John 17:20-26, 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also
which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all
may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they
also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast
sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given
them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them,
and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that
the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them,
as thou hast loved me. 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou
hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my
glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the
foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath
not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known
that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy
name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved
me may be in them, and I in them. (KJV) John 17:20, 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also
which shall believe on me through their word; (KJV) In this last section of verses, Jesus now prays for those who would believe through His Church. His prayer was not only for those who were with Him then but also for all of those who would come after.
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His prayer extended to include not only those of us who live today but also for all of those who will believe after us. He leaves no one out who would believe upon Him as Savior.
This prayer affirms the future spread of truth, salvation of souls, and growth of the church, under the consecration and empowering on Pentecost. From that first church in Jerusalem, the Gospel has reached around the world. Had those first disciples not been faithful to the spreading of the Gospel, it is quite possible that we would not have heard today.
John 17:21, That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me,
and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may
believe that thou hast sent me. (KJV) Jesus here prays that those of His churches, past, present and future would be in unity, harmony, as one flock, united with one Lord, one faith, and one baptism, Ephesians 4:1-6; one in spirit, faith, doctrine, and practice.
Ephesians 4:1-6, 1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech
you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing
one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as
ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith,
one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and
through all, and in you all. (KJV) Jesus had, and still has, a strong desire that His disciples have unity.
Paul reiterates this in the verses that have been cited in Ephesians.
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Let us examine these verses for a moment.
As in other epistles of Paul, Ephesians 4:1 follows the first three doctrinal chapters and divisions of the book of Ephesians by an appeal for a life of practical living and service in harmony with eternal and spiritual truths and values. Those are the values that Jesus included in His prayer.
Paul states that all manner of humility and meekness, distinctive Christian graces are to be cherished and followed. This expresses moral dispositions that should accompany Christian conduct to enrich Christian and church fellowship in every kind or in all possible lowliness. Paul says it should be done with endurance and constancy,
faithfulness
in
the
presence
of
illness,
misunderstanding, and trouble. He says, “forbearing one another,”
which simply means learning to get along with one another in love; by which true discipleship is shown.
Being eager, Paul continues, of your own accord to keep or guard; or working hard to keep or guard, with watchful care, to preserve the testimony of the church-saint commitment, to and in....
"The unity, oneness, or harmony of the Spirit;" unity which the Spirit produces or works in the redeemed in the church body, appropriate to the oneness in the doctrine of Christ. Paul says it is to be done in the joint-bond or tie of peace; the bond by which peace is kept (to wit, love).
In Colossians 3:14, love is to be considered as the bond of perfectness or completeness. Paul continues to write, "There is one body, and one Spirit." This means that there exists one body (church body) and one Spirit (Holy Spirit). The "one body" means 54
one kind of body (a local assembly), institutionally called "the church," and "one Spirit," the Holy Spirit.
Paul said the Ephesians were called entirely in harmony or in accord with their calling to salvation and an heir-setting with Christ through the church. The object or end purpose of the Divine hope and eternally purposed call of the Ephesians was to "heir-service"
to the Lord, through the church.
Then Paul says there is: “One Lord or Master.” The law of Moses or Hebrew program of worship and service was no longer Lord or Master over any believer, but Jesus Christ was. He is Lord and Master.
There is: "One faith." One system of teachings or doctrines; those of Christ, not Moses -- not Mohammed - not Zoraster -- not Confucius, etc. Embraced in this system of faith is the gift of faith.
There is "One baptism," water baptism, or immersion, commanded of the Lord, to be administered by His church to believers until the end of the Gentile dispensation, Matthew 28:18-20.
The church was baptized of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, Acts 1:1-4; once for all, sanctified and dedicated to administer the one water baptism until Jesus returns.
Jesus continues to pray: "And just as you, Father, exist in me and
I exist in you," to give eternal life to those who believe. Truth, the word of truth, is the unifying element that affords cohesion, through the spirit, in building the house or church of Jesus Christ on earth.
Jesus continues:
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"In order that they may also exist in us," continually in our will and work, as I have in yours: "In order that the world may believe that
you did send me," by the life they live, in following me, and the way they let their light shine.
John 17:22, And the glory which thou gavest me I have given
them; that they may be one, even as we are one: (KJV) Jesus in this verse simply states that the glory that He received from the Father, He had given to the disciples in order that they might be one, even as Jesus and the Father are One.
John 17:23, I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made
perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent
me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (KJV) Jesus says, "I (exist) in them and you (exist) in me," in unity in the trinity of the Godhead: "In order that they may be (or exist) as having been perfected (made mature) in one," one true God, through the Spirit, into a unity and harmony with God’s Word of truth and will for them: "In order that the world may know,"
recognize or realize, by their fervent love for Jesus Christ, the Father, and one another, in harmony with His New Commandment:
"That you did send and have sent me,“ "And you did love and have loved them, just as you have loved and do love me."
John 17:24-26, 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast
given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory,
which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the
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foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath
not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known
that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy
name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved
me may be in them, and I in them. (KJV) Jesus expresses His desire that His believers and His church will be with Him with the Father in order that they might behold Jesus’
glory. The saints have never beheld His glory, with exception on the Mount of Transfiguration. When we get to heaven, we will see Him in all His glory.
I suspect that the Mount of Transfiguration does not adequately reflect Jesus’ glory. However, in heaven, there will be nothing to hinder His glory being made manifest. Jesus’ glory had been given to Him before the foundation of the world. He laid aside that glory when He came to earth to become the sacrifice for the sins of mankind. He has regained that glory upon His to heaven.
Someday, we will see Him in all His glory.
The world has never known the Father. However, Jesus has, and the saints have. The saints also know that Jesus was sent by and from the Father. The world has never acknowledged that, but we have and continue to do so.
Jesus had declared God’s Name to the disciples and would continue to declare it in order that the love that the Father has for Jesus would be known. The Father’s love was in Jesus and is in His saints.
Jesus concludes that He dwells in the saints as well.
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Conclusion: We have yet to come to a close with the Lord’s Prayer.
When I first presented this series, I was asked the question, “Did Jesus follow His Model that He gave for the disciples?”
In the final conclusion, we will re-examine the Model Prayer and see if Jesus followed His own example.
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The Model Prayer Re-examined