In Christ's final Hour he prayed the most profound prayer pertaining to His Church. This intimate prayer between the Son and The Father are one to take to prayer over and over. This prayer brings light to Christ's vision of The Church.
"Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son,
that your Son may glorify you.
For you granted him authority over all people
that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom you have sent.
I have brought you glory in earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.
And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you
before the world began.
I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They were yours; you gave them to me and
they have obeyed your word.
Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.
For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them.
They knew with certainty that I came from you,
and they believed you have sent me.
I pray for them. I am not
praying world, but for those you have given me,
for they are yours.
All I have is yours, and all you have is mine.
And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer,
but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you.
Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name,
the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by
that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction
so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world,
so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
I have given them your word and the world has hated them,
for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world
but that you protect them from the evil one.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.
Sanctify them by the truth;
your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
My prayer is not for them alone.
I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
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 you have sent me.
I have given them the glory that you gave me,
that they may be one as we are one--
I in them and you in me--
so that they may be brought to complete unity.
Then the world will know that you sent me
and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am,
and to see my glory, the glory you have given me
because you loved me before the creation of the world.
Righteous Father,
though the world does not know you, I know you,
and they know that you have sent me.
I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known
in order that the love you have for me
may be them
and that I myself may be in them."
John Chapter 17
My friends, pray with me that the Lord brings His Church to full unity with Him and the members are fully unified with each other. Pray for the Church and go out, reconcile where needed, listen quickly and patiently, serve those around you (even in the seemingly small ways), speak with kindness and charity towards others, practice self-control in moments of anger, forgive quickly, seek forgiveness where needed, and smile.
Satan wishes to see a divided Church, he loves to see relationships not being reconcilled, he loves when we act on all of our passionate emotions. Don't give satan an inch. Be courageous. Be bold. For the victory has been won. The Lord gives grace, grace to overcome temptation, grace to persevere trials. Trust in Him, for He is good.
God bless,
Madison
Bible Study Questions: John Chapter 17
After reading through the passage what stood out to you? Why do you think that stood out to you?
In Jesus prayer to the Father, how does Jesus demonstrate surrender? If Jesus surrendered us to His Father, how can you surrender those around you to the Father?
What does this reveal about Jesus will for our lives? (v. 15-19)
What does Jesus prayer for us, for His Church? Practically, how can we imitate what Jesus reveals to us in this piece of scripture? How do we live out Christs prayer to the Father?
Comentarios