Today we are continuing our conversation through John. As we have said for 28 weeks now, John is walking us towards an objective:

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

Belief is complex. Belief is process; it is worked through. It isn’t done, given, inherited, or demanded. It is exercised, experimented, refined.

Today we are going to start off with this conversation:

What are some conspiracy theories that rational people believe?

Feel free to put this question right into Google and see what comes up!

Now, it is time to run to the deep end of the pool:

What are some aspects of Christianity that are hard to believe?

John is walking with us towards his objective (John 20:30-31), and that destination is not accomplished by avoiding complicated realities. It is arrived at through process, even when the process is complicated.

Today we are continuing our processing of Jesus’ prayer in John 17. Last week we looked at Jesus’ prayer for all believers, and we ended the conversation with the tension in knowing God.

Jesus said:

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3)

And we processed:

How does a person work through the tension of the mystery(s) of God and the opportunity we have through Jesus to know God?

And now as we continue through the text, Jesus prays for His disciples. There are so many pieces in this prayer. But foundationally there is a tension between the world and God’s protection.

In this prayer John uses the word “world” eleven times and “protection” three times. John is very intentional in the use of repetition in order to build perspective and process.

The concept of “world” is a theme in John. For perspective, John uses the word “world” 50 times, while Luke uses it only 3 times.

When I think of John’s use of the word, two moments rise to the surface, like hyperlinks:

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:9-13)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:16-21)

This nudges me towards a place of tension, thinking about the sovereignty of God. “Sovereignty of God” is the Christian teaching that God is the supreme authority and all things are under His control.

With conversations we have already had today about conspiracy theories and challenging things to believe about God, and with Jesus’ coming to save the world and not condemn it, and with Jesus’ love for the world-- Why is there imperfection in the world?

How does a person work through the tension of God’s control in/love for the world and the presence of pain, sorrow, and atrocity?

Remember last week we talked about some of the things that prayer can represent or how it can impact the pray-er.

So Jesus prays:

“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (John 17:6-19)

So much is said. So much is prayed. So many things are happening.

But feel Jesus’ request to God. Three times in this prayer Jesus brings specific requests to God:

Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. (John 17:11)

Protect them so they may be one.

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. (John 17:15)

Don’t remove them from the evil one, but protect them from the evil one.

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (John 17:17-19)

To sanctify is to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use. Set them apart by the word. Set them apart in the world. Jesus is sanctified that they may be sanctified.

There are some windows into reality in a person: what they feel and care about; who they really are. Windows like what they stress or daydream about, or what keeps them up. What a person prays about is another good one.

Last week we brought to the surface that prayer has a lot of things happening. It is an outward expression of what is happening internally--faith and trust in God. It changes the pray-er. It has supernatural impact. And it pleads for persistence.

And now here we get a window into Jesus’ prayer, and in turn, a window into Jesus.

What do these prayers reveal about Jesus?

Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. (John 17:11)

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. (John 17:15)

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (John 17:17-19)

Here’s a question from the other end of this. My faith says that Jesus didn’t pray without reason. So:

What do these prayers by Jesus reveal about the disciples (us)?

We are inundated with examples of prayer in scripture--examples of specific prayers and examples of how we should pray or what we should do while we are praying.

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. (Jeremiah 33:3)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:6)

As we walk towards the objective of belief, as we process who Jesus is, we should also process the impact of who Jesus is, and think about what Jesus said about faith and in connection to bringing requests to God:

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:22-24)

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:21-22)

In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. (John 16:23-24)

The sheer amount of information and commands can feel overwhelming. But think about these specific moments Jesus had with his disciples and these prayers He had for them. Next week we’ll talk about Jesus’ prayer for “all those who would hear the message and believe,” which includes us. 

It can be hard to believe that prayer accomplishes anything. It can be hard to hold the tension of praying for specific things while witnessing pain and tragedy all around the world that doesn’t seem to be fixed or changing.

But jump into all of the tension. As the disciples were facing inevitable hardship, Jesus prayed for them:

Protect them so they may be one.

Don’t remove them from the evil one, but protect them from the evil one.

Set them apart.

If you have faith and don’t doubt, you will receive whatever you ask for in My name in prayer.

I want to bring something we asked last week into this final thought. Last week we asked what you think Jesus is praying for you. Here’s our final question

How are these prayers answered? (past, present and future, in you and in others)

How are Jesus’ prayers for you being answered?

Take It Deeper Questions

• Read John 17:6-19.
• When have you had a prayer clearly answered?
• When have you had a prayer clearly not answered?
• How does a person work through the tension of God’s control of and love for the world and there still being the existence of pain, sorrow and atrocity?
• How have you seen Jesus’ prayers here answered and/or unanswered?
• How are you challenged, focused, confused and/or encouraged by this text?

Bible Reading Plan

• Leviticus 27
• Numbers 1
• Numbers 2
• John 13
• John 14
• John 15