John - Week 48

The High-Priestly Prayer 

READ 

John 17:1-2 

1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him.” 

John 17 is commonly called “The High-Priestly Prayer” of Jesus. Matthew 6 records the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray, but John 17 is the prayer that Jesus Himself prayed. Notice that in these first verses Jesus prays for Himself. His desire was and is to give His heavenly Father glory. Praying in the name of Jesus includes His authority because the Father has given Him “authority over everyone.” 

REFLECT 

Have you sometimes felt as if you should not pray for yourself? The Son of God prayed for Himself. Pray for yourself to be able to magnify the Son and the Father in your life. 

RESPOND 

Read Colossians 1:9-13. In noticing what Paul prayed for believers, ask the Lord to make that true in your life also. In short, your prayer for yourself will be that you can glorify God more and more as you get to know Him better and better. 

The Only True God 

READ 

John 17:3-5 

3 “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.” 

Having mentioned in verse 2 that Jesus gives eternal life, verse 3 tells how to get this life: by knowing the only true God and His Son Jesus. Glory was brought to the Father by the Son by completing what the Father wanted Him to do. Then Jesus asked the Father to restore the glory He had with Him before the world began.  

REFLECT 

Just as Jesus brought glory to the Father by obeying Him, you can honor both the Father and the Son by obeying the command to take the Gospel to others (see Matthew 28:18-20). 

RESPOND 

Read Philippian 2:5-11 to see the glory Jesus gave up to come to earth and what will be restored to Him because of His obedience to the Father. 

Accepting the Message 

READ  

John 17:6-8 

6 “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.” 

Jesus closely identified Himself with His heavenly Father. This means that those who reject the Son are also rejecting the Father. Those who trusted in Jesus for salvation were also believing in the Father. The message Jesus gave is what He had received from the Father so one either believes in both or rejects both. The disciples had accepted the teachings of Jesus and were convinced He was sent from the Father. 

REFLECT 

Has the message of these verses given you a greater appreciation of the relationship of Jesus with His heavenly Father? Some on earth have not had good fathers, but those who trust in Jesus have the best heavenly Father. 

RESPOND 

Read Exodus 33:18-23 that tells of Moses so desperately wanting to see the face of God. Even though no one knows today exactly what Jesus looked like when He was on earth, it is certain that others of His time knew. They were able to look at the very face of God when they saw Him. 

All Who Are Mine 

READ 

John 17:9-10 

9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory.” 

After praying for Himself, Jesus prays for those the Father had given Him. He intercedes for believers before the heavenly Father. As 1 Timothy 2:5 says, there is one mediator between God and man—and that is the Lord Jesus. It is not as if the world is left out in His concern: Jesus gave His life for the world. Note also that Jesus considered all who belong to Him as bringing Him glory. 

REFLECT 

How is your life going lately? Is it reflecting Jesus in what you do and say? Are others seeing the fruit of the Spirit expressed through your life? 

RESPOND 

Read Galatians 5:22-23 that tells of the fruit of the Spirit. Spend time thinking about each one and asking yourself if that particular fruit is seen in your life. Also think about when it was particularly seen.  

Protected and United 

READ 

John 17:11-12 

11 “Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.” 

Jesus continues His prayer as He asks His heavenly Father to protect His followers. Jesus had guarded them in such a way that none was lost except Judas Iscariot. Notice how Jesus was able to keep them: by the power of the name the Father had given Him. As verse 2 in this chapter says, authority had been given to Jesus over everyone. Believers are safe in the hands of Jesus. 

REFLECT 

If you have trusted in Jesus for salvation, do you realize how secure you are in Him? Authority has been given to Him over everyone so no one can take you away from Him. 

RESPOND 

Read John 10:25-30 to see how secure you are in Jesus. This passage has been considered before but you need to think on it again. If you’ve done something to dishonor Christ in your life, you likely don’t feel secure. The Bible promises that if you confess whatever it is you will be forgiven (see 1 John 1:9).