John 17
What did I learn about Jesus?
- Jesus prays for himself, for his present disciples, and for his future disciples.
- We need to pray regularly about the themes of protection, unity, and Jesus’ glorification.
What did I learn about disciple-making?
- A primary strategy God employs to disciple the world is to sanctify believers through his word. (17)
- I need to regularly pray for God’s protection from the evil one for those he has given me to disciple. (15)
Extended thoughts and observations from Elders Tom Gray & Rosemary Lukens:
Jesus in the previous chapter has closed out his ministry to the disciples with the proclamation in 16:33 “.. I have overcome the world”. He now prays to his father first for himself, then for the disciples and finally for all believers
Praying for himself
V 1-2 he asks: “Father glorify your Son so that your son may glorify you.”
V 3 He restates his mission on earth: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ who you sent.”
Vr 6-19 Jesus, prays for the disciples:
- Thanks God for them.
- Says they accepted God’s words from Christ and believed in him.
- Protect them with the power of your name as I am leaving the world.
- Keep them joyful.
- Protect them from the evil one.
- Sanctify them with the truth.
As I read this verse I thought of my own children and how I might better pray to God for them and all my brothers and sisters in Christ. Thanking God for giving them to me and asking for their joy and salvation.
V 20-26 Jesus Prays for All Believers
- For all who will believe in me and that you sent me. I in them and you in me.
- May they all be brought to complete unity in the faith.
- May they all see the glory of God.
In verse 26 Jesus summarizes his mission and hope for the world
“I have made you known to them and will continue to make you know in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
Sometimes the Bible can be seen as a complex and contradictory document but Jesus wants us to keep it simple: “Believe in me and God will love you and you will have everlasting life”
Why does the world make it so hard? What are your thoughts for the day?
Tom Gray
There are some jewels for me personally in this chapter…
Vs 3. Definition of eternal life : knowing God. It’s not about a future destination but a present incarnation in me of knowing God through Jesus.
Vs 4: JESUS’ mission. ” I’ve completed the work, I’ve revealed you(God) and they have obeyed.”
Vs7. Don’t sweat about what to say to draw others: JESUS gave us the words God gave Him. He is much more invested in our disciple making than we are!
Vs 15: Jesus prays for us- not that we will be saved from the world around us but that we will be protected. Not necessarily physically or emotionally, but spiritually. Bodies snd Bibles are made to wear out but our disciple-making comes from our spirit which is eternal.
Vs 20. Jesus is still praying- for those “who will believe in me through our message”
Wow- how incredible is that! Jesus is praying for the people He will put in my path to share, connect, minister and disciple!
Rosemary Lukens