John 17:6-19 Gospel reading for Sunday May 20th 2012
Yes ... more John this week ... and if you thought last week was a challenge ... welcome to John 17!
Let's try to put our reading into some sort of context. In John's gospel, three entire chapters (14-16) are devoted to what is often referred to as 'The farewell discourse', or Jesus' final instructions to His disciples. Then as we move into chapter 17 Jesus prays for His disciples, which is often officially tagged as 'the high priestly prayer.' It is also sometimes referred to as 'The other Lord's prayer', while there has even been the suggestion that this could be labelled 'The greatest prayer ever prayed'.
So two questions:
What makes this such a great prayer?
How does this passage speak to us today?
A few things to note:
The prayer starts out clearly as a prayer very specifically for His disciples. He prays NOT that it will be easy for them, but that they will have the strength to cope.
This is a classic case where it helps to read on just two more verses, where it is clear that Jesus back then and throughout all time since, actually prays for us!
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one ..."
What an amazing thought, Jesus praying for us! He is praying a similar prayer for us today, a prayer for unity (see also v 11) and a prayer to cope with a task that is not easy, that of flying the flag of Christianity in a largely secular world. He even mentions the instrument to be used as a central source of that strength ... His Word (v17).
So through the ongoing prayer of Jesus for us, may we be strengthened / recharged / rekindled / revitalised for the pivotal task of spiritual leadership. May we be fueled to passionately continue nurturing an environment in which we have the freedom to openly bring the good news of Jesus to those around us.
Nev
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