protect them from the evil one. The promises that you have made of covenant eternity must be preserved by you. You have to do that. And of course, it's whatever Father wants to do. I can remember some years ago when Kathy and I had friends and there was kind of one of those traditional battles between some some teens in the home and between the Father. And the the teens were wanting to go to a particular party where everybody knew alcohol was going to be there. There was going to be dangerous stuff there. And so the dad, you know, he was just he just was holding his ground saying, you are not going. You you are not going. And the kids are, well, dad, you know, you we'll come home early and we'll do this. And and finally in just exasperation, now you listen to me. If evil in this world is going to come to you, it's got to get through me. And it is not coming through me. The evil is not going to come through. What is Jesus praying to the Father? Father, protect them from the evil one. Do not let evil come into their lives that would be destructive to the covenant purposes that you have for them.
Guest (Male): You're listening to Unlimited Grace, the audio broadcast ministry of pastor and author Brian Chapel.
Guest (Male): It may seem hard for younger Christians to believe, but people over 50 were raised during an era when 90% of Americans identified as Christian. These older believers were once part of a majority group that understood the mission of the church was to take control of our culture, to halt its evils. At the same time, Christians under 50 have lived their entire lives perceiving themselves as a minority that needs to make credible their faith to a secular pluralistic culture. These distinct experiences and perceptions have a profound impact on the priorities different generations have for church ministry. It's no wonder that younger and older believers don't always see eye to eye. In his new book, The Multi-generational Church Crisis, Dr. Brian Chapel asks the question, what could be accomplished in the name of Christ if we could better understand each other? This practical and hopeful book is backed by thorough research revealing how to open the lines of communication, appreciate the experiences that shaped each generation in your church and unite in one mission to impact your community and the world. You can request your copy of the Multi-generational Church Crisis when you donate online at unlimitedgrace.com or by calling 844-41 Grace. That's 844-414-7223. And now more from Brian Chapel on today's Unlimited Grace.
Bryan Chapell: It's it's an amazing prayer because what Jesus is ultimately doing is he is putting the weight to preserve and to protect his people upon the Father. And what that is doing, just so that you hear it is saying, the weight of being a child of God, a disciple of Jesus is not upon our perfect performance of the drill, right? That we've done everything correctly, that we've got everything aligned. It's not that we're not expected to play hard and work hard and do those things that we're called to do. But ultimately we are preserved and protected by the Father. And the reason I need to know that and you need to know that is we fail in the drill sometime. We we don't always do all that we're called to do. And and we struggle when we am I still okay? And that 's why Jesus saying, Father, you have to keep them in your name. You have to guard them because they will struggle sometimes. Our our niece's name Marissa. And some weeks ago she was facing an exam with some of her classmates, and they all knew it was going to be tough. And even though Marissa is a good student, she's one of those being good. She wants to even do better all the time. And you know, where a B might satisfy some students, this particular student a B is going to be devastating, you know. And so she was just totally stressed about this particular exam that was coming until a friend of hers wrote her. This note, some of you will recognize the lines borrowed from a movie. Marissa said the friend, you is kind, you is smart, you is important. And whether you get an A plus or an F, the Lord is still crazy about you. Now I don't know how reverent it is to say that the Lord is crazy, but but I get the point. You're part of the family and God has made you part of the family. And whether you perform the drill well enough, whether your performance is up to a level you but listen, the weight of the preservation and the protection of you in the eternal family is God's. And he is provided for that by the work of Jesus Christ, not by your work. So Jesus is praying to the Father and saying, if these disciples are going to do what I call them to do, Father, first remind them you're in the family. And that's supposed to be strength and motivation for what we are now called to do. For if our most enduring identity is that we are part of our whole part of a holy family, you must recognize our most compelling purpose is to recognize that we are called to protect the glory of Jesus. Did you know that? More than to be successful, more than to be happy, more than to be satisfied, our most compelling purpose as disciples of Jesus Christ is to protect the glory of Jesus. Do you want to see that? The same chapter said begins the high priestly prayer, and you have to go back to verses one and two to recognize what the highest purpose is, the glory of the Savior. When Jesus had spoken the words remember of the last supper, he lifted up his eyes to heaven. I'm in verse one of chapter 17. He lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son that the son may glorify you. Since you have given him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all you have given him. The glory of Jesus is going to be sacrifice on earth for the sake of eternity. That's the glory of Jesus. To what are you and I called? Look again at verse 10. Jesus says, all mine are yours, Father. All yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. You and I have a purpose of glorifying Christ. But his glory, did you get it? is to sacrifice for eternity. To suffer in this life for the good of others eternally. That means if you and I are to glorify him, that that he would be glorified in our lives, then our greatest calling is to be willing to sacrifice in this life for the sake of others eternal life. Have you ever thought of things this way when you think of eternity? Have you ever been on a beach and just as you've kind of had your hands down in the sand kind of picked out and and just maybe on a fingertip you you see among the other sand there's just kind of one little grain of sand that sticks out by itself. If time were sand your lifespan and mine would be just that one little grain of sand. And eternity would be the sand of a thousand beaches. And Jesus saying, it is my glory that there would be earthly sacrifice that that my life and the lives of my people and this one grain of sand would willingly be sacrificed for the sake of the eternity of others. But what would that require? What would it be to to actually live for the glory of Jesus? He actually tells us is verse 17. Do you remember? He's praying to the Father for these who would be glorified or would glorify him, and he says verse 17, sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. Those who will glorify Jesus are those who are sanctified for his sake. Do you know what sanctified means? It's a it's a temple term. It's about people or even animal sacrifices being made pure so that they would be appropriate for the honor and the worship of God. To be sanctified is to be made pure, to live holy and just life. And for what it's worth that actually is our highest goal above all other things. You know, you can in lots of places in the world today, in our country lots of broadcast stations and lots of places in the world, you can you can go to churches and people who proclaim that they are saying the gospel. And the gospel gets portrayed as something like this that that God intends for you to have a good life. And good life is described as rich and relaxing. But Jesus didn't say that was the highest priority. The highest priority is your sanctification. Did you know that? We struggle at times, you know. What is the will of God for my life? Should I marry this person? Should I take that job? Should I move to that place? Listen, a lot of that is going to be governed by circumstance and prudence and righteous decisions, I know. But if the fundamental question is what is God's will for my life? I will tell you the place that I think best says it in scripture is 1 Thessalonians 4:3 which is just this simple. This is God's will even your sanctification. Above all of the things, God means for you to be holy, to live for him, to live a life that reflects Christ so that others would see eternity in your earthly existence. Now what might that mean for you? Maybe not things that we always expect because being sanctified in the world does not being satisfied by the world. Look again at verse 13. Jesus says this. Now Father, I'm coming to you. And these things I speak in the world that they, my disciples, may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. What is Jesus speaking? I'm coming to you. I'm dying. But they will be resurrected and will be with you, Father, that they may be one, that whatever separates them from you, their sin, their wrong, their their emptiness, that that that will be taken away and they may be one. And I'm saying these things in the world, and I'm saying it so that their joy may be full. No. That my joy might be fulfilled in them. That what brings me joy, the salvation and eternal security of many would be fulfilled in them. It's not their satisfaction. Ultimately it is Christ's satisfaction that's being sought. What will be necessary for Christ to be known to many? Now I don't just want to keep saying it abstractly. I want you to think of what it would actually mean to to believe that your highest purpose was the glory of Jesus and and that that would bring you more satisfaction, more joy than earthly reward.
Guest (Male): That's pastor Brian Chapel, and you've been listening to Unlimited Grace. Please be sure to join us next time as once again we endeavor to put Christ at the center of our efforts so that lives might be transformed by his Unlimited Grace. This ministry is brought to you by Unlimited Grace Media and continues to be made possible with your generous financial support.