He Prays for Me

Welcome

Good morning once again everyone. Today we are finishing John 17, which is made up entirely of a prayer from Jesus, the longest prayer of Jesus recorded in the Bible. In the first section of this chapter we read how Jesus prayed for himself and for God the Father. That they would glorify one another and how eternal life is having a relationship with God the Father through Jesus. Last week we saw how Jesus prayed for his disciples. Those who gave up everything they had and followed Jesus throughout his earthly ministry. Jesus didn’t want the disciples to be taken out of the world, rather he sent them out in it to proclaim the gospel of Jesus.

This morning, we are looking at the last passage where Jesus prays for all future believers. So, if you believe in Jesus, if you have accepted him as Lord of your life, then Jesus prayed for you that very same night he prayed for his glory and for the disciples. Which, to me, is pretty amazing. But what was so important to Jesus that he would pray it for all of us way back then? Well, that is what we are going to figure out!

Let’s read our passage together and then spend some time in prayer.

John 17:20–26 NIV

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Prayer

United in Jesus

Now, hopefully you picked up on what Jesus prayed for all of us on his last night. He prayed that all of us would be one just as God the Father and Jesus are one. While there are many important things for us to strive for in our relationship with Christ, it appears that unity with one another is extremely important to Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t just want us to be able to tolerate each other, he wants us to be one just as he and the father are one. Now, a couple notes on what this doesn’t mean. First, it doesn’t mean that we believe whatever we want about Jesus and still have unity. D.A. Carson wrote, “Unity is not achieved by hunting for the lowest common theological denominator, but by common adherence to the apostolic gospel.”

Jesus isn’t praying that everyone would have unity based on personal opinions about him, but based on who God really is as revealed through Jesus. This unity also doesn’t mean that we have uniformity in all things. In the trinity there are three distinct persons, the father, son and holy spirit, yet they are one.

One example of this I read explains it well. Imagine if we could gather some of the great Christians of history in this room right now. If we had Augustine, John Calvin, John Wesley, George Whitefield, Spurgeon, and Moody. If they were all present here this morning and had to vote on something, it would be pretty impossible to get a unanimous vote. But, even though they would disagree on some things, they would still have unity because they have Christ as their center. Even in the midst of diversity in their style and opinion, they would be united because of Christ.

Another note on what this doesn’t mean. Jesus isn’t praying that we would all be clones. We can read this passage and think, “Well, we have to be united so we have to all use the same translation of scripture, live life the same way, raise children the same way, have the same likes and dislikes, essentially only be one person. But unity does not mean we are not still diverse. Christians all over the world look different, worship different, live different, and that is okay. Because underneath of all of these things is a relationship with Jesus, the one who truly brings unity. We can see this just in our little church here. If we didn’t have Christ, what else in this world would gather all of us in one place? We all come from different backgrounds, families, towns, careers, yet we all gather together each week. Why? Because of our unity in Christ. We all have unity together because of what our lives are centered around.

Another way to think about this is how a piano is tuned. You can take hundreds of different pianos, tune them all to the same tuning fork, and they are now automatically tuned to each other. The pianos aren’t tuned to each other, but to another standard by which each one connects to. So all of us here this morning, even around the world, we are all in a sense “tuned” to Jesus, thus making us “tuned” / unified with one another.

So unity is important simply because it is a good thing, but unity with one another also serves a purpose. Jesus prays in verse 21 that we would be unified so that the world may believe God the Father sent Jesus. If we have unity, the world will believe that Jesus came from God. Unity is not just an something that benefits believers, it serves as a witness to the world.

I don’t think I have to try to convince anyone here that we live in a society, a world, that is deeply fragmented and divisive. This also isn’t new. Going all the way back to Adam and Eve we can see how humankind has always been plagued with divisiveness. Ever since Adam said to God, “The woman you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree...” Ever since the Fall, humanity has suffered by causing divisions among one another and alienating one another. This is why unity among believers is so important. Real unity between Christians doesn’t just happen because we think it would be a neat idea. Genuine unity is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit and points to the only possible explanation, a relationship with Christ.

It is pretty amazing that through Christian unity, some will come to understand God’s love. Once again, unity is not just good for us, but is good for the world. Author Thomas Manton wrote, “Divisions in the church breed atheism in the world.” but the opposite of that is also true. Unity in the church builds belief in the world.

This is why Jesus prayed this for us on that night. Unity is extremely important.

In verse 22 we then see how Jesus intends to implement this unity. “I have given them the glory that you fave me, that they may be one as we are one.” True glory for us, looks just like it did for Jesus, in humble service. Unity in this world is promoted by humble service to one another.

Philippians 2:3–5 NIV

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

When we serve one another we promote the unity that we have together in Christ. This once again is for our benefit, yes, but it also serves as a witness to the world.

In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn't. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks Linus.

"These five fingers," says Lucy. "Individually they're nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold."

"Which channel do you want?" asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, "Why can't you guys get organized like that?"

Unity with one another can do amazing things in our communities and our world.

Reunited with Jesus

In the last few verses, Jesus points out that our unity with him will go even farther than what we can experience in this life.

John 17:24–26 NIV

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

In the Father’s house we will experience for all eternity the presence of Jesus. We get to experience a measure of it now, but it will not compare to when we experience the full delight and joy of constant fellowship with Jesus. John Calvin describes the difference by saying, “At that time they (the disciples) saw Christ’s glory as someone shut up in the dark sees a feeble and glimmering light through small cracks. Christ now wants them to go on to enjoy the full brightness of heaven.”

Imagine going on a long vacation somewhere. You could have a great time, do a lot of fun things, have some time for rest and relaxation, but by the end of the trip, chances are you’re ready to come home. For all of us, we are away from home. But it is good new that we won’t be away forever. Eventually we will enjoy peace and unity in the Father’s house.

I mention this at funerals, but it is good for us to know. We might wonder what heaven is like, what life will be like after death, and while we may not know a lot, we know that one day we will be with Jesus in Heaven and behold his glory for ourselves. And when that happens, he will say, “Welcome home.” This will be the home that we have always longed for and we will find that we really have never wanted anything else.

The last verses close with a vow to God the Father, but it is also a promise to all of us. Jesus will continue to make God known so that God’s love would be in us just as it is for the Son. Isn’t that remarkable? The love that God the Father has for Jesus is the same love Jesus prays would be in all of us. This is not your average love. This is love that comes from someone who was willing to give himself up for you, to pay the penalty of your sin, to purchase your salvation. This is the love that Jesus is hoping would dwell within us.

Illustration

Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together.

Action

As we go into the closing song, I want to pose everyone a question. Are you a part of this unity in Christ? Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and believe that he died for you on the cross to atone for your sins? If that is something you feel God calling you to do this morning, I pray that you would do it. Spend some time in this song praying about that and if you accept Christ, if you choose to be a part of the unity that we all have together through him, I invite you to come forward during our closing song so that we can pray together and celebrate this new unity and new life with you!

Prayer