 The title of our sermon this morning is distinguishing marks of a true disciple distinguishing marks of a true disciple, and we're in John chapter 17 And this paragraph that begins at verse 6 runs from verse 6 to verse 10 as we've come to John chapter 17 now all of the Eternal and saving redemptive purposes of God in Christ are coming to fulfillment We're at that time in history the hour has come as the Lord says And the Lord and his disciples now are walking toward The Garden of Conflict the Garden of Gethsemane And he will soon pray in agony in the garden and the Lord Jesus Christ will soon be arrested Tried and crucified now his words and final concerns as he walks with his disciples are recorded in scripture He is preparing to leave this earth. He's going to depart from them to the father by means of his cross He's about to leave his disciples. He's going to leave these men And they're going to be challenged. They're going to be shaken by the events that are coming upon them Now he gives them Parting instruction parting words in the upper room As they eat their last meal together in John chapter 13 John chapter 14 and Judas exits That night Into the night as the betrayer the son of perdition on his his evil errand And in John chapter 14 verse 31 Jesus and his disciples arise and depart now from the upper room They're making their way now through the city of Jerusalem along The temple mount toward an eastern city gate And the Kidron Valley that separates Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane His concern the Lord's concern to this point has been to Warn his disciples warn them of the hostility the hatred that they're going to face from this world The tribulation that they're going to face as they carry on their ministry without him physically they're with them And he knows in this circumstance having told them that he's going to depart from them The Lord knows that their hearts are deeply troubled deeply troubled And so with these words his upper room discourse now his farewell discourse and now into his prayer in John chapter 17 He intends to encourage them He wants to warn them. He wants to encourage them and he encourages them with Glorious promises promises that would comfort them as genuine believers genuine followers of christ He wants them to experience his peace to give them joy to assure them That god is faithful to his promises assure them of the victory of their mission And some of the greatest texts that we have in our bibles come from these chapters John chapter 14 john chapter 15 john chapter 16 and now this prayer in john chapter 17 Upon finishing those words in the farewell discourse We come to john chapter 17. We're in verse 1 the Lord Lifted up his eyes to heaven And he prays he prays Now this prayer in john 17 Absolutely loaded with great theology great doctrine and we would expect nothing less of the Lord's prayer He prays regarding the the redemptive plans and purposes of God All of those established in God's immutable and unchangeable and eternal decrees that were made before time began Now he prays for the glory That is do his name and the glory do the father through him beginning in john chapter 17 verse 1 father The hour has come Glorify your son that your son also may glorify you As you have given him authority over all flesh that he should give eternal life To as many as you have given him And this is eternal life that they may know you the only true god and jesus christ whom you have sent I have glorified you on the earth I have finished the work which you've given me to do and now Oh father glorify me together with yourself with the glory which i had with you before the world was As we as we listen to the words of the prayer right as we work through the text We're reminded that he stops and prays this prayer to the father in their hearing Often the lord jesus christ went off alone to pray he stops and he prays this prayer in their hearing He prays this prayer in our hearing so to speak right as we read the content of this in john chapter 17 In other words, we're meant to hear it We're meant to listen in now as the lord prays for his people Those that the father has given him we're meant to hear and to meditate on and to contemplate and to be encouraged by The petitions that he makes to god the father as he prays for his disciples here in verses 6 through 19 And then as he prays for all those that would believe through their word in verses 20 through 26 We're meant then right. We're meant to be encouraged. We're meant to be comforted We're meant to be Enraptured by the lord's words here as he prays to his father And here commends us into the hands of god so to speak Now as he as he intercedes On our behalf with the father He's gonna make four basic petitions Look at verse 11. He's gonna make four basic petitions on our behalf In verse 11, he says holy father Keep through your name Those whom you've given me that they may be one as we are That's awesome. And we're gonna get to that verse probably several weeks. We're gonna get to that verse Verse 17 is another petition He prays for them in verse 17 sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth Right a third petition drop down to verse 21 A third petition for them verse 21. I pray the lord says That they all may be one as you father are in me and I in you That they also may be one in us And then his fourth petition dropped down to verse 24 A fourth petition for his people father I desire that they also whom you gave me May be with me where I am That they may be whole I can't help but get struck by that right I desire that they also Whom you gave me may be with me where I am That they may behold my glory Which you have given me for you loved me before the foundation of the world It's encouraging right It's encouraging It would have been absolutely thrilling For his disciples right those men to stand by and listen to the lord pray this for them It's thrilling for me. It's thrilling for us amen to hear it This is god's word to us. This is the lord's prayer for you and I brother sister listen You can trust You can trust that these prayers for you for me Will be answered These will be done for you if you're in christ You will be kept you will be sanctified You will be one with him In eternity you'll be with him where he is Those are glorious promises You hear in this then don't you right the love of god The love of god the love of christ toward his people You hear the love that god the father Expresses to god the son and his eternal gift of a people for his glory You'll see the the love of god the son For god the father in seeking god the father's ultimate glory And we'll see further as we go through our text today The great love that god the father and god the son have bestowed on his own his prized possession his people That we should be called into unity with him That we should be called to dwell with him forever in eternity That he will be our god and we shall be his people. I am his and he is mine amen Now this love Is a particular love. It's a distinguishing love. We It's one of the things that makes it so precious, right? It's not a nebulous Indefinable Love that is made available No, he loved you if you're in christ from before the foundation of the world He wrote your name down in the book of life. You were engraving on his hand, right? He loves you. He loves me This is a love for a particular person a particular people This is a distinguishing love that the father and the son have For these specific people these people of god are a precious Possession and god the son here now prays for his own. He prays for those people. Do you see Now before the lord jesus christ Begins to make these requests for his people made known to his father He lays the foundation. He sets the table so to speak Before making these petitions for them and he does that in our text this morning john chapter 17 Verses six through ten look at verse six As a foundation for as a basis on which he makes his petitions The lord lays a foundation With god the father in the hearing of his disciples verse six I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world They were yours. You gave them to me and they have kept your word Now they have known that all things which you have given me are from you For I have given to them the words which you have given me and they have received them And have known surely that I came forth from you and they have believed that you sent me I pray for them I do not pray for the world But for those whom you have given me for they are yours And all mine are yours and yours are mine and I am glorified in them Now if you'll notice As he begins to pray for his disciples he grounds his position He grounds his petitions on who they are in christ their identity in christ, right? He explains why in verses six through ten why he's praying for these And not for the rest of the world. He makes a case For why the father should answer his prayers for them Essentially, he says this listen. This is who they are This is who they are. This is what I have done for them They belong to us. They've been bought with a price And I am glorified in them. Matthew. Henry calls them highly esteemed jewels in the hand of the father, right? Royal diadem in the hand of the father I'm not praying for the world. The Lord Jesus Christ says I'm praying for these that are truly My disciples So what follows then in verses six through ten? Are distinguishing marks of these disciples? In other words distinguishing marks of a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ I'm not praying for the world. I'm praying for these people those who are truly My disciples. These are distinguishing marks of the people of god Those who have been given to the son by the father those for whom christ died And now in john chapter 17 verses six through ten These are those for whom christ prays those for whom christ intercedes now from our text verses six through ten We're gonna look at four distinguishing marks of a true disciple of christ A genuine christian one who has truly Turned from their sin and have entrusted themselves to christ That is marked in this text those Disciples those christians are marked in this text by four distinguishing characteristics If you're a genuine christian a true disciple, then you have these four distinguishing marks You have these if you're a genuine christian one You are distinguished from the world Two you are distinguished by special revelation Third on your notes. You are distinguished by a fruitful faith And fourth you are distinguished by preserving grace Now if you're a genuine christian think with me about these things as we work through the text If you're a genuine christian then one you're not of this world You are distinguished from this world. You may be in this world, but you are not of the world, right? Two you're distinguished by special revelation. The lord has brought you By his grace has brought you from death to life given you eyes to see And ears to hear right and he has saved you by virtue of his grace by a spirit through his word Thirdly now by virtue of his grace You bear fruits of faith in accord with his word and by his spirit You are distinguished by a fruitful faith and fourth It's the lord now who keeps you and preserves you by his power He is the one who will raise you up in the last day So think about this In the shoes of the disciples so to speak, right? Can you imagine listening to this as a lord prays? It would have been very very encouraged by his prayer these marks these distinguishing marks The disciples are standing there listening to the lord pray and the lord is praying to god the father about his disciples And ascribing these marks to them How encouraging right here the lord jesus christ pray for you in that way If you've turned from your sin and put your faith and trust in christ, he prays for you in that way He prays for you in that way and I I don't know about you I love to be prayed for I think christians do to know that someone's praying for me. I love to hear someone pray for me It's just thank you jesus that someone would think of me to pray for me Here the lord jesus christ is praying for them and the lord jesus christ prays for us They could say of christ that i am his and he is mine But consider if these marks this morning as we work through the text consider if these marks describe you are you a christmas tree or a fruit tree Can you think of the difference? Are you merely decorated on the outside or are you bearing fruits of saving faith bearing fruits of the spirit Are you a christmas tree or a fruit tree? If these marks describe you then rejoice Rejoice be encouraged right face the ministry that the lord has given you Despite the tribulation despite the persecution despite the difficulty Face it with a bold faith live for him walk worthy of your high calling right don't let your heart be troubled. These are the intended Goals or aims of the lord's prayer his his discussion with his disciples as they walk toward the garden Don't let your heart be troubled rejoice always and everything give thanks praise the lord pursue these marks Abound in these graces more and more by faith If these marks do not in any way describe you Then you are still a part of this world Not just in the world you are of the world if you are In this world and of this world And you are outside this is the distinguishing love of christ for his own And you will perish unless you come to him you'll perish unless you come to him If these marks don't describe you it should break your heart it breaks my heart for you Acknowledge your sin before god turn to christ this morning and be saved Ask god to do a work of grace in your heart start following him today in repentant faith right First on your notes True disciples true disciples of christ are distinguished from the world true disciples of christ are distinguished from the world Look at verse 6 with me The lord prays he says i have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world They were yours you gave them to me and they have kept your word We've already established In this text how important this is in verses 1 through 5 the lord comes back to this idea of a distinguishing People a distinguished people he comes back to this again and again. He says in verse 9. Look at verse 9 with me He says i pray for them. I do not pray for the world But for those whom you have given me for they are yours. Look at verse 14 In verse 14. I have given them your word And the world has hated them because they are not of the world just as i am not of the world I do not pray that you should take them out of the world But that you should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world just as i am not of the world This is a Distinguishment this is a a particular people that are distinguished from the world the word men if you look at verse 6 The word men there translates the greek word anthropoise anthropoise it's plural And the immediate reference here is to the disciples if you think about that word men The immediate reference is to the disciples those 11 men that are now walking with the lord However, that word Anthropoise is often used to translate Or is often translated as humanity or people if you have an esv your esv translation says people, okay Certainly, we would say That what's described here wasn't only and specifically only for those 11 men You would say also wouldn't you that mary and martha? Were given to the lord jesus christ out of the world We could say that that's true of every true disciple those true disciples Given to the lord jesus christ by god the father out of the world right and in verse 20 He prays for all believers who have been given to him out of the world by god the father So although the nearest reference is these 11 or these 11 men the disciples What jesus is teaching here is applicable to All believers now what this points to first in verse 6 Is particularity is particularity. This is a specific group of people A predetermined group of people. This is not a nebulous unnamed Impersonal as of yet to be determined group It's not left up for you to decide whether or not you want to be in that group. It's already been determined Right, this is a particular a definite group. It's not a A nebulous thing that it's just made available to people. This is a particular people A particular group he here. He knows their name Right, he's written those names down from before the foundation of the world He has engraven them on his hand and he's given them to the son in eternity pass as a love gift from god the father to god the son The world Has not been given. Do you see that in verse 6 again? The world has not been given to the son for salvation only these and these have been given to him out of the world They were a part of the world, weren't they? They were a part of the world But they've been chosen or given out of this wicked world and given to the son That describes all disciples of christ Now the next phrase in verse 6 if you look in verse 6 the next phrase Could literally be translated yours. They were And to me you gave them Yours they were and to me you gave them that Even the the word order there right emphasizes the fact that even before salvation Before their conversion they belonged to god Yours they were and to me you gave them Not that he foresees their faith. Do you see not that he foresees their faith. He owns them. They are his They were yours yours. They were and to me you gave them The purpose of this this is why it's so important to understand these things right the purpose of this is not to glorify god's foresight It's not to glorify his knowledge of the future It's to glorify his electing purpose his decree and his grace in that Romans chapter 9 verse 10 listen When rebecca also had conceived by one man even by our father isaac For the children not yet being born Nor having done any good or evil and that's important So that the purpose of god according to election might stand now let that sink in for a moment Talking about rebecca and her two children the twins jacob and isaw right Before they were born Before they could do anything good or evil why Why so that god's glory In his eternal purposes in christ according to election might stand We're not here to glorify his it is his foresight his foreknowledge his knowledge of the future worthy to be glorified Yes, god knows the future But it's not his foresight Only his knowledge of the future here that's being glorified. It's his sovereign Control over all things whatsoever that come to pass. It's that that's being glorified god's power The purpose of god according to election It goes on to say now it was said to rebecca the older So that god's purpose according to election might stand it was said to rebecca the older is going to serve the younger as it is written Jacob i have loved But isaw i have hated Jacob i have loved isaw i've hated before they were born Before they have done anything good or evil so that the purpose of god according to election might stand in other words Not because of anything intrinsically valuable in them It's not anything lovable in you It's not anything intrinsically valuable or intrinsically worthy in you It is all entirely of god's grace And in that god gets every bit of the glory John 6 37 flip back just a couple of pages and look at that with me john chapter 6 John chapter 6 And look at verse 37 John chapter 6 37 does not say Does not say All those that come to me the father will give Does not say that right John 6 37 says All that the father gives to me Will come do you see? This is not foresight In that sense just simply a knowledge of the future whereby god then reacts to that future No, this is god predetermining all things whatsoever that come to pass It does not say all those that come to me the father will give it says all the father gives to me will come to me The giving of the father enables the coming of the people. Do you see? That's taught here in john chapter 6. It's taught in john chapter 10. It's taught in john chapter 17 It's taught all over the bible All of this is the gracious For ordaining electing grace of god toward a people that he has chosen for the son John chapter 15 verse 16 Right He says to the disciples You did not choose me But I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit I am so grateful for this truth in the bible right If if god Had not chosen me first I am convinced that I would have never chosen him If god had not done this work We would have perished Dead in our trespasses and sins I'm grateful this choice is not based on my worth anything Intrinsically worthy in me because there is nothing intrinsically worthy in me and I would have gone to hell I'm so grateful to god that he did this electing work all praise to his grace To the praise of the glory of his grace All the glory goes to god. None of it goes to my works. None of it goes to my decision I have nothing about which I can boast all glory goes to god John chapter 17 verse 6 Is expressing sovereign ownership of a people that god has chosen redeemed for his own glory yours They were And some of you gave them there is a particularity being expressed here and although if you think about it, right although The father gives this particular group of people to the son as a gift That giving That granting does not negate The responsibility of the person to hear and to respond to the gospel, right? We are responsible for our sin It's one of the great mysteries in the bible I have these things harmonized beautifully together and we Believe them because the scripture clearly teaches them and we put them together. We're not we're not putting together two things that are Unreal these things are married in eternity past The lord Rejoices to put these things together even when our finite minds can't fully understand them It doesn't negate the responsibility to hear and to respond To the gospel on the side of god's sovereignty God's people are given by god the father to god the son on the side of man's responsibility We hear the gospel faith comes by hearing and we must repent and believe We must repent and believe Trust christ turn from your sin Think about the graciousness of god to you this morning that you could come to a worship service like this Hear the word of god preached be led to repentance called to worship But secondly First there is a particularity being expressed here. Secondly. There's a distinction being expressed here. There's a distinction There's a distinction here between this group and the world Specifically in light of that distinction. We would have to say that this is a Distinguishing love a distinguishing love. This is a love That god shows toward these people this group that he does not show toward everyone else This is a special love for his elect, right? We've used that analogy before I could say that I love my wife I love my wife But you wouldn't fault me one bit to say that I love my wife and you differently I don't love you the same way that I love my wife Right god here shows a distinguishing love toward this group of people Colossians chapter 1 verse 13 this distinguishing love in this distinguishing love God delivers us from the power or their domain of darkness and conveys us into the kingdom of the son of his love In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins In romans chapter 8 verse 29 those whom god foreknew if you think about that word no Old testament into the new testament that word no Is an intimate word. It means intimate relationship. It's not just a an intellectual knowledge of or a mental ascent of I know that chase exists No, I know Chase right chase is my brother. It's it's a distinguishing love it's a It's a relational a personal an intimate love and romans 8 chapter 8 verse 29 says whom god For loved right. He also predestined those to be conformed to the image of his son Now Having been loved in this saving way by god. We are to live as distinguishable From the world. We're no longer of the world We're no longer of the world First john chapter 2 verse 15 john says this Do not love the world or the things in the world if anyone loves this world The love of the father is not in him Someone wants to ask the question So when I ask the question if someone took you to court And tried you for being a christian Would there be enough evidence to convict you for that question before think about it Are you are you entangled and ensnared In the entertainments and the pleasures of this wicked world Are you entangled in them Are you constantly worldly in your conversation? When you get together and you're having so-called quote-unquote fellowship at your place Do you talk about the bible is the lord on your lips is the lord on your conversations he on your mind Or do you pretty much go Sunday to Sunday without thinking much of him Do worldly preferences Consistently take priority over spiritual matters Are you Consistently or persistently prioritizing the things of this world and not prioritizing the things of god Day by day moment by moment. Are you retaining god in your knowledge? Who are you living for? Right Titus chapter 2 paul says verse 11 the grace of god that brings salvation is the same grace that teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust That grace of god given to us by god whereby we say we're saved if you're professing christ That same grace Inextricably inevitably leads to the christian the disciple Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. Why because it's given it was purchased by christ on the cross that grace will Result in that fruit For the purpose that paul says there we should live soberly Righteously and godly in the present age. Can we do that in our own strength? No god grants it to us. It's a grace of god If you've been saved it's a grace of god that you should live soberly and righteously and godly in the present age If you're not that grace of god has not been given to you And you are not a people out of this world. You're a person in the world that makes sense That we should look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great god and savior jesus christ Who gave himself for us For the purpose that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself His own special people zealous for good works Do you think that christ gets what he came to do? Do you think he gets what he prays for? Yes He gave himself for us if you're in christ, he gave himself for you That he might redeem you from every every lawless deed and purify you for himself If you are being sanctified If you are being purified it's a good evidence good indication that you're in christ He wants his own special people zealous for good works God's people are distinguished From the world secondly on your notes true disciples of christ Are distinguished by special revelation. They're distinguished by special revelation Those to those whom you have given me out of the world Christ says verse six. I have manifested your name. I have manifested your name look at verse eight He says four I have given to them the words which you have given me Now what did the lord do for these disciples and by implication what does the lord do for all true disciples of christ? What does he do for those who have been given to him by the father? He manifests he reveals or he makes clear The name of the father to them that's similar to verse two if you look at verse two When the lord says he gives eternal life to as many as the father gives him this is referring to a salvific special revelation not just Saying god's name. I told you god's name. That's not what it's talking about here. I want you to understand Go a little deeper than that right Matthew chapter 11 verse 27 The lord says this He says all things have been delivered to me by my father And no one knows the son except the father Nor does anyone know the father except the son And the one to whom the son wills to reveal him The son wills to reveal to the world No to this group out of the world He takes this group out of the world this group that god the father has given to god the son And he manifests to them the name of god John chapter 1 verse 18 John says no one has seen god at any time The only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father. He has declared the word there means exegetes He has exegeted him. He has explained him He's dug out of that the truth of who god is and he reveals that to god's people Now what does all this mean right? I have manifested your name I've given to them verse 8 the words which you have given me What does this mean? One it doesn't mean that jesus taught the disciples the various names of god It doesn't mean that it doesn't mean that he told them the divine name certainly the disciples Knew the divine name and knew the names of god from the old they knew their old testaments right? God's name here i've manifested your name god's name here encompasses all that god is And all that god does it encompasses his his character his nature his attributes And the supreme revelation of all of that think about it the supreme revelation of who god is And what god has done all of god's nature characteristics and attributes the supreme revelation of that is the lord jesus christ himself He is the supreme revelation Such that the lord jesus christ could say right he who has seen me has what? Seeing the father he who has seen me has seen the father Colossians chapter one he is the image of the invisible god Hebrews chapter one he is the radiance of his glory and the exact Representation of his nature In other words he has manifested your name to those whom you have given me out of the world right? so now flowing out of god's purpose as it was decreed an election Jesus christ then savingly Reveals the father to those whom the father has given him out of the world Right christ is the only one who can do this christ is the only one who can reveal the father in this way And christ is the perfect revelation of the father in this way Christ reveals him or manifests his name to them and he does this personally right? To those men those 11 disciples he's done that personally But to every disciple of christ he does that personally Listen if you're in christ right if there was a point in time when you Turn from your sin and put your faith and trust in christ you became broken over your sin you acknowledged that you were bankrupt before god You were given a revelation of who god is And that was done by the work of christ through his spirit in you Revealing or manifesting the name of god to you god is Holy and i am not right? god is gracious and merciful and i can come to him And cry out to him to be saved to be forgiven of my sin He is abounding in grace abounding in mercy But god is also abounding in justice and if i don't turn i will perish right Jesus christ reveals or manifests the name of the father does any and all the conflicts that he had with the Pharisees If you think about those conflicts that we've looked at in the gospel of john one after the other Manifesting god's great patience Right his long suffering with vessels prepared beforehand for destruction Manifesting god's grace and his mercy Manifesting his justice his wrath his judgment his righteousness He reveals the the holiness and zeal of god As he takes a whip of cord and cords in his hand right He manifests the compassion Of god towards sinners when he witnesses that woman at the well right when he When they all go to the tomb of lazarus and you see jesus christ they're grieved for one whom he loved He certainly he most clearly Manifests the name of god His holiness his justice his mercy his grace at the cross right Preeminently ultimately at the cross. This is not merely an intellectual understanding of these things right You have two different people both reading the bible one A genuinely saved blood-bought spirit and dwelt believer and some philosophy Psychology academic And they both read the bible they both may come to an understanding of what's being taught in the passage and both have two Completely different diametrically opposed responses to it right One empowered and fueled and motivated and illumined and enlightened by the spirit of god and one not so much Just and that's that's that is that is the special revelation a supernatural revelation That takes place in the life of a believer it is done by god the natural man Does not receive the things of the spirit of god right he cannot they are foolishness to him Can't know them because they are spiritually discerned so when The natural man right the hard-hearted Wicked son of disobedience comes into contact with the holiness of god Apart from a supernatural revelation of god in christ He's not going to weep and mourn over his sin But the true disciple will The true disciple is going to mourn over their sin He won't turn That natural man Apart from a supernatural revelation of god in christ Won't turn from living life for himself He'll regard all of that as foolishness But that one whom god has given christ out of the world that one will that one will He'll turn from living life for himself and heart soul mind and strength to live for christ That revelation that i have manifested your name right that revelation is a supernatural work of god of god in the heart of man It's a supernatural work now. He he further reinforces that in verse eight. He says in verse eight For i have given to them the words which you have given me This is the truth of god. He's referring to to sound doctrine here good theology Revealed by the son of god through the spirit of god and this supernatural revelation It all Causes the genuine disciple the true disciple To proclaim with the psalmist how sweet are your words to my taste Sweeter than honey to my mouth through your precepts. I get understanding. Therefore. I hate Every false way you understand right that's that's not the natural response of a natural man That's the response of someone who loves god's word who delights in his law who meditates in it day and night And the reason for that Is a revelation of god and jesus christ. These are life giving words in verse eight right life giving words Again and we're stating an obvious point here a repetitive point. It comes back to this. He doesn't do this for the world He doesn't do this for the world That cuts across the grain of most of evangelical thought today, but that's What the bible teaches right and It renders foolish So much of what passes for evangelism today What so much of passes for preaching? It renders it foolish one commentator. I heard commented on how foolish it would be To put a bumper sticker on the back of the ark That reads god loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life You know how absurd but that's exactly what goes on today right there are bumper stickers on the back of this ark Those bumper stickers are saying many of them god loves you have a wonderful plan for your life No, no, no If you put all those bumper stickers on the inside of the ark that would be that'd be right But not on the outside of the ark The gospel call goes out to all men indiscriminately the gospel call goes out to all But only some are enlightened Matthew 22 14 many are called but Few are chosen few are chosen although John chapter 1 He was in the world the world did not know him although he came to his own his own did not receive him It's only for those given to the son by the father The promises of god the blessings of god all these comforts and encouragements of god all flow out from his divine and gracious election Acts chapter 13 verse 48 when the Gentiles heard this they were glad And glorified the word of the lord and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed Let's look at this in context quickly. You're gonna have to listen faster go to john chaper too john chaper somebody needs to pull the batteries out of that clock back there for me if you john chaper two and Let's just take a look in john at this john chaper two where this is the case all right and again If it weren't in the bible people wouldn't believe it right but because we have the clear word of god teaching us these things We can believe by his spirit. We can understand and we can rejoice john chaper two look at verse 23 Just one example when he was in jerusalem at the Passover during the feast many believed in his name Initially that sounds pretty encouraging doesn't it that many believed Many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did But jesus did not commit himself to them Because he knew all men and had no need that anyone should testify of man for he knew what was in man And we worked through that text as we're preaching through the gospel of john We came to understand that god that jesus christ did not manifest god to them in the way that we're talking about in john chaper 17 Because they were not of his sheep. They're not of his people They were of the world and although they expressed some kind of superficial belief in the lord because of his miracles The lord jesus christ didn't commit himself to them. They weren't saving saved believers Look at john chapter six just a couple of pages to the right john chapter six And look at verse John chapter six at verse 41 41 Here the jews then complained about him Because he said i am the bread which came down from heaven And they said is this not jesus the son of joseph? Whose father and mother we know How is it then that he says i've come down from heaven Jesus therefore answered and said to them do not murmur amongst yourselves No one can come to me. No one is able to come to me Unless the father who sent me draws him and i will raise him up at the last day It is written in the prophets and they shall all be taught by god speaking of those who are saved Those who come in fulfillment of god's eternal decree of election right those who come Those who come are all taught by god Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the father comes to me This is speaking of the same thing that we're talking about in john chapter 17 Verse six seven and eight now specifically in the lord teaching them the words which god the father is given Those who come to christ come to the father are those verse 45 who have been taught by god Literally, they are the hearing ones and the learning ones And that's rendered in The english year is passive They are hearing and the recipients of teaching The recipients of that which was spoken right the recipients of that knowledge are coming to them They are the hearing ones and the learning ones in other words Again, this is not something that they are doing in their own power their own strength They are the hearing ones and the learning ones of that revelation Which is coming to them from jesus christ of god the father turn the page and look at john chapter 8 john chapter 8 And drop down to verse 42 john chapter 8 verse 42 Jesus said to them If god were your father you would love me for i proceeded forth and came from god nor have i come of myself But he sent me Why is it that you do not understand my speech? Here's why because you are not able To listen to my word You see this is a supernatural revelation look at john chapter 9 john chapter 9 in verse 39 Jesus said for judgment i have come into this world That those who do not see may see and those who see May be made blind the only way to understand a text like this Is in the context of what we're talking about supernatural revelation right God is taking those who do not see and god in his grace and in his mercy is causing them to see right Then some of the Pharisees were with him heard these words verse 40 and said to him are we blind also Jesus said to them verse 41 if you were blind you would have no sin But now you say we see therefore your sin remains look at john chapter 10 and look down at verse 25 John chapter 10 verse 25. Jesus answered them. I told you And you do not believe the works that I do in my father's name. They bear witness of me But you do not believe Because you are of the world You are not of my sheep. It hasn't been given that you should believe You are not of those who have been given in eternity past by god the father to god the son. You see No one can know the father. No one can know the father any farther Than jesus christ wills to reveal him The some Are tempted by their flesh To despair in light of that truth right Some are tempted to look at truths like that fatalistically Right and maybe they're maybe they're convicted over their sin. Maybe you're sitting there right now You know, you're not saved. You know, you're not right with god You're still living in the world or you're still living in your sin You know that you're sitting there and you acknowledge that listen to me Listen to me Don't despair Trust in christ Right The lord jesus christ Came and he lived that he died To be a sacrifice for sinners And if you repent turn from your sin And trust him all of these glorious blessings are yours and him All of these glorious promises all of these comforts all of these encouragements heaven christ Is your inheritance is your portion forever if you'll just turn from your sin Don't despair turn to christ despair over your sin Right your wicked sin despair over that. I am filthy. I am destitute. I am bankrupt before god I have nothing to offer him nothing in my hands. Can I bring All I can do is to the cross I cling right Cling to the cross today today Turn from your sin put your faith and trust and trust yourself to him and today Follow christ in faith today Don't despair Over the sovereignty of god and salvation no way rejoice in the sovereignty of god in salvation If it weren't for the sovereignty of god and salvation not a one of us would be saved Despair over your sin and flee to christ who is your refuge you have no hope Apart from the lord jesus christ. He'll just turn to him and be saved He presents to you the gospel today You're here hearing the word of god preach you have a bible in your hands What grace what mercy and for many of you you've been here a long time And so you hear it repetitively Week in and week out day in and day out the grace and mercy of god be Saved all you ends of the earth The result of this right the result of all this This revelation is genuine salvation. It's a supernatural work The lord jesus christ reveals god to the father god the father to them. He manifests his name to them And they are gloriously saved. It's a A wondrous part of god's effectual call efficacious call of the center to come Once they've come The result of this divine revelation this divine calling Is a fruitful faith look at point three on your notes point three on your notes True disciples of christ are distinguished from the world True disciples of christ are distinguished by revelation And thirdly true disciples of christ are distinguished by a fruitful faith look at verse six Jesus praise i've manifested your name to the men whom you've given me out of the world They were yours you gave them to me and they have kept your word listen to that they've kept your word Verse seven they've known that all things which you've given me are from you For i have given them the words which you've given me and they have received them And they have known surely that i came forth from you and they have believed that you sent me now listen to These five different verbs right related to These that god has or the lord jesus christ has manifested the name of god the father to verse six They have kept your word. They've obeyed you right that speaking of their holiness their obedience Number two verse seven they have known That all things which you have given me are from you verse eight They have received them Verse eight they have known surely that i came forth from you And verse eight they have believed that you sent me now these five Verbs represent two essential truths two essential truths and here they are verse six The lord jesus christ manifests god to them reveals god to them And they keep his word true disciples of christ Are obedient to god's word they keep his word Secondly we see this in verse seven and eight that based on what they know Based on what they know based on what has been revealed to them They both gen genuine disciples true christians both receive and believe they receive and believe all that to say In looking at man's responsibility now is that we're not robots We're not robots right god doesn't just Is that he doesn't hold us by marionette puppet strings and we're just you know We're not robots. We have a will we make choices A will bent toward god and choices acceptable to god Think about it with me now all find their source in the grace of god, right A will that is bent toward the things of god Choices that are acceptable to god in other words done in faith all of those choices and that will They find their source in the grace of god alone Right in other words if you don't have a will bent toward god You're of this world. You're outside the grace of god. You make choices that are Uh, persistently consistently unrepentantly For your own self indulgence that are of the world you're proving yourself to be of the world A will bent toward god choices acceptable to god all find their source in god's grace alone True disciples genuine christians work out their salvation with fear and trembling Knowing that it is god who is at work in them both to will and to do according to his good pleasure So as we look at those two essential truths, right? We can say this one Based on divine truth and empowered by divine help these men true disciples Keep his word. They keep his word that word there. They kept your word means to obey So what is the mark of a true disciple? What is the mark of the one given by the father to the son the one to whom the son? Manifests the name of the father They obey his word. They keep his word. This is their Heart their desire their fight their drive They keep his word now You might say here looking at these disciples That the lord says of them in verse six. They have kept your word. It's pretty audacious statement considering their many failures Right. They they failed a lot The lord is about to be arrested and what are the disciples going to do? They flee he's about to pray in the garden of Gethsemane. What are they doing? They're sleeping as um Peter is going to deny him three times right Praise god that he forgives our many failures And characterizes them here in light of their failures. He characterizes them here as keeping his word. What grace right? What mercy? You're not going to come to christ and be um perfectly and fully sanctified right you learned that in sunny school this morning It's progressive And it is a work of god in the believer To sanctify you these disciples they stayed With him in john chapter six didn't they when everybody else departed they stayed with him right They were prepared to die with him in jerusalem as he went to see lazarus in chapter 11 if you remember that section of scripture And as compared with the world They have been separated to him and have been following him by faith Now you may not be perfect And i know you're not and you know you're not either You're not going to be perfect But have you been separated to christ from this world and are you following him in faith? Are you striving against sin? are you Are you following him jc rile said this in themselves Believers have no life or strength or spiritual power All that they have of vital religion comes from christ They are what they are and they feel what they feel and they do what they do because they draw out of jesus A continual supply of grace help and ability So think about it sometimes you say i don't feel like it i don't feel Acknowledge that before god pray and ask that god would change your heart That you feel you're you're gonna draw that supply from christ Listen to bb warfield bb warfield We may point out therefore that the doctrine of inability Does not affirm that we cannot believe but only that we cannot believe in our own strength It affirms only that there is no natural strength within us by which we may attain to belief But this is far from asserting that on making the effort we shall find it impossible to believe We may believe in god's strength in god's strength Our case is parallel to that of the man with the withered hand He knew he could not stretch it forth That was the very characteristic of a withered hand. It was impotent But christ commanded and he stretched it forth You could say that he stretched it forth in faith, right? So god commands what he wills and he gives while he commands Unable in ourselves. We may taste and see that the lord is gracious These very struggles of the soul are an evidence of the working of the holy spirit within us So that we are justified in saying to every distressed sinner in the words of principal gore Act against sin in christ's name as if you had strength and you will find that you have it All just true disciples keep his word secondly Based on what they know they both receive and believe Verse eight sort of explains verse seven they have known verse seven They have known that all things which you have given me are from you For or because they have received and believed verse eight The disciples didn't always fully understand them, but they had faith At what jesus said was true and has come down from the father Fourth on your notes true disciples of christ are distinguished by a preserving grace a preserving grace The lord says in verse nine i pray for them i do not pray for the world But for those whom you have given me for they are yours all mine are yours and yours are mine And i am glorified in them This is all based on who they are in christ what they've been given in christ And the lord jesus christ prays in light of that he prays for their keeping in verse 11 We are kept by the power of god Kept by divine Powerful preserving grace and that's what the lord is interceding for here that we would be kept not for the world But for those whom have been given to christ by the father those whom he's given out of the world literally there The lord says this i ask Not for the world i ask, but strongest adversitive there For those you have given me the ground of this prayer is because verse nine at the end there They are yours and i'm glorified in them and we sometimes have a saying in my home right um My wife might say to me what's yours is mine and what's mine is mine That's the way we might say it doesn't work that way here right there's this Dual owners of this is a trinitarian godhead Trinitarian verse and the lord jesus christ asserting this is an assertion of his own deity D. A. Carson said this however wide is the love of god However salvific the stance of jesus toward the world There is a peculiar relationship of love Intimacy disclosure obedience faith dependence joy peace eschatological blessing and fruitfulness That binds the disciples together and with the godhead He's not praying for the world. He's praying for disciples Does that mean that we don't pray for the world? No, yeah, we should pray for the world. Well, what do we pray for them? They would turn to christ and be saved right they would turn to jesus christ The lord jesus christ it would be according to his will that he should manifest god to them In the world that might be saved through him. What a what a glorious salvation that we've been delivered to amen Let's pray father in heaven what i asked that you would In lumen us lord enlighten us Continue in your grace and mercy to us to Manifest the father to us for your glory for the glory of god the father for our good for your eternal praise and worship There's someone here lord that that isn't saved god In your great mercy in your abounding grace would please Save them For the sake of your son For the sake of your glory that they would worship you that they would praise you Or it may they be eternal testaments Of the riches of your kindness toward us in christ jesus We love you. We thank you for this text. Thank you for these truths Please lord, let us live in light of them In jesus name. We pray all things amen