The Greatest Prayer Ever Prayed
Part 5
John 17:20-26
Chapter review:
- John 17:1-5 – Jesus prays for Himself
- John 17:6-19 – Jesus prays for the eleven apostles
- John 17:20-26 – Jesus prays for ALL of His Church (us)
John 17:20 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.
That includes us! Jesus is praying these things for us!
- Keep them (17:11)
- …that they may be one as We are (17:11)
- That they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves (17:13)
- That You should keep them from the evil one (17:14)
- Sanctify them by Your truth (17:17)
John 17:20 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.
This is Jesus’ plan, that His followers would go into all the world and preach and share the gospel.
Mark 16:15 Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
God wants to use us and our words to communicate His good news to every creature so they might be saved. This is Gods plan for the dark days we’re living in – exciting!
- Being kind to people doesn’t SAVE people
- Being nice to people doesn’t SAVE people
- Being a pleasant neighbor doesn’t SAVE people
- Being friendly doesn’t SAVE people.
It’s our words as we tell, testify, and witness. It is only by the Holy Spirit that we can do this EFFECTIVELY.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Ephesians 6:19-20 Pray for me, that utterance may be given (right words) to me, that I may open my mouth boldly (fearlessly) to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
John 17:20 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.
John 17:21 That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us.
- In the Trinity we find true UNITY. (Tri-Unity)
- In the Trinity we find true COMMUNITY.
- In the Trinity we find DIVERSITY NOT UNIFORMITY.
Jesus prays for our unity five times:
- John 17:11 – that they may be one as We are
- John 17:21 – that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You
- John 17:21 – that they also may be one in Us
- John 17:22 – that they may be one just as We are one
- John 17:23 – that they may be made perfect in one
Why five times? The world we live in is raising us to be individualistic, independent, autonomous, self sufficient. The problem is that this often leads to feeling isolated, alone, depressed, unfulfilled, and even anxious.
John 17:21 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.
- This type of loving UNITY and COMMUNITY causes people to be drawn to and believe in Jesus!
- In contrast, DISUNITY and INFIGHTING and GOSSIP UNDERCURRENTS repel people from considering Jesus.
Psalm 133:1-3 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the BLESSING – Life forevermore.
We find Jesus’ prayer for unity fulfilled in the book of Acts.
John 17:21 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.
UNITY requires effort, time, communication, serving one another, humility, forgiveness, and grace.
- Marriage requires all these things.
- Local church – spending time with each other on Sunday mornings and at house church
- Larger church – How BEAUTIFUL it is to be one with the larger body of Christ, citywide, nationwide, and worldwide!
Unity doesn’t mean we have to see EVERYTHING the same. TRUE UNITY allows DIVERSITY and allows us to see things differently. TRUE UNITY allows for differences of flavors, styles, and emphasis in the body of Christ. “In essentials, unity. In nonessentials, liberty. In everything, charity.”
John 17:22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.
Jesus’ GLORY rests on His church in a special way (contextually) when we’re a UNITED, loving church! Jesus’ GLORY is diminished when His church is DIVIDED and FIGHTING and competing with one another.
John 17:23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect (complete) in one.
We’re saved ALONE, but we’re NOT saved to remain ALONE. The Bible calls us a
- flock.
- family.
- body.
- spiritual temple.
- army.
African Proverb – “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
John 17:23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect (complete) in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
There is a connection between our unity and the world believing and knowing Jesus, and knowing the love of God.
John 17:24 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.
This prayer will be answered one day, as Paul writes to the Philippian church.
Philippians 3:20-21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
John 17:25-26 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.
Jesus finished this prayer praying for His church to be a united and loving church in which He dwells!
God is not only a loving God, but He is also holy and righteous, as Jesus addresses the Father in John 17:25. God’s holiness and righteousness are the reason Jesus had to go to the cross. For He loves us but His holiness and righteousness require Him to judge sin.
- Loving Father (John 3:16)
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
- Holy Father (John 17:11)
- Righteous Father (John 17:25)