Jesus Prays for the Disciples
Theme: Good News to Share
Theme Verse: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10b NIV
Readings: John 17
Memory Verse: "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." John 17:15
In this chapter we, along with the eleven disciples ( Judas had left), get to overhear Jesus' prayer to His Heavenly Father. First, he prays for himself, secondly for his disciples, and thirdly for us and the whole church, his Body on earth.
First Part: Jesus begins by asking His Father to glorify His Son, so that the Son can glorify his Father. Jesus is facing the cross the next day. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross glorifies Jesus and the Father. That means it reveals the awesome work of God (the trinity) to bring salvation to the world. The Old Testament associates God's glory with His presence, his magnificent brightness (recall the angels at Jesus' birth), his acts of salvation and his acts of judgment. In the New Testament Christ is presented as the glory of God made visible on earth to those whose eyes are opened to see it. After his death Jesus sat down at the right hand of God. and after that visions of Christ came in the same form as visions of God had (see Acts 22:6-7 and Acts 7:55-56)
Part of Jesus' glory is that the Father has given Jesus authority over all flesh (people) SO THAT he can give eternal life to those that the Father has given him. Jesus' saving act on the cross is part of his glory. We too can glorify the Father and Jesus by obeying and following him and letting others know about him.
What is eternal life? (vs.3) To know the Father "the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent." (Jesus is identifying himself here at the Messiah, the "anointed one".) To KNOW here is not just information about someone but a close personal relationship with that person and understand them. That is the Biblical understanding of knowing. Genesis uses it for the intimate, physical relationship of husband and wife. It also included the knowledge that grows out of an intimate personal relationship with God. It is a knowing that begins in this life and goes on to all eternity. Jesus wants for us the close relationship that he has with his Heavenly Father. That is what Jesus can give to those who belong to him. So Jesus is the WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE! Word received: As the Son glorified Me so I want you to glorify Me also.
Jesus glorified his Father on earth and completed the work his Father had given him to do (vs.4). We too can glorify God by obeying what He Has given us to do and knowing and reflecting His life in our lives. As we do that we will give them the respect and honor that is due them. Word received: I want you to know Me and My Father with the intimacy we have for each other. I want you to know Me. Ask Me for My Holy Spirit to come daily to you so that you may know Me. As you know Me you will know My Father. I and My Father are one.
"I have given them the words you gave me." Jesus has and is still revealing who the Father is (glorifying). Jesus only speaks and does what the Father tells him so -- Jesus' words are God the Father's words! Through Jesus we can know the mind of God! Jesus said, "He who has seen me has seen the Father!" Jesus IS the way to the Father, to knowing Him personally, to having the LIFE that lasts forever -- and we can begin to have it now!
Second Part: The next part of Jesus' prayer is for his disciples. Jesus thanks His Father for the disciples that the Father has given him. They belong to God! Jesus says the same thing about us when he prays (vs.20) for "all who will believe in him" through the disciples word and witness. We belong to our Father God and Jesus! and he is praying for us also. We and they are part of God's family!
Jesus prays for God the Father to keep and protect all who belong to him. In vs. 17, Jesus prays "not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them (and us) from the evil one". Jesus prays for protection from being lost (falling away from God), from division and disunity and from the tricks and traps of Satan. Prayer: Lord, we need your protecting hand on us. You are our protector. We can't even think of all the things we need protection from so we just place ourselves in your hands, under your protection. Thank you, Lord, for your protection in a fallen world!
Jesus also prays for his disciples (and us) that we may have his joy! Just think, Jesus knows a kind of joy he can have even as he know he will be crucified the next day! He wants us to have his joy too -- a kind of joy that does NOT depend on circumstances.
Another important part of Jesus' prayer is "that they may be one as we are one." Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Father are ONE even though they are not exactly alike. Their different tasks are so united and woven together that we worship ONE GOD. (St Patrick is said to have used a clover leaf to show how 3 can be one. People have often used a triangle tool.) Paul writes about the unity/oneness of Christians in the church. God has gifts and jobs for each person, and when we do them with God's power and guidance they all fit together perfectly to be the Church, that is, Christ's Body on earth! Paul also talks about us being "living stones" built together into a temple for God to live in (as he also lives in each of us). In the temple in Jerusalem each huge stone was cut, designed in the quarry and cut to fit in one particular place in the temple. So are we.
Our oneness is a reflection of Jesus' relationship with the Father. Jesus wants each of us to have that intense personal relationship with the Father and with him that he himself has. Jesus also wants to live IN us and WITH us. When this happens, then the world sits up and takes notice. The pagans said of the early Christians, "See how they love one another." One purpose of our oneness with the Trinity and with each other is so that the world may believe God sent Jesus! How are we doing????
On the negative side, Jesus prays for them and us for us to be protected from the tricks and traps of the Evil One which often makes bad things look great (like the juicy worm on a hook to a fish!) On the positive side Jesus prays that the disciples "will be sanctified in/by/through Thy Truth. Thy Word is Truth." Sanctified means "to make holy, to set apart, consecrate for sacred use (God's use) This is God's purpose for those who belong to him. that they be set apart for his use and purposes and made holy (like God, like Jesus). This happens through God's Truth. God's Word is Truth! God's truth and word work in us to make us holy, more like him. Jesus is God's Word. Jesus is God's Truth. God's truth if was is reality, what is really true whether we believe it or not. (Gravity works whether we believe in it or not. If we don't believe it we can demonstrate it!) The words of God that he sends us and the words Jesus spoke and did are part of that Reality, what's really true.
Then Jesus asks the Father to send his disciples (and us) out into a broken world with good news about God's love and what is really true. God's working in us and through us can do what we cannot. Word received: As I sent the disciples so I send you. Word received: Love and unity are My witnesses in a world torn apart.
Third Part: This is where Jesus prays for us and for his church--for those who will believe through the message, love and unity of Jesus' disciples. Word received: Join Me in My life of prayer -- I pray for each of you. I want you to pray for each other. Jesus' prayer is a model for us ( not only the Lord's prayer.) Word received: This is a model to show you how to pray for each other. Follow it.
Jesus' Body, his Bride, his Church is in bad shape in many places. We need to join Jesus in praying for his church. Word received: My Bride has become stained by the world. Join Me in prayer for the cleansing of My Bride.
Jesus has work for us to do, as individuals and as a church. Word received: Just as I had work for My Son while he was on earth, so also do each one of you have specific work to do that will glorify Me and My Name.
Note on "Name" v.6 "manifested your name"-ie revealed your very self, your real self.
vs.11 "keep in your name" ie-keep in the knowledge & in relationship with yourself.
v.s12 ditto
vs. 26 "made your name known" ie-revealed your character and who you really are.
NAMES are very important in many cultures. A name represents all the person is and their power. ie- healing in the name of Jesus Acts 3:6, 16
ie-forgiveness of sin and gift of Holy Spirit Acts 2:38
ie "baptized into the Name of Jesus Acts 19:5
Jesus' Name is NOT a magical incantation or formula see Acts 19-13-17
Perhaps a weaker equivalent in our culture is if someone knocks on your door and says, "I am Joe Blow" would you open the door?
If he said "Open in the name of the law" would you open? Why?
Dear teachers, We didn't get a How to teach teachers word but just a repeated strong send that this lesson is about Jesus praying and wants us to join him in praying for ourselves, each other and for His Church. See the Words in the last section. Jean
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 25
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1.Jesus loves you very much. He wants you/us to get to know him better and better and be our best friend. We get to know someone by spending time with them and talking to them. (What are ways we can spend time with Jesus? ) As we get to know Jesus we also get to know His Father in Heaven.
2. Jesus prays for you . He wants us to talk(pray) with him so he can answer us. He is waiting for u. Do you talk to Jesus? (for example, at bedtime, when you thank him for something he gives you or that you see.)
3. We/you are part of God's family. Jesus wants us to pray for each other, for his family. Jesus wants us to share his love with other people so they also can become part of God's family. He wants his family to love each other. That points to God.
4.Jesus has work for each one of us to do. God has a special place for each of us in his family.
5. Jesus wants us to read his word in the Bible. His word is true. We can trust God and his word.
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