Based on John 17:1-19 (King James Version)
“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.’”
We will see the Lord’s prayer in three parts, because in some way, we can understand that it does have three parts. The first part consists of how He prayed directly for His Apostles, not necessarily for us that came after them. It doesn’t mean that since it was not directly aimed at us that we then need to ignore it, but we must understand what we need to for many reasons, and like everything that is written in the Word, for: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
To start, the Lord’s Apostles were truly unique, and if there ever were chosen or predestined people, it would be them, even though they always did have the ability to choose what to do with their lives. Nonetheless, they had a great affinity for the Lord. They knew how to recognize Who was the Being that invited them to walk with Him. They had such sensitivity that they reacted and reacted immediately when the Lord called them. And of course, when the fullness of the Holy Spirit came to their lives, they were unstoppable. And the Apostle Paul also is included in this, because even though they tried to fill the void Iscariot left, the Apostle Paul took the twelfth spot, through which the Lord was going to use him greatly so that we the gentiles could come to have the opportunity to listen to the Gospel of Salvation. The true Apostles of the Lord were prepared by God and chosen directly by the Lord on the earth, including Paul, as He went to have an encounter with him on the way to Damascus. Biblically speaking, there have been no more Apostles than those spoken of in the Bible, because the calling culminates with the twelve. With all respect to those that have taken that title after them; sincerely, it does not belong to them. They might be something else, but not Apostles. It’s related to the meaning behind the twelve tribes of Israel, and all of the other things related to the number twelve in the Bible.
We see through this passage the personal care that the Lord Himself had with His Apostles, watching over them, living with them, teaching them daily about the kingdom, showing them all of the signs and wonders He did, allowing them to experience the Only Begotten Son of God intimately. They experienced the glorification of the Son here on earth. They received the power that the Lord gave them directly. God finally did give them to His Son. They had the privilege of being kept by the Lord. So then, and through this prayer, we see the great meaning that these special people had, and the aspect of a predetermined election made by the Father which does not apply to us.
But, and despite how special the Apostles were, and everything God did through them, never, ever should we lose sight of the actions of the Son of God, and that we need to focus on Him only. Like Paul rightly said, giving us a clear direction: “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1. He also said: “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.” Ephesians 5:1. We also saw the direction that His earthly mother, Mary, gave: “His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.’ [speaking of the Lord]” John 2:5. And foremost, as God Himself said it from the heavens in the following story: “Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!’ And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.” Matthew 17:4-6. So then, just as it was for the Apostles and His earthly mother Mary, our complete focus should be the Lord, and no one else, because this is the reality the Scriptures teach us: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5. These are only but a few reasons for why the Lord needs to be our focus, our direction, practically, our everything. We need to be disciples or followers of Jesus, not just believing in Him. We need to eat of His flesh and drink of His blood, eating His Word and respecting His sacrifice, making ourselves one with Him; without any doubts or reservations, just as those great people before us did, seeing the example they left for us.
Now then, how does this passage apply to us? Except for not being chosen by God beforehand and that we did not live during the time the Lord lived on the earth carnally (except for Paul, because Paul was the last Apostle chosen by the Lord, but without seeing Him carnally in His earthly ministry), everything else applies, but now that we have the most intimate part of the Lord: the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. Everything the Lord did for His Apostles, He also does for us, but through the Holy Spirit and with the completed work of the Scriptures. And in all reality, this is what makes the Apostles so special, because we have much more than what they had, because the Scriptures were not completed and sealed until after the Apostle John, the one that “saw” the end, just as the Lord said. Today, we have the complete revelation from God to man at our fingertips; the Holy Bible.
So then, what are you doing with the much God has given us? Lord bless! John