GO & MAKE DISCIPLES WHO MAKE DISCIPLES.
***Updated every Monday!***
For the Newsletter Growing Deeper email click here.https://mailchi.mp/a8610c44103b/weekly-connection
Growing-Deeper-_-John-17_1-5-.pdf

Sermon study guide for next-level growth.

Watch Sermon Series Here

Sermon Overview

I hope this message finds you well as we begin this new year together in the Word. This Sunday, we started an incredible three-week journey through John 17—Jesus's longest recorded prayer in Scripture. As we've committed to 21 days of prayer as a church, it's profoundly fitting that we're studying the high priestly prayer of our Savior.
The sermon explored the opening verses of Jesus's prayer before the cross, challenging us to reconsider the very purpose of salvation itself. Standing at the brook before Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you." This prayer reveals a difficult but transformative truth: salvation is not ultimately about us—it's about the glory of God revealed through the Son, accomplished by grace, and received through faith. We wrestled with the doctrine of election, our limited free will in our sinful nature, and the reality that every good thing in our lives exists solely because of God's prevenient grace. This understanding fundamentally shifts how we approach worship, service, and our daily walk with Christ.

Sermon Series: 
John: The Explicit Gospel
God's Glory Through Christ | The High Priestly Prayer
Key Passage:  John 17:1-5

Key Takeaways

  1. Jesus is our High Priest - He understands us, knows us, and intercedes for us
  2. Eternal life begins now - It's not just about duration; it's about knowing God and Jesus
  3. God's election is biblical - Salvation starts with God's choice, not ours
  4. Salvation is about God's glory - Not primarily about us, but about glorifying the Father
  5. Our nature constrains our choices - True free will comes after God regenerates our hearts

Discussion Questions

Understanding the Text
  1. The Setting: Jesus prays this prayer just before entering the Garden of Gethsemane. Why is the timing and location significant? What does it teach us about Jesus's priorities in crisis?
  2. Eternal Life Defined: According to verse 3, eternal life is "knowing God and Jesus Christ." How is this different from our typical understanding of eternal life as something that starts after death?
  3. The Glory Exchange: Jesus asks the Father to glorify Him so He can glorify the Father (v. 1). What does this mutual glorification reveal about the relationship within the Trinity?
Wrestling with Hard Truths
  1. Election and Free Will: The sermon addressed the tension between God's sovereignty in choosing us and human free will. What aspects of this teaching challenged you? What questions do you still have?
  2. "Main Character Syndrome": How does our culture's emphasis on individualism affect the way we understand salvation? Where do you see this showing up in your own faith journey?
  3. Dead in Sin: The sermon stated that we are "spiritually dead" before God intervenes, not just "spiritually sick." How does this distinction change our understanding of salvation?
Personal Reflection
  1. God's Glory, Not Ours: The sermon's big idea is that "salvation is not ultimately about you—it's about the glory of God." How does this truth challenge or comfort you? Be honest.
  2. Looking Back: Can you identify ways God was working in your life before you came to faith? How does recognizing God's "prevenient grace" change how you view your salvation story?
  3. Satisfaction in God's Glory: Jesus was satisfied that His life brought glory to God. The sermon asks: "Are you satisfied that your life means nothing except to bring glory to God?" How would you honestly answer this question?

Going Deeper

For Further Study:
  • Read Romans 8:28-30 and Ephesians 1:3-14
  • Compare different translations of John 17:1-5 (ESV, NIV, NASB)
  • Research the Westminster Shorter Catechism's first question and answer
  • Study Philippians 2:5-12 (the Kenosis hymn)
Theological Tension Discussion (for further questions, head to GotQuestions.Org)
  • Calvinist perspective: Emphasizes God's sovereignty in salvation
  • Arminian perspective: Emphasizes human response and choice
  • The tension: How can both be true? Where do you naturally lean, and why?