Hey everybody, welcome back to Acts2and42. I don't know if the title caught you like it did me but this topic is very interesting and it's "Who Does Christ Pray For". Christ only prays for a specific people. He doesn't pray for everyone. And while that sounds extremely unchristian and actually kinda crazy, we wanna check out a jewel from the man known as the "Prince Of Preachers", Charles Spurgeon.
So Charles Spurgeon was unbelievably relentless preaching the gospel. He was a powerhouse, and in this sermon the key Scripture was John 17:16.
"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
And this was Christ praying to the Father. So in this sermon he starts off and he says, "Christ's prayer was for a special people." This prayer, if you're not familiar with the prayer in John 17 you have to go read it, it's phenomenal and actually there's so much doctrine and so much understanding found within the prayer itself. Spurgeon states, "But Christ's prayer was for a special people. He declared that He did not offer a universal intercession." He declared that he was not interceding or pleading with the Father for everyone universally. He wasn't praying for everyone. He was only praying for certain people, and that seems crazy but let's keep listening. He said in quotes, "I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine." So basically he's quoting Christ praying to the Father saying, look I only pray for them, that special people. I don't pray for the world, but I pray for the ones you gave me, because they are yours. I only pray for your children, I only pray for those that are yours. Spurgeon goes on to say," In reading this beautiful prayer through only one question arises to our minds. Who are the people that are described as them or as they. Who are these favored individuals who share a Savior's prayer, are recognized by a Savior's love, have their names written on the stones of his precious breastplate, have their characters and their circumstances mentioned by the lips of the high priest before the throne on high? To answer that question is supplied by the words of our text, the people for whom Christ prays are an unearthly people. They are not of this world. They are people somewhat, above the world, distinguished altogether from it. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
"I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine."
-Jesus Christ (John 17:9)
Christ's prayers are for a certain people, so we should wanna know who that is, and we should wanna be those people. If you are those people, if you have faith and you have confidence that you are one which Christ prays for; You are in this body of Christ, in which he loves and intercedes for daily. You should have the utmost confidence going forward. You should have the utmost confidence in life, whether it be sickness, whether it be finance, whatever it may be. You should have an overwhelming confidence that these Savior's lips utter your name. That your circumstances are spoken of on behalf of you before the throne of God. Like this is a phenomenal thought to imagine, and we, I think it's something we take lightly. So don't take it lightly. In later episodes we might get into how you are not of the world. What makes you an unearthly people. What makes you not of this world, and it's not pseudo-religious, pseudo-spiritual nonsense, "I'm just above everyone". It's not how you dress, It's not, you know, the title Deacon or Pastor. It's none of these superficial carnal things, and he actually digs in and breaks this stuff down to how people are kind of pseudo-spiritual. So anyway, that's not the class of people that he's talking about, so later we're gonna come back and ask, what does not of this world mean. Who are the people that are not of this world, but that's for another jewel.
Jesus died for the sins of the world because the sins of the world were so great, and those who accept Him as their Lord and Savior, Christ accepts into his prayers. Christ is waiting at the door to everybody's heart, those that accept Him are instantly forgiven. There is not one person in the world left out of the opportunity to receive Jesus Christ as Lord into their heart. (YouTube commentor)
I do want to include this quote above of a recent comment on YouTube. This persons statement, as I told them, is 100% correct and I have no issue with it at all. In reality though, this is not what Spurgeon was addressing. Spurgeon believed, as I do, in the universal access of all people to cry out to the Savior in repentance, to have their sins remitted, to be regenerated and born again of a new living spirit, and to taste of the Heavenly calling that is found in Him. This is refused to no one! Period! So if all are welcome to come to Christ, if God loves the whole world and does not want any to perish then why are only a certain people those who receive prays from the Son of God.
Talking with someone recently I explained the difference as this: In America everyone has access to a lawyer when they go before a judge (at least a public defender), but they also have a right to deny counsel and represent themselves. Now, if someone has denied counsel why then would it be wrong to say no lawyer, no counsel, no advocate will stand before a judge and plead your case....you are all alone. Only those who have accepted or asked for representation will have a legal advocate fighting for them in court. With that same understanding, why would it be wrong to say those who have asked The Lord Jesus Christ to be their Advocate with the Father, to be there pleading their case to God and to intercede on there behalf; why would it be wrong to say these people are the only ones He intercedes for? Why would he provide Heavenly Counsel to those who reject him; either by profession or actions (but thats for another episode of Jewels: What Is Not of This World?).
It is true that God loves the world and does not want one single person to perish, yet some will still perish. This is not because of God's will but ours. If we refuse a life preserver we drown. If we refuse an Advocate, He will not defend and save us.
Thanks guys, and stay tuned for the next JEWEL !💎
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