Jesus said: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.
What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?
Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Luke 9:23-26 (NIV)
Father God, may we be faithful to do that which You have called us to do for You and the building of Your kingdom. May Jesus be our example and the Holy Spirit be our guide. Help us, Lord God, not to cling so tightly to the things of this world or to our place in it. May we have eyes, feet, hands, and a mind that focuses upon being where You are at work and growing Your kingdom. May we always be willing to give a reason for believing in the saving work of Jesus Christ. Amen.
1 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. … 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
… 11 The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.
I pray also for those who will believe in me… that 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. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:20-23 (NIV)
Imagine everyone “being on the same page” or having the same mind – the mind of Christ. We may have an image in our heads of what we believe the world would be like if there was complete unity of mind, spirit, and soul? Father God, we await the day when it may be so. I pray that you would keep us from harm until that day does come. May we be filled with the Holy Spirit and reflect Your glory to those who may choose to believe in the redeeming blood of Your Son, Jesus, the Christ. In His name, I pray. Amen.
Father, we ask that you show us how to be more open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Help us to reach Your goal for us so that we might be found pleasing in Your sight. Amen.
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:1-3 (NIV)
Praise God!
Jesus continued:
“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. John 17:6, 9, 11, 16-19 (NIV)
Message [used with permission from A Sermon for Every Sunday]: The Whole World Is Watching – Seventh Sunday of Easter by Jim Somerville, pastor of Richmond, Virginia’s First Baptist Church.
“Imagine that you are sitting in a darkened movie theater eating popcorn. You’ve already seen three previews of coming attractions and now it’s time for the feature presentation. The screen goes black and from the speakers you begin to hear the sound of a meal in progress…” begins Jim Somerville, pastor of Richmond’s First Baptist Church. ” Somerville’s take on this week’s Gospel lesson from John 17:20-26 is an imaginative communion meditation in which he envisions an international Christian conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, gathered around the theme “That They May All Be One.” How do things turn out at that convention? Not so well, at least, not at first. Watch and listen for how Jesus’ high priestly prayer might yet be answered.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message… “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” John 17:20, 24-26 (NIV)
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. Acts 16:30-34 (NIV)
Sounds like a reasonable question for someone to ask a Christian; what must I do to be saved. And, what a simple answer; believe in the Lord Jesus. However, actually believing in something is not always that easy. We may have doubts or we may have questions. The Scriptures provide us with the information we need to remove our doubts and answer our questions about salvation and living a life that honors the Lord, Jesus Christ. Father God, I pray that the Holy Spirit would guide us to those portions of Scripture that we need to answer the questions or doubts that we may have. May He help us to understand those passages and make the Truth crystal clear to us. May this revealed Truth draw us closer to You and help us to become better disciples of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His holy name, I pray. Amen.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. There is no law against these things!
My prayer for you this day is found in today’s passage.
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
That power is the same as the mighty strengthhe exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Faithfully Yours Forever 