The Farewell Prayer

John 17:1-5

In the New Testament, chapters 14–17 of the Gospel of John are known as the Farewell Discourse given by Jesus to eleven of his disciples immediately after the conclusion of the Last Supper in Jerusalem, the night before his crucifixion.

A farewell prayer is a prayer offered when saying goodbye, often expressing gratitude, blessings, and well wishes for the person or people leaving. It can be a simple expression of love and support, or a more formal liturgy. These prayers often acknowledge the new chapter ahead and seek God's guidance and protection. 

John 15:26–27 “26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.”

Truth: the truth as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians

John 17:1–5 “1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

John 17:9 “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.”

John 17:11 “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.”

John 17:13 “13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”

John 17:15 “15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”

John 17:17 “17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

Sanctify: to purify internally by renewing of the soul

John 17:20–26 “20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.””

What did Jesus pray over his disciples and all who would believe in their Word?

To be kept in the name of God.

To be perfectly one with the Father as the Father and Jesus are one.

That Jesus’ joy may be fulfilled in them.

That they would not be taken from this world.

That they would be kept from the evil one.

That they would be sanctified in THE TRUTH!

And the great blessing to us here today is that he also included us in this prayer!

John 17:20 “20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,”

Can you imagine being in the room and having Jesus pray this over you ?

We all need to understand that is exactly what Jesus did!

John 17:24 “24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

Closing : Jesus prayed that we would be with Him and see His Glory