Please note the following is an excerpt from “Jesus’ Prayer from A to Z”, of which I’m Editor.

-Z-


Zenith of Jesus’ Prayer, by Zorn, Walter D.


“. . . that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21)

This scripture is part of Jesus’ “high priestly” prayer in the upper room where Jesus had just finished a final “Passover Meal” with his disciples (John 13- 17). In this prayer Jesus specifically prays for himself (17:1-5), for his disciples (17:6-19), and for all future believers (17:20-26). Our devotional thoughts are concentrated upon this latter part of the prayer—a prayer for us, here, right now!

Take a few moments to meditate on the original text itself (v. 20-26, my translation): “But not concerning these do I ask alone, but also concerning those who [will] believe through their word in me” (v. 20). Jesus now takes the opportunity to pray for all future generations who will believe the gospel and will become part of Christ’s Body on earth, the Church throughout the ages. Imagine being able to read Jesus’ prayer for you, personally!

“In order that all may be one, just as you, Father, in me and I in you, in order that also they may be [one] in us, in order that the world may believe that you have sent me” (v. 21). This is the critical desire of God for the ages—that there may be unity among believers in Christ—a unity that reflects the unity of the Father and the Son. The Spirit in the believer makes this unity not only desirable but also a reality as we resonate with all believers around the world. But we should note that “unity” is not an end in itself, only a means to an end. Apparently it is an axiom that the world will hardly believe that Jesus came from God without the Church’s unity. Think on that for a moment.

“And I—the glory which you have given to me—I have given to them, in order that they may be one just as we are one, I in them and you in me, in order that they may be brought to completion into one, in order that the world may know that you sent me and you loved them just as you loved me” (v. 22-23). These two verses are a parallel to verse 21 with three hina (“in order that”) clauses interrupted by a kathos (“just as”) clause between the first and second hina clause. The repetition is typical Hebrew expression for emphasis sake. Jesus wants to share God’s glory with us.

“Father, what you have given to me, I wish that where I am there they may be with me, in order that they may see my glory which you have given to me, they you loved me before the foundation of the world” (v. 24). The rest of the prayer is an inclusion with its beginning in John 17:1-5. One day altogether we shall see the glory of Christ, if we maintain our unity in Christ.

“Righteous Father, indeed the world did not know you, but I knew you, and they have come to know that you sent me” (v. 25). Jesus moves from referring to God as “Father” (v. 1 ) to “Holy Father” (v. 11) to “Righteous Father” (v. 25). God is righteous and one day he will make us righteous just as we are by participating in Jesus’ faithfulness (Romans 3:26). He will also judge the world that does not know the Father because the world has rejected his Son. God is just in judgment as well as in salvation.

“And I made known to them your name and I will continue to make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them” (v. 26). The kind of love and unity between the Father and the Son should now be exhibited among believers in Christ. Only a genuine indwelling of the Spirit can make such a unity possible. It is an organic unity—not contrived or even organizational. I recently heard Dr. Chuck Sackett preach from 1 Corinthians 12 with this theme: “The Church is the Church when everybody knows somebody cares.”

The marks of a true believer or a genuine Christian are two: 1) love for one another even as the Father has loved us (John 13:34-35); 2) a unity of believers even as the Father and the Son are one (John 17:21). Without these being expressed in reality by the Church on earth, the world will never come to believe that the gospel is true—that God sent his Son as the Savior of the world.

While we should never compromise with what is obviously false doctrine and evil practice (2 John 10), we must come to recognize our own shortcomings when we hear Jesus praying for us. He knows we don’t love enough. He knows we are not unified in heart or spirit enough. For the sake of the world, let us manifest our unity in Christ!

Prayer: Holy and Righteous Father, deliver us from our sectarian and divisive attitudes and actions. Teach us to love one another deeply, to always seek someone to care for, and to do our best to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Amen.


Lord, what more would you have me to do?


Pray for…Zion
(City of God)…

…Believers in Zaire (Congo-Kinshasa), Zambia, Zimbabwe