The Prayer of Jesus

Recently I was reading John 17, which I absolutely love. This is the real “Lord’s Prayer” as opposed to the model prayer which Jesus taught His disciples (Matt. 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4). Jesus’ prayer in John 17 can be divided into three parts—Jesus’ prayer for Himself in verses 1-5; His prayer for His disciples in verses 6-19 and His prayer for future believers in verses 20-26.

In verses 17-19, Jesus is praying about the disciples and speaks of sanctification. "Sanctify them (the disciples) by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth."

John MacArthur's commentary (The MacArthur Daily Bible) on the verse 17 says sanctification means the setting apart for a particular use or purpose. Jesus was set apart—He was in the world but not of the world. And if the disciples hadn’t realized it before, they would learn quickly following the death and resurrection of Christ that they were in the world but not of the world too. They would learn the world hated them just as it had hated Jesus.

Believers learn through the process of sanctification that we are in the world but not of the world—Jesus says we are set apart by the truth of the word of God. The apostle John would write in chapter 20, verse 31, “but these (words) are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” Yes, set apart because of grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Of course, I love the verses in John 17 where Jesus is praying about me—verses 20-26. Just think, all those many years ago, Jesus prayed about me—and not only me but also about all future New Testament believers. He prayed, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word (the disciples—re-read John 20:31 above); that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have love Me."

Wow; perfect unity with God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and other true believers. Now that makes my heart sing with joy! And I sincerely pray that it makes your heart sing too!