Jesus is the Life
If you listen in on Jesus’ prayer with the Father in John 17, you’ll see in verse two an important goal of His: To give life. Of course, how we each define “life” -- or abundant life – might be considerably different. But for Jesus that answer comes in the next verse where He says life is "to know God and to know Him". Oh, to live life in which our primary goal is to know God more, better, more deeply and that we arrange – not rearrange – but arrange our days toward this goal.
Grant this Lord Jesus to us all!
John 17:1-26
Jesus Prays to Be Glorified
1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 “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. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 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 that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 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. 12 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 Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 “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. 14 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. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 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. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 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.
24 “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.
25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 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 in them and that I myself may be in them.”
Prayer for the Week
Oh Lord Jesus, how easy it is to make life about the abundance of possessions, about what other people run after, about what we're going to eat, drink, or wear. You have told us that there is much more to life than this. Let us all get to experience life as You intend it to be. In Your name Jesus I pray. Amen.
This week’s video gives us insight to the concept of “Eternal Life” in God. Enjoy!
Check out Bible Project’s video titled, Eternal Life
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 146:1-6
- Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God. - He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
he remains faithful forever. - He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free, - the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous. - The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. - The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord.
Read the versus of the Psalm.
Mark the words or phrases that catch your attention.
Meditate: talk (or better, write) with God about those words. Ask him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect responses.
Pondering Point
Look at the varied ways God is described as a helper in this Psalm. In what ways is He currently helping you? How are you hoping that God will help you?