Jesus' Parting Prayer (Jn 17)
Intro: Why did God make the world & us in it?
Was he lonely? No, v8,21,24,26. Because God is love (1Jn 4:8,16), & love is by its nature outgoing & overflowing (1Cor 13:5).
Jesus prays for himself (17:1-5)
1. "Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you"
Jesus' crowning achievement is revealing God's glory. "This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, & Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (3).
Jesus prays for his disciples in the world (17:6-26)
2. "Keep these whom You have given me [in the world], that they may be one."
It's important to recognize that both parts are for us, not one part for them & one part for us. Not the inclusio, v6-7,25-26, & the parallel prayer in v11,21. This is for them & "also" for us.
(a) Keep those whom You have given me... (v6-19)
"Keep them from the evil one.Sanctify them by Your truth.As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world" (15-18).
"The cross is laid on every Christian. . Every day he encounters new temptations, & every day he must suffer anew for Jesus Christ's sake. The wounds & scars he receives in the fray are living tokens of this participation in the cross of his Lord" (See Bonhoeffer, Cost of Discipleship, p. 48,99).
(b) ...that they may be one (v20-26)
By being united together in the glory & love of Christ, the world will believe that the Father has sent the Son. Tertullian: "See how they love each another."
Conclusion
This is our Christian calling. Love in the midst of hate. Unity in the midst of division. In the world, but not of the world. This is knowing the true God, which says Jesus says, is eternal life. |
