The Glory of Christ and the Work of Redemption

John 17.1-5-October 11th, 2026

Sermon - Pastor Scott Thompson

As Jesus approaches the cross, He lifts His eyes toward heaven and begins a prayer to God the Father. His words reveal the purpose of His coming, His relationship with the Father, and the glory revealed through His work of redemption. The cross was not an unfortunate turn of events. It was part of God's eternal purpose to redeem His people and glorify His name.

The Hour Has Come

Jesus begins, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you" (John 17.1, ESV).

Throughout John's Gospel, Jesus speaks of His hour as something that has not yet arrived. Now, the time has come for Him to accomplish the work for which He was sent. His betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection are before Him.

Jesus does not ask to avoid His suffering. Instead, He asks the Father to glorify Him so that He might glorify the Father. The cross, which appeared to be defeat in the eyes of the world, would reveal God's holiness, justice, mercy, and love.

At Calvary, we see both the seriousness of sin and the greatness of God's grace. Sin deserves God's judgment, yet in His mercy, He provided the sacrifice necessary to satisfy His justice. Jesus willingly laid down His life to redeem sinners.

The cross was not a failure of Christ's mission. It was central to its fulfillment.

Eternal Life Through Jesus Christ

In John 17.2-3, Jesus explains that the Father has given Him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to those whom the Father has given Him. He defines eternal life as knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.

Eternal life is more than living forever. It is knowing God through Jesus Christ and having a restored relationship with Him. Sin separates us from God, and no amount of human effort, religious activity, or personal goodness can overcome that separation. We need a Savior to reconcile us to God.

Notice that Jesus gives eternal life to those whom the Father has given Him. Salvation begins with God's gracious purpose, not our ability to earn His favor. We do not make ourselves worthy of Christ. We are saved by God's grace, through the work of Christ, as the Holy Spirit brings sinners to faith.

To know God is not simply to know facts about Him. It is to know Him through His Son, trusting in Christ and receiving the life that only He can give.

Christ Accomplished the Work

Jesus declares in John 17.4, "I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do" (ESV).

Although the cross is still before Him, Jesus speaks of His work as accomplished. He has faithfully obeyed the Father and is prepared to complete His mission.

Jesus did not come merely to teach people how to live better lives. He came to save sinners by doing what they could never do for themselves. He lived in perfect righteousness and willingly offered Himself as the spotless sacrifice for sin.

Our hope does not rest on our ability to achieve righteousness through our own efforts. It rests on the perfect obedience and completed work of Jesus Christ. Our good works are the fruit of God's grace, not the foundation of our salvation.

Because Christ is sufficient, our confidence must rest in Him alone.

The Glory Christ Had Before Creation

In John 17.5, Jesus asks the Father to glorify Him in His presence with the glory He had before the world existed.

Jesus did not begin to exist when He was born in Bethlehem. He existed with the Father before creation. He is not a created being who later received divine honor. He is the eternal Son of God who entered His creation to accomplish our redemption.

The One who would soon suffer and die on the cross is the eternal Son through whom all things were made. The Lord of glory took on human flesh and humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross. Yet suffering would not be the end. Through His resurrection and exaltation, His glory would be displayed.

Conclusion

John 17.1-5 directs our attention to the glory of Jesus Christ. He is the eternal Son of God, the One with authority to give eternal life, and the Savior who faithfully accomplished the work given to Him by the Father.

Our salvation is not ultimately about what we can do for God. It is about what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. Eternal life is found in knowing the Father through His Son, and our confidence rests in the finished work of our Savior.

May we never lose sight of the One at the center of our faith. Jesus Christ is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise.

We always encourage everyone to check everything through the lens of the Scriptures. Be like the noble Bereans of Paul's day. Please visit us here for much more, and remember, Christ is enough.

Until we meet again, lets go serve our King and trust Him with all we have!

FRF Family