The Caldwell Commentaries Podcast

John 17:20-26

This is the section (verses 20 to 24) of Christ's High Priestly Prayer in which He prayed for all future believers (if you are a believer in Him, this is what Jesus prayed for you)!  What did He pray?  He asked for our witness for Him to be successful on earth and in Heaven; for the world and for His glory.  

In some of the Lord's last words spoken in the presence of His men, the Apostles heard Him pray for yet-unborn people who would believe on Him because of their witness!  He was telling them, through the prayer, that the Gospel would prevail even in the face of the world's hatred and their weaknesses.  In the midst of all their confusion and despair, that must have been a blessed comfort to hear. Facing soon betrayal, arrest, and death, Jesus was not discouraged nor did He sound in any way defeated!  In future vision, He could behold the faces of the millions of people who would swell the ranks of His current little flock!  It was part of the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2)!  I hope that flock includes YOU!

John 17:6-11a

This lesson continues our study of Christ's "High Priestly Prayer" of John 17, which very neatly falls into three outline parts.  First, the Lord prayed for Himself (see Lessons 160a and 160b).  Second,  He prayed for the Apostles.  Third, He lifted up His voice in prayer to His Heavenly Father to pray for all future believers.

We talk about the reasons the Son of God prayed for His men (the Apostles), and there were four of them given.  The specific requests He asked for them are found in Lesson 162a.

John 17:1-5

In what Warren Wiersbe calls "the Holy of Holies" of the Gospel record (Christ's High Priestly prayer of John chapter 17), the Son of God asked two "petitions" for Himself  We discuss those two important requests in this lesson (continuation of Lesson 160a).  

John 17:1-5

The seventeenth chapter of the gospel of John is what many great men of God have considered to be "the Holy of Holies" of the Word of God.  In this sacred chapter, the veil before the Most Holy Place is pulled aside and we are allowed to listen to inter-Trinitarian communication.  The Lord Jesus spoke audibly, in the presence of His disciples, to His Heavenly Father after He concluded His "Farewell Discourse" (John 14 to 16).  His special prayer is the longest recorded prayer of the Son of God.

In the first part of His prayer, the Lord Jesus prayed for Himself.  We discuss three aspects of this part of His prayer (see also Lesson 160b): (1) the purpose for His prayer, (2) the posture of His prayer, and (3) the petitions of His prayer.

John 16:16-33

The eleven disciples to whom Christ spoke the words of this passage from His "Farewell Discourse" were experiencing anything but joy!  They were distressed and sorrowful because He told them He was leaving and despite all the fantastic promises He gave them, they were despondent.  They wanted HIM, not His promises.  However, the many promises He gave them from John 14 to this point DID make a difference in their lives!  All their sorrows DID turn to joy - and it was a joy no one or anything could ever take from them.  

The words Christ spoke that night to His despondent men CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE, too!  YOU, too, can have a joy unspeakable that no one or anything can ever take from you!

In this lesson, we discover what the Lord told His followers about coming joy.  He spoke about transformed joy, which is born out of pain; He spoke of transcendent joy, which is found in prayer, and He discussed triumphant joy, which is the peace of being "in Him"!  

Learn all about the wonderful teaching ministry of God the Holy Spirit!

We need Him to discern the Truth; to enlighten us as no other teacher can do!

John 16:8-11

This is a continuation of the Lord's teaching about the reproving ministry of the Holy Spirit, Who He promised to send to indwell believers of the Church Age.  The Spirit would not only comfort believers, who would great need comforting as the face a hostile world, but He would convict/convince the lost through the Gospel message proclaimed by the Church.  His reproving ministry involves convicting people that there is indeed a problem with the human condition, and it is called sin.   But, He not only convicts people of their unholiness, He also shows them how the righteousness of Christ is freely available for them!  When a person put his or her faith in Jesus Christ, His righteousness is imputed to them!  "God made Him Who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (II Corinthians 5:21)!  It is A WONDERFUL EXCHANGE - we trade our sin for His righteousness!  

A third reproving aspect of the Spirit's ministry is to convince men of judgment.  He works to convince me of the great sin of rejecting the One Way to obtain forgiveness and receive righteousness, which is by faith in Christ.  True preaching, teaching, and witnessing will never condone sin, it will always exalt the righteousness of Christ, and it will forewarn of the inevitability of eternal judgment.

John 16:8-11

The Lord's greatest gift-promise to His men given during the course of His "Farewell Discourse" (the night of His arrest) was to send them the Holy Spirit.  In Lesson 157, we discuss the Spirit's role to the Church as Comforter.  However, the Spirit's ministry after Christ's ascension was not merely to comfort believers as they passed through the world; He was also sent in mercy by the Lord to convict the world so many people come come to saving faith in Christ.  The Spirit not only has a defensive ministry for believers, but He has an offensive (meaning aggressive) ministry to the world!  He was sent to convict the lost; to awaken a person's conscience to three basic truths: (1) the actuality of sin, (2) the availability of righteousness, and (3) the inevitability of judgment.

John 15:26-16:7

There is much confusion today in this world about the third Member of the Triune Godhead, so the lessons on the Holy Spirit, given to His disciples on the night of His arrest as part of His "Farewell Discourse," are critical for our proper understanding the ministry and the function (role) of the Spirit.

In the previous lesson (#156), the Lord's subject dealt with the hateful opposition of the world toward the Church (Christians).  His next subject  was "The Ministries of the Holy Spirit" both to and through the Church in the world.

Christ spoke of three particular functions (roles) of the Spirit: as Comforter (this lesson), as Reprover, and as Teacher.   This lesson is about His role, to the Church, as Comforter - a very important role for believers today as we face increasing persecution worldwide!

John 15:18-25

Continuing with the Lord's "Farewell Discourse," addressed to His disciples, first in the Upper Room and then on their way to Gethsemane, we find that after speaking about "The Love of the Lord" (Lesson #155), He then talked about the world's hostility toward Him and His people. 

The transition from this lesson to the previous one is a natural one.  Jesus had just finished telling His men that He would no longer call them "servants," but "friends".  He then furnished them with three proofs of His love for them.  Now (in this section of His sermon), He forewarned them of the enemies' hatred; since they were His friends, they could expect to encounter the same hatred He encountered (and was about to encounter, beginning that very night)!

The Lord does not want His followers to be naïve about our opposition.  He does not want our spirits quenched by the evil we encounter as we proclaim Him to the world.  So, He told us ahead of time (through His words to the disciples), of the hatred we can expect from the world because of our identity with Him.