Summary of passage: Jesus prays for all believers, prays for our unity and our glory so that the world may believe God sent Jesus. He prays for all believers to be where he is and to see his glory for him to be in them and for God’s love to be in us.
Questions:
11) Part personal Question. My answer: We are to be united in our mission to let the world know Jesus as the Son of God and believe in him and come to him. We can’t be divided in our church. The underlying mission must be the same.
12) Part personal Question. My answer: Jesus saves us completely as our High Priest in heaven and died for our sins. It encourages me when I sin and offers a peace that I am still sanctified with God.
13) Personal Question. My answer: That as believers we are unified in our purpose to shine Jesus’ light to the world and we don’t let Satan tear us apart over petty things. I want to see Jesus’ glory and be where he is, that God’s love would be in me as would Jesus.
Conclusions: Important passage on unity. We as Christians are in this fight together. We can’t let little things cause big rifts. Jesus is everything. We must remember that.
End Notes: Jesus knew the disciples would prevail in his work. Scholars believe Jesus envisioned the great multitude before the throne of God here (Revelation 7:9-10) of all races and walks of life. The unity is based upon equality just like the equality of God and Jesus. We are to share in the life God has for us.
Jesus essentially gave the world permission to judge the validity of His ministry based on the unity of His people. Unity among God’s people helps the world to believe that the Father sent the Son.
Jesus gives glory to his people. Scripturally speaking, when God gives or displays His glory to His people, it is some type of manifestation of God’s presence. God’s glory is, in some way, the radiance or shining of His presence, His essential nature.
Jesus’ glory was his work on the cross. It was humble, weak, and sacrificial.
Jesus repeats the idea that God sent Him. This is crucial to salvation.
It’s as if Jesus gave the world permission to doubt both His mission and His love if the world does not see unity and love among believers. This is difficult because despite what we do, some will still not believe for various reason. Christians have a great responsibility to display Jesus to the world through their love and unity, but often Christians are too quick to blame one another for an unbelieving world. Remember God chooses who will be saved and ultimately it’s Free Will.
Jesus wants all of us to be with him. He desires the Second Coming and for the consummation of all things. Before creation, there was love and God loved. Love has always been. Cool!
Jesus ends his prayer by declaring God to the world–his whole mission in this world! He prays for God’s love to be in them and for him to be in them. The two essentials we need in this world!
