“A Journey with John” Day 27: A Priestly prayer (John 17:1-26)

Last time, in continuing to prepare the disciples for His departure, Jesus was offering a couple of bad news/good news scenarios to His disciples. The first bad news is that they will face hard times in this world. The good news is that Jesus has already overcome the world. Therefore, they can be at peace. Second bad news is that Jesus is definitely going to depart. The good news is that if He goes, the Helper will be able to come.

Since we were introduced to no new people last time, let’s join our guide and take that front row seat to hear Jesus’ priestly prayer.

Entering the scene, we see that Jesus is praying to His Father. He first prays for Himself that the Father would glorify Him and receive Him back where He was before the world began. Jesus then prays for the disciples that the Father would keep them from the evil one, sanctify them with His word, and make them one with Him and the Father. Jesus also prayed for all those who would come to believe through the disciples. As well, He asks the Father that those who the Father has given Him, could be where He is.

Our highlighted verses for today:

“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬-‭5‬, ‭7‬-‭9‬, ‭11‬, ‭13‬, ‭15‬, ‭17‬-‭18‬, ‭20‬-‭21‬, ‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question for reflection:

Why did Jesus not pray for the world?

Next time, our guide takes us to Gethsemane.