When Jesus prays here, he begins to share his heart. We find out what is important to them: us. It may not seem that way when we begin reading his prayer about being glorified. It may seem like his prayer is all about him. But it's not.
His prayer makes more sense when you understand The Father's plan with Jesus. The Father will allow His Son to take the punishment of death to pay the penalty for people who have walked away from Him. We, then, will be reconciled with The Father through the work of The Son. The only way this reconciliation will happen, then, is if we recognize what The Son is doing. We need to see His glory (as our Savior) and accept His authority (as our Lord) in order to be reconciled with The Father. In other words, we have to see Jesus for who He is: Messiah, Savior, Lord, Son of God, and the "I Am." Jesus needs to be glorified for our sake, that we may be saved.
"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. (John 17:6-9)
After praying that we will see His glory, Jesus begins praying for his disciples of the day. He is remembering the hours and days of teaching he poured into them. He is talking to The Father about the process of disciplining them which he had done. He is getting ready to entrust them into The Father's care, because he will be be leaving soon.
All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. (John 17:10-12)
While he was here, Jesus protected his disciples from the enemy in a way similar to a shepherd protecting his sheep. Only Judas Iscariot was lost. We sheep can escape the care of Our Shepherd if we want. We need to listen to Our Shepherd's voice.
"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (John 17:13-19)
Sanctification is the process of being made holy. A fully sanctified person is someone who perfectly walks together with God. Their thoughts are His thoughts. Any other thought gets thrown away. Their words are His words, being a gift to the hearer. Their actions are His actions, walking by The Spirit. Jesus modeled this perfectly for his disciples. He also explained it to them with words. Now, his words and example will need to be enough. He is leaving.
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one-- I in them and you in me--so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
His words and example will need to be enough for us, too. He left them for us to read, understand, and follow. When we do this, we will be one with Him. Our unity with God will result in unity with one another as well. The final result is this: the world will see God through us. Our unity with God and one another will let the world know that God loves them.
"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." (John 17:24-26)
Jesus prayed for you and for me - that the world will experience God's love through us.
How about you? How does is feel to know Jesus prayed for you? What thoughts go through your mind as you read his prayer for you? Is your life an answer of "yes" to his prayers? Are you sanctified (changed toward holiness) by His Word/Truth? Are you one with Him and other believers? Does your world see God's love through you?
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