Daily Devotions
John
John 17 : 1 - 26 "LOVING INTERCESSION"
Day 259 – John 17
LOVING INTERCESSION
It takes much for an intercessor to succeed in attempting to pray for others. Already Jesus displayed deep knowledge even as He prayed. He certainly prayed with faith and trust in His heart. He showed deep and loving concern for His Disciples as well. All these things were evident in the following words of prayer He offered to His Father on their behalf.
“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world
but for those whom You have given Me,
for they are yours. And all Mine are Yours,
and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.”
John 17:9-10
JESUS OUR COMPASSIONATE HIGH PRIEST
How wonderfully reassuring it is to read these words! We are greatly encouraged in our heart for we catch a glimpse of how Jesus must intercede for us as our great High Priest. How does Jesus look at us, when He intercedes on our behalf? Let us take a moment to recall what the Book of Hebrews recorded concerning the High Priestly ministry of Jesus.
“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest
who has passed through the heavens, Jesus
the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot
sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all
points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
Hebrews 4:14-15
Though there were obvious weaknesses in the lives of the Disciples, Jesus ministered in prayer for them. He refused to be discouraged by the obvious weaknesses in their lives. The best thing He knew He could do for them was to pray for them.
His disciples may not have been the most brilliant people, but they were at least not of the world. They had left the world’s side to follow Him. The world continued to be hostile to Him. The world continued to be wicked in rejecting the Gospel of salvation that He graciously presented to them! The Disciples were worth all His attention and efforts in prayer.
A SPECIAL BOND
As Jesus prayed for His Disciples, we recognize that a special bond existed between God and the Disciples. There was also in existence a special relationship between Jesus and His Disciples. It was this bond that Jesus mentioned in prayer.
1. A Special Bond with the Father
All believers belonged to God as His Children. John’s word on this subject was clearly stated.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right
to become children of God, to those who believe
in His Name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will
of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John 1:12-13
Believers may indeed find great comfort in this knowledge. Jesus applied this knowledge even as He prayed for His Disciples. He was not bringing to God people He did not know. He was mentioning in name the very children of God Himself. But of course, God would hear this prayer. Thus Jesus could say to His Father concerning the Disciples, “They are Yours.”
2. A special bond with Jesus
There was another bond that Jesus spoke about. This bond was established with Jesus, as He became their Teacher. For three long years, Jesus taught them, from the basics to deep and profound truths. Although the Disciples did not understand every single truth Jesus taught them, nevertheless, this fact did not diminish the significance of the bond that Jesus had established with His Disciples. Thus He could use the personal pronoun “Mine” when He prayed for His Disciples.
The Disciples would be presented as “doubly precious” to the Father. Surely, the Father would receive them most lovingly, because of their special relationship with Jesus! For the sake of His Son, the Father would hear the prayer of Jesus. Thus He could say, “And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine.”
A SPLENDID WAY OF PRAYING PECULIAR TO JESUS OUR HIGH PRIEST
What a beautiful portrayal of how Jesus interceded in prayer. He could never offer a shallow, cursory prayer. He prayed with a deep sense of personal involvement. He prayed as One who had a significant relationship established with His Father. He was in fact exemplifying what He once said to His Disciples. They may pray in His Name. When they did that, the Father would hear their prayers – for His Name’s sake (John 14:13-14).
This was what Jesus was doing even as He prayed for His Disciples. He was pleading with His Father on the basis of His relationship as Son to Him. His Disciples stood in a special relationship to the Son. Surely the Father would grant His grace and favour to them even as the Son prayed on their behalf!
“GLORIFIED IN THEM”
Once again, Jesus brought up the subject of glorifying His Father. He spoke of how He was glorified in and through His Disciples. In due course, this would result in the Father being glorified through the Disciples!
How deeply Jesus understood prayer. How deeply He prayed for His Disciples. How our hearts must be assured that this is the same manner in which Jesus intercedes for us as our faithful Great High Priest (Hebrews 6:20). Let us be encouraged to hold fast our confession of faith in Jesus!