Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchPastor/TeacherPastor/TeacherJim RickardJim Rickard

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

Thursday,Thursday,May 24, 2012May 24, 2012

DoxologyDoxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Amen.Amen.

John 17John 17

The Great High Priestly The Great High Priestly Prayer of our Lord!Prayer of our Lord!

John 17:20-26John 17:20-26

Jesus Prays for the Jesus Prays for the Church!Church!

John 17:23John 17:23

Two results of Christ Two results of Christ indwelling the Church Age indwelling the Church Age

Believer.Believer.

1. Faith based understanding 1. Faith based understanding of Christ by the unbeliever.of Christ by the unbeliever.

1. Faith based understanding 1. Faith based understanding of Christ by the unbeliever.of Christ by the unbeliever.

2. The demonstration of the 2. The demonstration of the Father’s love for the believer.Father’s love for the believer.

John 17:23b, John 17:23b, “So that the world would know “So that the world would know that You (that You (God the FatherGod the Father) sent ) sent

Me (Me (God the SonGod the Son).”).”

PrinciplesPrinciples::1. One of the main reasons for 1. One of the main reasons for

the indwelling of the the indwelling of the Shekinah Glory in every Shekinah Glory in every Church Age believer is to Church Age believer is to

bring the gospel message to bring the gospel message to those who remain in unbelief.those who remain in unbelief.

2. God the Father sent His 2. God the Father sent His Son (in hypostatic union) to Son (in hypostatic union) to

earth, with the expressed earth, with the expressed purpose of going to the Cross purpose of going to the Cross

and paying the penalty for and paying the penalty for every sin of mankind.every sin of mankind.

3. Jesus began the URD with 3. Jesus began the URD with the acknowledgement that the the acknowledgement that the Father commissioned Him for Father commissioned Him for

the Cross. John 13:16; cf. the Cross. John 13:16; cf. John 14:31; 15:21; 16:5. John 14:31; 15:21; 16:5.

John 13:16,John 13:16,“Truly, truly, I say to you, a “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his slave is not greater than his

master, nor master, nor isis one who is sent one who is sent greater than the one who sent greater than the one who sent

him.”him.”

He now reiterates that fact in He now reiterates that fact in the closing portion of the the closing portion of the

GHPP.GHPP.John 17:8, 18, 21, 23, 25John 17:8, 18, 21, 23, 25

4. The knowledge and belief 4. The knowledge and belief of the fact that God the Father of the fact that God the Father sent His Son into the world, is sent His Son into the world, is a key component to bringing a key component to bringing the unbeliever to a point of the unbeliever to a point of

salvation knowledge.salvation knowledge.

5. John 17:21 “5. John 17:21 “may believemay believe”, ”, vs. 23s, “vs. 23s, “may knowmay know”. Both ”. Both are in the Subjunctive Mood are in the Subjunctive Mood indicating the result desired indicating the result desired

by Christ, as well as allowing by Christ, as well as allowing for the free will of man to for the free will of man to

believe.believe.

Jesus demonstrates that His Jesus demonstrates that His thinking is aligned to the thinking is aligned to the

righteousness and justice of righteousness and justice of God in the expression of God in the expression of

Divine Love.Divine Love.

Rom 10:17,Rom 10:17,“So faith “So faith comescomes from hearing from hearing ((perception through the ear perception through the ear

gategate), and hearing by the ), and hearing by the word of Christ.”word of Christ.”

Faith comes by perception Faith comes by perception and both occur only as a and both occur only as a

result of the free will of man.result of the free will of man.

Our Lord is doubly Our Lord is doubly emphasizing His desire that emphasizing His desire that all of mankind come to the all of mankind come to the saving knowledge of Christ saving knowledge of Christ

Crucified. Crucified.

6. This demonstrates the 6. This demonstrates the impersonal / unconditional impersonal / unconditional

love of Christ for all of love of Christ for all of mankind, which aligns with the mankind, which aligns with the

justice and righteousness of justice and righteousness of God. God.

John 3:16-21; 1 John 4:9-10John 3:16-21; 1 John 4:9-10

1 John 4:9, 1 John 4:9, “By this the love of God was “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has manifested in us, that God has

sent His only begotten Son sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we into the world so that we might live through Him.” might live through Him.”

1 John 4:10,1 John 4:10,“In this is love, not that we “In this is love, not that we

loved God, but that He loved loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son us and sent His Son to beto be the the

propitiation for our sins.”propitiation for our sins.”

John 17:23,John 17:23,“I (“I (Jesus ChristJesus Christ) in ) in the sphere of the sphere of them them ((Indwelling of Church Age believersIndwelling of Church Age believers), ),

and You (and You (God the FatherGod the Father) in ) in the the sphere of sphere of Me, in order that they may Me, in order that they may be perfected in unity (be perfected in unity (with Godwith God), so ), so that the world (that the world (unbelieversunbelievers) would ) would know that You sent Me and You know that You sent Me and You

loved them even as You loved Me.”loved them even as You loved Me.”

PrinciplesPrinciples::1. The goal of the unity of 1. The goal of the unity of believers with Jesus Christ believers with Jesus Christ and with God is twofold:and with God is twofold:

a. That the world will believe a. That the world will believe in the Son’s divine mission, in the Son’s divine mission, “know that You sent Me”. “know that You sent Me”.

b. That the world will sense b. That the world will sense that God’s love for believers that God’s love for believers is deep, intimate, and lasting is deep, intimate, and lasting as is His love for His unique as is His love for His unique

Son, cf. vs 26.Son, cf. vs 26.

2. The complete unity that 2. The complete unity that Jesus prays for is not an Jesus prays for is not an organizational union of organizational union of

churches, but rather a spiritual churches, but rather a spiritual union of individual believers union of individual believers with the Father and the Son. with the Father and the Son.

a. A union in which we a. A union in which we submit to, and do the Father’s submit to, and do the Father’s

will. will.

a. A union in which we a. A union in which we submit to, and do the Father’s submit to, and do the Father’s

will. will. b. A union which enables b. A union which enables

Christ to act through us, and Christ to act through us, and thus evangelize the world.thus evangelize the world.

3. John 17 picks up the theme 3. John 17 picks up the theme of John 15. of John 15.

There Christ stressed the There Christ stressed the importance of remaining in importance of remaining in Him by choosing to express Him by choosing to express our love for Him by an ever-our love for Him by an ever-

obedient response to His obedient response to His teachings. teachings.

Here He prays to the Father, Here He prays to the Father, asking that what is potential asking that what is potential

in the union which faith in the union which faith creates between the believer creates between the believer and the Lord, might be actual and the Lord, might be actual

in our experience.in our experience.

4. How can the world know 4. How can the world know that the Father loves the that the Father loves the

believer? The ECS reflects believer? The ECS reflects the glory of God while we are the glory of God while we are in Satan’s cosmic system, and in Satan’s cosmic system, and makes the world aware of the makes the world aware of the

Father’s love.Father’s love.

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchThursday, May 24, 2012Thursday, May 24, 2012

Tape # 12-058Tape # 12-058

The Results of Christ Indwelling the Believer The Results of Christ Indwelling the BelieverGreat High Priestly Prayer, Part 106Great High Priestly Prayer, Part 106

John 17:23; 3:16-21; 1 John 4:9-10John 17:23; 3:16-21; 1 John 4:9-10

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2012James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2012