Jesus’ Prayers for Discipleship
Bible Study Guide
(Verses 6-12) In this chapter, John records Jesus praying. His prayers touch upon two very important tasks that He was sent to accomplish while He was in the world.
First, by praying to the Father for His glorification, He prepares to close the books on His three year ministry. A ministry that would set in motion an event the likes of which the world has never witnessed. This event was and is the spread of the gospel of His coming, death, resurrection and second coming.
Second, Jesus’ prayers for discipleship would send the flames of God’s word across the globe for generations to come. It would be a flame that no one could stop. It would grow to unimaginable proportions. Enough so that it would strike concern in Satan himself. This has caused him to rage in anger across the globe. He hopes to destroy God’s chosen people and followers of Christ, so that prophecy might not be fulfilled.
Satan’s ambitions were quickly destroyed at the resurrection of the perfect sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ.
Jesus shows us that discipleship begins in believing the Word of God. It comes in knowing the Father and knowing that the Son was sent by the Father. Who the Father has chosen, He has given to the Son. Discipleship begins with Christ.
Jesus prays specifically for His disciples. They’re about to embark on a monumental task of epic proportions in bringing the gospel. It will spread from Jerusalem to Samaria and to the rest of the world.
Imagine how uplifting it must’ve felt for these disciples. They listened to their Master and Teacher pray directly to the Father for them.
Jesus Prays That His Disciples Remain in the World
(Verses 13-19) With the imminent return of Christ to take His rightful seat at the throne of God, He prays for the strength of His chosen disciples.
They’re about to become separated. While He’s still in the world, He wants His joy to be complete in them upon His departure.
Christ signifies that while they’re still in the world, He prays that they’re kept safe. He doesn’t pray for their removal from the world. He fully knows the task they have ahead of them in spreading the gospel of Him crucified.
They will face tremendous hurdles and spiritual attacks from the evil one. He prays that God will remain with them through it all. This will be by the power of the Holy Spirit that will soon arrive to reside in them.
Jesus’ Prayers for Discipleship in the Coming Believers
(Verses 20-26) John records His Master closing this passage. He makes it clear that Jesus’ prayers of discipleship are not only for his chosen eleven close followers. He prays for the soon to come believers. They will hear the gospel coming from these men who will suffer persecution for their faith in the true Messiah.
His prayer extends to all future disciples that accept the Word. They will go forth to continue sharing it with the world.
He Prayed for You and I
Just imagine for a moment. Let it really sink in. Over two thousand years ago, in the midst of His disciples in a quiet and secluded upper room somewhere in Jerusalem, our Savior prayed to our Father in heaven for us. Yes, us right now here in this time. He prayed that we might become citizens of heaven. We are just temporary travelers though this world.
He prayed for you and me so that when we came to hear the word, our hearts and minds would accept it and believe. He prayed that all the true believers would come together and gather as one family. A family that God has chosen as His own. A family He calls “children of God.”
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12)
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Galatians 3:26-27)
If we have been chosen by God, and the Son and the Father reside in us through the power of the Holy Spirit, what could ever take that away from us. Jesus prayed generations ago that nothing would ever take that away from us.
Jesus has made God known to us through the scriptures. Therefore, we reside in His love and our love for Him resides with Him and nothing can destroy that bond.
As these last days grow darker, today’s community of believers will need to stay strong and together. We must edify one another through our love for every brother and sister in Christ. Up to and including our day of departure to be gathered to our Savior so that we will be with Him always.
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