The Real Lord's Prayer - Pt. 3

 

[Jesus said] “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.” (John 17:6-10 ESV).

 

In our reading today Jesus asks the Father for specific things concerning the disciples. The danger here is that we make these verses a history lesson and no more; looking at these verses as applicable only for those first disciples misses the mark. Although the immediate application is for those first disciples, these verses apply to all believers regardless of the era. The greatest impact is the realization that Jesus has not stopped praying for his won. Right now Jesus stands in the presence of the Father for the benefit of all those who belong to him.

 

Jesus describes these people with these words: “Yours they were, and you have given them to me” (v. 6). Jesus is praying for a group of people who in the mind and sovereignty of God have been called out of the world and given to the Son. Further, Jesus expresses ownership of these people with these words: “All mine are yours, and yours are mine” (v. 10). We are the people of God because we are the personal property of God. It is true that every person ever created belongs to God by nature of origin. He created the world so the world in the sense of creation belongs to God.  But the Father and Son possess a deeper sense of ownership for those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Here Jesus is not praying for the world. Jesus is praying for those people who by the decree of the Father belong to the Father and to the Son.

 

We do need to exercise some caution here. We must not twist it to understand that we are somehow the “grand prize” given to the Son for his great sacrifice. We are not a pure and perfect reward. We are a gift given to the Son that demands restoration and the cost of that restoration was the very life of the Son. And, praise God that since we have been given to the Son our restoration is guaranteed. Jesus keeps, guards, and loses none (cf. John 17:12). Since we are the personal property of the Father and Son our redemption, our salvation, is as good as done; not because of who we are but because of who Jesus is. Now, that IS good news!