Jesus Praying

I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.¹⁸ As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. ²⁰ “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. ²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: ²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

John 17:15-23

In this passage, Jesus prays for His disciples. Christ prays for His immediate disciples and for those who will believe through their preaching and writing. Three requests are offered by our Lord in this prayer.

First, the Lord prays for our protection. He doesn’t pray that we will be taken away from all evil and difficulty. Rather, Christ intercedes for our protection in the midst of the trials and tribulations.

Also, the Savior prays for our sanctification. Jesus truly desires that we grow in maturity and increased faith in the Lord day by day. We are sanctified by the truth of God’s Word as we live in the Bible’s promises throughout our lives.

Finally, Messiah prays for the unity of His people. Christ desired that our unity as Christians would be modeled on the unity between the Father and the Son.  May we ever seek that level of oneness among the children of God!

Tony French