Jesus knew the difficulty believers would have living in this world, especially as we draw closer and closer to the end times (2 Tim. 3:1-5). Before leaving earth He prayed for His followers then as well as those who would believe in Him through their message (Jn. 17:20). Since that would include us today, it’s important for Bible teachers to grasp the significance of Jesus’ prayer in John 17 to their teaching.
What Jesus Wants for His Followers
We can look at Jesus’ prayer as objectives He has for us as His followers.
- Jesus wants His followers to live in the full measure of His joy. (Jn. 17:13)
- Jesus wants believers to live in this world as those sanctified by His truth. (Jn. 17:15)
- Jesus wants believers to live in complete unity with one another as a testimony to the world. (Jn. 17:23)
- Jesus wants His followers to live with hope of the glory to come. (Jn. 17:24)
If Jesus deemed these desires important, certainly we should want the same for those we teach. We can turn the content of Jesus’ prayer into objectives and point people in that direction. Upcoming posts will look at how Bible teachers can aim toward the realization of Jesus’ prayer in their students’ lives. (Subscribe to receive updates of new posts.)
To Reach the Same Objectives as Jesus, Start by Praying
Jesus knew He would be ascending back to heaven, leaving His followers without His physical presence as they continued His mission, so He prayed for them. If Jesus prayed for His followers, how can we do less for students in our classes? We too can teach God’s truth, even showing how it applies to their lives, but we can’t go with them into the world on a daily basis to remind and encourage them to put it into practice. Further, we aren’t the ones who provide the joy, sanctification, unity, and hope. Jesus had the authority (Jn. 17:2) and He still prayed for His followers.
- How devoted are you to praying for your students?
- How specific are you in your prayers?