Lessons from John 17: Created by God for God

All people have been created by God for God. But not all will receive the truth of His Word and therefore not all people can be called children of God. For those who have come to know and live by His Holy Word, these are the ones whom He not only loves and provides for, but also those whom He protects and sanctifies by His Holy Name.

Do you know whose you are? If so, are your resting in the authority of His Word and relying on His power and authority to protect you in your current situation as difficult as it may seem? And are you seeking in it to remain holy as He is holy?

Know that the God of this universe is watching over you! Jesus is protecting you from being overcome by sin and Satan. No matter what circumstances we face, Jesus is faithful to provide all we need to love Him and one another. Will you ask Jesus to protect your love for Him and to help you obey His word and continue to grow in your understanding of His Word and the application of it to your life!

This is how we remain in Him and grow in sanctification and this is how we ultimately bring glory to Him.

Now it seems that Jesus widens the view of His lens to pray not only for these eleven that are present with Him, but He turns the focus of His prayer to include all future believers.

We pick this up in verse 20, where Jesus says that His prayer is not for the disciples alone. Jesus states that He also includes those who will believe in Him as a result of these men’s testimony as eyewitness to the teaching and life of Jesus Christ.

And Jesus’ prayer is that as the message of Salvation spreads and more believers are brought into the family of God, that each one would remain together as one. One is purpose, just as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are.

And that purpose is that all might know and love and remain in His great love and use their lives and all that He had given them to glorify His Holy and Precious Name!

And therefore if they remained faithful to their purpose and calling, just as the Godhead had and has, others would witness or see God through them so that others might also believe.

And as a result of Jesus’ prayer to His Father, all Christians have come to Jesus Christ either directly or indirectly through one or another of the original disciples and those who have followed in their footsteps is giving out the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Therefore unity in the body of Christ is an essential of the faith. We are to be the expression of God’s love, upholding His truth and sharing the Gospel of Good News to all with whom we have contact.

Principle: A believers highest calling is to glorify God and walk in His Spirit of unity.

Ephesians 4:5-6 tells us that, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called: one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father who is over all and through all and in all.

So the question is how will you be known? Will you be know as one who lived in and was of this world? Or will you be known as one who lived in this world but was not of this world.

Personally, I would like to be known for my love for God through His Son, Jesus Christ, my obedience to His Word and my joy for serving Him and others. Leading them and the others who come behind them in the cause of Christ in this world.

That is the sole purpose for our living! And we cannot fulfill our purpose without staying in tune with the truth of His word, growing in the sanctification process and remaining in unity with other believers.

And now Jesus concludes His prayer in verses 24-26 just as He began, by addressing His Father by name.

By calling God His righteous Father, Jesus was affirming His belief that God would do what was right in granting the petitions He had presented, which included glorifying the Son and bring believers safely to heaven where they would behold His glory.

And though Jesus’ mission on earth had not resulted in the whole world coming to know God experientially, Jesus Himself knew the Father and the eleven had come to believe that Jesus was the revelation of the Father. And because of it, Jesus would continue to reveal the Father so the Father’s love would remain in them. It would do so because Jesus Himself, who is love revealed, promises to remain in them.

There is no doubt that Jesus loved His Father. Yet there is also no doubt that Jesus loved His disciples and us! And because of His great love He offers us His name and everything that His name includes. As a part of the family of God, we as Christians have the responsibility to live and act like a part of the family. We are called to love as He loves! To forgive as He forgives! To be His light of truth and share the gospel and to walk in the Spirit of unity with other believers as we do so.

He knows it’s not going to be easy, yet He promises to help us, to protect and to pray for us as we do so!

So what are you doing to share the gospel with others and keep the spirit of unity as you live out your calling!

Hebrews 4:15 says, “Therefore since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. Let us then approach His throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

And then be encouraged that Jesus lives to intercede on your behalf. Therefore whatever you are facing, whatever decisions you need to make, He is praying for you right now to know and do His will! And when you seek Him in prayer and the study of His Word you will find that He is faithful to provide and protect you!

Terri Hamman

Faith & Fitness Coach