Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 24 (1909)

Ms 135, 1909

Sermon/Thoughts on John 17

San Jose, California

October 7, 1909

Previously unpublished.

John 17. “These words spake Jesus ... life eternal.” [Verses 1-3.] Now that is what we want to know. Put your mind right on to it to know. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 1

“And this is life eternal ... Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” [Verse 3.] There is a world in that for us, an eternal world. He has pledged us life eternal if we know it. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 2

“That they might know Thee ... before the world was.” [Verses 3-5.] What a prayer for Christ to offer, the One that left the royal courts in pity for us that He might save perishing souls. And O, how anxious we should be to reach every soul possible. How earnest we should be to keep the mind centered upon ministry and the great sacrifice He has made in our behalf. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 3

“And now, O Father, glorify ... before the world was.” [Verse 5.] Before the world was made. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 4

“I have manifested thy name ... out of the world.” [Verse 6.] Now that is the very work that is resting upon every one of us. Ministers, in giving the Word, they can manifest it. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 5

“I have manifested thy name ... out of the world.” [Verse 6.] Now we are to do just the work as far as in us in possible that Christ gave us the example. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 6

“Thine they were, and ... believed that Thou didst send me.” [Verses 6-8.] Now we are to pattern after Christ. Pattern His works, and if we do that, we shall make no miss, we shall have heaven. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 7

“I pray for them ... that they may be one, as we are one.” [Verses 9-11.] What a request is that to make, “That they may be one as we are.” What a privilege it is! What a position it places us in! It is wonderful. “That they may be one as we are.” 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 8

“While I was with them in the world ... joy fulfilled in themselves.” [Verses 12, 13.] The Lord does not want us to be light and trifling, nothing in that line, but He wants us to have the joy of being one with Christ. And if we can be one with Christ we can ask what we will, and it shall be done unto us. Let us every one of us place ourselves in the most favorable position, that we may have a part that can rejoice in the wonderful, wonderful sacrifice that was made, lest we should be lost. Now we are where we can grasp the promises. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 9

“And now come I to thee ... joy fulfilled in themselves.” [Verse 13.] Well, the Lord then does not want us to go mourning and groaning, but He wants us to have faith, He wants us to speak with courage, He wants us to speak in faith to those that are around us. He does not want us to go mourning and groaning. No, He does not want us to have that experience, because Christ took upon Him our sins, that we might have that joy fulfilled in ourselves if we grasp the promises that have been given us in the Word. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 10

“I have given them thy word ... wouldst keep them from the evil.” [Verses 14, 15.] Now the One that made that prayer, you may be sure if you are in temptation and in trial in the world, that you shall put your trust and confidence in Him, and He will be with you. Will we go groaning and mourning because we do not feel just as we want to? Feeling has nothing to do with it. It is the promises that are left us that we are to grasp, and that we are to enjoy, and that we are to present to others. But if we go along mourning as if we had no Saviour, we dishonor Him, and we must not do that. We must keep our minds uplifted, and think what a sacrifice He had made that our humanity might grasp His divinity, and therefore that we have hope and confidence and trust in the Lord Jesus. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 11

“I pray not that thou ... thy word is truth.” [Verses 15-17.] And if we are to be sanctified through the Word that we shall believe, we shall be brought into that sacred fellowship to be laborers together with Jesus Christ, to help every soul that is possible to be helped. Christ gave His life for these souls, therefore we should place ourselves in right relation to them, and seek to do all we possibly can to make them overcomers in unity with us. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 12

“Sanctify them through ... sent them into the world.” [Verses 17, 18.] Now just see our position. There He brings Himself right in relation to us, and us to Him. O, we have solemn responsibilities upon us, not to go gloomy, not to go mourning, because then you cannot represent that blessed, glorious hope, large with faith, and big with immortality. And when we do have such a hope and cherish it, when we meet with disappointments and trials, we think it is not as much as Jesus had. He has given us an example how He acted in all these strait places, and we will try to follow Him. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 13

“Sanctify them through ... sent them into the world.” [Verses 17, 18.] Now you just think, we are repeating His work. We are to present and lift up the cross of Calvary and show that we shall all have part in the life that is to come if we will come in unison with Jesus Christ. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 14

“As thou has sent me ... sanctified through the truth.” [Verses 18, 19.] Then we have a wonderful message, to bring people into Bible truth, just as it is given to us in the Word. We cannot keep silent; we must be acquainted with the Word, and we must present it to men and women. We have a position that we may win souls to Christ. It is a wonderful work. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 15

“And for their sakes ... through the truth.” [Verse 19.] We want to know that our feet are planted on the platform of eternal truth. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 16

“Neither pray I for these ... through their word.” [Verse 20.] Now when we are laboring for souls, to try to have them see the glorious hope of the gospel that is set before them, we may remember that Christ has prayed for them, that Christ is at our right hand, and the angels of God commissioned to do their work to bring them into the truth. That is the very work to be done. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 17

“And for their sakes ... on me through their word.” [Verses 19, 20.] Now you see that it becomes every one of us to stand in right relation to God, that we may proclaim His Word to souls that are ready to perish and then that we may guard them carefully, tenderly, put no stumbling block in their way, but that we may work in harmony with angels, we may work in harmony with Jesus Christ, and we may perfect a Christian character, because we are doing the very work that Christ has told us to do. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 18

“Neither pray I for these—through their word.” [Verse 20.] Now, there is an important work for us to do. It won’t do to be light and trifling and giddy, nor will it be right to be censorious, nor will it be right to make the path of the unbeliever ask hard as possible. We must come right to their side and help them, and try to remove their difficulty from them. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 19

“Neither pray I for these alone ... and I in them.” [Verses 20-26.] Only think of the comparison. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 20

“That they also may be one ... that thou hast sent me.” [Verse 21.] It is a wonderful importance that is attached to how we carry ourselves, whether we carry ourselves in meekness, in kindness, in tenderness and reach after these souls. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 21

“That they all may be one ... that Thou hast sent me.” [Verse 21.] There is a great deal depending on our actions, a great deal depending on how we conduct ourselves as Christians. And if we will take this in, and fully answer that prayer of Christ, we shall have angels to guard us on every side. Yes. Don’t put a stumbling block in their way. Now here is the grand point of it: 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 22

“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them.” [Verse 22.] You just think of it! We are doing this work in connection with Christ, trying to save souls that are out of Christ, working for unbelievers to try to have them see what Christ will be to them, and they to Christ. Why, there is a world to be saved. We have a great deal to do. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 23

“And the glory which ... have given them.” [Verse 22.] The glory! You just think of it. How? How is it that you get the glory? Well, the truth of God’s Word we carry out in practice as we teach sinners and transgressors the way, and as they receive this truth, it is “that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” [Verse 21.] 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 24

“And the glory which ... as thou hast loved me.” [Verses 22, 23.] Now that is a great statement, and yet Christ made it right in His prayer. Then we will believe it, we will take it. We will act upon it. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 25

“Father, I will that ... in them, and I in them.” [Verses 24-26.] Now it is our privilege to stand on vantage ground, and if we do not stand on vantage ground, we cannot properly represent our Lord. And we want now to be in that position that we shall believe the truth for the truth’s sake. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 26

I want to tell you I am so grateful that after the serious trial that came upon me on the journey coming through the elevated bridges where the snow came, I nearly lost my life, and I have been struggling ever since, to get so that I could speak to the people again. I could speak a little to them upon the farm where the school is just being located, and I have spoken to you yesterday. And if you could know how grateful I was to feel that my strength was coming back, and to think that God was going to permit me to be able—I do not know how long—to bear His message still. I am just as thankful as I can be. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 27

And that last time, they had been pleading and pleading for me to come to different places, to Salt Lake City, saying, You never have been here. Well, Willie thought I had better go, and he would do the most of the speaking, for I had been laboring very hard in Colorado. I could speak a few words. He didn’t speak a word. He had to take care—we were delayed on the cars, and he had to look out for all the baggage, and I stood there one hour. It is the first night I have spoken in Salt Lake City, I guess for forty years. That is, to give a discourse to the people. I may have been in a meeting and spoken a few words. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 28

But the Lord gave me freedom. There were mothers that had come in, bringing their little children with them, for miles, bringing their children on the cars, and they would have been so disappointed, because they had sent for us to do this; and I was able to speak. I am so grateful to the Lord. I know all the circumstances connected with it were disagreeable before getting there, rain, rain, rain, but the Lord gave me liberty and I never saw a company that was so pleased, and so grateful, that Sister White had really come to speak to them. And I was so glad that I had the privilege. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 29

I could not sleep that night, it was lost. We could get to bed after speaking, but we had to get right up about three o’clock to take the cars, and there we had to wait for the cars at least an hour. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 30

Now I want to tell you that I am grateful. Next month I shall be eighty-two years old. God has kept me so that my memory in regard to His Word and the light that He has given me does not dim. I am very thankful for this. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 31

Now, that is all I am going to say to you at this time, but I am hoping that now I shall be able and that I can again speak to the people. But I have not dared to speak to them in this hot weather that we have had. I wanted to, but I have not dared to. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 32

Now you may know that I have the deepest interest for you all, that you shall be overcomers by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of your testimony. Let the testimony come, and you will find that the glory of God will be revealed, and Christ, you may know, is laboring with you. May the blessing of God rest upon you shall by my prayer. 24LtMs, Ms 135, 1909, par. 33