Confidence In Christ
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Learning why Jesus is confident in His disciples, and why we should be confident in Him.
Text: John 17:6-8
Date: 01/19/2020, the Traditional service.
Series: "John: Encountering Love" Part 162
Description:
As Jesus continues His "High Priestly Prayer", His focus turns from the glory of His Crosswork to the spiritual well-being of His disciples. In doing so He expresses supreme confidence in their spiritual knowledge and faith. Even though the word "confidence" is not included in our text, we will analyze what it means to be "confident" and how "confidence" (or the lack thereof!) is always manifested by one's actions. Jesus was not only confident in His Father and Himself-- but ultimately in His disciples as well. And this, despite the fact they would all desert Him in just a few hours. We will delve into the reason for Jesus' confidence and discover it applies equally to all those He came to save. For His confidence is not in their own ability, but in the work of the Triune God within them. Ultimately, we will see how we should be confident as well, as long as our confidence is in Christ.
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I. Introduction
A. Defining "confidence".
B. Scriptural examples of "confidence", Heb. 11:17-19.
II. Exposition of the text, John 17:6-8.
A. Context
B. Confident in the redemptive work of God.
1. Jesus was confident in the Father, 17:1,5.
a. Confident in His plan of redemption, John 16:28, 17:1-3.
b. Confident in His Resurrection, Matt. 16:21, 12:40.
c. Confident in His return to glory, John 17:5, Heb. 12:2.
2. Jesus was confident in His own Crosswork, 17:4, 14:9, 11:25-26.
3. Jesus was confident in the Spirit, John 14:16-17,26, 16:7.
C. Jesus was confident in His disciples, 17:6-8.
1. An seemingly unwarranted confidence, John 16:32.
2. Confident in their election, vs. 6.
a. Revealing the Father, John 1:18, 17:3.
b. The gift of the elect.
i. Focus on the election, John 17:2.
ii. Focus on the gift.
iii. The "rescued Bride".
c. Called by the Father, John 6:44, 1Pet. 1:2.
d. Confidence despite their shortcoming, John 6:68-69.
3. Confident in their knowledge, vs. 7, John 16:30.
4. Confident in their belief, vs. 8.
a. Christ-centered knowledge, John 12:48-49.
b. Christ-centered belief.
D. Summary
III. Application
A. Christ is confident in you.
1. Christ has confidence in your election.
2. Christ has confidence in your righteousness, Phil. 3:3,9.
3. Christ has confidence in your sanctification, John 16:33.
4. Christ has confidence in your destination, Eph. 5:27.
B. You should have confidence in Him.
1. You should have confidence in the Person of Christ.
2. You should have confidence in yourself "in Christ".
a. Have confidence in your election.
b. Have confidence in your righteousness.
c. Have confidence in your sanctification, 2Tim. 1:12, Eph. 2:10.
d. Have confidence in your destination, John 6:39, Phil. 1:6,21.
IV. Conclusion
