This is supplement to DAY 2: THE HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER. I have walked through the questions relating to the passage John 17.John 17 is known as the high priestly prayer. These verses make it clear that the only way to know God is to to know Jesus. Jesus prays for himself, his followers, and also those who will believe in him in the future (us).
After reading John 17, I went back and looked for everywhere the words "give" or "given" where written.
God has given Jesus:
- authority on earth. (verse 2)
- the power to give eternal life
- the people who will believe in him (verse 2)
- Everything is given to Jesus (verse 7)
- the name of God because he is God himself (verse 11)
- the glory of God (verse 24)
Jesus gives us:
- eternal life (verse 2)
- the words from the Lord (verse 8, 14)
- the glory of God when we surrender our lives to him (verse 22)
- himself in the name of God (verse 26)
"I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them." John 17:9-10Jesus is praying for those that already trust him with their life. He isn't praying for the world, those that won't repent and follow him. While Jesus desires that everyone would follow him, he knows that there will be some people who still refuse to bow their knees to him on this earth. If you are a Christ-follower, Jesus is praying for you! You are Jesus's and therefore you are God's. The end of verse 10 makes me think, "Does my life glorify the Lord? Does what I say, how I act, the way I treat others, and the way I repent of sin glorify Jesus?"
I am glad that Jesus is praying for us, he intercedes on our behalf.
Intercede means to intervene on another's behalf. It means to act or interpose in behalf of someone in difficulty or trouble. It means to plead or petition. It means to act as a mediator. It means to reconcile differences. It means to interpose a veto.
That means that Jesus is going before the God of the universe on our behalf! Jesus is praying-to God-for us. He is making our prayers eloquent, what they should be in the first place. He reconciles us with God. He is praying that his will, whatever is best, be done in our lives. He vetoes our request and does his will as he sees fit.
While hard to swallow at times, how incredibility comforting it is to know that Jesus, the one who loved us so much he died in our place, is going before the Great I AM on our behalf! If that doesn't blow you away, are you even breathing?
Jesus asks the Father to:
- keep believers, to preserve them in their salvation until Christ's return (verse 11)
- specifically protect from the enemy (verse 15)
- sanctify Christ-followers in truth (verse 17), this means that Jesus is praying that our walk with him would grow closer to him each day, and that we would walk and live in his Word daily
- unite believers so that other people would surrender their lives to Christ (verse 21), we are to be one just as Jesus and the Father are united
If I am honest, verse 14-16 stirs a variety of emotions. It really makes me anxious because it is not fun to be hated by other people, but it is comforting because if Jesus was hated for standing on God's Word and biblical principles and abhorring sin, then I am in good company. I am not of this world and that makes me happy because all I see in this world is division and corruption and hatred. It is so good to know that my home is not this earth.
As a Christ-follower, I am sent into the world. Meaning I am to go and share the incredible, most wonderful news of Christ to those around me. What am I doing about that? Most days.....I am not. There are two people in my life that God has specifically shown me to with whom I must share the gospel, and each chance I get in person, I do commit to that. I can't say that it is easy, or comfortable, or even fun. But every time I walk away with an invigorating sense of awe and wonder at the Lord. My faith is grown out of my obedience. And it allows me to marvel at the Lord even more.
I am so glad we have a mighty Savior who is constantly intervening on our behalf.
How did today's High Priestly Prayer devotion go for you? Let me know in the comments below. I can't wait to grow more with you over these next 2-weeks.
Love,
