In answering the question, ‘Who Does JESUS Pray For?’ we have clearly determined that Christ Jesus prays for us as High Priest and intercessor before God our Father.
“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
John 17:6 NASB
Jesus, although not praying for Judas, intercedes for the Eleven Apostles in the upper room as well as other disciples – those followers in every era to come until the judgment of the world.
Eternal Life will be granted ONLY to those the FATHER has given to the SON and not all of the world — not to the worldly, not to the unrepentant, not to the Antichrists of the last days of John or to those opposing Christ Jesus in these last days.
Jesus Son of Man and Son of God prays: “I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me,” but who are these?
shama`Yisra’el Yehovah ‘elohiym Yehovah ‘echad … “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! …
Jesus had witnessed:
“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. – John6:37
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. – John 6:44
“I will raise him up on the last day” is certain reference to eternal life and assurance to disciples of Jesus.
“I and the Father are one.” – John 10:30
One with the Son
Here stands the same Son of the Father, God incarnate! praying for those He selected before the world began. Jesus, the Christ and Messiah prays for the sameness of relationship the He enjoys with the Father.
One and the same would be the expression of relationship – God’s Perfect relationship in love.
Jesus IS; yet in His Oneness He says He is ‘no longer in the world’ (past tense). Jesus prays for those He loves though they must remain in the world for now (as do we).
As WE are ONE refers to Christ as the LORD, One with the Father and the Holy Spirit of God!
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. [KJV]
Now Jesus prays:
Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.
Jesus bows before our Holy Heavenly Father as the Perfect and Incarnate Son of Sacrifice pleading for God to protect or keep them in the Lord’s fold as He leaves them to the predators of this world opposed to GOD and all righteousness.
Then again, Jesus prays an astounding prayer of intercession: “… that they may be one even as we are.”
John has already used this testimony of Jesus many times including:
“I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one G1520 flock with one G1520 shepherd.
– of the gentiles joined with the Jews following the One Messiah as if they were one – John 10:16
Now in His great prayer of intercession Jesus prays for this mystical relationship of love between the Father, the Son and those chosen to eternal life.
.. so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 b
The Bible’s best known verse
John 3:16 KJV – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
STOP! You lost them on “whosoever and believeth.” (No one talks like that anymore except fanatics and crazy people with signs.)
Nearly everyone has heard it. God so loved the world. – John 3:16
“So what?” think all the worldly viewers of your very public witness.
And you want everyone to know the same love of our savior you have experienced (and they are so worldly). Yet every time they give you that “so what?” look.
You may have even memorized John 3:16 as a child, but do you even get it as one mature in Christ?
As I mentioned in the previous post, Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus about Spirit continues past John 3:16. Nicodemus, a faithful Jew, would have listened and considered every word of the Messiah of Israel.
Let’s step back from witnessing to the world for just a moment of personal reflection in the Spirit.
A Contemporary Conversation
Even Christians fail to consider that Jesus spoke every word of witness fully aware that the end of His earthly mission was death — even death on a Cross.
And so is your end, son or daughter of dust – your end is death and your destiny an awakening to the Judgment.
Yet only in God’s Son will you have eternal life, mercy to save your soul from damnation you deserve, penalty for the sins of this mortal life.
Those you have wronged cry out for justice. Almighty God, ‘el Shadday, from whom you walked away, grieves as a Father over the hardness of your heart.
Why, just as Satan and your enemies have accused, you deserve no mercy.
Has your unconverted friend or estranged family member given weight and consideration that we will perish? Do they see in Jesus eternal life in the Light of His love?
This challenging dialogue from John’s Gospel confronts every mortal with a life or death decision: accountability to facing the LORD, with … or without repentance.
Jesus’ Dialogue with Nicodemus, Good News for the world witnessed by John
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.
Visit of Nicodemus to Christ
The Apostle John certainly records this dialogue with Nicodemus as a witness. John would have been present. His understanding at the time would not have been as complete as after the Resurrection, but John records a remarkable conversation.
This learned Jewish official refers to Jesus as his teacher – a Master instructing him.
And in the room with Jesus sit John, Nicodemus, and perhaps others seeking to learn more from their Messiah.
You should join them.
In this dialogue with Jesus, you should listen to Jesus’ answers to informed questions of this learned ruler of Israel, who acknowledges his own place at the foot of the living Son of Man.
And be certain to set aside what you think you know about Jesus and listen.
Nicodemus: “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God…
Jesus: “.. no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
Nicodemus: “How can a man be born when he is old? ..
Jesus: “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus: “How can these things be?
Jesus: “Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
“Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen,
“and you receive not our witness.
Jesus confronts us with truth!
Do you receive it? Or do you need to hear more from the Spirit to be convinced?
Beloved listener, now witness to this dialogue with Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews at the feet of Jesus for His teaching, what further proof do you need?
Jesus: “I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
“No one has ascended into heaven…
except the one who descended from heaven —the Son of Man.
So Jesus’ truth and question to the listener is:
Do you believe that Jesus IS the Son of Man, the Messiah of God, descended from heaven – in the flesh?
“We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. – Numbers 21:7
The LORD intercedes for sinners… repentant sinners.
“so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
Nicodemus and every religious ruler of the Jews since Moses understand. Sin must be punished! A remedy for sin requires not only repentance, but sacrifice זֶבַח.
Silence in the Presence of the Lord
The leader of the Pharisees also remains silent in the presence of Jesus.
Perhaps one scripture or another of response to hearing God’s Word comes to mind for Nicodemus, such as these words of the Prophet Isaiah.
Then I said:
Woe is me for I am ruined
because I am a man of unclean lips
and live among a people of unclean lips,
and because my eyes have seen the King,
the LORD of Armies.
John 3:16
We have listened with expectation to Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus, wondering along with the Apostle John what the Messiah will reveal next. In these most beloved words Jesus reveals the reason for His own Sacrifice at a time still unknown to them.
“For God loved the world in this way:
or “God loves the world this much:
John’s Gospel would have been completed perhaps three decades after this conversation with Nicodemus. The world would be those to whom it is written at the time, a Greco-Roman world, believers in Greece, Asia-minor or modern-day Turkey. These gentile believers, along with Jews who accept Jesus as the Messiah, know that we are the worldκόσμοςkosmos to whom Jesus speaks.
Nicodemus and Jews wondering if John the Baptist or Jesus could be their Messiah would have considered Scripture as Jesus speaks these words.
And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
Judge of the World
You want someone to judge righteousness, don’t you?
Yet who can judge the sins of others? Certainly not christians, as we often do. This is just one of the reasons the world hates Christ, but it is not the only reason.
Who do you want to judge your own sin? Can you stand before the Judge of the world (whoever He may be)?
He gave his one and only Son,
Healing of the Serpent, Healing by the Cross
John Wesley makes the connection of the Serpent lifted up in the wilderness [v.15] and the healing for believers by gazing upon Christ.
He must be lifted up, that hereby he may purchase salvation for all believers: all those who look to him by faith recover spiritual health, even as all that looked at that serpent recovered bodily health.
Yea, and this was the very design of God’s love in sending him into the world.
God so loved the world – That is, all men under heaven: even those that despise his love, and will for that cause finally perish.
John Wesley
Eternal Life or Judgment?
… so that everyone who believes in him will not perish,but have eternal life.
Yes, all believers: Jews (Messianic Jews, as we know know them), Gentiles (the rest of the world), Greeks and Romans.
You do not want to think of eternal life, but only this waning existence we call life. It is in the flesh and all realize it will end. But eternal life? That would be something else to consider, especially if it could contain the just punishment of our considerable sin and unrighteousness.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
So Jesus was not sent to condemn the world. This the Lord confirms to Nicodemus and those of you listening intently to the Messiah. Jesus came to save the world through him. Substitution for a required sacrifice, justification required for acquittal from our deserved sentence for sin.
18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned,
Good News!
This is Good News to the Pharisee Nicodemus, who by his knowledge of Scripture believes in the resurrection.
And it is Good News to and who listen to the Messiah, the Son of God our Father in Heaven.
Yet Jesus adds something here christian-sounding false preachers reject. In fact, as much as we would like for this Good News to apply to all of our loved ones and friends, it does not.
… but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
Sorry … your mom or your dad, your brother, sister or friend, your misleading ‘good’ religious teacher – all are condemned, if they do not substitute this God-sent Sacrifice, Christ Jesus, for their own sin.
19 This is the judgment:
And why? Why does a loving God accept some for eternal life, yet punish others for not accepting the Messiah Jesus as their Lord?
Darkness or Light?
The light has come into the world,
Jesus IS the Light of Almighty God!
“In him was life; and the life was the light of men,” John testifies.
John 1:4
… and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.
It’s true. We would hide our sin in the shadows.
Yet in the Judgment hiding sin is not an option. In the Light of Christ, the Messiah of the Lord God, we have life eternal only because He paid this dear price and severe penalty for our sin.
Here we sit listening to Jesus, along with Nicodemus. Or here we now sit reading the truth of the Word.
To which mortal souls of the world will you run?
20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.
21 But anyone who lives bythe truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”
We must believe in Jesus to have eternal life.
Nicodemus, now in his later life, will leave the meeting in darkness to come to the light and practice the truth, true religion in his later life. John is the only Disciple who will not lose his life for his witness of Christ Jesus.
Shortly after this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, John the Baptist will be beheaded for his witness that Jesus is the promised Messiah of God.
The Invitation of John 3:16
And what of your witness and mine in these last days?
What has the Spirit put on your heart as you have listened with Nicodemus to the only begotten Son of God?
Jesus would love you! o mortal of dust, wonderfully formed with water and spirit.
Yet will you love the Son who came down, born like you to be crucified on a Cross?
Just to save your sinful soul? Just to save your sinful soul.
God came into the world as a man in the flesh to save sinners, yet so many do not know Jesus or turn away from the incarnate and risen Lord.
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. – John 1:10”
If you believe, what did the Lord command his servants (that is, you and me)?
Go into all the world
The Gospel of Mark, which closes with Christ’s Great Commission to “Go into all the world..” opens with his summary overview: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God,”
son of God
Term used preeminently of Jesus Christ, as enjoying the supreme love of God, united to him in affectionate intimacy, privy to his saving councils, obedient to the Father’s will in all his acts.
used to describe Adam (Lk. 3:38)
used to describe those who are born again (Lk. 20:36) and of angels and of Jesus Christ
of those whom God esteems as sons, whom he loves, protects and benefits above others
in the OT used of the Jews
in the NT of Christians
those whose character God, as a loving father, shapes by chastisements Heb. 12:5-8)
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight..’”
4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
…
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying,
[ctt title=”“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”” tweet=”Jesus Christ, Son of Man proclaims in the Gospel of Mark 1:15″ coverup=”z5edx”]
The Lord Rules the World
He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s,
and on them he has set the world. – 1 Samuel 2:8
Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! – Psalm 33:8
I will punish the world for its evil,
and the wicked for their iniquity;
I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant,
and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. – Isaiah 13:11
[ctt title=”The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one..” tweet=”The words of Jesus, Gospel of Matthew 13:38” coverup=”bP8Uh”]
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. – Gospel of John 14:27
I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” – John 16:28
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
The Mission
Some may recognize the theme of our post here as the beginning of the Great Commission. Praise the Lord God, Creator of the heavens and earth, all that is seen and unseen. Believe from the scriptures that God has so loved the world that he sacrificed his only Son, Christ Jesus, for our sins. We are adopted into the loving eternal family of the Lord. Receive the Holy Spirit of the triune God to guide your heart and refine your flesh.
If you believe, are you listening to the Lord?
Here the words of Jesus, risen Son of Man:
John 5:25-29 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
Resurrection of the body, commission to save souls
15 [ctt title=”And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” tweet=”https://ctt.ec/_0d4q+ NEW Christian Social Witness mission via facebook” coverup=”_0d4q”]
![John La Farge [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://talkofjesus.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Nicodemus-with-Jesus-John-3-246x300.jpg)
