Why It Matters //

As Jesus prays for us we gain insight of his priorities; his last words on Earth; the things he wanted his followers to pay attention to. Jesus focuses on his communion of love with the Holy Spirit and the Father and that we as his followers would be brought into this reality. That we would understand the love that exists in the triune reality: Father, Son, Spirit and that we have been invited into this love by Jesus. The reality of this communion with the trinity should impact greatly the way we love God, the way we love ourselves and the way we love others.

What It's Talking About // 

The Gospel of John, like Matthew, Mark and Luke, tells the story of Jesus, highlighting more of the personal encounters and conversations people had with Him. John also captures intimate moments between Jesus and his Father, in which Jesus prays for strength and for his Father’s will to be done. In this well-known passage, Jesus prays not only for his own life and purpose, but for the lives of his treasured disciples and those who believe, that they would remain “one as we are one.” He also prays that as they (and we) remain in the world, they would be faithful and Christlike, made holy, living sacrifices who will point others to truth and to Jesus. As Jesus’ disciples, we are called to this level of rootedness in Christ, living as he lived so that others may believe in him.

John 17:13-21 NIV

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.

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.