Jesus Prays for His Disciples.  John 17.6-12

Good Day!

Listening to someone pray can sometimes be a peek into his heart—especially when God the Son is the one praying to his Father just before he offers himself to suffer . . . to die for mankind.  Looking at Jesus’ prayer for his disciples, we learn about his heart toward them—we see his great love for them, and his genuine concern for their welfare.  He commends his dearest friends into God’s care, asking for their protection in the world.

Notice how Jesus himself invokes power in the name of God.

“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. 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. >Your attention, please—we must grasp the import of Jesus’ words right here.  The Old Testament Jew knew God as I AM, as Jehovah… but here Jesus introduced them to God as Father.  Indeed, the great I AM was also their Heavenly Father. 

I recently commented that what mattered most to my mother, as evidenced by her faithful, soulful prayers for us, was that her four children would walk with God.  That was Jesus’ heart for his disciples to be sure.  “None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.” (as it had been known from the start)  Jesus knew what the disciples would soon be facing, and he prays that God will keep them in their faith.  God heard that prayer; all eleven were not just faithful, but went on to establish the Christian church.  Notice Jesus’ mention of unity—in God’s name, with his protection, there would be unity among them.  That unity among the bond of believers or the ‘band of brothers’ would be critical for the disciples to accomplish God’s magnificent purposes for them in this world.  Unity ought lead us to community, and community is vital to our spiritual protection in this world.

Parents, grandparents—those of you praying for your young people—take heart!  Carry them faithfully, persistently to God in prayer—so that, as Jesus prayed, not one was/is lost.  God does not want any to perish, but wants all to come to repentance.  Amen.

Christine