What Does Jesus Pray For?

Intro:

The other gospels highlight the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as the final preparation of Jesus before he is arrested. Rather John chose to highlight this prayer.

John has spent much time making the case the Jesus is God.

And yet now we have this chapter which records one long intimate prayer of Jesus to God.

As I thought about this idea it dawned on me. Is Jesus praying even necessary? And what would Jesus pray for?

Jesus relationship to the Father is unique, we cannot expect to have that kind of knowledge of the God. However what Jesus is doing is modeling for the disciples and for us what prayer looks like. Modeling the role of obedience to the will of the Father.

Now Most Bibles are going to break down this prayer in to 3 sections; Jesus prays for himself, Jesus prays for his disciples, Jesus prays for all believers.

I’m going to take us through those 3 sections in the context of Mission but also point out that within those sections there are 7 different Petitions (requests)

Read 17:1-8

1. Finishing the Mission in a Hostile World (1-8)

-Jesus asks that God would bring glory to the mission. (1-3)

The hour has come—Jesus points to his death, it is at hand

The time has come for the Mission of Jesus to find it’s fulfillment.

Jesus’ life and mission were on purpose and now he’s asking God to make it so.

His will is in alignment with the Father’s. (compare with prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane)

We would do well to adopt this into our prayer lives, aligning our will to the Fathers

This is the mission; to give eternal life to all those you have given. And eternal life comes from knowing God, the true God and Jesus Christ.

Some of you already know this and this affirms your faith, some may need to let this truth soak in

-Jesus prays that the completion of the mission would be viewed in light of His return to the Father’s side. (4-8)

Jesus has long been telling the disciples he was leaving. “Where are you going?” they would ask. He is returning to the place that he came from.

John calls us to remember John 1:1-2

John 1:1–2 NIV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Doesn’t this make sense? He has competed this part of his mission, he returns to the Father and awaits the time when he is to return again.

And make no mistake he will return Matthew 24:30

Matthew 24:30 NIV

“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.

The 2nd half of his mission is much different than the first half. That’s a sermon for another time but know this his second coming is to judge

Paul told the Athenians Acts 17:31

Acts 17:31 NIV

For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

Jesus concludes this petition by stating that he has faithfully passed the torch to his followers.

He then transitions into the 2nd segment of his prayer.

Read 17:9-19

2. Preparing the Disciples to Carry On With the Mission (9-19)

Jesus makes a distinction here, he is praying specifically for his disciples. They will play a very important role in the proclamation of the gospel

Remember what kind of reception Jesus told them they would have…hostile.

-Jesus prays that the disciples would be protected as they carry out their portion of the mission. (9-15)

Protect them by the power of your name! (What no swords, no shields?)

Psalm 20:7 NIV

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

In the OT the name of God is an instrument of power

Psalm 54:1 NIV

Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might.

Proverbs 18:10 NIV

The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Jesus name is a powerful name and he kept his disciples safe but now that his leaving does not forget about them because the world is a hostile place.

Some disciples may have expected that Jesus would just take them all with him and be done with it. But...

Look closely at verse 15 John 17:15

John 17:15 NIV

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.

Jesus goes on to acknowledge their alien nature, which is his nature and our nature as well

The disciples need some kind of assurance, we need some assurance...

Jesus is not asking them to go at this as men who have not gone under any type of transformation.

-Jesus implores the Father, “Sanctify them by the truth.” (16-19)

Sanctify is to make holy…to set apart for special use.

Jesus knows that the apostles will have special purpose and unique authority.

This is the request to sanctify them by “the truth”

And what is the truth? He tells us “your word is truth”

So this process can not be attained by the will or some achievement, but rather it comes by an act of God and the word of truth.

Finally Jesus prays for...

3. The Future of the Mission (20-26)

Read 17:20-26

I love this part of the prayer because this is Jesus praying for us.

-Jesus prays that future disciples would remain unified. (20-23)

Think about this in the context of the great commission. Jesus knows that it will have success.

What is Jesus prayer for further generations? Unity.

This unity is based on the unity of the Father and the Son.

This unity of the Father and Son in connection with the unity of the body points to the validity of the mission and the message of God

Excursus: HOW DO WE JUSTIFY OR UNDERSTAND THE NUMBER OF DENOMINATIONS IN THE WORLD TODAY?

-Jesus asks that the reward of the faithful would be realized in glory. (24)

This hope was first expressed to us in chapter 14

John 14:1–4 NIV

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

The reality too of seeing Jesus in all of his glory. Much like the few disciples would have witnessed on the Mt of Transfiguration.

The reward of an eternal home with the Father and the Son is for all those who have placed their hope in him.

-Jesus finally states to the Father the mission will continue. (25-26)

Jesus part of the mission is complete but the that of the disciples and the future followers of Jesus still have work to do.

there is a world that does not know God or his will

Therefore Jesus too wold not be known to them.

In order for the mission of God’s love for mankind to continue you and I have work to do.