The Perfect One
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John 17:20-26
20. "I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, 21. that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22. The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23. I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me. 24. Father, I desire that they also, whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which thou hast given me in thy love for me before the foundation of the world. 25. O righteous Father, the world has not known thee, but I have known thee; and these know that thou hast sent me. 26. I made known to them thy name, and I will make it known, that the love with which thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them."
In this final portion of Jesus prayer, he prays for “all believers.” Jesus includes not only those who have heard his word and the teachings of the disciples in person, but for all future believers as well—for us and for all future generations. So we are responsible to pass on the Truth to our children and to all the world. And God desires that all believers are one—one community, one family, one body through Jesus Christ.
We are to put aside our own agendas within our faith community – church should be a place to edify each other, not to advance our own desires. Jesus prays that we will be so unified, that we will demonstrate such loving kindness, such selfless care and concern for each other that “outsiders” will long for what they see and yearn to be a part of a community full of members who care for each other and pray for each other and advance God’s word in the world.
My bible notes indicate that verse 24 really means “I will” as in a last will and testament. The greatest blessing for a Christian is glory in Christ Jesus. And Jesus prays that for us! The last two verses acknowledge that while no one on earth knew God personally, they knew that He had sent Christ—and that knowledge is far surpassing any of unbelievers’—any that had been gained prior to Christ’s life on earth.
Finally, He declares that God’s will and not His own is what matters to Him. God’s will. Not His own. He was from God. Part of God. He had the power to act on His own accord. He had the power and the right to say, “No” to the cross. But His purpose was to die on the cross. And the goal of every Christian to is to accomplish our mission. Jesus wanted to be sure there was no question in our minds what we are about. We were made to glorify God. And the only way we do that is through the kind of obedience and subjugation of our own will to God.
I’m sure I’m not worthy of such a task. I’m not smart enough, talented enough, gifted enough to be a “successful” disciple of Jesus Christ. But because of Christ, and God working through my faith in Him and His Son, what I am and what I have to offer will be enough. And more than enough. I am but the vessel—and the vessel is filled with the words and truth of the Perfect One. My prayer, my ardent hope and dream is that His perfection will be displayed in some small way through me.
I hope you spend today displaying the perfection of Christ and building up His church, so that others will long for what we have as believers.
Mary
