Jesus lifts up his followers before the Father

January 13, 2003

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Jan. 26

Jesus lifts up his followers before the Father
___ John 17:1-26
___By Robert Creech
___University Baptist Church-Clearlake, Houston
___In his final discourse, Jesus spoke to his disciples about their relationship with his Father, the Spirit, himself, the world, and each other (13:1-16:33). These words were to prepare them to survive when he would no longer be physically present. As his time with them ended, he turned his eyes to heaven and began to speak with his Father.
___John 17 records some of the most intimate words in Jesus' story. In this, the most extensive of his prayers, Jesus takes up many of the subjects he spoke of in his final discourse. Instead of addressing them to his disciples, however, Jesus now addresses them to his Father.
___Jesus prays first for himself and the coming "hour" in which he will be glorified (17:1-5). Readers have anticipated this approaching hour of glory since Cana (2:4). Like the chiming of a clock, each stroke has marked the approach of that significant moment in which the Son of God would offer himself as the Lamb of God for the sins of the world (4:21, 23; 5:25, 28; 7:30; 8:20). Finally, in 12:23 the last tone rings out: "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified!"
___Jesus' glory in this hour will consist of rejection, mockery and torture. His throne will be a Roman cross. A placard will bear his title with ironic truth: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.
___To his enemies, his final words from that cross sound like defeat, but his friends who later read in faith will know them to be a declaration of victory: "It is finished!" (19:30).

___The Son is about to accomplish the Father's purpose completely. This will be his anticipated hour of glory. With quiet faith, Jesus requests the Father to see him through this hour, to accomplish his will by means of it, and to receive the Son into the Father's eternal presence (17:1-5).
___Then he prays for his followers as they face the opposition from the world (17:6-19). Jesus has done his part in preparing his disciples for this time. He has revealed the Father to them (14:7-11; 17:6-8). Jesus has protected them from the world (17:12), losing none of them, except Judas (17:12; 18:8-9). He has given them the gift of joy (15:11; 16:20-22, 24; 17:13).
___Moreover, Jesus has delivered the Father's word to them (1:1-3, 14; 5:19-20, 24), and this word is already doing its sanctifying work (15:3; 17:14, 17). As the Father has sent the Son into the world (3:16; 17:18), so the Son is sending these into the world to bear witness, to serve, and to sacrifice (17:18b; 20:21).
___Now Jesus expresses his love for these he has prepared by praying for them. He prays the Father will continue to protect them from the world and from the evil one (17:11, 15). He asks that the Father would give them a full measure of joy (17:13). He requests that the Father would use his truth to set apart their lives completely to the purposes of God (17:17).
___Finally, Jesus reaches into the future, praying for others who will become his followers as these proclaim his gospel (17:20-26). As he sends these disciples, they will make disciples as well (17:18; 20:21). A generation of new disciples will arise who will believe without having seen (20:29). They will hear the stories of Jesus, they will link their lives to him in faith, and they will experience eternal life in his name (20:31). Knowing this, Jesus prays for them. For us.
___He prays we would know the experience of community, which he had encouraged in the final discourse (13:34-35; 14:12, 17:21). Earlier he had said this experience of authentic community would be a demonstration that these were, in fact, his disciples (13:35). Here he prays that the love among his followers would provide the evidence the world needs in order to know that the Father has indeed sent the Son (17:21-23). Our relationships, words and behavior toward each other provide testimony for or against Jesus in the trial of truth before the world.
___He prays we would eventually be with him in glory (17:24). He told his disciples he was going to prepare a place for them (14:2), and he promised to come and take them to be with him (14:3). This prayer is part of that preparation, and we are included!
___Finally, he expresses a commitment to us in his prayer (17:25-26). He affirms his intention to continue to reveal the Father to us so that we may experience the Father's love for Jesus as well.
___As we learn to live like branches abiding in the vine, drawing our life from Jesus, obeying his word, we will also learn to experience the reality of the Father's love. This will be so, because Jesus has prayed for us.
___Questions for discussion
___ Do you remember having someone who loves you pray for you? What requests did they make of the Father? What was it like to hear them pray for you?
___ Read Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25. Then read John 17 aloud several times. Can you hear Jesus praying for you? What is Jesus is asking the Father for you today?

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