This chapter is known as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus. It concludes the section of John 13 – John 17 which is known as the Upper Room Discourse. All of this took place before Jesus was betrayed and arrested. These are his final words to his disciples, and then his great prayer to His Father before his death.
v. 1 Father the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. Jesus and the Father were in complete control even at the time of Jesus’ death. It was the time they determined for it to happen. Through the means of the cross, the Son of God would be glorified (especially through the resurrection) by the Father, and the Father would be glorified by the Son.
v. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. What is eternal life? Most people think it simply means to life forever in heaven. That is certainly part of it, but according to Jesus, eternal life is based upon a relationship above all else. Eternal life is about knowing the true God and His Son Jesus. We will live forever with Jesus in an eternal relationship that is so incredibly satisfying.
v. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Jesus did exactly what the Father requested. He lived it out and finished the work. What would it be like to prepare for your death and be able to say, “Father, I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” God has work for you to complete and to finish for him.
v. 5 And now Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. We see Jesus had an existence before his life on earth. His birth was not the beginning of Jesus’ life. He existed eternally with the Father in his glory. Jesus was prepared to ultimately return to the glory of His Father. This gave him the strength to endure the cross. He knew the cross was worth it – for our sake, as well as His own. The reward would be the salvation of many, and the glory of His Father. We too can endure our trials knowing that there is a glory that awaits us in heaven.
v. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. Jesus knows that trouble will come to his disciples. It will not be easy. There will be persecution. And yet Jesus doesn’t ask to keep them from trouble. He asks that God protect them from the evil one.
v. 17 Sanctify them by your truth; your word is truth. v. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. We are sanctified through God’s Word. It helps to change us. Now as disciples we are sent into this world as Jesus’ representatives. Just as he was sent, now we are sent. We are his hands, his feet, his voice. Go in the name of Jesus.
As the members of our church prepare for an exciting prayer conference this weekend, I found myself more attuned to the words of our Savior in this chapter. As I read the words of His prayer to His Father, I was humbled to think that Jesus was also praying for me! As He prayed for His disciples, He knew that His ministry – which began with only twelve – would expand across the planet. As one of His twenty-first century disciples, I was abundantly blessed by His words, “As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world.: (v. 18).
Jesus also prays for us in v. 9 – “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.” The final affirmation that we are His disciples is in verse 20: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.”
Jesus is our model of the critical need for prayer. Throughout the New Testament, He demonstrates the relevance and urgency of spending time communicating with Our God. May the sweetness of His prayers for us be a sobering reminder of how important our prayers are in furthering His Kingdom! Selah!
Nancy Rivers
This fast is truly an experience like no other! It has been difficult at times, but the benefits of truly hearing the Spirit have empowered and enhanced my spiritual life. I am looking forward to the conference – thanks for an awesome opportunity.
I have learned (the hard way) over the years that we choose how close to God we want to be. He does not push the door down – he knocks silently and we have to choose to answer! Lincoln said “Most people are as happy as they make up their mind to be” -we need to apply this spiritually and say “Most people are as close to God as they choose to be – we choose to listen and obey”. The more we obey then the more we hear God. James 1:25 says “If anyone keeps looking steadily into God’s law for free men, he will not only remember it but will do what it says, and God will greatly bless him in everything he does.” also, Isaiah 1:19 said “If you will only let me help you, if you will only obey, then I will make you rich!”
The verse I noticed was v. 26 – “and I have revealed you to them and will keep on revealing you so that the mighty love you have for me may be in them, and I in them.” This signifies that the “revealing” of God’s ways and grace is an OPPORTUNITY that some of us refuse because we don’t like to be humbled or disciplined. The sad part is that many of us choose to live for the world and compromise God’s laws, thus limiting God’s ability to “reveal” the true blessings that he wants us to have. Jesus wants to be in us and be lord of our lives, but our pride and selfishness blocks the way to true blessings. The God Calling devotional says:
“Obedience is one of the keys unlocking the door into my kingdom, so love and obey. The rough stone steps of obedience lead up to the mosaic of joy and love that floor my heaven. I can only dwell with the humble heart – Pride stands sentinel at the door of the heart to shut out the lowly, humble Christ.”
The real key to all this is what do we value or treasure? Matthew 6 says “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The Treasure Principle states “Christ himself is our ultimate treasure.” Do we choose to bury the treasure with our pride or allow our humility to open or unlock that treasure chest and allow our light to shine for the whole world to see? Jesus allows us to choose how much light we want into our soul! We just have to choose to truly be receptive and humble!
I pray that we all allow this fast to open our hearts and allow Jesus to reveal his treasure to us – why refuse a sure thing?.