Parting Words-Part 14-Future Disciples

Introduction- John 17:19-26

Last week we considered the substance of Jesus’s praying for His disciples and saw how that they had responded to Him in the past, the need for unity and joy in the present, and the need for protection from the influence of the world and sanctification for the work they would do in the future.

Now Jesus looks into the future and fixes His attention upon those who would ultimately believe on Him as a result of the present disciples proclamation of the Word of God.

Jesus concern is not limited to these eleven men for they are only the foundation of what is to come as the church is built.

Many would come to faith through their word not only during their lifetime but even through the words some of them would ultimately write under the direction and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Ultimately those who believe even still today are a product of the ministry of these disciples.

This means that when Jesus prays here for “them which shall believe on me through their word”, He is praying for you and me.

Now let us turn our attention to the substance of His praying for future believers.

Unity

The first thing that Jesus prays for is that all those who will believe may be united as one.

It seems that one of Jesus primary concerns for the disciples as well as for future believers is that they would remain unified.

This certainly implies that Jesus knew that one of the most significant threats to the furtherance of the gospel was division among believers.

Jesus draws an important connection here between the unity that exists between the Father and the Son and the unity that should exist among believers as a result.

Even in the early stages of the development of the church we can see that Jesus concern is valid as various divisions began to develop due to the allegiance of some to various ideas and individuals divided the church.

1 Corinthians 1:12–13 KJV 1900

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

Unfortunately these divisions have only multiplied and grown more pronounced in the days since.

The divisions that we see across recognized “Christianity” today are the result of this same tendency to give allegiance to the ideas of men rather than to Christ and the Word of God.

Many religions that identify themselves as part of “Christianity” today present what is basically only a caricature of true biblical Christianity and do not even believe in the basic fundamental truths of scripture and misrepresent Christ.

Modern “Christianity” has been shaped far more by the culture around us than by the Christ within us.

It is important to recognize that this unity is not to be the result of compromise or simply choosing to ignore doctrinal differences but must be the result of unity with Christ.

The truth is that if every believer would today allow the Spirit of God and the Word of God to shape their thinking we would all be in perfect unity with one another.

This does not mean that every church would look and operate exactly the same because there is liberty in many areas which allows for each church to function appropriately in their community, but the fundamental beliefs of every church would be the same.

It is the influence of men that has drawn many away from the core tenets of the Christian faith.

Jesus has given His glory to us that it may serve to unite us in Him.

Impact

The significance of this prayer for unity is that by their unity the world would be impacted and would believe that Jesus was sent by God and would have the opportunity to see the love of God on display.

The lives of those who follow Christ will either serve as the greatest help or hindrance to reaching the world with the gospel.

The unity of believers and the love that we demonstrate for one another is attractive to the world and when this element is missing in the church and among believers more broadly, Christianity loses its attraction.

Notice here that Jesus’s desire for the unity of believers is so that the world may believe. This unity would be so unusual and unexplainable that the world would be drawn to faith in Christ as a result.

Imagine for a moment what the world would think were all those who profess themselves to be Christians to come together as one regardless of ethnicity, social status, education, or any other man-made distinction.

Would the world not be amazed to see such a diverse group of people unified and would they not wonder what it is that is responsible for such unity among them?

This unity in Christ will also cause us to display the love of Christ to the world so that they may know the love that God has for them by what they see in us.

Sadly today great damage has been done to the cause of Christ by the strife and division that exists among “Christians.”

The public attacks and schisms that have been so prevalent among “Christians” in recent history have certainly hindered our ability to reach the world.

When serious conflicts and divisions exist among professed believers, the world is no longer attracted to Christianity and it is far more difficult to make an impact.

Though Jesus prayer was focused on believers, truly He has the lost world in view because if believers are in union with Christ the world will be greatly impacted.

Destiny

Jesus now prays that those who have believed will ultimately have the opportunity to come to where He is so that they may see the glory that He now has given to Him from the Father.

Jesus is soon to be returning to the Father’s side and there He would return to His former glory and it is His desire that those who believe would join Him there and behold the glory that has been given Him by the Father.

This serves to demonstrate the great love that the Father has always had for the Son even before the world was formed.

Ultimately those who believe on Christ will one day dwell with Him for all eternity enjoying His presence forever.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 KJV 1900

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

One day we who have believed shall finally have the opportunity to see Jesus in this glorified state.

1 John 3:2 KJV 1900

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Conclusion

Jesus final plea to the Father really serves to summarize the theme of His entire prayer.

He states the fact that the world as a whole has not known God, but Jesus has known Him and has revealed Him to those who have believed in order that they might in turn reveal Him to those who have not yet believed.

Jesus intent is that these men would go forth in His love and that this love would then flow out of them and into the world which He has called them to reach.

His desire is that they would believe in Him and that He would then be able to live in them and that His love would be manifested to the world through them.

2 Corinthians 5:14–15 KJV 1900

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.