Daily Bible Reading (Friday, April 27th)

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John 17 (ESV)

The High Priestly Prayer

17 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.[a] 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.17 Sanctify them[b] in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself,[c] that they also may be sanctified[d] in truth.

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Footnotes:

  1. John 17:15 Or from evil
  2. John 17:17 Greek Set them apart (for holy service to God)
  3. John 17:19 Or I sanctify myself; or I set myself apart (for holy service to God)
  4. John 17:19 Greek may be set apart (for holy service to God)

9 Comments

Love how this chapter ends! I pray that the love of Christ that is in me would be portrayed and proclaimed in my life. So encouraging knowing that the spirit lives inside of believers!

Jesus defined eternal life: And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
If I want life eternal, then how do I "know" Him ?
Study of His word, prayer, and living according to what he has taught, seeking know his Will so that I can obey. To obey God, I must disobey myself !

Wow! What an encouraging reminder that Christ intercedes on our behalf! So encouraging to see Christ's prayer for us!

I love that Jesus defines eternal life for us and that it isn’t the we “get to go to heaven when we die”. I think that is what most Christians would say and most unbelievers think is the reward for believing. Jesus is clear that it is so much more. “That they know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent”. The implications of knowing God as Jesus describes here impacts every part of our lives, both here on earth and in eternity and that is what every human being “made in God’s image” really needs.

The comments given today all reflect what we, as believers in Christ, get to have now and in the future. I don’t know who named our church “Believers Fellowship”, but I’m sure glad they did.

This is one of the most spectacular chapters in the whole bible. One could study it for years and not fully plumb the depth of all that is in this chapter. What incomprehensible truth! Jesus says in verse 21 that we will we will experience the intimacy that exists within the Trinity; "that they also may be in Us". That's our hope. It's not pearly gates, it's the promise if an intimate relationship with the Triune God. Then, Jesus promises us (v.26) that we will experience the same love that the Father has for the Son. How do you understand that? All I can do is bow down in eternal gratitude before my Savior and praise and thank Him, and live in light of this incredible truth. What more can we do?

Eternal life is not something I am looking forward to rather it is a present possession because I know the Father and the Son. How can I ever grumble or complain when I have this life? I need to constantly think about what I do have not what I don't have. I have eternal life in Christ!

Jesus makes it very clear in his prayer that he and the Father are one. Likewise, as Christians we are also one with Christ, “so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them as you love me” (v 23). Lord continue to guide us in your ways for we know that they are good. I ask that you would further unify the members of Believers Fellowship during the men’s breakfast and church work day. Amen!

Reminder to myself: To know God and know Jesus is eternal life, #simpletruth. The unity we display at Believers Fellowship will show San Antonio the truth of Jesus Christ. Father, bring us unity. I am so thankful for Jesus’ prayers of intersession for me. If He’s praying for me, who can stand against me?

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