Episode 114 - "That they may be one, as we are one" - John 17:9-11

John 17:9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

As we continue to walk through this prayer of Jesus, I am going to point out four simple, but profound things from these three verses.

First, in verse 9, the people Jesus is praying for are his disciples; those who’ve received the words from the Father that he has spoken to them and believed in Jesus. He is very specific here that he is NOT praying for the world. Has Jesus given up on the world? Has he abandoned it? No. John makes it clear that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son . . . (John 3:16) Jesus came into the world to fulfill everything the Father gave him to do and that was to involve laying down his life for the sins of the world. But, it is only those who “believe in him” that appropriate the benefit of that sacrifice for their sin. Only those who have true faith in Jesus “shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” (3:16) The point of Jesus praying only for his followers becomes evident in the context of what follows.

Second, Jesus’ followers belong equally to the Father and the Son, and Jesus is glorified in those believers. Have you ever considered that? If you trust in Jesus, you bring him glory. Here is an action point from this principle. Make it a point to pray and ask the Lord to help you bring Jesus glory each day.

Third, Jesus is leaving the world soon when he returns to heaven with the Father. But, the disciples will still be in the world. The point is that as followers of Jesus, they will face persecution and difficulties because of their faith. Jesus is acknowledging that and this is one of the reasons he is specifying that he is praying for his followers alone. Jesus prays that the Father will keep these followers of Jesus “in your name, which you have given me.” (v. 11) I take this to mean that Jesus is praying that his followers will be divinely protected in their identity to Jesus and the Father and that these followers will boldly understand and value their relationship to Jesus and the Father.

Finally, Jesus’ prayer for his disciples is “that they may be one, even as we are one.” (v. 11b) Wow! As I think about how fractured the church has become over politics and many other social issues, it seems to me that we, as followers of Jesus, are not glorying Jesus when we can become so divisive amongst ourselves with these kinds of issues. It suggests that we have lost our focus upon our common identity in Jesus. In light of this prayer of Jesus, we must reprioritize our unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ that we may best glorify Jesus.