Jesus Prays

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace.  In the world you shall have tribulations: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

      Jesus and the disciples have left the upper room.  They are on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane.  Before they cross the brook Cedron to enter the garden, Jesus prayed.  Jesus did not wait to pray in the garden.  He knew that Judas would be there, so on their way to the garden, Jesus continues to warn the disciples of coming events.  He will be crucified.  They will scatter and leave him.  He gives them comfort with the promise of the Holy Spirit and the power of prayer in Jesus’ name.  He warns them of coming tribulation and assures them that he has ‘overcome the world.’  Then, he lifts his eyes to heaven and prays.

     First, Jesus prays for himself.  In these short five verses in John 17:1-5, Jesus asks God the Father to glorify him.  When we hear glorify, we think of lifting up or honoring.  We glorify God through praises in song and prayer.  Also, I searched Bible dictionaries and commentaries for the definition of glorify.  The Illustrated Bible Handbook by Lawrence O. Richards reads: “This word when applied to God usually speaks of the splendor of deity’s disclosure.  Jesus had glory with the Father when he existed before the world’s creation.”  This reminds me of the transfiguration in Luke 9:29-31 where Jesus’ ‘raiment was white and glistening’ and Moses and Elias ‘appeared in glory.’  Now, as Jesus prays “Father, the hour has come,” he knows that his time is come.  He knows when he crosses the brook and enters the garden that he will be arrested, tried, and crucified.  It is time for the Son to return to the Father ‘with the glory’ which He had with God the Father ‘before the world was.’ (John 17:5) In Jesus’ prayer the disciples hear Jesus say the purpose of his crucifixion:  As God has given Jesus “power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as God has given him.  And this life is eternal, that they might know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, who God as sent.” (17:2,3 in my words) The promise of a personal relationship with God.  God in us as he as he taught them in John 15:1-16.  The promise of ‘eternal life to as many as God has given.’  The hour has come that Jesus has ‘finished the work.’ (17:4)

      Next, Jesus prays for his disciples, the men God gave him.  The disciples believe he is God’s Son.  Jesus prays, “I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which you have given me, because they are yours.” (16:9) Imagine the disciples as they hear Jesus’ prayer for them.  As Jesus says to the Father, ‘none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled,’ (17:12) do you suppose the disciples wondered about the son of perdition?  Since Judas was not with them, did they wonder what Judas was doing?  We will never know what they were thinking as Jesus prayed for them.  Being human, each may have thoughts of their own selves.  The mood had to be somber.  Jesus has said so much to them the last few weeks and the last few hours as they broke bread and shared Passover.  Jesus continues his prayer for the disciples:

“And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.  I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  I pray not that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through your truth; your word is truth.  As you have sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” (John 17:13-19)

Look at this prayer.  ‘The world hates them.’  ‘Keep them from the evil.’  ‘Sanctify them through your truth and your word is truth.’  As you sent me, ‘even so I send them into the world.’  Humbling. These special men will be hated by the world but will remain in the world.  They will be persecuted.  They will be stoned.  Jesus knows all this.  Yet, he prays for them to not be taken from the world.  As Jesus has a mission to complete, each of the disciples has a mission to complete.  Their mission is to share the gospel and grow the kingdom of God.  They are to remain as one in Christ as Jesus is one with God the Father. (17:11) “Abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” (John 15:10)

     Finally, Jesus prays for me and you.  “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on 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 have sent me.  And the glory which you gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.  I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them, as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23)   Jesus prays for unity.  We believe in Jesus through the words of the disciples.  We have the disciples’ words in the gospels.  They shared the life, works, and words of Jesus, the Messiah promised in the Old Testament.  Now, it is our time to share the gospel, so the ‘world may believe’ that God sent Jesus, so that ‘whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.’ (John 3:15)

     Jesus concludes his prayer for all believers to ‘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 17:24) Jesus prays for all believers to join Him in Heaven where they will ‘behold my glory.’  We can’t imagine what that day will be like.  It is beyond anything we can imagine with our earthly mind.   If you believe, you will be there one day to see the glory of God and the glory of Jesus.  Praise the Lord!  It is possible because Jesus came as our redeemer. Jesus was crucified for our sins, rose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven to prepare a place for all believers.  It is all possible because God loves us.  Jesus declared God’s name, words, and love.  Jesus ends his prayer, ‘that the love wherewith you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26) In other words, ‘May God’s great love abide in us.’