SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/16/2017
11:12 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
The Significance of This Prayer
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference:
Message of
the verses: As you can see by the fact that there is no
verses given for the “reference” part of this section there is no verses to
look at. In the commentary that John
MacArthur wrote on this section of John chapter seventeen he has added this
section at the end of this chapter on what he has entitled “The Lord’s Prayer,”
and so we will look at some of his comments on what the significance of this
prayer is.
We have written about when this prayer was prayed, who
prayed it and who it was prayed to, so we can then say that the significance of
this prayer and passage is difficult to overstate as all you have to do is look
at these things that we have already learned about it. It is said of this chapter that it is the “Holy
of Holies” of the entire Bible. John
MacArthur writes “Here the words of the second member of the Trinity are
recorded, as He speaks to His Father about the nature of their communion, about
the outworking of their eternal plan of salvation, and about the way in which
the disciples and all believers fit into that plan. In hearing this prayer, the disciples were
allowed to listen in on the most holy and profound of conversations. In reading this prayer, believers today are similarly
ushered into the Holy of Holies, where they find their Great High Priest—even in
the moments before His death—interceding on their behalf. Some refer to it as the ‘Holy of Holies of
sacred Scripture.’” As mentioned earlier
there are many who believe that this chapter is the Holy of Holies of sacred
Scripture.
John MacArthur quotes F. B. Meyer concerning this
prayer:
“Its primary characteristic is timelessness. Though uttered
within a few hours of Calvary, it contains thoughts and expressions which much
have been familiar to our Lord at any moment during the centuries which have
followed. As we study it, therefore, we
are listening to words which have been uttered many times on our behalf, and
will be uttered until we are with Him, where He is, beholding the glory of the
divine Son, superadded to that of the Perfect Servant.”
Think about the countless pages, countless sermons, and
countless hours of study that people have done concerning this one chapter in
the Word of God, and it still goes on today as people desire to understand the
truths that are found in this chapter as we have the opportunity to listen to
the Son, our Lord and Savior, speak directly to His Father, and so there is no
wonder why this chapter is spoken of in terms of being the Holy of Holies of
the Bible.
Many have challenged the notion that what we call “The
Lord’s Prayer” which is found in Matthew 6:9-13 and also Luke 11:2-4 should not
really be called the Lord’s Prayer because in those verses the Lord was not
actually praying where in this 17th chapter of John Jesus is
actually praying.
MacArthur concludes his comments as follows:
“As Jesus prayed this prayer shortly before the cross, He
rejoiced, knowing that the redemption that had been predetermined in eternity
past was about to find its terminus in time and space. Jesus understood that the hour had finally
come for the fulfillment of what that which God had promised from before time
began. He was ready to face the cross—with
triumph and resolve. The cost would be
immense, but the glorious result would be eternal.”
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Jeremiah”
Today’s Bible
question: “What did Jacob make for
Joseph?”
Answer in our next SD.
2/16/2017 11:41 AM
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