John 17:6-19
In our bible discussion group here a couple of years ago, someone asked, ‘I wonder what Jesus prayed when he prayed?’ Well today, it’s all Jesus at prayer.
Every year on this seventh Sunday of Easter, which is the last Sunday of Easter before Pentecost, our gospel reading is taken from this very famous prayer in John 17.
It is part of a beautiful, inspiring prayer offered by Jesus for his disciples, and for all “those who will believe in [him] through their word” (John 17:20). Which, of course, is us.
Let’s pause here. I am often amazed that Jesus prays for us. Now I know I appreciate everyone who prays for me, and I consider it a privilege and calling to remember you in my prayers, too.
[Prayer is a remarkable gift, because it opens us up to God’s promises, and invites God to help us, and those for whom we are praying. Every prayer is heard by God; which means that every time we pray, or are prayed for, good happens. I believe that.]
But today, we are reminded that Jesus actually prays for us, and get to listen to what he prayed and continues to pray. It’s for us, the redeemed children of God.
It is a long and beautiful prayer, but it can be a little confusing, but if we break it down into a few key pieces, it gives us the ‘why’ and the ‘what’.
First, a bit of context. It’s the end of the last supper and Jesus prays this prayer just before he is arrested. Jesus knows what is to come. He says, “I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you” (v.11).
So why is Jesus praying for the disciples and us now, at this point? Because he knows that he is going to the Father, but his followers are not. He will no longer be with them in the same way, which leads to this prayer. “While I was with them,” he prays, “I protected them in your name that you have given me … But now I am coming to you.”
Its perhaps a little bit like when our children leave home for the first time to study or work. Lots of prayers for safety and protection!! Entrusting them to God, knowing that we will no longer be with them. We’ve taught them, prepared them as best we could. But now, it is time for them to be on their own.
And what is the focus of this prayer – protection and unity. Not prosperity, not success in the great mission of spreading the Kingdom of God, but protection and unity.
While Jesus was with his disciples, he could protect them. But now, as he is returning to the Father, he prays, “Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one” (v.11). The reason is “so that they may be one.”
A v.15, Jesus tells us that this protection is specifically against the evil one, the Devil. Protected, so that they may be one.
The truth is that the evil one wants nothing more than for us not to be one. To be split, argumentative, spouting false Christian pieties to back up our view point, because he knows that a house that is divided cannot stand.
The devil doesn’t care what churches argue about, just as long as we argue. The Devil doesn’t care what a Parish Council argues about along as they argue. As long as it leads to disunity and fracture. (We are blessed with a very united and harmonious PC!)
If Christians are arguing and not listening in love we are unable to give ourselves fully to the task of being the church in the world. And we are not one, which Jesus wants for us. So he prays, “Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one.”
Jesus then prays for something truly beautiful in and for us that will put the divine seal on all believers for evermore. “Sanctify them in the truth” (v.17), he prays.
Sanctify means to make holy. Literally, to be ‘set apart’. Jesus is praying that we would be set apart. We do not belong to the world, he says in this prayer, just as he does not belong to this world.
We do not belong to the world, but we are sent into the world. So, we are sanctified, in order that we may be protected in the same one-ness of the Father and Son, then sent back into the world as one unified body – the very body of Christ.
Someone once said we ought to be kinder than necessary, for everyone is fighting some sort of battle. And in my experience, that is exactly right.
The world is full of battles. But we are not of this world anymore. We follow Jesus. We know that our God loves us and all this world, and that makes all the difference. Jesus has lifted us up into the full protection of the Lord God of all truth. We are in an utterly unique position to help others.
“Set them apart in the truth,” Jesus prays. The world does not believe there is an absolute truth, but that everyone has their own truth. The world seems to have lost the idea that evil exists – yet, to my eyes, I see evil flourishing.
But there truly is sanctifying truth, his name is Jesus. Jesus does not agree with individual truth; God’s word is truth. Jesus says, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” God’s Word is the truth. It is our shared objective standard for truth.
We might quibble about how to interpret parts of God’s Word, but there should be no argument about its basic point: that God created us, and loves us; but without Jesus, we are all drowning.
We are treading water in the ocean that is this world, and it is pulling us under. And everything that this world might offer for help is also sinking. There is only one lifeboat, there is only one saviour. And he wants nothing more than to save us, all of us.
That is truth.
And now we have been saved from this world by Jesus, he sends us back into the world. The words of this prayer immediately after “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” are these: “As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.”
We have been sent into the world, in the same way that Jesus was sent into the world. Not to save the world, of course. But to introduce the Saviour to the world. To remind the world of God’s undying love for all this world.
This is the truth that anchors us in life, and that fills us with hope and faith. It is the truth that makes our joy complete, in the beautiful words of this prayer. It is the truth, our shared, objective truth, that has a name, and his name is Jesus. Let me pray...