John 17

             We considered the greatness of this prayer because of WHO prayed it and the CONDITION or SITUATION Jesus faced when He prayed.  But what else makes this prayer the greatest ever prayed?

• Consider WHAT Jesus Prays.

I believe that Prayer that asks nothing accomplishes nothing.  Specific Prayer gets specific results.  There are four words that could be used to sufficiently summarize Jesus’ Prayer – GLORY, SECURITY, SANCTITY, and UNITY.

In the first five verses, our LORD asks the Father to Give Him the Glory He held and enjoyed before He came to earth.  Without this petition being granted the remaining requests would be futile and fail.  In verses 6-19 our LORD prays specifically for His disciples and He prayed for their SECURITY and their SANCTITY.  In verses 20-26, He prays for the entire Body of Christ and His major request was UNITY.  How we need that today and how we have missed the importance of Christian Unity in today’s world.  These four requests are incredible guidelines for us to follow and should cause us to reflect on what He has given us – LIFE!

I have heard some foolish prayers in my life and even received a call once from a person who had just been involved in a car accident, a minor fender bender, and the request was, “Pray that this did not happen.”  SORRY, that would be foolish and fruitless because IT DID HAPPEN!  We should always test our prayers with the Word of God and ensure they meet the biblical parameters.  Prayer has power!  RATHER, believing prayer has power!  I have talked to doctors who tell me that every physician longs to study after the greatest in their field.  Lawyers yearn for the opportunity to sit at the feet of the best and brightest of their profession. Educators who long to be the best want to study with the best and Theologians will sacrifice much to be schooled by the most revered.  You and I have the opportunity to LEARN PRAYER and follow the example of Jesus from the Greatest Prayer ever prayed.  In this prayer, we SEE HIM.  In this prayer, we LEARN how to handle life’s crisis situations.  In this prayer, we LEARN how to model your prayers and lives to fit God’s pattern, purpose, and plan.

• Consider WHAT This Prayer Has Given Us.

In a very real sense, it has given us TODAY!  When Jesus was meeting with His disciples in the Upper Room He concluded with the words of John 16:33, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  HALLELUJAH!  I urge you to take note that in this prayer Jesus used the word WORLD 19 times and I believe that makes this prayer an instruction manual for OVERCOMING THE WORLD.  He clearly declared that He had OVERCOME the world and prayed that HIS JOY would be infused into the hearts of all His followers.

Jesus gives us COURAGE to overcome the world, knowing He has already overcome.  There are multiple definitions for WORLD.  It can be the created universe as seen in John 17:5. It can be PEOPLE or HUMANITY as seen in John 3:16. It can be ORGANIZED SOCIETY as seen in John 17:4.  Jesus said in John 17:6, “…they [the disciples] are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”  We were citizens of THIS WORLD but now we are citizens of HEAVEN.  We operate and live in this world but our authority is God’s Kingdom.  We have been delivered from this World which is a ‘deceived world.’  We have been delivered from this World which is a ‘dangerous world.’  It is PASSING AWAY. (1 John 2:17; 1 Corinthians 7:31).

You may think you are safe in the confines and environs of this world but is it passing away.  Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and Earthy will pass away, but My words shall not pass away.”  The world is dangerous because it is deceptive and leads people into destruction.  It is dangerous because it is defiled.  It is dangerous because it is divided.  Even in the Church, we have a hard time getting along.  We put labels on everything and everyone and they only tend to divide not unite.  Jesus gave us an example how to overcome the world. He taught us that it is deceived, dangerous, defiled, and divided.  His answer to a deceived world is Eternal Life.  Through His name, we have security and through His blood we have cleansing.  Through His love, we have Unity. Henry Ward Beecher said, “It is not good for a man to pray cream, and live skim milk.” 

We need to take inventory in our lives.  What is my attitude toward the world?  Are we being deceived and robbed of reality in Christ?  Are we placing ourselves in danger that could ruin our testimony, work, or home?  Is this world defiling us?  Are we creating unbiblical divisions instead of seeking UNITY of the Faith?  I challenge you to consider that we are not Blessed for our study of the Word of God we are Blessed because we OBEY THE WORLD.

James 1:25 – “But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the Law of Liberty, and abides in it… This man shall be blessed in what he does.”  There is potential, power, peace, and purpose to be gained in Christ.  This Prayer opens the Door to God’s Abundant Life and we need to embrace and walk through it.

          Blessings abundantly as you enjoy this wonderful day in Jesus!