TEXT: John 17:20-26

SUBJECT: Exposition of John #43: Christ Prays for Us

Let's continue our study of John's Gospel with the hope God will "open our eyes, that we may see wondrous things out of His Law". That "wondrous" things are in it goes without saying. But can we see them? God give us that vision, for Christ's sake. Amen.

This chapter, you know, records the most important prayer our Lord ever prayed. It's divided into three parts: (a) Our Lord prays for Himself, vv.1-5; (b) He prays for the Apostles, vv.6-19; and now, (c) He prays for all believers, including you and me.

For whom He is praying, v.20.

He describes them as "Those who will believe in Me through their word". The "their" refers to the Apostles, of course, who have a "word" or message--the Gospel. In a few weeks, they will preach it in the power of God's Spirit and see many come to faith in Christ. On Pentecost, "Three thousand gladly received the Word". In the following months, the "disciples" would further "multiply".

The Apostles would do a great work; they'd usher myriads into the Kingdom. But, within a few years they'd all be dead. Their personal ministries would be over. But this wouldn't revoke our Lord's prayer. For it includes all believers from Pentecost to the End. For you and I have been won to Christ with the very same "Word" they preached. The prayer is for all believers in Christ.

Marcus Rainsford expounded this chapter in a book he titled

"Our Lord prays for His Own".

This is encouraging, isn't it? That our Lord had you in mind when he prayed that day so long ago. And not only then, but even now He prays for us at God's Right Hand. Paul has it,

"Who is he who condemns?

It is Christ who died,

and furthermore is also risen,

Who is even at the Right Hand of God,

Who also makes intercession for us".

This is not a one-time event, but His ongoing ministry: "He ever lives to make intercession for us".

What He wants, vv.21ff.

What does the Savior want for us? Two things. He wants unity among His people and their union with Himself. Let's look at each in some detail.

Our Lord wants unity among His people--"That they all may be one..." Of all the things He might have prayed for, it's somewhat surprising, isn't it, that He prayed first for unity. This was His priority. Was He wrong? If not, then unity ought to be our principal thing. Is it? We ought to pray for it; we ought to work for it; we ought to be unhappy with the present state of affairs. Disunity is a result of sin; being satisfied with it is a sin in itself.

This unity our Lord explains by comparing it to something else: The harmony He enjoys with His Father. "As You, Father, are in Me, and I in You". The unity of Father and Son is one of John's main themes. They are united, he says:

Our goal, therefore, is not to tolerate each other a bit longer, to hang in there till something better comes along, but to become as "one" as God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

The unity He wants--F.F. Bruce says--"is no invisible unity. Otherwise, the world could not see it and be convinced by its witness..."

The goals of unity are two:

The first is Fellowship with God, "that they also may be one in us..." The word "that" means "in order that..." We're to strive for unity with each other so that we can have fellowship with God and Christ! In other words, if we're out of sorts with each other, we're out of sorts with God! If we refuse the fellowship of God's people, Christ refuses our fellowship!

Strong language, to be sure. But is it true? John knows: "No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us..."If someone says, `I love God' and hates his brother, he is a liar..." (I John 5:12,20).

The second goal is witness, "...that the world may believe that You sent me". Our evangelistic efforts largely depend on our unity in love. Why? Not so that we can pool our resources or better organize our outreach, but for a reason more basic than these: Brotherly love is a visible proof that the Gospel "works"! Its absence denies the "power of God". For what has the Gospel done--what can it do--if it can't make us love one another?

The key to unity is provided in v.22: "And the glory that You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one, just as We are one". Somehow or other, our unity depends on Christ "giving [us] God's glory". What in the world does this mean?

The commentators are split. I think the simplest answer is the best: God invested our Lord Jesus with Divine glory. Christ showed it to us. This revelation of God in Christ is enough to make us love one another with a love, both passionate and abiding.

In short, the best way to love other Christians is to get a vision of our Lord Jesus is all His glory. It will humble you at the least; it will heighten your esteem of others because "This Same Jesus" died for them no less than for you. To hate one He loves; to despise one He esteems; to ignore one He embraces are unthinkable

"In the light of His

Glory and Grace".

Our Lord wants His people united. Do you? A pastor wrote,

"Praising unity is one thing we can all do,

accepting and promoting it, on terms

other than our own, has become the anomaly.

Will you add to the divisive?

Or will you take up the cross

for Christian unity?"

This is the first thing our Lord wants for us: unity. The second is like it: Fellowship with Himself, vv.24ff.

"Father, I desire". The words are striking, aren't they? Unexpected. Our Lord hardly ever says what He wants. But now He does. It must very precious to Him, indeed. He wants His people to "Be where I am".

He will ascend to heaven in six weeks. His people won't. We'll be here long after He's gone. Yet He wants us with Himself. Where? For now, on earth; one day, in heaven. He wants no disruption of fellowship!

Why does He want this? Because He loves us, of course. But that's not the reason He gives here. He wants us to be in fellowship with Him so that we might "Behold [His] glory".

"Face to face with Christ my Savior".

Why does He want that? Because the Father gave Him that glory. And gazing on Christ brings further glory to God. He gave Him this glory because He "loved [Christ] from the foundation of the world". An eternal love between Father and Son is manifested in the supreme glory of Jesus Christ at God's Right Hand. And we have the privilege of admiring that Glory.

The world despises that glory, but we love it. For, however wrong-headed we are on other issues, we know that God sent Christ. And our Lord reveals the Father to us.

Why does He do that? Because He wants us to "Dwell in His love"--to enjoy it ourselves and to share it with others. And because He wants His Son, our Lord, to dwell with us. And that's only possible if we abide in the Father's love.

What does our Lord want for us? He wants a lovefeast! He feeds on the Father's love, we feed on His love, the world feeds on our love. The goal of love is glory. Jonathan Edwards was thought to be a cold and heartless man, but he wasn't. He called "Love, the sum of all virtue" and looked forward to "Heaven, a world of love".

Do we know these things? Are we longing for that "World of Love"? Are we preparing for it by loving each other now? God give us an answer of peace. For Christ's sake.