John 17:9-19
“As you sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” – John 17:18
In the second part of his prayer, Jesus prays for his disciples and asks the Father to keep them: first, keep them united; second, keep them from the evil one.
First, Jesus prays that his disciples “may be one”, even as he and the Father are one. The most important aspect of his disciples’ unity is that they all have received and believed in the words and identity of Jesus, as being sent from God (v.8). It is in this shared faith that they can be one. As Ephesians 4:5-6 put it: “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all.” Because of this word they received, the disciples belong no longer to the world, but to Jesus and to the Father. Recognising and remembering to whom they now belong to will also help the disciples be sustained in their unity.
We are Christ’s disciples, too. We’ve also received his word and accepted him as our Saviour. We also recognise that we belong to the same Father and Lord. This identity should be as important to us as it was to Jesus and have a bearing in our lives.
Second, Jesus prays that the Father keep the disciples from the evil one. Even though Jesus already warned the disciples that they will have trouble in this world, he still prays that the Father protect and guard them from evil. Jesus prays that God keep them by sanctifying them in the truth, which is his word. It is in abiding in Christ’s word, allowing his word to abide in them, that the disciples are “sanctified”, continually growing to be like Jesus. It is in obedience that they are kept from the evil one.
As Christ’s disciples and people belonging to God, we are set apart from the world. We are supposed to be washed and transformed by the word of God every day. We as one family in Christ can protect one another from the evil one by praying for each other as Jesus prayed for us and by encouraging each other to be sanctified by God’s word.
Reflection:
Have we been allowing God’s word and truth to transform us, or is doing the Daily Manna just a motion we go through every day? Have we been journeying together with fellow disciples, growing in Christ’s likeness as we obey the word together?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your word, which is truth. Keep us from the evil one, and help us resist the temptations that come our way. Keep us united in obedience that together we may become your holy people, growing in Jesus’ likeness everyday. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
In the second part of his prayer, Jesus prays for his disciples and asks the Father to keep them: first, keep them united; second, keep them from the evil one.
First, Jesus prays that his disciples “may be one”, even as he and the Father are one. The most important aspect of his disciples’ unity is that they all have received and believed in the words and identity of Jesus, as being sent from God (v.8). It is in this shared faith that they can be one. As Ephesians 4:5-6 put it: “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all.” Because of this word they received, the disciples belong no longer to the world, but to Jesus and to the Father. Recognising and remembering to whom they now belong to will also help the disciples be sustained in their unity.
We are Christ’s disciples, too. We’ve also received his word and accepted him as our Saviour. We also recognise that we belong to the same Father and Lord. This identity should be as important to us as it was to Jesus and have a bearing in our lives.
Second, Jesus prays that the Father keep the disciples from the evil one. Even though Jesus already warned the disciples that they will have trouble in this world, he still prays that the Father protect and guard them from evil. Jesus prays that God keep them by sanctifying them in the truth, which is his word. It is in abiding in Christ’s word, allowing his word to abide in them, that the disciples are “sanctified”, continually growing to be like Jesus. It is in obedience that they are kept from the evil one.
As Christ’s disciples and people belonging to God, we are set apart from the world. We are supposed to be washed and transformed by the word of God every day. We as one family in Christ can protect one another from the evil one by praying for each other as Jesus prayed for us and by encouraging each other to be sanctified by God’s word.
Reflection:
Have we been allowing God’s word and truth to transform us, or is doing the Daily Manna just a motion we go through every day? Have we been journeying together with fellow disciples, growing in Christ’s likeness as we obey the word together?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your word, which is truth. Keep us from the evil one, and help us resist the temptations that come our way. Keep us united in obedience that together we may become your holy people, growing in Jesus’ likeness everyday. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.