Shalom, my dear friends. We are studying together the Gospel of John, amazing Gospel, the Gospel of John that present before us the person of the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah in his divine personality. This is so encouraging to know as we study the Gospel of John. We are right in the middle of the 17th chapter and we will continue with the Lord's help in this ministry meeting to follow the prayer of Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, when He was on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane. John chapter 17, we have covered already, beloved brothers and sisters, the first 12 verses of this chapter, which is entirely present before us this prayer that the man, Yeshua, Jesus, was praying, communicating with God the Father.

We have learned in the first 12 verses that the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, was praying, first of all, for Himself in verses 1 to 5. Then, in verses 6 on to verse 12, He continued to pray for that God's people will know God, the Father, to know the Father's name, Abba in Hebrew, Abba our Abba, Abba our Father. And as we continue in the study of John chapter 17, from verse 13 to verse 26, we will learn additional two requests that Yeshua had from His Father on behalf of His people, namely that God's people will be sanctified, that God will sanctify His people through His Word. And ultimately, Yeshua prayed that God's people will be soon and very soon will share in His glory and be with Him in glory.

So while it is a prayer, there are so many lessons that we can learn from this amazing prayer that the Spirit of God allow us to enter into the prayers of the Lord Jesus the Messiah on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane, Gatshmanim. There he will be captured, taken to the high priest, ultimately to Pilate, and Pilate will hand him to be crucified. And there he will die on a Roman cross for the sin of this world. So, as we continue on, beloved brothers and sisters, I would like to continue from verse 13. John 17 and verse 13, Yeshua continued in his prayer and he said, And now come I to thee, and these things I spake in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them thy word, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou should take them out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sake I sanctified myself, that they also might be sanctified through thy truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on me through their word.

That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee. That they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them. That they may be one, even as we are one, I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world.

O righteous Father, the world has not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me, and I have declared unto them thy name. And I will declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. And so, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends, in the study of this amazing prayer of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, who lifted up his eyes unto heaven, as we read in John 17, verse 1, in the beginning of the prayer, and He said, Abba, Abba, Father, the hour is come, glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee.

And so, beloved brothers and sisters, Yeshua, after He's ending the time in the upper room with the disciples, Keeping the Passover, Pesach, introducing the new covenant in his blood, as we would call it, the remembrance of his shed of blood and his giving of his body. And now on his way to the Garden of Gatshmanim, Gatshmanim, we hear this amazing prayer of Yeshua, the Messiah, speaking with his Father. And we have already mentioned earlier that in this prayer that is found in the 17th chapter of the Gospel of John, the 26th verses, we see the truth concerning the desire of the heart of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, on behalf of His people.

And so he is praying, first of all, for himself, then praying that God's people will know the name of God the Father, the Abba. Thirdly, he prayed that God's people will be sanctified through God's word. And fourthly, he prayed that God's people will share in his glory. And so, in the first 12 verses, we have already learned that Yeshua prayed for Himself. And you remember this statement, that is an essential statement to understand. And this is eternal life, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, whom Thou hast sent. To know God, to have eternal life, must be based upon the knowledge of God, not only the knowledge about God, but to have a knowledge, spiritual, intimate knowledge with God.

Therefore, to know God is not only to know him in one's head and mind, but to know him by faith in trusting him and trusting the Messiah, the son whom thou had sent. Jesus, the Messiah, whom God the Father sent. And so he prayed, Yeshua prayed for himself. He prayed that the Father's name will be declared to the believers, to the disciples. That they will know that wonderful intimate relationship with God and the Father. That's why we read in verse 6, I manifested thy name. Verse 6. A little bit later on in verse 12 we read while i was with them in the world i kept them in thy name the name here in the context of John chapter 17 in the prayer of Yeshua Jesus the Messiah is to know God as Abba as a father we have seen that that the apostles later on the apostle Shaul Paul expound on this in the epistles when he said that the believers can cry Abba our father Abba our father and we as believers can call God our Abba as we cry to him and in every situation in every need the believer can call God Abba now as Yeshua continued to pray listen to this beloved brothers and sisters we divide it into section but the Lord Jesus the Messiah had this one prayer communicating with his father we learn from that but you can see the intimate relationship which he is the eternal son of God but also now the son of God in his humanity he is now.

Speaking to his father to his Abba and this intimate prayer but what does he do here he prays on behalf of all those that become believers in him that trusted that he was indeed the Redeemer the Savior the Mashiach the Messiah and so in verse 13 we learn the third request that the Lord Jesus had from his father Yeshua prayed that God will sanctify God's people through his word and so verse 13 Yeshua prayed that his joy will be among and in God's people and now come i to thee and these things i expect in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled in them notice this to have my joy Yeshua want the believers in in him that we will all have his joy remind you beloved brothers and sisters that the joy of the Lord as Ezra had to tell our people of Israel of old that the joy of the Lord is there is your strength when God's people whether it is historically Israel or whether it is the today the believers in the.

Messiah the assembly the church the joy that God's people can have is only when they are occupied with him to remind you that expression that they might have my joy in them fulfilled in themselves It simply means that the Lord wants us in the midst of tribulation, in the midst of opposition, in the midst of trials, to have the joy of the Lord. Joy does not depend upon circumstances, but joy depends upon a relationship that is found with a God who loved us and with a Savior who provided himself for us. In chapter 12 of the book of Hebrews, the early Hebrew believers had to learn this lesson for themselves.

Wherefore, the apostles said to them, seeing we are compass about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside a weight and a sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race which is before us, looking unto Yeshua, the author and a finisher of our faith, or of faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God you see the Hebrew writer have encouraged these early Hebrew believers in Yeshua the Messiah by telling them looking unto Yeshua as we look to him Yeshua is praying here that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves what is the joy of Yeshua of Jesus the Messiah that he was praying for the joy of providing redemption the joy of accomplishing salvation the joy of fulfilling all that which the Hebrew writers wrote years ago by divine inspiration concerning the coming.

Of the Redeemer the coming of the Mashiach the joy that was set before the Lord what was the joy that was set before Yeshua the Messiah is that he will have people that will be forgiven redeemed restored to God so he wants that the believers who follow him will have the joy of the Lord the joy of the Messiah in them fulfilled and he continue in verse 14 and verse 15 Yeshua continue and he said in verse 14 I have given them thy word this is so beautiful I have given them thy word that expression here I have given to them thy word when the Lord was upon the face of this earth he shared with the disciples God's word i have given to them thy word the word is logos to remind you that in John 1 1 in the beginning was the word the logos this is the Greek word logos in Hebrew the word is mimra mimra simply mean God's word but not only God's word in what God says not only.

God's saying but it's God's word that is expressed in the person of the Messiah himself so the word here is logos I have given them thy logos and the world has hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world in other words there was an opposition that the believers have experience when they have trusted in the Lord. So when you think about this word for Logos, it has to do really the utterances of God, but as a living voice, it is God who is a living person. It is more than even just the saying of God and the decree of God and the precepts of God and That which was given by God, but also it is very interesting because in John 1.1, this word is presented before us in the person of the Messiah himself.

It's God's teaching, God's instruction, God is providing for us His laws, His word, His matters, all that which comes from God that the Lord Jesus the Messiah revealed to the disciples. And so i have given them thy word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world even as i'm not of the world so in anticipation the world to remind you that when Yeshua lived here on earth he lived among his people of Israel in the land of Israel he limited himself in his walk here among his people Israel but now we can see that this opposition and hatred to those that follow him will come from all over the world that's why you find many times the word world mentioned here in the 17th chapter verse 5 i had with thee before the world was verse 6 thou gavest me out of the world verse 9 I pray for them I pray not for the world verse 11 and now I am no more in the world but these are in the world verse 12 while I was with them in the world verse 13 and now come I to thee and these things I speak in the world.

And once again in verse 14 I have given them thy word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world you see beloved brothers and sisters all true believers in the Lord Jesus the Messiah all of them are people that are out of this world they do not belong to this world we who belong to the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah belong to him to belong to God as Yeshua said the world hates them because they are not of the world so in reality you see we learn here that the Lord Jesus the Messiah is anticipating now he's being rejected by the world Israel the nation will not accept him at his first coming as a nation though the many and all the early believers of the church was Israelis Jews who gave the gospel to the world but he knew very well that the world will not accept him and that he will build what is known.

For us today the ecclesia they called out once and all those who will trust in him and become children of God will belong to the assembly the church the ecclesia and the assembly is a heavenly company that's why in Matthew 16 the Lord Jesus the Messiah said to Shimon petos i will build the church the ecclesia and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it to do anything against the assembly they will not prevail against the assembly why because he's he will be building this assembly and he will be building this assembly once he will die will be buried will rise again will be ascended to heaven will send the holy Spirit of God to earth and then and there on the feast of weeks the feast of shavuot the pentacles that's where the assembly the church had began and so from there on all true believers became part of the heavenly company and we are only passing through this world but heaven is our home in my father's house there are many mentioned I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am in my father's house where I am there ye may be also wonderful truth to know and so you notice this now in verse 15 we read I pray not that thou should take them out of the world but that thou should keep them from the evil or the evil one you see beloved brothers and sisters these are very important lessons to learn because the world here even though we are not of this world even though the true believers are not of this world for one reason or another the Lord Yeshua the Messiah prayed that the believers should not be taken out of the world but that they should be kept by God the Father in the world until the time will come and God will come to take us to be with him in heaven this will be at the rapture of the church where the true church the true assembly the true kehila in Hebrew.

Will be raptured and taken out of this world and so it is so interesting that Yeshua is praying in such a manner in verses 14 and verse 15 we have a verse in first John chapter 3 and we read these words first John chapter 3 and verse 13 marvel not my brethren if the world hate you we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren he that loveth not his brother abideth in death in other words the Lord through the apostle teaching the believers that the believers are really belong to the Lord don't marvel when the world hates you because the world hates those that belong to God 1 John 4, 4 and 5, ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world, they are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them, but to the believers he said, ye are of God, little children.

And you have overcome this world greater is he that is in you this is the holy Spirit of God than he that is in the world in fact in the earlier chapter in first John chapter 2 the apostle John said that the believers are called not to love the world and its system to love men in the world to love people in the world as God love the human race but not to love a system that is against God that's why we read in first John chapter 2 and verse 15 love not the world nor the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the father is not in him for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but is of the world and the world passes away and the last thereof but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever first John 2 verses 15 16 and 17 so beloved brothers and.

Sisters Yeshua Jesus the Messiah is praying that God's people will be a sanctified through God's word in a world that is opposing God's people that's why he continued in his prayer and in verse 16 we clearly see they are not of the world even as I am not of the world you see the believer in Jesus in Yeshua the Messiah is really not belong to this world we read in verse 19 and first of first John 5 and we know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness or the wicked one and indeed Satan is that wicked one that's why in verse 15 the Lord prayed that God the father will keep the believer from that evil one and the evil one is none else but Satan himself who is the God with a small g of this world that has blinded the mind of them that believe not lest the glorious gospel of the Messiah should shine unto them this is fascinating to understand.

Beloved brothers and sisters and so that is what the Lord Yeshua is praying on behalf of God's people he prays for you and he prays for me and this is so important that's when we are taught in the prayer that Yeshua was teaching the disciples to pray in Matthew 6 13 that we should pray lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever Amen so deliver us from evil this is in Matthew 6 and verse 13 as the Lord taught the disciples to pray here once again Yeshua is praying himself keep them from the evil and it's not only from doing evil and living in evil way but from the evil one Satan himself who is the God of this world so these verses are so important to understand as the Lord Jesus the Messiah is praying to the father that the people of God will be sanctified through God's word in a.

World that opposes the things of the Lord so we continue as we read of the prayer of Yeshua in verse 17 sanctify them through thy truth thy word is truth as thou has sent me into the world even and so have I sent them into the world and for their sake I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through their truth. My dear beloved brothers and sisters and dear friend, to be sanctified, it means to be set apart. In Hebrew we call it le kadesh. It comes from the word kadosh holy to be sanctified but how to be sanctified through the truth of God through the truth of God one can be sanctified and set apart for God this is amazing and so John chapter 17 and verse 17 sanctify them through thy truth thy word is truth it's amazing to see how biblical and scriptural Yeshua was because really the way he prays here in this prayer his high priestly prayer he's praying exactly that which is written in the Hebrew Scriptures that he himself is the.

Eternal son of God had given his word to the people of Israel. A little bit later on in Psalm 119 and verse 43 we read, and take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I have hoped in thy judgment. The word here is dvar emet, the word of truth. Don't take it out of my mouth, was the prayer of the psalmist of Israel and here the Lord is saying sanctify them through thy truth a little bit later on in Psalm 119 and verse 142 thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness and thy law is the truth the word here thy law is the truth is your law your Torah is the law of the Lord is truth verse 51 of Psalm 119 thou art near O Lord and all thy commandments are true everything that God commands in his word to the people of Israel to the church to the assembly all God's word is emet is truth let God be true and every man a liar verse 160 of Psalm 119 thy word is true again sanctify them.

Through thy truth thy word is true this is a direct quotation from Psalm 119 and verse 160 thy word is true from the beginning and every one of thy righteous judgment endureth forever and the word here dvarecha emet dvarecha emet your word is truth this is exactly what Yeshua is praying on behalf of for you and for me and for all God's people that God's people will be set apart through God's truth and where do we find God's truth it is found in the Scriptures in the Tanakh that is the Hebrew Scriptures the old testament in the britah that is the new covenant God's word is true and if you remember beloved brothers and sisters and dear friend the apostle Paul had to remind God's people of the important to submit to God's word you remember what we read in Romans chapter 3 and verse 4 the apostle said God forbid yeah let God be true and every man a liar as it is written and it takes us back to the Psalms God's word is true and let God be true.

And every man a liar and as we continue on in verses 17 and 18 and 19 notice what we read in verse 18 as thou has sent me into the world even so have i also sent them into the world and for their sake i sanctified myself Yeshua is saying that they also might be sanctified through the truth and so the truth of the word of God must be adhered to and that will set apart the one that follow after the Lord Jesus the Messiah and it is interesting that Yeshua said that as you have sent me into the world so also I send them into the world beloved brothers and sisters every one of us is really a messenger sent by the Lord into the world you see the work of redemption has been completed Yeshua are paid for the sin of this world he died he was buried and he rose again for our justification so everyone that trusts in him is ready to go to heaven but for one reason or another in the last.

Nearly two thousand years ago for some two thousand years God leave his people here and one by one at the time of death a person is being ushered absent from the body to the presence of the Lord in heaven so there is a reason even though we don't understand why did God not done away with this age and bring us all to be with him those that have trusted in him well because God is eternal and because God is the one that no one need to give him counsel Everything is from Him, everything is by Him, and everything is for Him. God, in His wisdom, allow God's people to remain here on earth for one reason or another to continue to preach the message of the gospel, to share the message of the goodness and the grace of God with the sinful world.

And a God who is a wise God knows all things. Paul could say in Romans 11, 33, all the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways are past finding out. For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Or who has first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? Paul said in Romans 11, in verse 33 34 35 and now in verse 36 he says for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever Amen so Yeshua is praying and we read his prayer that i have sent them into the world just like you have sent me into the world he's praying to the father and for their sake I set myself apart I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified and once again it is through the truth ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free Yeshua said to the leaders of Israel when he was here on earth and the truth does set one free but one must know the truth and the truth will set one who trusts in the Lord set him free this is so important because only the truth of God's word and the truth concerning the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah will set up someone to have this freedom by knowing the truth of the word of God that's why we read.

That sanctify them set them apart through thy truth you see beloved brothers and sisters the believer in the Lord Jesus the Messiah is set apart through the truth by receiving salvation first but secondly he is set apart through the truth by having guidelines to know how to live life in a world that rejected the Messiah the rejected God you see so this is so important for us today to realize these beloved friends and dear brothers and sisters and here the Lord Jesus the Messiah is mentioning here so clearly in his prayer as he communicate with God the father this is fascinating and encouraging us as believers in the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

So, in verses 13 to verse 19, this is the third section in the prayer of the Lord Jesus the Messiah that he prayed that God will sanctify his people through his word. Now, let's move along into the last part of the prayer of the Lord. In verses 20 to 26 and you will notice that in these last verses of John 17 verses 20 to 26 Yeshua the Messiah is praying for the rest of the believers who will become believers through the preaching of the early apostles and disciples so initially he was praying for himself verses 1 to 5 and he continued in his prayer and he prayed for the disciples themselves and the early apostles, these Hebrew apostles that walked with him and lived with him and watched him and learned from him but now in the last verses here of John chapter 17 and verses 20 on we read, listen to this in verse 20 Yeshua said, neither pray I for these alone, namely for the apostles, for the early disciples, but for them which shall believe on me through their word.

In other words, now in these last verses, he's praying for you and for me. For us who became believers as a result of the preaching of the gospel of this first century Hebrew believers who follow after the Messiah. They are still with him now as he is praying they just finish to celebrate Pesach, Passover they just learn now that he introduced before them the Lord's Supper meaning that he will be now going to become the Passover lamb and he will be the one that will die he will depart from them he promised them that he will send the person of the Holy Spirit of God and that they will be strengthened and have counsel and help by the paracletos, by the person of the Holy Spirit of God and they will be the one that will preach the message of the grace of God to an unregenerated world that needed forgiveness of sins.

To preach the message that there is a way whereby a sinner can receive forgiveness of sins you remember in act chapter 1 verse 8 Yeshua said to these very disciples that they will become his witnesses act chapter 1 tells us this in verse 8 but ye shall receive power after that the holy Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in beginning in Yerushalayim and then in all Yehuda, Judea and then in Shomron in the Samaria and even unto the uttermost parts of the earth so notice beloved brothers and sisters John 17 verse 20 we read that the Lord is now praying And he said, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.

And he's praying now for all believers who came to faith since the time of the early apostles who preached the message of the gospel. And since that time can you imagine how many became believers accepted the Messiah recognized that they have sinned and received forgiveness of sins and so you notice what Yeshua is praying for us that is the believers who heard the preaching of the word of God by the early apostles. We read in verse 21, Yeshua prayed that all may be one as the father and the son are one in each other. Notice it says here that they all may be one, the word is echad, as thou father art in me and I in thee and that they may also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

So, you see, this is an area that we need so much help from the Lord because positionally all true believers are one because we have all entered into this body of Christ, the body of Messiah by one spirit. You remember in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 13, for by one Spirit, ye are all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, whether we are bound or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. Notice that. One body, one Spirit. All believers, true believers, become part of that one body by that Holy Spirit of God. But you notice he used the expression, Yeshua prayed that they may be one.

The Lord wants us to be one practically. And this is where the prayer of the Lord, his desire is that God's people will enjoy practical unity. Sadly to say, he also elsewhere in the book of Revelation showed us how the chronological process whereby the church age will go through, that this practical unity will fail because of our insubmissiveness to the Word of God. It's not his fault, it's our fault, it's not God's fault. It's our fault. It's not the Messiah's fault. It's man's fault. It's the people of God's fault. So, but he's praying, Yeshua is praying that there may be one as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us.

Well all believers will become and are one in him but the Lord Jesus the Messiah want the believers to be practically enjoying this oneness in verse 22 he continue on and he's asking that the glory which thou has has gavest me i have given unto them that they may be one even as we are one do you remember that earlier in John 10 Yeshua the Messiah have already proclaimed i and my father are one John 10 verse 30 here we learn again more than once verse 21 verse 22 verse 21 said as thou father are in me we are one verse 22 and the glory that thou gavest me i gave unto them that they may be one even as we are one you understand there is one God and yet within this Godhead there is a plurality of person the father the son the spirit three persons three personalities yet one God there is no more than just one God the God of Israel but God is existing and consisting in a triunity the father the son the spirit so the prayer of the.

Lord he asking the father that the believers will be one practically we continue in verse 23 and we read that Yeshua prayed that God's people will be mature perfect mature fully developed he said i in them and thou in me and the day may be perfect again that word perfect it simply has to do with mature or fully development not perfect because the sin nature in us only proves that we are imperfect that we are sinners but to be perfect in a sense of mature in a sense of development spiritually developed and that will be the way whereby we can practically enjoy oneness what we have already have positionally so he desire that the people of God will be mature they will develop and be one and that the world may know that thou has sent me and has loved them as thou has loved me you see beloved brothers and sisters this is exactly what the Lord Jesus the Messiah said to the disciples earlier in the Passover a seder in Jerusalem.

You remember what he said to them in John chapter 13. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if you have loved one toward another you remember he said to them in verse 34 of John chapter 13 a new commandment I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one towards another you see when the world look at God's people and they see that they have love among each other then they will know that their believers are truly the talmidim the disciples of Yeshua and you see whenever this thing is not practiced the world cannot receive a proper testimony that's why many times because of the divided condition of the church of the assembly we don't have a testimony to an unbelieving world because the world does not want to come into a divided condition the world need first of all the unbelieving world need to know first they have sinned and they need the Messiah the Mashiach as their Lord and Savior.

But how sad it is when, as we read in verse 23, when there is lack of maturity, lack of spiritual development that causes, instead of oneness, causing division, but the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, prayed and still praying, lifting up holy hand. On our behalf, knowing every failure of ours, as a great high priest, interceding on our behalf, seeking to see in practical way the change in the life of God's people to be a testimony in the world. And so we read that he is praying. Very interesting. That word is essential. Notice this, Paul, Shaul Paul in Ephesians chapter 4, he really showed the desire that he had that the people of God will be practically one, you notice what we read in Ephesians chapter 4, I therefore, verse 1, the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called how to walk with all lowliness and meekness and long suffering forbearing one another in love endeavoring to keep the unity the oneness not the oneness of the body but the oneness of the spirit because the oneness of the body is already existing positionally because Yeshua paid for the price of our sins Jesus the Messiah already died was buried and rose again and every believer in him is already part of the body of Christ the body of Messiah but to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit that's the man as Paul said with all lowliness and meekness and long suffering for bearing one another in love as Yeshua the Messiah.

Said by this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one towards another this is fascinating that's why notice we read in verse 12 and 13 of Ephesians 4 for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Messiah the body of Christ till we all come to the unity here again the oneness the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God unto a perfect this is a mature person mature man unto the measure of the statutes of the fullness of Christ and that is the desire both of Yeshua Jesus the Messiah in prayer to the father the apostle Paul in teaching that and the instruction that we receive here practical unity to show evidence that we are belonging to the Lord and whenever it is not happening it is dishonoring unto the Lord and we all who belong to the Lord need to ask the Lord to help us to practice this in our day-by-day communication and the interaction with the.

Believers with other believers and so as we head on to the end of the prayer of Yeshua the Messiah we read in verse 24 25 and 26 that now Yeshua is praying to the father that all whom the father has given unto him will be with him where he is father i will the day also whom thou has given me be with me where i am the day may behold my glory which thou has given me for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world you see the love relationship that the Lord Jesus the Messiah head in his eternal being as the eternal son was already before the foundation of the world you see beloved brothers and sisters we learn at least a few important lessons concerning that which was there before the foundation of the world in fact let me point to those three important facts that we have in Scripture concerning that which was there before the foundation of the world in 1st Peter chapter 1 and verse 18 and 19 we read for as much as you know.

That you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of the Mashiach listen to this as of a lamb without blemish and without spot who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in this last time for you so in the plan and the program of God the lamb of God the Messiah was foreordained before the foundation of the world and that's how we know the second lesson that we find in Ephesians chapter 1 and verses 3 and 4 that God also have chosen the believers those of us who belong to him before the foundation of the world as we read in Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 3 and 4 blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ in the Mashiach according as he has chosen us in him notice this before the foundation of the world.

That we should be holy and without blemish before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of the children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will so we learned that the lamb of God was already therefore ordained before the foundation of the world God knew before the foundation of the world that he will have in the person of the son to come down to this world to become a lamb who will shed his blood for the sin of this world but at the same time we learn that those that came to trust in Yeshua Jesus the Messiah they are an elected people who were chosen in Christ in the Messiah before the foundation of the world this is fascinating but even more even more my dear friend we learn here from John chapter 17 that Yeshua revealed this to us he revealed to us as we read this prayer and we listen to his communication with God the father and here in John 17 and verse 24 we learn that there was a love.

Relationship between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit before the foundation of the world. Father, I will that they also, verse 24 of John 17, whom thou has given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou has given me for, listen to this beloved friend thou lovest me before the foundation of the world oh how wonderful to know that you see God is love God is light 1st John 1 God is love 1st John 4 that God of ours had this eternal love within the persons of the Godhead before even humanity came to being before the world was before God created the heavens and the earth there was a love relationship thou lovest me Yeshua said before the foundation of the world you see before God the Son took union humanity with His divine nature in the Godhead there was a love relationship between the Father, the Son the Spirit, the triune God one God, three persons there was a love relationship and God wanted to extend this love relationship.

To humanity that He is intending now to create knowing that sin will come in and so knowing this in eternity past in the counsel of God the Lamb of God namely the Lord Jesus the Messiah will become a Lamb was already planned and it was foreordained by the Godhead before the foundation of the world knowing that the people whom God will save and will bring to himself that he will choose them for himself and that's why Paul reminded us that we are chosen in Christ, in a Messiah before the foundation of the world this is to me and to you all should be a precious truth to understand you see God is love and his plan was not a coincidence in eternity past in his wisdom his plan was to bring a people to himself to enjoy the love relationship that the father the son, the spirit Ha'aba, Ha'ben Ha'uach, the three persons of the Godhead have enjoyed in eternity past so notice now in conclusion of the prayer of the Lord verses 25 and 26 we read these words by the Lord Jesus.

The Messiah, O righteous Father. You remember that we did say that there is a progression in the way that Yeshua is praying here. In verse 5 he says, O Father. In verse 11 he says, O Holy Father. And now in verse 25 he says all righteous father the world has not known thee but i have known thee and these have known that thou has sent me and i have declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou has loved me may be in them and i in them in other words that the last words of the Lord in his prayer to God the Father is that righteous Father, his Abba Hatzadik, a righteous Father, this righteous Father who will do all things justly and righteously righteous Father, he says the world has not known thee, but I do.

The people of God know that the Father sent a Son, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life the father sent the son to be the Savior of the world first John 4 and verse 14 and here all righteous father the world has not known thee but i know thee and these have. Known that thou has sent me in other word the believers the apostles receive something that others did not receive the understanding that Yeshua was sent from God in accordance with the promises of the prophets unto us a child is born but unto us a son is given Isaiah said to Israel so God the son was given how he was given he was born through the virgin Miriam into the world so he will be a sinless man here on earth sent by the father so the world did not know God unregenerated world sadly the vast majority today still do not know God but you notice they know the disciples knew how do they know because they received the Revelation from the Lord as you and I received the Revelation from the Lord we would have never know anything about Yeshua the Messiah we would have never know anything unless the Spirit of God revealed this unto us Yeshua had to say to Shimon Petos blessed are thou Simon for flesh and blood does not reveal it unto you unto thee but my father.

Which is in heaven God the father revealed to us these truths by the spirit and so the conclusion here in verse 26 precious I have declared unto them thy name and I will declare it That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them. Yeshua declared unto his own people, you and I, the name Abba, Father. The Creator God. And not only the Creator God, but the character of God. The love of God as an Abba, he is the one that is a father to all those that have trusted in him. This is wonderful, my dear brothers and sisters and dear friends, to know now we know God as our Abba, as our father.

Even though to Israel nationally, Israel knew God the Father nationally. Now every believers here are able to know God as our own Abba, our own Father today, in this present day. And so the Lord declared the fact that the name of Abba the Father, that He is a merciful God. And you notice, beloved friend, even though we have a lot more light today than Israel of old, our people have had. But notice what the Lord revealed to Moshe in Exodus chapter 34. And the Lord descended in a cloud, verse 5. And with him, there he was with him, he stood with him there. And he proclaimed the name of the Lord, the name of Yehovah, Jehovah.

And notice what he says. And Jehovah passed by before him and he proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, God merciful and gracious and long-suffering. And abundance in goodness and in truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquities and transgression and sin but yet he is holy and by no mean will clear the guilty and he will visit the iniquities of the father upon the children and upon the children's children unto the third and to the fourth generation if the children of the father will rebel against God God will visit them and God will deal with them if the children of the father will turn to God God will bless them and show them mercy and grace and long suffering and goodness and truth and forgiveness here we learn that the Lord Jesus is revealing to his people that what was revealed to Moshe and beyond because now God the Father sent the Son the Mashiach and provided redemption for us and in conclusion of the prayer wonderful prayer verse 26 I have declared unto them thy name will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them.

God wants us to enjoy the love that the Father has towards the Son. And you can just imagine, you can just imagine, my dear friend, of the love of God the Father towards His Son. Therefore does my Father love me, John 10, 17, because I lay down my life that I might take it again. Imagine the love that God had towards His Son in eternity past. And now there was an additional reason to love His Son. And the Lord Jesus is praying that the believers may learn of this love and enjoy it themselves in their lives. So may the Lord help us, my dear friend. May the Lord bless His Word.

May the Lord lead us to continue to follow after our blessed Lord, Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. Until the next ministry meeting, God bless you, and Shalom, Shalom.