JESUS’ HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER
(Part 3 – Jesus’ Prayer For His Church)
John 17:20-26
In John 15 Jesus called the Disciples His friends. Because they were His friends He prayed for them. Ultimately Jesus would lay down His life for His friends. John chapter 17 is truly a beautiful passage, but as we continue to read further we will see something even more beautiful and that is the fact that Jesus prayed for us as well. Furthermore, He continues to make requests to the Father on our behalf today!
- Now that we have examined Jesus’ Prayer For Himself and Jesus’ Prayer For His Disciples, we are confronted with the beautiful reality that Jesus prayed for us! Let’s transition to the final main section of Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer and consider:
I. JESUS’ PRAYER FOR HIS CHURCH
Several years ago I went to the hospital to visit with and elderly friend. I knew before entering his room that the prognosis was not good and the doctors were only giving him days to live. Upon entering the room I could tell that He was tired and ready to go to his Heavenly home. However, in spite of his pain he was thrilled to see me. We talked and visited for a while and before I left I approached his bedside to pray with him, but before I could begin praying for him, he grabbed my hand and began to pray for me, my family, my ministry and our church. I was overwhelmed with emotion that this man who was fighting for his life, selflessly prayed for me.
It is so special to know that someone cares enough about us to take time out of their day and go before the throne and cry out to God on our behalf. Even more special is the fact that Jesus had us in mind when He prayed His High Priestly Prayer.
An old song says “When He was on the cross, I was on His mind”; that is certainly true but the reality is that we were on His mind long before He ever made it to the Cross. God tells us in His Word that He had a plan for our redemption even before the world was formed. Our selected text reveals the fact that we were on Jesus’ mind as He cried out to God on the eve of the Crucifixion.
Beginning in verse 20 Jesus begins to pray for His Church, He prays for all Believers throughout the ages. I cannot put into words just how humbling it is to know that Jesus cared enough to pray for us. Furthermore, it is such an amazing comfort to know that as our High Priest He is still praying for us today. While it is wonderful to know that Jesus prayed for us and continues to do so, it is also very important for us to grasp exactly what it is that He prays on our behalf. We see in verses 20-21 that:
1. JESUS PRAYS THAT HIS FOLLOWERS WILL BE UNIFIED WITH ONE ANOTHER
v20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Jesus enjoyed perfect fellowship with the Father. He was one with the Father, in verse 21 He says "you, Father, are in Me, and I in you". It was the Savior’s desire for each of us who believe on Him to enjoy spiritual unity with the entire Trinity.
The very source of Christian unity is Christ Himself. It was His desire for there to be unity within His Church. Without Christ being at the center of a church this kind of unity is impossible! Show me a church that is filled with discord and conflict, and I will show you a church that has taken its focus off of the Savior. On the other hand, when a church is filled with unity this is evidence of the congregation's closeness to the Savior.
In this passage Jesus is referencing a special union. The Christian life is a battle; it is a life that is filled with spiritual warfare. Jesus never intended for His people to be lone soldiers in this battle. The Kingdom of God is about eternal relationships. There are numerous scriptures that point to the fact that God expects His people to be together now and throughout eternity.
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
There are countless benefits that occur when God's people spend time together. Jesus did not just simply desire for His people to assemble together; He prayed that they would be unified whenever they were together. The supreme pattern for Christian unity is the relationship between the Father and the Son. Jesus mentions the "oneness" between the Father and Son in this chapter. The Father and Son are "one" in nature and essence; they are equal in power and glory. The Father loves the Son, and the Son's purpose was to always please the Father. Jesus says that He is "in the Father", and the Father "in Him". In the same way, Jesus desires that we are "one". This is possible because we are united by a divine nature.
Among our assembly there are many different people. We have different likes and dislikes. Some of us are from different parts of the country. We are different races and different genders. We are from different social and economic backgrounds. In spite of all our differences we are united. We live, serve and worship in harmony. This is only possible because we are connected by the common bond of Jesus Christ.
Satan loves to destroy the unity within the local church. This is because He knows that we are stronger together. He also knows that disharmony and conflict within the church, harms the cause of Christ. This is one of the many reasons that Jesus prayed that His Church would be unified.
v21 that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
It is very beneficial when Christians are united with God and with one another. We will be far greater witnesses for Christ when we have unity. Individually and collectively we are to live in such a way that lost people can see Jesus through us. D.L. Moody that said, “Out of 100 men, one will read the Bible. The other 99 will read the Christian.”
The lost world is watching how we live. In many cases they have no desire to hear what we (Christians) have to say because of all of the arguing, fussing and fighting that they see and hear within the church. If the Church does not live in unity we will never reach a lost and dying world. But if we are unified we can be very productive for the Kingdom of God.
Paul encouraged the Corinthians to be of the same mind and that they would resolve and prevent any divisions within their assembly. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. The kind of unity that Paul wrote about is the same kind of unity that Jesus prayed for in this prayer. This type of unity is possible if (and only if) we keep our eyes focused on Christ and Him alone.
- Jesus prayed that we would be unified with other believers; as we move to verses 25-26 we will see that:
2. JESUS PRAYS THAT HIS FOLLOWERS WILL BE FILLED WITH THE LOVE OF GOD
v25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."
Clearly, it is the desire of the Savior that we are "filled" with His love. The blessings that come from being filled with the love of God are limitless. But it is important to remember the context; Jesus is speaking of "oneness" & "unity" among His followers.
Earlier in the evening Jesus declared that mutual love among the Brethren would be a sign to the world that they/we belong to Him. v34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another". This kind of love is not possible without Christ. Moreover, this kind of love is produced by God in the hearts of every believer. Those who do not possess the love of God which results in love for others are not truly born again.
1 John 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
1 John 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
Earlier I mentioned that there are many differences among us. We are able to love one another in spite of those differences. This is only possible because of the love that God produces in our hearts. When we are filled with God's love, our lives will exhibit that love and extend that love to others. In Matthew 22, Jesus summed up all of the commandments. He said: 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40). This command is the key to a victorious Christian life.
It was so important to Jesus that His followers love one another that He paused and prayed that we would have this type of love on the eve of His agonizing death. It is simply amazing that Jesus cared enough to pray for us how He did and when He did.
- Before we close I would like to look back to verse 24 and see one more important reason that Jesus prayed for us. There we see that:
3. JESUS PRAYS THAT HIS FOLLOWERS WILL BE WITH HIM THROUGHOUT ETERNITY
v24 Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
It was Jesus' purpose and desire that all who would receive Him would be with Him eternally. This is the reason that He would soon drink of that "bitter cup". He loved us so much that He was willing to suffer the most horrific death the world has ever known in order to redeem us. He knew that we were hopeless and condemned to die. He knew that we were dead in trespasses and sins and He was willing to do all that was necessary to provide us with everlasting life.
As our High Priest prayed to the Father on our behalf, He knew that His work was almost complete. He would soon shed His blood, suffer, die, rise again and ascend to His rightful place at the right hand of the Father. It was and is His desire for all those the Father had given Him to be with Him throughout eternity. This is not only His desire for us; it is His promise to us! Listen to the promise that Jesus made in: John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Jesus tells of a place where the Saints will dwell throughout eternity. If we are saved we can rest assured that one day we will enter in to that Heavenly Home. There we will see the amazing place that Jesus has gone to prepare. And we will live forever in the presence of our Lord and Great God!
It is an amazing and a humbling fact that the sinless Son of God took time to pray for us. It is even more astonishing and encouraging to know that He is still interceding on our behalf. Paul said “…It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” (Romans 8:34)
One of the most awesome facts about Jesus' praying is that His prayers are always heard and they are always answered. As we have examined “Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer” we have seen that: Jesus prayed for Himself, Jesus prayed for His Disciples, Jesus prayed for the Church, Jesus prayed for me, and.... Jesus prayed for you!
- What did He pray on your behalf?
1) Jesus Prayed That You Would Be Unified With Other Believers
2) Jesus Prayed That You Would Be Filled With The Love Of God
3) Jesus Prayed That You Would Be With Him Throughout Eternity
Throughout this study we have seen some of the most beautiful truths in the Word of God. However, I must remind you that the content of this prayer is focused on Jesus and those who belong to Him. Are you “in Christ”? If not, perhaps you will become one who believes on Him through the work of those whom He has sent into the world with the life changing message of the Gospel. If you have never repented and believed in Him, I encourage you to do so today. If you have, then these 26 verses give you great hope and assurance. No matter what you may face in this life, remember that you have a Great High Priest who has and continues to pray for you! We should ever be amazed that we were mentioned in “Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer.”
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