The Mission

Introduction

Like an exclamation point at the end of sentence, chapter 17 is the exclamation point for Jesus’ final words before his crucifixion. These words have been dissected and spoken of in a variety of ways. What is obvious is that Jesus is coming to the end of his physical life. What does one pray about? Jesus prays about himself, his disciples, and the future. He prays that he will finish his work well and that God will honor him. He prays that his current disciples will honor the Father as they live in this world. He prays that future disciples will honor the Father as they love each other. Do you get the impression that Jesus is praying for God to be honored?

What a great way to end life—praying. What a great way to face the hour of trial—praying. But it is the content of the prayer that I want us to focus on this morning. Not just the words but the intent of the prayer. Jesus is on a mission. The upper room meal with his disciples, the washing of their feet, the final words, are all part of completing that mission. The cross is the next phase of that mission. But before he goes to the cross, our Savior prays for himself, his disciples, and for us. Even as he faced death, he was thinking of others. The question for the day is this—Life is a mission for God. Are you living your mission for God? Let’s pour out our hearts in confession and praise.

Glory

Life is a mission. Are you living your mission for God? Too many are going through life allowing life to be lived out without thinking about life with intent and purpose. Life happens to them but they do not have a clue about what they are doing with life. For too many, life is spent working and playing as if that is all there is. Work, recreate, fix the house, mow the lawn, wash the clothes, cook and eat another meal, go to school, do homework, go on vacation, recover from vacation, give a little money to a charity, mow the lawn, cook another meal, wash another load of clothes…the monotony of life.

Life is a mission. Are you living your mission for God? I heard someone say one time that we should die with something else to do. I understood the point, don’t quit living always have something to work on. But we aren’t talking about that. Jesus could have healed some more folks, taught more crowds, walked a few more dusty streets. But he was on a mission and his mission was to be completed at a cross and an empty tomb. He knew what his mission was and he knew when his mission would be completed. He had prepared for this moment in time.

Look at verse 4. “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” He hasn’t completed the work yet, but it is in sight. He is so certain that he will complete his mission that he speaks of it in the past tense. I have finished it. The kiss was yet to come. The trials are ahead. Dying still had to be done. But he knew what his mission was and he knew when he had completed it. He asks for glory to be brought once again. He anticipates that the suffering he is to experience will culminate in the return to the glory that he had with God before. He will complete his mission and God will bring him to glory. But it isn’t glory after the cross but glory during the cross. There will be no doubt about God’s presence at the cross. In his degradation, Jesus will be exalted. While others will taunt, Jesus will be lifted up. While others see defeat, Jesus will win.

Life is a mission. Are you living your mission for God? Do you know now where you are headed in mission? Is you life a mission for God? Challenging questions. From the prayer of Jesus I believe we can learn two things about mission.

Mission

First, mission is lived with joy. In verse 13 Jesus prays for his current disciples. They are going to face many challenges not just in the days ahead but a lifetime of living for Jesus. Jesus’ prayer is that they will have his joy. Understand the impact of that statement. Jesus is going to face betrayal, crucifixion, and death, but he has joy. Nothing can take away his joy and he wants his disciples to have that some joy. Look at Acts 5:41. After being beaten for preaching about Jesus, the text tells us that the apostles are filled with joy because they can share in Christ’s suffering. Do you think Jesus’ prayer was fulfilled? Is it fulfilled in your life? It seems reasonable that Jesus’ words could be applied to us as well. Life is a mission.

Your mission is to live with joy when your faith is challenged.

Quit complaining. Allow joy to be seen.

Quit asking for change. Be joyful in the middle of the challenge.

It is in hostility that our joy is seen and Jesus’ prayer answered.

Life is a mission. Are you living your mission for God?

Second, mission is lived with holiness in mind (vs. 17). To be sanctified means to be holy. It means that our heart is aligned with the heart of God. We seek purity as God is pure. Best of all the sanctification or the presence of holiness comes from the work of God on our lives. We work with God and the Spirit’s effort to make us holy. Holiness doesn’t depend on us but depends on us cooperating with God so that he brings holiness to us. Holiness is not an end in itself. The purpose of holiness is not just to be pure; instead it is to go into the world. Holiness means that we understand that our role like that of Jesus is to go into an unholy world to bring the good news about Jesus to light. We go to work so that we can be light and so that people can see God. We live to praise God not to be praised.

ILL. Purpose. Alexander Papaderos. Life is a mission. Are you living your mission for God?

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