TEXT: John 17:24

SUBJECT: A Prayer for Heaven

"Jesus, having love His own who were in the world, loved them to the end". For many years I read this verse (John 13:1b), misinterpreted it, and lost much of its blessing. The first part is easy: "Jesus, having loved His own..." This I understood. No believer can look to the cross and doubt His Savior's love. But the second part tripped me up: "He loved them to the end". "To the end" of what? I supposed: "To the end of His life". This--I thought--was remarkable, especially when I recalled the kind of men He "loved to the end". Men who slept while He "sweat great drops of blood". Men who promised to stay with Him--only to "scatter when the Shepherd was smitten". Men who chose death over denial--only to deny Him with an oath. Despite their folly, their sin, and their betrayal--Jesus "having loved His own who were in the world, loved them to the end".

This is all true, of course. But it's not the truth taught in that verse. For the expression "to the end" is not quantitative, but qualitative. In other words, it doesn't specify how long the Lord "loved His own who were in the world", but how much. He loved them "to the end"--to the farthest point of His infinite love.

This love cannot be hidden for long. It eagerly reveals itself. How did Jesus show the "love" that He had for "His own who were in the world"? In many ways, of course. He manifested a loving personality. He "suffered long, was kind, patient", and so on. He performed a loving service--washing the feet of His disciples. He died a loving death. "Greater love has no man than this: that he lay down his life for his friends". His loving ways are too many to number.

But the one that presents itself in our text is one of the surest signs of true love: Jesus prayed for His own. Nowhere is love more genuine than in the closet of prayer. To say you love another is good. To act as though you him is better. To pray for him is best. There can be no denying the Lord's love for His own. "He ever lives to make intercession for them".

The Lord Jesus "prayed and did not faint". A few of His devotions are in the Bible. But they are short, often one sentence. But this is the only long prayer the Holy Spirit thought we needed to hear. So let us hear it. God give us the ears, for Christ's sake. Amen.

In this prayer, the Lord Jesus prays for His people. He prays first for the Apostles. "I pray for them...While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name...Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me..." Next, He prays for us. "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word".

What does He want for us? Three things. He wants us to be unified, "...that they may all be one". He wants us to be effective in our witness, "...that the world may believe that You sent Me".

He wants us to be with Him. "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world".

Jesus Christ prays that His people will join Him in heaven. That is where He is. Although He wasn't there at the time He spoke these words, He was so near heaven that He spoke as though He were already there. Note vv.4,5: "I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was".

He is going to heaven; He wants us there with Him. What does this imply? He wants our fellowship. Oh the depths of His condescending love! That the Lord Jesus--the self-contained Second Person of the Godhead--would wish for our company! Yet He does. He wanted friends on earth. "With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you" said He at the Last Supper. With "desire"! The word is "lust". He was dying to be with His friends one last time. When He quit the Upper Room for Gethsemane, He brings three special friends with Him. They must be there when He "sweats great drops of blood". So eager is He for the fellowship of His friends that He allows one--"the disciple whom He loved"--to "lean on His bosom".

This is understandable. While He walked among us, Christ--like you and I--needed company. "It is not good that man should be alone". Not good for Adam. Not good for you and me. Not good for Jesus. But what about now, in His state of exaltation? Does He now need the fellowship of men? He does not. He does not need our service because a heavenly host stands by, anxious to do His bidding. Nor does He need our company, our love, our sympathy. For now, He is "in the bosom of the Father".

There is no void in His soul that needs to be filled with our fellowship. Yet, He still wants it. "I desire that they...may be with Me".

He wants our company. That's the first implication from this prayer. The second is better: He wants us to have His fellowship. "...that they may behold My glory". The glory of Christ is His moral perfection which shines brighter than the sun. The Apostles saw it in His daily life. Yet so veiled with humility, it was often not recognized. At times though, the glory shone through with such intensity that no one could miss it. On the Holy Mount, He was transfigured and owned by the heavenly voice. Yet the moment passed so quickly. Peter wanted to build a tabernacle for the transfigured Christ--He wanted Him to stay in that radiant condition. "Because he did not know what to say".

We have seen glimpses of His glory, too. In reading the Bible, in prayer, in meditation, sacred thoughts have come, and with them, "we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth". These thoughts: how precious they are! And rare. Like Paul, we "see through a glass darkly".

For the time being, the Lord Jesus is willing to leave us with a fleeting glance. But not forever. His love for us is so great that He give must Himself--wholly--to us. "Behold His glory" we must! "Now, through a glass darkly. But then face to face".

This is the request: "That they may be with Me". How asinine we are to fear death! For it is but an answer to His prayer. "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord".

The argument follows. Jesus wants us to join Him in heaven. But why should God answer this prayer? The latter half of our text tells us why. You'd expect it to say something like this: "Bring them to heaven because You loved them". But it doesn't say that. It says, "...for you loved Me from the foundation of the world".

What He is saying is this: "Father, if you love Me, bring My people to heaven. Do it for My sake". Honor My life; honor My death; honor My resurrection; honor My ascension; honor My present session; honor My return in glory. In short: Honor Me as the Mediator of the New Covenant. Do you think God will answer such a prayer? Does He love Christ? Yes He does. Is Christ asking for "anything according to His will"? Yes He is. Therefore, God will answer the Lord's prayer--and bring His people to glory. Every last one of them. Not for our sake. But for Christ's.

Those who believe in Christ, therefore, must be rid of all doubt! Will the prayers of Christ go unanswered? No. "Father, I know You always hear me" prayed the Savior. Therefore, everyone for whom Christ prays is bound for heaven. "But, someone objects, "that's the problem. I don't know if Christ is praying for me or not. I believe this chapter, but if only my name were in it, then I'd know that Christ was praying for me and that I would go to heaven. But, of course, my name's not there".

Answer: Yes it is! V.20 lists the names of everyone for whom Christ is praying: "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word". Do you believe in the Christ whom the Apostles preached? If so, Christ is praying that you will join Him in glory. And so, join Him you will. But if not, what keeps you from believing? Is the Gospel so complex that only the learned can understand it? It is not. Is the Gospel so incredible that only a fool could believe it? It is not. Then what is keeping you from believing the Gospel? And joining the people for whom Christ prayed?

The Savior prayed for believers. For all believers. For no one but believers. Therefore, believe, and join Him in glory. May God help you, for Christ's sake. Amen.