Are you ready for the weekend? This person is. I'm staying warm and cozy until I have to venture out. Today doesn't feel any better at 24 degrees than yesterday at 12. Hope you are keeping warm.
Sunday School Lesson: John 17:6-21
Jesus Prays For The Disciples (This includes his followers today as well as those with him).
Jesus had made
known the Father’s Name to men that were out of the world; now disciples and He
is praying for these disciples who were actually given to Jesus from the
Father. In the process, they kept and
obeyed God’s Word. They have now come to know that everything given to Jesus
was a gift from God, and He passed all things in which He had received along to
these disciples. Because of this, the disciples know He is the Son of God; that
Jesus received God’s Words; that He came from God, and was sent by God into the
world (vv.6-8).
Jesus is
specific by praying for the disciples in which the Father had given Him, not
for the world. Those that God gives are truly His and so they also belonged to
the Son. Jesus is glorified in them. He knows that He will leave them behind as
He leaves this world to go back to the Father, and He prays for their unity;
their oneness. While Jesus was with them He was able to preserve, guard, and
watch over them in God’s Name and none were lost, except Judas, the son of
perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. He tells the Father that He
is coming to Him after speaking to the disciples about many things. He wants
them to be filled with His joy. The Word has been given to them and the world
hated them because they were not of the world, just as Jesus was not. Jesus
prayed not that they should be taken out of the world but that the Father would
protect them from Satan’s power. They were not of the world, but were needed in
the world. Jesus asked the Father to sanctify them through the truth which is
the Word. Just as Jesus was sent into the world, He also sent the disciples
into the world and for their sake they needed to be sanctified through the truth (vv.9-19).
Jesus is not
only praying for the disciples alone, but for future believers who will come to
Jesus because of the disciples’ Word. Also, that they all be one, as the Father
and Jesus are one; and that these disciples be one heart, and mind in the
Father and Jesus. This would bring about the world believing that the Father
sent Jesus (vv.20-21).
A card for the lesson: (Click on each card for a larger view)
Just two more for your viewing:
Thanks for taking a little time to view today. You are welcomed to comment, join or follow!
Love,
Lois
No comments:
Post a Comment