Jesus Prays for Your Faith – Part 2

Here's Engram lots on today's living in the light picture facing God's word and then you just get on with your Christian life you believe in Jesus you accept his word. You start obeying his word and as you get on your Christian life. That assurance is going to come but your faith is in the word of God, the 12 disciples of Jesus were a very diverse group note to were lying in the wonderful thing is Jesus calls each one of us to be a disciple.

Using our unique personality and our God-given skill sets. There is diversity in our unity with Jesus Christ, storing and now with Jesus prays for your faith yet Peter James and John were the closest to Jesus. And so you got 12 disciples out about the three who are closest to him and then John is the one intimate with them. The beloved disciple, the one that sat next omitted Last Supper leaned his head on his shoulder and he describes himself as the one whom Jesus loved so precious relationship think he was very sensitive. He was quiet but at the same time he was called Jesus, nicknamed Masato thunder said a fiery temper, but you wouldn't know it when you read his letters in the New Testament first second third John. He comes across as the apostle of love and teaches us how to love each other and if we don't love each other, then we can't say that we love God and so is the message of love that John gave so he wrote. Also, the gospel of John presenting the gospel to the whole world along the gospel of John and in the end. In chapter 20 since I've written these things that you might believe in today people are still reading what John wrote in believing because of what he said he must've set it to the wrong person because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ and somebody got offended and they slapped them when he was an old man on Patmos putting that exile had been a pastor at Ephesus. In fact, he was the one that Jesus at the cross to members asked John to take care of his mother for the rest of her life, which John did. So he took care of Mary and we believe maybe she was in Ephesus with them when he pastored that church, but the end of his life. They putting in eggs on Patmos was cut off from his Francies cut off from his church cut off from everything you would think he would have a complaining spirit after I've served Jeff Dobbin evangelism pastor churches in and here I am stuck on a rock in the middle of the Aegean ocean, but he was in a right spirit using a sweet spirit and he looked up and he received the vision of the glory of Jesus that we know is the book of Revelation, so giving hope and encouragement to people. Even now, as we see the things beginning to unfold in our world. So those are the 12 disciples. -1 I'll talk about Judas in a minute but there such a diverse group and I went through it because I want you to see the diversity and I feel like there's somebody here this you think if you put your faith in Jesus you think if you follow him as a disciple that you have to be like somebody else and maybe the somebody else you're thinking about is serious in our and they don't ever take a joke and they have no sense of humor, but they carry a big Bob Mullen is severe and judgmental and crazy thing. I don't want to be a follower of Jesus at that I have to be sure you know, maybe somebody who's just all over the place are just excited and are gifted in their doing some of these wild word that I'm afraid I don't want to become like that. But the wonderful thing is that Jesus calls each one of us to be a disciple with their own unique personality are unique gifting a unique skill set, you have to be like somebody else so there is a diversity in our unity, but feel free to be yourself and say you surrendered to the Holy Spirit to let him fill your life you will begin to conform you to the image of Jesus, but that doesn't mean there were all the same. So think about the disciples. Which one are you most like another year there are no women amongst the apostles, the 12 disciples and that's for appropriate reasons, but women can be disciples to and Mary Magdalene teaches us that she was the first one that Jesus appeared to after the resurrection, and he told Mary.

I want you to go into Jerusalem.

You tell my 11 disciples. You tell 11 man who you've seen your encounter with the risen Christ and give them. I wanted to go back to Galilee and Mary in one hand and she took that message so she really was commissioned as the very first evangelist women can be disciples. So just because they're not one of these 11 men don't let yourself off the hook and an unknown they can be disciples because I'm one okay this is my points and going through all of them.

Jesus said in verse eight he says. I gave them the word you gave me. They accepted them. They believe them.

So Jesus gave them God's word and these men wrote it down. They believe that they accepted it.

They wrote it down and this is what we have in our Bibles. This is the word that they've passed down to us in our faith is established on the word of the apostles and prophets in the Old Testament. Jesus said in chapter 24. All the Scripture speaks of himself and he was speaking at that time of the Old Testament to all of Scripture speaks of the Old Testament and New Testament are faith. The Bible says is established on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. So when you think of your Bob wanted you to see that these men are men with personalities and passions and some of them failed. They made mistakes their sinners like you and me, but their save and embrace what Jesus had for them and they wrote it down and they pass it down to the next generation, the next generation, the next generation. And that's the word that is come to us. Praise God. First Peter chapter 1 verse 23 says, for you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God for all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field for grass withers and flowers fail that the word of the Lord stands forever. And then Peter says, and this is the word that was preached.

So your faith in my faith is not to be based on our feelings or opinions of what somebody says or the way we were raised or what would been taught our faith is established in the word of God to read your Bible, read your Bible, but the roots of your faith. Down deep in the word of God. God's word does not change God's word works so Jesus is praying that you and without faith it would not fail in faith. It doesn't fail is established in the word of God and secondly faith it doesn't fail is secured by the will of God. This is going back to verse six.

He says you gave them to me.

God's chosen you to be a disciple and that's a problem for some people in our predestination. The mother taught me to tiptoe through Calvin's troops.

You know so maybe that would mean anything to you but I just take it lightly, but I know that Jesus said God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him would not perish but have everlasting life. That's the most inclusive invitation areas and so whosoever you put your faith in Jesus to come to him and you turn right and you discover all my goodness. God knew I would make that decision and before the foundations of the world were laid he chose me to belong to Jesus and the fact that your chosen by God to be a disciple secures your so you're secured by the will of God. They were secured because God had given them the Jesus and the proof of it. Their obedience in verse six. They've obeyed your word and in their acceptance in verse eight. I gave him the word you gave me the accepted them and they accepted Jesus's words as God's word and you know some people have read letter Bibles which I don't like because I think all of God's word is God's word, no.

But, but the red letters at least emphasize the words of Jesus.

They are God's word. So when Jesus was speaking that's God speaking in the disciples believe that they were confident in verse seven and eight now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. They know with certainty that I came from you and they believe that you sent me.

So while the enemies were blaspheming Jesus essays come from the devil and using or whatever and the disciples knew with certainty that he was the son of God, that he was the Messiah, so they were obedient. They were confident they were acceptant and then the most important thing. Verse 11 that they may be one as we are one, and I believe he's looking towards Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came down and the Holy Spirit came and dwelt them and made them one with Jesus. Jesus, one with the father and they were one with each other because they are each indwelt by the same Holy Spirit.

So there's somebody here doubting your salvation. Lacking the assurance of your salvation, siliceous, check the proof okay this was the proof that they were disciples and apostles in this case, you have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

Have you come to the cross confessed your sin told God you're sorry, asked him to forgive you. Receive eternal life believe that he rose up from the dead to give you eternal life, and you receive, you open up your heart, you invite him to come in you civil and I didn't feel anything. Remember, our faith is not based on our feelings about opposites when you confess your sin, he is faithful and just he will forgive you the Bible says you asked him to give you eternal life. He will give you eternal life. Your Bibles as you open up your heart invite Jesus to come in. He will come in living inside of you in the person of the Holy Spirit. Never leave you, never to forsake you and have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1 says that Scott's CO on your life. Nobody can break that seal God is but the holy's major down payment is your engagement ring you and Danny locking engagement ring. I was so excited because I knew it carried with it the promise that he was going to marry me in the Holy Spirit is your engagement ring is a promise that God's going to one day bring you to his heavenly home. You're going to live with him forever that you belong to God, your child of God. So the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and then will go back up you confidence that Jesus is the son of God when down here you know they call it may be a man, a great man may believe and say is a great prophet but they don't believe he is God walking the earth in human body. They don't believe is a unique son of the world all sons of God, you now know were not is only one unique son of God and his name is Jesus. And that doesn't mean God Junior you know that it means God in the flesh.

All that God is in human form, fully God, fully man and acceptance accept Jesus's words as God's word and obedience because it's God's word. You obey it. Yes sir, you do what he says. So there's somebody who lacks that assurance of salvation, not just encourage you maybe one more time you need to pray that prayer this time by faith. Put your faith in God's word and then you just get on with your Christian life you believe in Jesus you accept his word.

You start obeying his word and as you get on your Christian life.

That assurance is going to come but your faith is in the word of God and is secured by the will of God and that brings privileges. We talked about the precious privilege last night about of knowing God and the personal permanent relationship in verse six again, he said, I've revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world and he revealed God to us as father and that personal love relationship so the one who had been in unapproachable lights surrounded by thunder and lightning and frightening things, awesome, majestic. We have the privilege of knowing him in a personal love relationship ends another privilege are being prayed for verse nine was my theme for this series. I pray for them.

I'm not praying for the world.

But for those you have given me. And Jesus is praying for you in the Old Testament when the high priest went into the most holy place once a year to make atonement to take the blood of the Lamb and you're going to vote mercy seat you sprinkle the blood. There, but when he did he wore on his chest.

The breastplate of gold and embedded in the breastplate were 12 semiprecious stones, and on each stone was carved the name of one of the tribes of Israel, and it was to signify that when the high priest went into the presence of God he carried on his heart. The names of God's children and Hebrews tells us that Jesus goes to the most holy place of God's presence. I've been heaven and he's doesn't enter into the blood of lambs and bulls and goats, but his own blood, and has access into the very throne room of God and he lives there to make intercession for us and he carries us on his heart so he prays in his omniscience means he's never had a new thought which means he's always been thinking of you. You've always been on his mind always been on his heart. He's praying for you with full understanding.

He knows your past, knows the future, he knows what is going on right now he knows what you're afraid of you knows what you hope for. He knows your dreams you knows your thoughts before they become words and he loved and he's praying for you. It's a privilege ends then he protects us. Verse 15. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one that he would protect us from the devil waitress gave that startling illustration about authoritative prayer when the people came to kill an account of his Africa and had the machete's upraised and the man rebuked them in the name of Jesus may drop the machetes and they rent that's God protecting them with the power of his name. So Jesus is praying for our protection from evil and nothing increases you were going to need that for ourselves, for our children for our grandchildren God just protect us from the evil. The sex trafficking the pornography the abusive situations and who knows when we get to heaven.

When God shows us what he's protected us from and sometimes bad things happen to good people and sometimes we may have a cancer diagnosis or go through a robbery or get mugged or whatever have had some interesting experiences but I know when God lifts his hand of protection minutes because he's got a greater purpose ends is greater purpose for my good is that I become conformed to the image of Jesus and everything that comes in about life is from for that good to be used to conforming to the image of Jesus and then to bring him glory. So he will protect us never remember when we are robbed and front door was broken down everything of value gone in my house is just the most violated feeling like folder but not bad. They took my sayings putting my pillowcases for mop head to take off my silver and jewelry and things in and I felt so violated, but you that God had lifted his hand of protection for whatever reason, and sometimes you just have to trust God when you don't understand why I was speaking that summer at Amsterdam 1983. I think it was and I got up and had no jewelry know all the things that sometimes we think we have to have to look after like the Lord to show me and the treasure you have the gift of these evangelists is on the surface, not our outward appearance is all the investment with maiden our walk with the Lord.

So he will protect us doesn't mean bad things don't happen, but when they do we know therefore purpose. We know it's not an accident. We know it didn't catch on by surprised. We know he was not vacation he was neglectful.

He's allowed it for purposes so we look up and I say Lord why, but not like why did you do this to me is like what your purpose. I want to fall in line with your purpose somewhat to use this for your glory. So your kept by God holy father. He says protect them by the power of your name and if people don't know you belong to God and belong to Jesus and I don't know if that works. Don't hide your light under a bushel. Let your light shine. Let people know and I feel like please do not experience. I just let it out. Don't carefully invite me back. I don't care if I get whatever opportunity sometimes you get people sometimes compromise their faith. They don't talk about Jesus because it just so afraid to offend somebody than it won't get invited back to show they will bill to do this in the and I don't hear from ever invited back just let people know that you are a disciple of Jesus and God is your father and you believe God's word and were all sinners, we need a Savior. God is sent Jesus to take away our sin, he is the only way to God only way to heaven, but your faith in him you just tell him. He says he'll protect you by the power of his name not found that people respect that if you genuinely give out the truth in love with people respect when you do and may not want to be your friend and they may not invite you to their party. But they'll respect you and them when something bad happens, you're going to be the one they come to kept by God John 10 nobody can snatch you from the father's hand. Second Timothy 112 on know whom I have believed it. I'm convinced he is able to guard the that which have entrusted them for that day have entrusted in my ministry my family my life all that I am that he can guarded and keep it in verse that my mother wrote in my first bobble when I was baptized June 24 to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before his throne. He's able to keep us from falling falling away. He's praying for our faith that it would not fail secured by his will and there is proof. If you look for it, but your faith is in the word right, but it brings with it privileges that only a child of God knows Jesus from the cross prayed for sinners, but in heaven he prays for saints. He prays for you and me ever lives to make intercession for us is one prerequisite for this rightness is verse 12. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me none is been lost, except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled any speaking of Judas Iscariot hangs.

Judas cannot describe them for moments he was chosen to be a disciple and Jesus gave him the responsibility of being the treasurer for the whole group.

Judas was in the boat when Peter walked on the water.

Judas was in the boat when Jesus climbed in and calm the storm and the disciples.

Oh my goodness, who is this that even the wind and waves obey him. Judas was there on that hillside when they were 5000 people who are men and families that were fed the file goes into vision that Judas is running the disciples that passed out.

The baskets are broken pieces all the whole crowd fed until they were satisfied. Judas was there when the man was born blind was given sides and Judas was there and Bethany went. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. So what was it about Judas that he would betray his Lord and probably he'd been chosen to be a disciple when you know Jesus knew he would. God knew he would say they are only two things I can come up with making come up with some more but one reason is maybe Jesus chosen to be his disciple.

Because Jesus wants you to know he understands what it feels like to be betray if you had a spouse that walked out on you for somebody else. You had a sibling who stole your inheritance, you had business associates. That's took the business from you right out from underneath your nose need to know until it was gone yet a best friend who you found is been slandering you behind your back and people believing accusations. Jesus understand what it's like to be betrayed by somebody that you love so maybe that's one reason he chose Judas, but I think the greater reason probably is that Jesus chose Judas to be a disciple to underscore for you and me that while were chosen by God to be a disciple of Jesus. We also have to choose and Judas never chose to be a disciple. He followed Jesus. He stole from the treasury. He saw all those miracles enjoyed being with Jesus for three. I cannot imagine hearing Jesus watching Jesus thing, with Jesus for three years and yet not embracing Jesus but that was Judas any full every body. The other disciples they never guessed that he wasn't the real disciple because he just seemed so much like them.

The Bible says that's within the church there wheat and tares, and I think we have to be careful we can't go pulling up tears because it may be a baby wheat and so Jesus is at the end of the age. The angels will come and sort out the tears and there wheat and the sheep from the goats. But there there and sometimes you can hear them saying things in the name of Jesus in the name of the church things that are radically opposed the word of God there are tears in the weeds so I don't believe there's anybody who is like Judas here, but I want you to just take note that yes God chooses you and me to be a disciple, but we also need to make the choice. He doesn't want us just blind robots were not just on a chessboard removes us around. We have a free will and he wants us to choose to belong to Jesus. Give Jesus our whole hearts and lives to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. Living in the light is a weekly study in God's word with teacher and author and Graham wants learn to listen to his voice, then start making the choice to keep on going and believing and trusting who God is good and Graham wants outboard take advantage of the many helpful free resources to get you started this again for living in the light