FWD: Morning Manna (Oct. 2); BP: Jn. 17; RBTTY: Eph. 5:1-16; Is. 14-16

 
Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: "Apostle Tom" <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Mon, 01 Oct 2007 17:25:02 -0500
To: pressingon@hotmail.com
Subject: Morning Manna (Oct. 2); BP: Jn. 17; RBTTY: Eph. 5:1-16; Is. 14-16
 
 
October 2 “Christ’s Priestly Prayer”  
 
“And now come I to You—and these things I speak in the world, that they  
might have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your Word—and  
the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of  
the world. I pray not that You should take them out of the world, but that  
You should keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am  
not of the world. Sanctify them through Your Truth; Your Word is Truth.”  
John 17:13-15  
Never before or since has there ever been a more loving intercession  
than this.  
“I’ll be praying for you.”  
So often those are the words we tell someone as we listen to his/her  
request and go on our way. While our intentions may be good—and, for a  
while, we may remember to pray for them—too often we become preoccupied with  
something or someone else and forget to keep our promise.  
 
But, such is never the case with Christ, our Great High Priest, Who  
“ever lives to make intercession for us” (Heb. 7:25). From the beginning of  
His earthly ministry, when He was baptized by John (Lk. 3:21-22). . .to His  
choosing of the Twelve Apostles (Lk. 6:12-16). . .to His impassioned prayer  
in the Garden and on the Cross (Lk. 22:41-45; 23:34). . .the Lord Jesus  
was/is the consummate Priestly Intercessor.  
 
Today’s Manna was prayed in the upper room after the Passover meal just  
hours before Jesus’ betrayal, trial and subsequent crucifixion. His  
intimate words in Jn. 14:1-16:33 are so moving—yea, piercing, in light of  
what was to follow.  
 
Yet, our Lord didn’t pray for Himself as we would have been tempted to  
do. Even though He’d already forecast who would betray Him (Jn. 13:21-30)  
and told Peter he’d thrice deny Him (13:36-38), He still lovingly interceded  
for His feeble-faithed, fickle-fleshed disciples.  
 
In His prayer You can sense the deep pathos He felt (vv.1-4). You can  
also sense the deep longing He had for the Father and His Home (v.5). But,  
these did not deter Him from His mission. He’d “manifested His Father’s  
name to those with whom He’d been entrusted and they’d kept His Word”  
(vv.6-8). He’d taught them well and knew they’d eventually embody His  
teachings even to the point of death (vv.9-12).  
 
Then, in a beautiful, intensely intimate way, He prays that “His joy  
would be fulfilled (Grk. ‘pleroo’—‘to cram full, level up, imbue, satisfy,  
accomplish, complete, etc.’) in them.” Isn’t this a wonderful request,  
Pilgrim? He’d already told them (and us) that “our peace is found in  
Him—not the world—and, even in the midst of tribulation, we can still be of  
good cheer. . .for He has overcome the world” (Jn. 14:27; 16:33).  
Hallelujah!!  
 
How wonderful to know He also prayed the Father would “keep us from the  
evil (one) and would sanctify us by His Word, which (or is that Who?) is  
Truth.” Glory!! May we rest easy today, knowing Jesus, our High Priest, is  
still praying the same way.  
 
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