Jesus' Prayer For Himself (Part 1c)

JESUS’ HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER

(Part 1c: Jesus’ Prayer For Himself)

John 17:2-3

v1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.

Each year during the Christmas season many of us struggle with that complicated process where we set out to find that perfect gift for those whom we love. As Christians, we all know that the greatest gift that we have ever received is salvation through Jesus Christ. Furthermore, the greatest gift that we could ever share with someone is the Gospel. These are fundamental truths that most of us have been taught all of our lives.

Jesus words here in His High Priestly Prayer reveal an important and beautiful reality that many Christians do not know. I am referring to the fact that we are the Father’s gift to His Son. In verse 2 Jesus declares that the Father has given Him “authority over all flesh” the reason and the result of Jesus possessing such authority is so “He should give eternal life to as many as (the Father has) given Him”.

You have heard someone facetiously say, “he thinks he is God’s gift”, or “she thinks she is God’s gift”. Well, in a different context, those of us who belong to Jesus can accurately say, “we are God’s gift!”. That is, we are God’s gift to His Son. Jesus magnifies this reality several more times in this prayer.

v6 "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me.

v9 I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.

v11 …keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept

v24 Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am….)

There is an ancient custom that does a wonderful job of illustrating this reality. In ancient Jewish culture it was common for a father to arrange the marriage of his son. This is seen in Genesis 24 when Abraham commanded his servant to go to his home country and select a wife for his son Isaac. The servant obeyed his command and went and found Rebekah and she was presented to Isaac. Similarly God the Father has chosen a Bride and given her to His Son. In Ephesians 5:25-32 Paul refers to the Church as the Bride of Christ. Those who are members of Christ’s Church are the Bride of Christ and because of this beautiful relationship we have assurance of eternal life.

- In verse 3, Jesus vividly describes eternal life.

v3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent”.

When we hear the phrase “eternal life” certain thoughts automatically come to mind. We think about the things that will be “no more” that John described in – Revelation 21:4 “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

When we think about eternal life we think about receiving a glorified body and being reunited with our loved ones who have gone before us.

When we think about eternal life we anticipate a time when we are delivered from the presence of sin as well as no longer having to deal with Satan and his evil forces. We think about mansions, streets of Gold, walls of jasper, gates of pearl and all of the many other aesthetics that we are told about concerning that Holy City, New Jerusalem. Concerning eternal life we think about a place of indescribable beauty, and a life filled with peace, hope, joy, love and security.

There is no question that there is biblical evidence for each of these realities. However, Jesus mentions none of these things in this prayer. Rather, He states that eternal life is knowing God the Father and Christ Himself. Many people have the mistaken idea that eternal life begins when they transition from earth to Heaven. Eternal life is not a future reality for the child of God; instead it is a present possession. Eternal life begins the moment a person exercises faith in Christ. Jesus said in John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.” Again I say, eternal life is a present possession for the Christian!