10 and all things that are Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11 And I am no more in the world; and [yet] they themselves are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, [the name] which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as We are. 12 While I was with them, I was keeping them in They name which Thou hast given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I come to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy made full in themselves.
Message: The Efficacious Prayers of Christ
Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."
What the Lord is Saying: Once again, as I start a reading today, I hear Jesus once again aligning Himself and His ways with the Father. This Gospel I see has three primary themes: (1) Showing the Father has Sent the Son, (2) Showing the Father and the Son are the same in purpose and essence and authority, (3) That Jesus came to give people eternal life.
Our Works Glorify Jesus/God - This time Jesus says, "all things that are Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine;" -- the same that belongs to the one, belongs to the other. This is not mere prophet speak which some religions like Islam believe Jesus only holds. "and I have been glorified in them." These words are a continued thought from verse 9 when Jesus is speaking directly of the disciples. From verse 6 Jesus prayed that the disciples "have kept Thy word." The disciples had actions on their part to keep the words that Jesus had spoken, maybe not perfectly, but they would hold fast to His words and continue after He has left to uphold the words that had been spoken to them. Yes, it seems it took them a while to figure it out and come to an understanding and then receive and believe (v. 8). But once they did, the result of those actions appears to be what Jesus is praying and confirming before the Father.
Keep Them - Much of this prayer is Jesus speaking truth, rather than interceding for the disciples and asking the Father to do something for them, but in this verse I read and hear words of a request. Actually, his entire prayer up to this point is speaking theology or confirming truth. [Note: Always as I read these words, I am astounded and amazed that we have these words and these are words of Jesus as given by God to John to write. That God would breath these words to man so that we can have them for centuries and they would be scripture to us is still somewhat incredible and hard to fathom.] In leading up to His request Jesus prays and confirms with the Father the reason for Jesus' request - and that reason being that the disciples are in the world -- "they themselves are in the world," -- the disciples will remain in the world after Jesus is glorified or ascends to heaven to be with the Father.
Jesus as He has continually done in this farewell discourse is looking out for the disciples and requests now of the Father - "Holy Father, keep them in Thy name...that they may be one, even as We are." Simple words. "Keep them in the name of You." Interesting.
One of the things I really don't like in the church often as I hear people pray is their theology in prayer and how we often are not so careful in what we are saying and yet I need to be careful because people are doing the best they can, may be nervous, and may not be seasoned or deep in what they are believing and yet they have a heart and love and desire for spiritual truth. One of those things I struggle with is when people ask God in a church setting to be here with us. Jesus is with us; God is with us. And so it seems unnecessary to ask Him to be with us. We can confirm He is with us and thank Him for that and much of what Jesus is praying is that - confirming truths. I mean, so far in this prayer by Jesus has been 5 verses confirming truths. But now He asks that the disciples be kept in God's name. Could it be He is saying, "May their life continue to be lived testifying of you God, staying committed to You, as I (Jesus) have been committed and one with you." I mean, he seems to be bridging the oneness Jesus has with the Father with a oneness his disciples are to have with keeping them in obedience. This appears to be a prayer of completeness or sanctification for the disciples. They are to be continually kept close - in Thine - One.
And in these words Jesus is acknowledging that this work of them staying close to the Father depends on the word of the Father. We are not to be kept in Thy name by our own strength but by the strength of the Father. It remains enigmatic in a way that the way of the Christian life and our closeness to the Father, even our waking up to know Spiritual things, is the work of God in our lives. And yet Jesus is asking or praying for the Father to keep the disciples there. How often do I pray this? Rarely. How often do I ask God the Father to keep my children close to Him, to not let them wander. I pray that they would not wander, yes. I almost pray to God that He would move in them so that their action would be to stay close to God, but these words are different - the prayer is on the work not of the disciples in staying close. The one that keeps them close is the Father. It is the Father working. The prayer is you God, "Keep them." Amazing. Quite different from me praying that I would shape up or my kids would shape up, instead, "God, you awake them and then keep them."
Jesus then speaks some incredible words in verse 12 by mentioning that on the earth, He did the job of keeping them - everyone, but Judas. And yet Judas went astray to fulfill prophecy. Now Jesus tells God the Father to 'keep them.' He not only kept the, but 'guarded them.' That guarding to me gives the idea of keeping them from falling astray, though Judas did fall astray. I won't get into it here, but the work of man's free will and being accountable and God being the active agent in our lives remains a strong mystery.
Have Joy - In verse 13, Jesus returns to proclaiming and speaking directly to God, describing what He will be doing. The intercession is over for now. It was one idea - God, keep them. And then Jesus speaks more theology: I come, I speak, that they may have joy. Beyond being kept, the goal that Jesus has for the disciples, and perhaps there is a little request in here, is that they will have joy. But not just any joy, but 'Jesus Joy.' And that this sort of Joy would be in them, fulfilled in them.
So in this passage is a twofold idea of being kept near the Father, sanctified, one, and that we would have the Joy of Jesus. What a great word of encouragement. God wants us - Jesus wants us - to have joy. Joy is favor and gladness and delight. It is not happiness, but joy always has seemed to me to be more peace. Like in Matthew 25:21 where Jesus recognized great work and says, "enter into the joy of your master." Same Greek word is used there as in this verse. Joy.
Summary: Our works are to Glorify Jesus, Glorify God. Jesus prays that the disciples, we, will be kept with God the Father and that we will have joy.
Promise: Our perseverance depends on the Efficacious prayers of Christ.
Prayer: Lord, you are teaching me here in these verses about prayer. And how to pray. Lord, you are shifting my thinking instead of praying that my kids would stay close to You, Lord, I am praying now that God you would keep my kids close to You. God, awaken them to You, draw them out of the brokenness where they are at times and take them to a place of revelation of You. For those that you have done this, keep them in Your name so they have that same oneness that Jesus has with the Father and they would have that oneness with You God and the desire to Glorify You in all they are doing in their lives. And Lord teach me to accept and trust and value and be in that joy that you are giving me. The delight of being in You and in Your presence.
Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.
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