Greetings, beloved congregation, this is a "A Word from the Vine," where we are now into our third episode in our series looking at Jesus' prayer in John Chapter 17. I'm Pastor Loren Christensen of Danish Countryside Chapel.
In Verses 6-10, Jesus shifts the focus of His prayer from His own glorification to the well-being and unity of His disciples. He speaks with a sense of divine stewardship and accomplishment, having completed the task of revealing the Father to those given to Him. Let’s delve deeper into these verses:
“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word” (John 17:6 ESV). In this passage, Jesus reflects on the profound relationship He has with His disciples. He has not only taught them about the Father but has also revealed the very character and nature of God through His actions and words. The disciples, once belonging to the Father, were given to Jesus to shepherd and guide. They have accepted the teachings of Jesus, adhering to the word of God and committing themselves to the path laid out for them.
This manifestation of the Father’s name goes beyond mere words; it is an unveiling of God’s identity and essence. The name of God encompasses all that He is—His love, righteousness, mercy, and power. In revealing the Father’s name, Jesus has provided His disciples with a foundation upon which their faith is built and their lives are transformed.
“Now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:5 ESV). Here, Jesus speaks of a glory that predates creation—a shared glory with the Father that is eternal and unchanging. This request for glorification is not for personal exaltation but for the restoration of the divine communion that has been temporarily veiled during His earthly ministry.
As Jesus entrusts His disciples back to the Father’s care, He asks for their protection and sanctification. “Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:11 ESV). The unity for which Jesus prays is not a forced uniformity but a spiritual oneness that mirrors the unity of the Father and the Son. It is a unity that transcends individual differences and binds the disciples together in love and purpose.
The prayer for protection is deeply significant. Jesus recognizes the dangers and trials His disciples will face in a world that is often hostile to the message of the gospel. He does not ask for their removal from the world but for their preservation within it. The protection Jesus seeks is not merely physical but spiritual, guarding their faith and unity against the assaults of the “evil one.”
Sanctification, the process of being set apart for holy use, is another key theme in this prayer. “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17 ESV). Jesus asks the Father to sanctify His disciples through the truth of His word. This sanctification is both a present reality and an ongoing process. As the disciples continue in the word of God, they are continually being shaped and molded into the likeness of Christ.
In these requests for His disciples, Jesus reveals His heart as a shepherd who deeply cares for His flock. He has nurtured them, taught them, and now, as He prepares to depart from this world, He entrusts them to the Father’s loving care. The unity and sanctification He prays for are essential for the disciples’ witness to the world and their personal growth in holiness.
As we reflect on these verses, we are reminded of the ongoing work of Christ in our lives. He has revealed the Father to us, and He continues to intercede for our unity and sanctification. May we, like the original disciples, keep His word and live in the unity and holiness to which we are called.
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