John 17:1-19 Jesus at prayer

Jesus said, “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” Matthew 26:40

So we start our journey of giving God time to work in us, by praying along with this hymn…

“To God Be The Glory…” at this link … To God Be The Glory ( Royal Albert Hall, London)

John 17:1-19 Jesus at prayer

a). Jesus Prays for Himself during His time of trial… Complete Jewish Bible.

17:1 After Yeshua (Jesus) had said these things, he looked up toward heaven and said,

 “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, so that the Son may glorify you — 2 just as you gave him authority over all mankind, so that he might give eternal life to all those whom you have given him. 3 And eternal life is this: to know you, the one true God, and him whom you sent, Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah. 4 “I glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify me alongside yourself. Give me the same glory I had with you before the world existed.“

Jesus was about to reverse the control Satan had had over God’s creation, which Satan did by using sin to draw creation away from God. By the act of Jesus’ sacrifice, sin no longer needed to have that control. Creation could once more give glory to the Creator. 

b). Now Jesus Prays for His Disciples

6 “I made your name known to the people you gave me out of the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, 8 because the words you gave me I have given to them, and they have received them. They have really come to know that I came from you, and they have come to trust that you sent me.“

The disciples had discovered who Jesus was now, so the spiritual game was up for Satan. The sneaky cloak and dagger work of the tempter would get harder and harder. In the garden of Eden – he spoke through a snake – but he could now be seen for what he really was, by anyone who was aware, like the disciples. Also, Jesus could be seen for who He really was. 

9 “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given to me, because they are yours. 10 Indeed, all I have is yours, and all you have is mine, and in them, I have been glorified. 11 Now I am no longer in the world. They are in the world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, guard them by the power of your name, which you have given to me, so that they may be one, just as we are. 12 When I was with them, I guarded them by the power of your name, which you have given to me; yes, I kept watch over them; and not one of them was destroyed (except the one meant for destruction, so that the Tanakh [the Scriptures] might be fulfilled). 13 But now, I am coming to you; and I say these things while I am still in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world hated them because they do not belong to the world — just as I myself do not belong to the world. 15 I don’t ask you to take them out of the world, but to protect them from the Evil One.

Jesus never stopped thinking about His disciples. He prayed for them and watched over them. That didn’t prevent them from having the free will to reject Jesus as their Messiah, as can be seen with Judas. Before leaving the world, He asks His Father to look after them, especially as there would be a short pause before the Holy Spirit would come at Pentecost. For the time of His burial, they would be without Him and again after His ascension and before Pentecost. 

16 “They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 

17 Set them apart for holiness by means of the truth — your word is truth. 

18 Just as you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 

19 On their behalf I am setting myself apart for holiness, so that they too may be set apart for holiness by means of the truth.” (Complete Jewish Bible).

—-Summary

Jesus prays His obedience will bring honour to His Father, and directs honour, praise, and glory to His Father in heaven. Jesus prays that His Father will set the disciples apart for holiness. That is His goal – to make His disciples, holy. That is the only place of safety. In His Agape love, Jesus enabled what was unholy to become clean by washing away the stain of sin and then making us holy by giving us His righteousness and living us.

• Today’s Verse…Who is Jesus? 

‘And eternal life is this: to know You, the One true God;- AND HIM YOU SENT – YESHUA (Jesus) THE MESSIAH.’ John 17:3 

• Today’s Challenge

John 17:8 ‘They have really come to know that I came from You, and they have come to trust that You sent Me.’ (Complete Jewish Bible).

Have you?! Mark 14: 37 Couldn’t you stay awake one hour? 38 Stay awake, and pray that you will not be put to the test — the spirit indeed is eager, but human nature is weak.”

“… He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.” Matthew 14:23. 

Jesus taught His disciples what we call ‘The Lord’s Prayer’; (Luke 11).

Listen here to Albert Malotte’s ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, 

thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever;- Amen.

Prayer suggestions;-

1. The world. (ie ‘For those in authority.’)
2. The ‘suffering church.’ https://barnabasfund.org/nz/pray/daily-prayer/#previous-dates
3. Your own situation. (Suggest ‘needs’ rather than ‘wants’.)

Jesus said, “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” Matthew 26:40.

17:1 After Jesus had finished speaking to his disciples, he looked up toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come for you to bring glory to your Son, in order that he may bring glory to you. 

2 And you gave him power over all people, so he would give eternal life to everyone you give him. 

3  Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. 

4 I have brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you gave me to do. 

5 Now, Father, give me back the glory I had with you before the world was created.

6 You have given me some followers from this world, and I have shown them what you are like. They were yours, but you gave them to me, and they have obeyed you. 

7 They know that you gave me everything I have. 

8 I told my followers what you told me, and they accepted it. They know I came from you, and they believe you are the one who sent me. 

9 I am praying for them, but not for those who belong to this world. My followers belong to you, and I am praying for them. 

10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine, and they will bring glory to me.

11 Holy Father, I am no longer in the world. I am coming to you, but my followers are still in the world. So keep them safe by the power of the name you have given me. Then they will be one with each other, just as you and I are one. 

12  While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost, except the one who had to be lost. This happened so that what the Scriptures say would come true.

13 I am on my way to you. But I say these things while I am still in the world, so my followers will have the same complete joy that I do. 

14 I have told them your message. But the people of this world hate them, because they don’t belong to this world, just as I don’t.

15 Father, I don’t ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. 

16 They don’t belong to this world, and neither do I. 

17 Your word is the truth. So let this truth make them completely yours. 

18 I am sending them into the world, just as you sent me. 

19 I have given myself completely for their sake, so they may belong completely to the truth.

‘I treasure your Word in my heart, so that I won’t sin against you.’ Psalm 119:11 

Closing Prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDHAf1-cA0I