Last time we learned about the work of the Holy Spirit and how the disciples’ grief of Jesus’ death would turn to joy.
In this chapter Jesus prays for Himself, His disciples, and all believers. Jesus prayed often, but there are only a few of His prayers recorded. This is His longest pray. He prayed for protection, sanctification, and unity. This would be the night He would be arrested and then He would die on the cross. This was God’s plan. Dying on the cross was the only way to save people from their sins. Then after 3 days He would be alive again defeating death. All who believe in Him will have new life like Jesus.
John 17:1-5 – Jesus Prays for Glorification
Jesus prayed for God to glorify Him as He glorifies God. What is glory? It means to honor, to praise, to exalt, to magnify. To glorify God is to display His perfect attributes so that others will be in awe at who He is. It other words, to make Him look good. Nothing glorifies God like the cross. It shows God’s supreme power and sovereignty. It shows His holiness, justice, love, mercy, and grace.
Jesus asked God to glorify Him because He completed the work He was giving to do. Jesus wanted His death on the cross to reveal God’s character, His victory over death, and then for all people to repent. He wanted God’s power and plan for salvation to be seen by all.
Believers can glorify God by keeping His commands, obeying His Word, praising Him, producing spiritual fruit, fleeing from sexual immorality, seeking the good of others, giving generously, and living honorable lives.
God gave Jesus the authority to give eternal life. There is only one way to receive eternal life as Jesus explains it. “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – John 17:3. We must know God and His Word, but it’s more than that.
There is a difference in knowing about Jesus and knowing Him personally. Even the devil knows God and can quote Scripture. Lots of people know about Him, but they don’t know His character and don’t follow His ways. I know about doctors, but that doesn’t make me a doctor. We must know Him as Friend. It’s all about a relationship. We confess our sins to Him and He forgives us. Then the Holy Spirit comes to live in us to teach and to guide. Then we have a new life and will live in heaven with Him for eternity.
God sent Jesus into the world. Jesus could have stayed in heaven, but instead He came to earth and became a servant. This was God’s plan even before creation. God loved us so much, but since He is Holy He couldn’t accept our sins. So He sent Jesus to save people from the penalty of sin. He was sent to die on the cross for you and me. He paid the price for our sins.
Jesus prayed for God to glorify Him as He had done before creation. He was there with God and the Holy Spirit to help in the creation. He had come to earth as a man and depended on God. Now He would return to His heavenly position and be our representative before God. He asked God to glorify Him again for His obedience on the cross.
God the Father shared His glory with Jesus and now Jesus has shared that glory. He does this in many ways – by His presence, His Word, His Spirit, His power, His leadership, His salvation.
If knowing God through Jesus brings eternal heavenly life, what is keeping you from believing?
Principle: Jesus has authority to give eternal life to all who believe in Him.
John 17:6-19 – Jesus Prays for His Disciples
Jesus prayed for the disciples. He affirmed that His disciples had obeyed God’s Word. God gave us to Jesus. Jesus and the Father are one. All God has belongs to Jesus and all Jesus has belongs to God. He loves us so much that He died for us. He intercedes to the Father for us. He gave us the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it’s really hard to comprehend that He values me that much, because I know all my shortcomings, my sinful thoughts, my doubts, my selfishness, my pride. I could go on and on.
Jesus said His disciples brought Him glory. How did they do that? They did that by believing, obeying Him, and accepting Him. They believed He was sent by God. We can bring Him glory by believing and following Him daily. By being an example to the world and sharing the gospel.
In verse 12 Jesus said none of His disciples were lost except the one who was doomed to destruction, meaning Judas. He wanted the disciples to know that God was in control of the awful event of that night and that evil people can’t stop God’s sovereign purpose; in fact they inadvertently fulfill it.
Do you believe Jesus loves you?
Jesus prayed that the Father would protect the disciples, because He loved them. He knew they would be hated and persecuted and even killed. He wanted them safe from Satan’s influence. They are in the world, but not of the world. He prayed for the Father to sanctify them. Sanctify means to set apart or make holy. He prayed they would be consecrated for service in the world. 2 Peter 3:11 tells us we ought to live holy and godly lives.
From what dangers do you need to ask for God’s protection?
As believers we are sanctified by truth. We set ourselves apart from the world and to God as we conform to His standards of holiness. Before salvation we were separated from God and our actions proved we were sinners. When God saved us from sin and gave us new life, He justified us meaning that He declared us righteous forever because of Jesus’ atoning death. Justification is God’s work alone. Sanctification is a lifelong growth in holiness as we pray, study, worship and serve God.
Principle: Believers are in the world, but not of this world.
John 17:20-26 – Jesus Prays for Future Believers
As Jesus prayed for His disciple to be unified, He prayed for the unity for all believers; not for unity of Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims. He prayed for specifically for unity of those who believe in Him. He prayed that God would join believers together as one just as the Father and Jesus are one. Ephesians 4:1-6 calls us to be 1 and that there is 1 body, 1 Spirit, 1 hope, 1 Lord, 1 faith, 1 baptism, 1 God and Father for all, who is over all and through all and in all. We need to stop all the bickering and complaining in our churches and communities and work together in unity. We all have the same goals and the same mission.
Where is your church divided?
Jesus said He has given us the glory that God gave to Him. He prayed that He wanted believers to be with Him and to see His glory that God has given Him.
Jesus’ prayer revealed His complete dependence on the Father. He felt a need to talk to God. Prayer is having a conversation with God. Talking as well as listening is important. The Bible says the prayers of the righteous are powerful. So don’t give up even when you feel discouraged and when your prayers aren’t answered in the way you wanted. There are different kinds of prayers. There is corporate prayer, private prayer, quiet prayer, and auditable prayer. They don’t always produce answers we want or when we want, but they draw do us closer to God.
How often do you pray?
Principle: Through prayer believers receive the power, protection, and courage to live God glorifying lives.
Next week we will study John 18. Until next time, have a blessed day. – I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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