Jesus Prays for All Believers

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Scripture: John 17:20-26

Focus Verses: “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you and they know you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and I will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” John 17:25-26

               Here Jesus prays for those who will believe in Him in the future—you and me.

He asks the Father that we be unified in love for one another. Here again, in today’s world we have many different faith groups, each with its own view of the way to worship God. William Barclay tells us we should love and respect one another.¹

               Jesus prays that those future believers (we) receive future glory in proportion to our temporal suffering while on earth. Yes, we will suffer for Jesus while we live for Him as we dwell on earth. Did you notice? He speaks, not of his crucifixion, but of his glorification. The cross would bring Him glory.

               My uncle had a friend who met an untimely exit from this world. He breathed his last as he tried to rescue people from a house that was on fire. When I was a young teen, a neighbor and friend of ours lost her first husband as he acted as a volunteer firefighter in the small own where he worked. He held the ladder for some of the others to go up on the roof of a burning building. I believe the ladder fell and those on the roof looked down and saw our friend lying on the ground. He had a heart attack and passed on while working to help others.

               Both these men reached out to others and tried to help them. I believe the families and anyone who heard these stories were thankful for the efforts these men made.

               In our 21st Century, we see a lot of selfishness and false pride take over people’s lives and actions. When our son planned to move back to Indiana, I asked him to do his mother a favor. I asked him not to move to Indianapolis. Whenever I turned on the news broadcasts, they reported at least one new shooting every day. He likes the small town he chose. He has always liked the area. Right at a year later, he is happy with his choice and so am I. My concern stemmed from my love for him. All those shootings came out of false pride.

1. Daily Study Bible, the Gospel of John, Vol.2, p.217 ©1975 Westminster Press, Philadelphia