John 17 - What a Beautiful Prayer
Today is Maundy Thursday. But I will also remember today as the day God reminded me how greatly I am loved.
When I was going through today's gospel reading (John 17), I decided that I wanted to read it out loud. By the time I was in verse 6, I suddenly felt like warm liquid was being spilled in my heart. It was swelling, and I knew that it was a physical manifestation of how Jesus Christ loves me, us...I continued reading out loud until finally in verse 11 --- my voice started to crack and I just had to let it go. I continued, now partly reading, then partly crying, as I pored through the words one by one. This was a prayer filled with so much love.
I knew at some point in my life in the past that I may have already stumbled upon this gospel reading but that I didn't give it much thought. But today, it was just so powerful that I was overcome with great emotion as I read the words over, and over again. There is no mistake. Jesus Christ, more than 2,000 years ago, already prayed for me. Even if I wasn't in the world yet. He already knew what I was going to go through. And He already prayed for that.
I will try to break down the prayer into a few points and hopefully, with the help of the Holy Spirit, God can reveal to you what He revealed to me too.
1. John 17: 6 "I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word."
YOU GAVE THEM TO ME.
The 12 disciples, imperfect as they were, were handpicked specifically to be given to Jesus Christ while He was on this earth. Each one of the apostles had a significant and specific role in making sure that the perfect plan of Salvation could be given to the world. God led them to Jesus Christ. And Jesus revealed the greatness of the Father to them. But even then, he acknowledged God by saying THEY WERE ALWAYS YOURS.
2. John 17:11-12 "Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold."
He knew that He was leaving the earth soon to fulfill the will of the Father. He was going to physically leave His disciples whom He has nurtured, trained, mentored, protected...And He could have just left and went back to the Father. He really could have just left. But before He would, He entrusted and endorsed His beloved disciples to the Father. He interceded for them and asked God to protect them as He departs this world. He also specifically asked that they be united just as He and the Father were. This was because He knew what was coming, and He couldn't be physically there to guide them, the best way was for them to be UNITED.
3. John 17:14-19 "I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I do.
Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth."
He knew what lay ahead for His disciples. He knew that the world would hate them. He knew that they would encounter challenges as they spread the good news of the Gospel. And we all know that to be true as most of them died as martyrs. But Jesus Christ prayed not to take them out because it was part of the plan, instead He asked for the Father to keep them safe while they were doing the will of God.
To add to that, Jesus offered Himself as a HOLY SACRIFICE so that they can be made holy. Before Jesus Christ died on the cross, we were all sinners. But when He died and rose again, we have been made new, sins wiped away. Now we have become a holy.
4. John 17:20-21 "I am praying not only for these disciples, but also for ALL who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one - as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me."
v. 22-23 "I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me."
This is the part when I realized that Jesus Christ interceded for us too, more than 2,000 years ago. He prayed for all those who would believe through the teachings of His disciples. Which means he also prayed for us. But what struck me the most was how he gave importance and emphasis on how we should all be united as ONE- just as He and the Father is ONE. In fact, He prayed for oneness and unity among us believers THREE TIMES in John 17. He even prayed that we experience PERFECT UNITY.
I am once again reminded by my responsibility to be my brother's keeper. To make sure I nurture my relationships with the people in the church. To build each other up. And find everyone else who believes and tell them - "Hey. We believe in the same God. Come, let's do His work TOGETHER."
It is His will in us to do His work in the world TOGETHER. In deed, there are times when there is strength in numbers. He said in His word that when two or three are gathered together in His name, He will be in the midst of them. Imagine if hundreds, thousands, millions -- BILLIONS gathered together in HIS name! Imagine how powerful that would be!
We need to find them. We need to seek them and tell them that they are not alone in this world. We are also here. We also believe.
5. John 17:24-26 "Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!
Oh righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them."
How beautifully Jesus ended His prayer. His love for them was so great, that He desired strongly in His heart for them to be with Him so that they could also experience the glory of the Father. He promised that He will continue to reveal the Father to them because He wanted them to feel the love of the Father.
The message that came back to me over and over again as I was reading the gospel today was this:
God did not put you in this world, then left you alone to see if you could survive or not. Even before you were born, He already knew the different challenges that you would face. But more than 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ made sure that you would be saved, no matter what you would go through. All you had to do was BELIEVE. We are not alone. Jesus Christ wants us to feel the Father's love for us. When He physically left the world, He sent us the Holy Spirit to be our advocate and guide.
In bisaya, WA TA NIYA GIPASAGDAAN. He didn't leave us alone. He never will. He promised "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." And that is true, and it continues to be true.
THIS IS HOW MUCH THE FATHER LOVES US.
More things will happen in our lives. Some things will continue to be difficult. But be steadfast. Jesus interceded for us. He continues to do so. Find the other believers. Let them know that they are not alone. Find comfort in the presence of other souls seeking the Lord. And be strong together. Be each other's guide and brother's keeper. It is the will of the Father for us. THREE TIMES He mentioned it in his prayer in John 17. THREE TIMES. How many more times do we want to hear it from Him?
"May they experience such PERFECT UNITY."
Thank You, Jesus. I give You back all the honor, all the glory and all the adoration.
When I was going through today's gospel reading (John 17), I decided that I wanted to read it out loud. By the time I was in verse 6, I suddenly felt like warm liquid was being spilled in my heart. It was swelling, and I knew that it was a physical manifestation of how Jesus Christ loves me, us...I continued reading out loud until finally in verse 11 --- my voice started to crack and I just had to let it go. I continued, now partly reading, then partly crying, as I pored through the words one by one. This was a prayer filled with so much love.
I knew at some point in my life in the past that I may have already stumbled upon this gospel reading but that I didn't give it much thought. But today, it was just so powerful that I was overcome with great emotion as I read the words over, and over again. There is no mistake. Jesus Christ, more than 2,000 years ago, already prayed for me. Even if I wasn't in the world yet. He already knew what I was going to go through. And He already prayed for that.
I will try to break down the prayer into a few points and hopefully, with the help of the Holy Spirit, God can reveal to you what He revealed to me too.
1. John 17: 6 "I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word."
YOU GAVE THEM TO ME.
The 12 disciples, imperfect as they were, were handpicked specifically to be given to Jesus Christ while He was on this earth. Each one of the apostles had a significant and specific role in making sure that the perfect plan of Salvation could be given to the world. God led them to Jesus Christ. And Jesus revealed the greatness of the Father to them. But even then, he acknowledged God by saying THEY WERE ALWAYS YOURS.
2. John 17:11-12 "Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold."
He knew that He was leaving the earth soon to fulfill the will of the Father. He was going to physically leave His disciples whom He has nurtured, trained, mentored, protected...And He could have just left and went back to the Father. He really could have just left. But before He would, He entrusted and endorsed His beloved disciples to the Father. He interceded for them and asked God to protect them as He departs this world. He also specifically asked that they be united just as He and the Father were. This was because He knew what was coming, and He couldn't be physically there to guide them, the best way was for them to be UNITED.
3. John 17:14-19 "I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I do.
Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth."
He knew what lay ahead for His disciples. He knew that the world would hate them. He knew that they would encounter challenges as they spread the good news of the Gospel. And we all know that to be true as most of them died as martyrs. But Jesus Christ prayed not to take them out because it was part of the plan, instead He asked for the Father to keep them safe while they were doing the will of God.
To add to that, Jesus offered Himself as a HOLY SACRIFICE so that they can be made holy. Before Jesus Christ died on the cross, we were all sinners. But when He died and rose again, we have been made new, sins wiped away. Now we have become a holy.
4. John 17:20-21 "I am praying not only for these disciples, but also for ALL who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one - as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me."
v. 22-23 "I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me."
This is the part when I realized that Jesus Christ interceded for us too, more than 2,000 years ago. He prayed for all those who would believe through the teachings of His disciples. Which means he also prayed for us. But what struck me the most was how he gave importance and emphasis on how we should all be united as ONE- just as He and the Father is ONE. In fact, He prayed for oneness and unity among us believers THREE TIMES in John 17. He even prayed that we experience PERFECT UNITY.
I am once again reminded by my responsibility to be my brother's keeper. To make sure I nurture my relationships with the people in the church. To build each other up. And find everyone else who believes and tell them - "Hey. We believe in the same God. Come, let's do His work TOGETHER."
It is His will in us to do His work in the world TOGETHER. In deed, there are times when there is strength in numbers. He said in His word that when two or three are gathered together in His name, He will be in the midst of them. Imagine if hundreds, thousands, millions -- BILLIONS gathered together in HIS name! Imagine how powerful that would be!
We need to find them. We need to seek them and tell them that they are not alone in this world. We are also here. We also believe.
5. John 17:24-26 "Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!
Oh righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them."
How beautifully Jesus ended His prayer. His love for them was so great, that He desired strongly in His heart for them to be with Him so that they could also experience the glory of the Father. He promised that He will continue to reveal the Father to them because He wanted them to feel the love of the Father.
The message that came back to me over and over again as I was reading the gospel today was this:
God did not put you in this world, then left you alone to see if you could survive or not. Even before you were born, He already knew the different challenges that you would face. But more than 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ made sure that you would be saved, no matter what you would go through. All you had to do was BELIEVE. We are not alone. Jesus Christ wants us to feel the Father's love for us. When He physically left the world, He sent us the Holy Spirit to be our advocate and guide.
In bisaya, WA TA NIYA GIPASAGDAAN. He didn't leave us alone. He never will. He promised "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." And that is true, and it continues to be true.
THIS IS HOW MUCH THE FATHER LOVES US.
More things will happen in our lives. Some things will continue to be difficult. But be steadfast. Jesus interceded for us. He continues to do so. Find the other believers. Let them know that they are not alone. Find comfort in the presence of other souls seeking the Lord. And be strong together. Be each other's guide and brother's keeper. It is the will of the Father for us. THREE TIMES He mentioned it in his prayer in John 17. THREE TIMES. How many more times do we want to hear it from Him?
"May they experience such PERFECT UNITY."
Thank You, Jesus. I give You back all the honor, all the glory and all the adoration.
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