High Priestly Prayer

Jn. 17

John has transcribed the prayer of Jesus, the prayer that Jesus prayed for all His followers, for all who believed during that time and who have believed in the time that has followed. and for all who believe in His name and obey His words. His prayer is specific asking for certain things for the Father to do. He asked for the Father...

• To keep us in the Father's name, that is to keep us to the end. While Jesus was on earth, He kept us not losing any except for Judas who had to be lost because he was never found at all. All those that the Father had given to the Son from before the foundation of the world. v. 11
• To keep us from the evil one but not to take us out of the world. His followers must be in the world to share the message and suffer as He did. v. 15
• To sanctify us in the truth, God's word is truth. God sanctifies believers through their time in the word, their exposure to the word, and their obedience to the word. Jesus is the logos, the living word. In essence steeping ourselves in the word is steeping ourselves in Jesus. v. 17
• To make us one as Jesus and the Father are one [not just for those alive at that time but for all those that were yet to believe] What is the purpose of such unity? That the world may know that the Father sent the Son, Jesus Christ. Our lives are a proclamation of the great act of love of the Father. v. 21
• To have us be where He is so that we can see His glory that the Father gave Him before the foundation of the world. Yes! We will be in heaven, with Him eternally relishing and worshiping Him in all His radiant glory.v. 24

Jesus was that emissary sent from the Father to give those who believe eternal life, to make known to man the Father's name, and to offer us the same love the Father had for Jesus. Jesus did all that the Father had sent Him to do and now His time was drawing near. He must know do the most humbling act, dying on a cross like a common criminal.  He must take upon Himself the sins of the world alienating Himself from the Father for a time, but meeting the legal requirement of the law so that sin could be dealt with judiciously. How horrendous to know what was to come down and how horrendous it would be!

Father,

Thank You for the gift of Your Son.  I know that You will do as Jesus asked you to do in this prayer. I ask that You make me a reflection of Jesus so that the world can know Your love. 

In Jesus name,

Amen