Day 37
“After the closing supper, his public preaching work being ended, and nothing remaining to be done but to die, he gave himself wholly unto prayer. He was not again to instruct the multitude, nor to heal the sick, and in the interval which remained, before he should lay down his life, he girded himself for special intercession. He poured out his soul in life before he poured it out unto death.” - Charles Spurgeon, on John 17
In today’s reading we have the opportunity to camp out in John 17, “Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer.”
Read John 17
In the previous chapter, Jesus had just finished speaking plainly to His disciples regarding his death, his resurrection, and the coming Holy Spirit. Now He turns to His Heavenly Father and we see one of the most beautifully intimate moments within the Trinity. We see it now because Jesus’ disciples got to see it then. And the disciples saw it then because Jesus wanted to share it with them. So we can be confident that Jesus is eager to show us something today, too. Jesus offers us three things to reflect on; His glory, His family, and His work.
Sharing in His Glory (vv 1-5)
As far back as Genesis we see the glory or presence of God expressed through the Trinity, through God’s creation of human beings - in His glorious image. Jesus now lifts His eyes to heaven and prays, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you.” (v 1) To glorify God is not to bestow glory on God or add to His glory, but to recognize and acknowledge His glory. The basic meaning of the word glory is “heavy in weight.” It is the “weighty importance and shining majesty that accompany God’s presence.” The verb glorify means “to give weight to” or “to honor.” Thus, Jesus asks His Father God to glorify Himself in the upcoming events that Jesus would endure, but more importantly, that His Father would be glorified, honored, properly weighted in how Jesus experienced the following 24 hours - betrayal, a mock trial, the scourging, crucifixion, death and burial in a borrowed tomb.
Finally, Jesus asks, “Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.” (v 5) Before returning to the presence of God, Christ had to be glorified in His humanity in order to dwell before God’s face as the incarnate Mediator. His humanity had to participate in glory in order to see God in glory. The same is true of us, which is why we will be glorified. We will share in God’s glory not so that we will be worshiped but so that we will reflect that glory and enjoy the beauty of God as we see Him face-to-face. There is a day coming when we will be dressed in robes of righteousness, reveling in His glory. But we will not just be passive audience members to some divine stage play - we are musicians in the band, dancers and artists. God’s glory is not an eternal monologue. It is a relational glory that has existed before the world between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are glorified with him.
But we do not taste His glory without tasting his bitter cup, too. Jesus says he has accomplished what he came to do; that is, to suffer and die. When we join Him in His suffering, it is not as a way to appease God, for we were justified by the cross, but freely because we know that our present suffering does not compare to the glory we will soon receive.
Sharing in His Family (vv 6-19)
For many of us, the thought of “family” brings a lot of … well, just a lot. Maybe your family is marked more by dysfunction than safety, by bickering more than encouragement, instability more than peace. Maybe family is something you’ve experienced very little of and you’d take the challenges of family over an absent one any day. We all have a view of family that has been tarnished by the brokenness of sin. In this prayer, however, we see Jesus offer us a new family, “Holy Father, protect them by your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one.” (v 11)
Pause for a moment and think about the absurdity of these two things; first, that Jesus, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, prays for us. He didn’t try to heal just one more leper, or calm one more raging storm or even give a sermon. He thought of us, and he interceded for us. Secondly, God chooses to share His name with us. Jesus says, “Those names they used to have? They go by my name now. That place they used to call home? They share my home now. Their inheritance was destruction? They share my inheritance now.” If you find yourself questioning the heart of Christ, be encouraged: He has called you sister! He has called you brother! His Father calls you children! And Jesus knows that the world will not be so kind to us as His family is. We have been set apart by God, day by day taking on more of the identity of His family. And we’ve been tasked to “consider one another in order to provoke love and good works,” (Heb 10:24) to allow His joy to be made manifest in us.
Sharing in His Work (vv 20-26)
In Hebrew “Tetelestai” means “the sacrifice is accomplished.” These were Jesus’ final words on the cross. Nothing more needs to be paid, it is complete, paid in full. But Jesus says the work is not yet finished. “I made your name known to them and will continue to make it known...” (v 26) Earlier, in John 10:16 Jesus says, “But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.” Jesus is not leaving His disciples with nothing to do but twiddle their thumbs until Heaven. He is entrusting them, entrusting us with the task of making known to the rest of humanity that there is only one God, one King who reigns over everything and is alone worthy to be praised! Hallelujah!
Big Picture Questions for Today:
* Have you forgotten what following Jesus is about? Consider that God is love, he is worthy of ALL the glory, and His glory is seen most clearly in you, in us: in His church.
* Has your earthly family changed the way you view your new family in Christ?
* Have you neglected God’s charge to make disciples of all nations, to teach His word, to care for the widowed, orphaned and poor? Consider that God has gone before you in His care. He is not dependent on you, he’s prayed for these things since before time. But He is eager for you to participate and He has commanded us to join Him.
Pray as you listen to Josh Baldwin’s “The Christ and Cornerstone,” specifically the the first verse and chorus:
Word of life, the Messiah
Who traded heaven’s glory for a cross
Spotless Lamb, roaring Lion
Became the resurrection for us all
There is only one God, one King
Who reigns over everything
His Name is Jesus
His Name is Jesus
One light, one hope
The Christ and the Cornerstone
His Name is Jesus
His Name is Jesus
The Christ And Cornerstone (Live) - Bethel Music, Josh Baldwin
