Father, glorify Your Name
Text: Text : John 17
9 September 2007
(I) CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE LORD TO GLORIFY THE FATHER’S NAME
“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” John 17:1
“And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” John 17:5
1. There was great consciousness on the part of the Lord to glorify His Father’s name.
2. The word “glorify” means to exalt or to magnify.
3. There was a special relationship between the Father and the Son in the glorification of the Father’s name.
(II) COMPELLING REASONS FOR JESUS TO PRAY FOR THE GLORIFICATION OF THE FATHER’S NAME
1. A deep desire to glorify the Father’s name in prayer
“Father, glorify Your name…” John 12:28
2. The destiny of the Lord …His death to glorify His name
“But Jesus answered them, saying, ‘The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.’ ” John 12:23
3. The determination to glorify the Lord’s name
“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.” John 12:27
(III) CERTAINTY OF THE FATHER CONCERNING THE GLORICATION OF HIS NAME
“…Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’ ” John 12:28
1. The Lord will ensure that His name is glorified
2. His name was already glorified…through the works that Christ had done
3. His name to be glorified again…through His death
(IV) COMPLETION OF THE LORD’S PART TO GLORIFY THE FATHER’S NAME
1. Jesus prayed that He had glorified the Lord on the earth
“I have glorified You on the earth.” John 17:4
2. The different ways in which the Lord had glorified the name of God
a) Through the finishing of His Father’s work for Him
“I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” John 17:4
b) Through the death of the Lord
“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” John 17:1
c) Through His disciples
“And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.” John 17:10
d) Through the oneness of the believers
“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one” John 17:22
As we can see, all these things were very much with regards to the Lord Jesus…in how He would glorify His father’s name.
But we can certainly learn form the Lord’s example…in how he was willing to die for the sake of His Father’s name.
(V) THE CALL TO FOLLOW THE LORD TO GLORIFY THE FATHER’S NAME
1. Dying to self
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” John 12:24
2. Hating one’s life in this world
“He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” John 12:25
3. Follow the Lord in service to Him
“If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” John 12:26