John 17,1-11, 2026
\nGod of Wisdom, send your Holy Spirit to give us fresh understanding of
\nyour Word in Scripture. Inspire us to respond with renewed commitment to
\nfollow Christ Jesus, your Living Word. Amen
\nThis week at presbytery Will Henbest, the minister in Belfast, led worship
\nand he shared with us from what the Apostle Peter had to say in the book
\nof Acts
\nPeter preached well in Acts
\nHe was true to what Jesus had taught
\nHe was brave to preach publicly
\nWill also reminded us that this was also the same Peter who had denied
\nJesus on the night when Jesus was betrayed
\nA mistake did not put Peter beyond the grace of God
\nWill reminded us that our faith is lived out day by day, not just on Sunday
\nThis is one point that I took away from what I heard on Tuesday evening
\nOur faith is our faith is found in the midst of all that is happening
\nIn the midst of whatever life brings to us
\nWhether those circumstances are times of joy and celebration, or times of
\nsadness and worry
\nLife has a way of bringing that truth home to us
\nIt is one thing to say to another person \u201cGod will stay with you and help
\nyou\u201d, it is another thing to live that out yourself
\nAs Will shared with us on Tuesday, I could hear in his voice that truth of
\nwhat he was saying
\nHe spoke of being at bedsides to share words of comfort
\nAnd then of having life bring him opportunity to live out the truth of what he
\nwas saying<\/p>\n
2<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the way life goes for us
\nBeing a believer does not keep us from sadness
\nIt doesn\u2019t keep us from making mistakes
\nIt means that we have eternal life, which means that we know the only true
\nGod, and Jesus Christ whom God has sent, as we read in out gospel
\nlesson this morning
\nKnowing God means we are never alone
\nJesus knew that his disciples, both the original ones that he chose, and the
\nothers who would live through the centuries to come, would need help
\nAnd knowing that his followers would need help, he prayed for the original
\ntwelve and for us
\nHe prayed that God the father would protect us<\/p>\n
In John\u2019s gospel Jesus prays this prayer, called the high priestly prayer, in
\nthe hearing of the disciples
\nIn the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke Jesus goes off to the
\ngarden to pray
\nBut in John this prayer is said in the midst of the gathering of followers
\nNow, when I read this passage in John, I tend to think of the picture that we
\nhave probably all seen of Jesus praying
\nIt is a drawing of Jesus kneeling before a large rock praying alone
\nBut this image does not go with the prayer in John\u2019s gospel
\nJesus is praying for his disciples in their hearing
\nThis can be a very powerful and helpful thing
\nTo her someone praying for you<\/p>\n
3
\nWhat might have been going through the disciples\u2019 hearts as they heard
\nJesus pray?
\nThey would have heard Jesus say that they, the disciples, had been given
\nto Jesus by God
\nThey would have heard that the words Jesus taught had come from God
\nThey would hear that Jesus considered the disciples to be his, that there
\nwas a real and personal connection to Jesus
\nThat somehow Jesus has been glorified in the disciples
\nAnd Jesus is praying that the disciples may be one as God and Jesus are
\none
\nThat\u2019s a lot to take in
\nHow might the disciples have felt to know that Jesus thought this of them?
\nTo know that he was concerned for them?
\nTo hear that he cared so much that he was praying for God to protect
\nthem?
\nIt would get them right where they live
\nI believe that this kind of love and compassion we hear from Jesus in this
\nprayer are more than the average disciples would experience from a rabbi
\nThis is the kind of compassion that we hope to feel from a cherished family
\nmember, not what we would look to receive from a teacher
\nI feel that the disciples would have been filled with joy and love to hear
\nsuch compassion in Jesus\u2019 prayer
\nNo matter what they might face in the future, they would always have this
\ntime to hold in their hearts, and to refer to it when they needed courage<\/p>\n
What would it be like if we heard these words from Jesus?<\/p>\n
4
\nAfter Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said,
\n\u2018Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify
\nyou, 2 since you have given him authority over all people, * to give eternal life
\nto all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may
\nknow you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I
\nglorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. 5 So
\nnow, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in
\nyour presence before the world existed.
\n\u2018I have made your name known to those in the Brookfield Pastoral Charge
\nwhom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to
\nme, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you
\nhave given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given
\nto them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from
\nyou; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I
\nam asking that you give them confidence to use the abilities you have given
\nthem. Help them to remember that you love them and have given them a
\nministry for those who are powerless and afraid. I pray for those who are
\nfull of years and those who need guidance, I pray for those who are
\nflourishing in their careers and those who are looking for any work, I pray
\nfor children that they may learn to love you and for adults that they may
\nlearn to live in love. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have
\nbeen glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in
\nthe world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name
\nthat you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.<\/p>\n
One of the amazing truths about this passage that we read today is that it is
\nas true for us as it was for the original disciples<\/p>\n
5<\/p>\n
How does that impact you?
\nKnowing that Jesus prayed for you and prays for you?
\nThat we have been given God\u2019s truth?
\nThat Jesus is glorified in us?
\nThat Jesus prays for our protection?
\nThat Jesus prays that we may be one as he and the Father are one?
\nThese are our truths as much as they are the truths for the original twelve
\ndisciples
\nOn a Sunday morning in a worship service these are the words we expect
\nto hear
\nWhat about when we are living our day to day lives
\nDoes this truth get us right where we live?
\nFor just a minute I am going to take you back to that sermon I heard on
\nTuesday night
\nOne of the things that Will shared in that sermon was that the truth given by
\nGod is just what the world needs now
\nWe hear stories of despair
\nThe news tells us of shortages and wars
\nIn fact, the news shows seem to relish stories of shortages and wars
\nIn the face of that, Jesus promises eternal life, which is to know God<\/p>\n
What do those of us who know God have to bring to our lives?
\nWhen we hear news of poor health, or unwanted test results, or family
\nbreakups, or strained finances?
\nHow does eternal life impact day to day life?
\nIt would be easy to give a pat answer to this question<\/p>\n
6
\nTo say that eternal life gives hope, or knowing God is with us is comforting
\nAnd these things are true
\nBut how do these truths get lived out?
\nI looked to see what our current moderator of the Presbyterian Church has
\nto say about his faith walk
\nRev Jeffery Murray is the former minister of St Andrews Church in
\nSackville, NB
\nI had the privilege of knowing Jeff through the presbytery of New Brunswick
\nHe has a love of learning which he shared with us by facilitating times of
\ndiscussion amongst presbyters
\nWhere we would gather to talk about faith, doctrine and our faith lives
\nIt was a time of fellowship and blessing
\nIn the ministry of the presbytery he was reliable and bold to speak truth
\nwhen that was what was needed
\nIn looking at the way he describes his growth in faith, you can see how God
\nhas given him the opportunities for growth needed for the ministry he now
\nhas
\nHe describes growing up on a farm in Southeastern Ontario
\nHis parents were Christian people who attended the local Presbyterian
\nChurch where Jeff was baptized and attended Sunday school and worship
\nHe says: \u201cHome, farm life, and the church of my childhood formed the
\nfoundation of who I am today. The routines of home, farm life, assisting my
\nfather in beekeeping operations, and the routines of church were often
\nboring. Still, these were important and formative, like the repetitive
\npractices of a musician learning scales, \u2026 While I grumbled about such life
\nas a child, \u2026 I speculate the repetition experienced in my childhood formed
\nan appreciation for liturgy and the repetition that comes with ministry,
\nwhich, while sometimes can feel boring, can also be deeply grounding and
\nformative, and give time for improvement\u201d<\/p>\n
7<\/p>\n
He credits the time he spent at a secular university with giving him a
\ndeeper love of scripture. The first bible he was given was a King James
\nBible \u201cwith delicate pages and stiff binding.\u201d He was told to read the Bible
\nas though God was speaking directly to him, but as a boy reading in
\narchaic English, he found the process to be exhausting and he felt there
\nwas no room for questioning and doubt. It was as a humanities student at
\nCarleton University that Jeff \u201cdeveloped an appreciation for the remarkable
\nway [the Bible] stories revealed the human condition and the breadth of
\nhuman expression.\u201d This study helped the Bible to come alive for him as he
\nbrought questions to the text and experienced conversation with the living
\nword.
\nHis time studying at Knox College allowed for deepening of his love for
\nscripture as he experienced spiritual growth pains. He came to see that the
\nfaith of his youth needed to be increased. He realized \u201cthat Jesus and the
\ngospels addressed this world\u2019s social concerns. He also says \u201cIt was
\nhelpful that during my theological education and preparation for ministry in
\nthe church, I had an opportunity to work with the Boarding Homes Ministry
\nin Toronto, which helped me to understand the gospel in the context of
\nthose living on the margins.\u201d<\/p>\n
How does eternal life affect day to day?
\nIt allows us to know we can raise questions, that Jesus cares for all people
\nin all circumstances
\nThere is nothing that is beyond the scope of God
\nThat practising our faith over and over gives us disciple and the ability to
\nendure when those are needed
\nThat Jesus is concerned for those on the margins and asks us to work with
\nthem and for them
\nAnd also, Jesus who prayed for the disciples also prays for us and listens
\nto hear our prayers as well<\/p>\n
8<\/p>\n
As the loved hymn \u201cWhat a Friend we Have in Jesus\u201d says
\nIt is a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer<\/p>\n
Prayer
\nGod of the generations in time and eternity,
\nwe turn to you in these quiet moments
\nto offer you our thanks and our hopes for our lives.
\nToday we give you thanks for all those people
\nwho have shown us your face and taught us to follow you
\nthrough the loving example of their living faith.
\nWe are grateful for their wisdom and courage which continue to
\ninspire us.
\nThank you for our life together in your church and the saints we have
\nknown here.
\nMay the light of Christ shine through our lives, too,
\nso that we offer light for the world you love as witnesses to your
\npurposes.<\/p>\n
Christ of Compassion in action,
\nin you, we receive our call to live with purpose.
\nFrom you, we learn how to love those around us.
\nWith you, we find strength to face each new day.
\nSo today, we offer our prayers for those facing challenges,
\nand seek your guidance to respond to their cries.<\/p>\n
9
\nWe pray for those brought to mind by news headlines this week
\nfor situations of violence, corruption and deprivation, danger and
\ndevastation\u2026
\nKeep a brief silence.<\/p>\n
We pray for families going through difficult times,
\nfor all who are sick or in sorrow, for all who are lonely or despairing \u2026
\nKeep a brief silence.<\/p>\n
We pray for those agonizing over important decisions and
\nresponsibilities,
\nfor those in leadership roles and for those who care for the most
\nvulnerable \u2026
\nKeep a brief silence.
\nCreator, Christ and Spirit, move with us into the week ahead,
\nremind us each day to live according to your will and purposes in all
\nour relationships and to live lives of meaning so that we bear witness
\nto the love we meet in Jesus in whose name we pray. Amen<\/p>\n
COMMISSION AND BENEDICTION
\nGo as witnesses to our Lord Jesus, risen and ascended, and bear his love
\nand mercy wherever you go. Trust that the Holy Spirit is your companion.
\nAnd may the God of our Lord Jesus Christ give you a spirit of wisdom and
\nfill you with the hope to which you are called as God\u2019s beloved. Amen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
John 17,1-11, 2026 God of Wisdom, send your Holy Spirit to give us fresh understanding of your Word in Scripture. Inspire us to respond with renewed commitment to follow Christ Jesus, your Living Word. Amen This week at presbytery Will Henbest, the minister in Belfast, led worship and he shared with us from what the … Continue reading “Written sermon for Sunday May17th, 2026”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t