2017.3.26 礼拝

2017.3.26 礼拝

2017.3.26 John 18:1-27 – “Believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God”

Theme verse of March – (John 20:31)

Review of John 17: its contents

1． John 17:1-5 – prayer for Jesus Christ, the Son of God

2． John 17:6-19 – prayer for his disciples

3． John 17:20-23a- prayer for the future disciples

4． John 17:23b-26 – prayer for those in the world who do not believe.

Prayer of Jesus = The ｗill of Jesus

１．Jesus wished to be glorified（John 17:1-5）

To wish for own glory sounds one was being self-centered, and it is if we were to do so. However, God can be self-centered because God designed and created the world as he liked.

2．Prayed for the disciples’ unity (John 17:6-19)

3．Wished that future Christians will be one (John 17:20-26)

21That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

➀ Know the danger of being deeply attached to one’s “conviction”

　　　Conviction of the Jewish leaders.

John 18:13-14 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.

John 11:47-50 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. 48 If we let him go on like this everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up. “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

The Jewish leaders were in a way desperate to protect their nation and afraid that people following Jesus would spark the attack from the Romans.

　　　Peter’s conviction

John 13:37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

Matthew26:35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

In their own way, the disciples also had a conviction that they could not live up to.

・ Don’t be too sure of “your own conviction” – the Jewish leaders and the disciples had made a mistake.

・ Regularly check for any inconsistencies between “your own conviction” and the will of Jesus

・ “Receiving revelation from the Lord” – examine if there is any physical desire (e.g. for your own glory or to realize your own dream).

・ Strong conviction or false idea could hinder the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

・ In a society, struggles may occur when people have strong belief that their “own convictions” are correct.

・ At church, being overconfident of “your own faith” or “your own revelation” could lead to collisions, divisions and/or breaking up into factions.

If we love God, we will obey the commands of Jesus, that is to love God and love one another, which is the will and prayer of Jesus.