4/4/14- Jesus Intercedes

24“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

25“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (John 17:24-26)

Thoughts:Jesus wants to be near those are His own.  Jesus wants us to know His father and His love.  He wants us to be with Him and His Father in heaven.  This earth is not where we are meant to stay forever.  It is not that this life is bad.  But this life is incomplete.  Here we must only see glimpses of what we will be.  Here we do not see our Lord or Father as we should.  God is never non-present, but His glory is not fully clear- marred by our sin and our blindness to Him.  Jesus asks the Father to let us in, and He also tells us of the Father.  He is the mediating priest- standing in the middle drawing God to us and us to God.  Jesus prays this mediating, priestly prayer interceding to the Father on our behalf, and dedicating Himself to making the Father known to us.  

Prayer: Lord Jesus, pray for me.  Intercede for me and for your people. Always draw me close to you. 

3/31/14- God Glorified Through Jesus

1After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. (John 17:1-5)

Thoughts: The focus is all on God being glorified here through Jesus.  While He is in this life, Jesus appears to be just an ordinary man.  It is through the cross and the resurrection that Jesus is truly honored.  Over and over Jesus says that when He is lifted up He will draw all to Himself.  It is only after the resurrection that Jesus gives the great commission to spread the good news- to glorify God through Jesus.  Jesus desires that people know the only true God.  It is not, as some postmodernists believe, that it doesn't matter what we believe.  The words here "only" and "true" point to a uniqueness in faith and belief.
     Jesus also describes eternal life.  It is not going to heaven- though eternal life moves from this life to the next.  For John, eternal life begins now- in this life.  It begins when we begin to know God.  To know God involves also knowing Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  In John if we do not know the Son, we do not know the Father.  It is possible for whosoever to come and know God.  Jesus is not talking about knowing "about" God- but knowing the person of God in love, in a relationship.  Jesus continually calls us to love God and to love neighbor.  This love does not involve book knowledge but a relationship- of trust.  God is glorified when we know Him and love Him.  Jesus begins this great prayer asking that the Father would be honored through Him.  We too should pray that in the end God would be honored through us.  

Prayer: Lord, may you be glorified by my knowing you and inviting others to establish a relationship with you as well.