March 21, 2023 – Tuesday
John 17:20-21 NIV
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
John 17:20-21 NET
20 “I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony,
21 that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me.
Comments
Jesus begins His prayer for all the believers who will follow the testimony and/or the messages of His apostles. I love how He begins this section of His prayer; My prayer is not for them alone or I am not praying only on their behalf. The Father knew what Jesus was praying for, but Jesus used words John would remember and put in his book of memories of Jesus.
So, if Jesus was not praying for His apostles alone who was He praying for? He made it clear for John who was listening, I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message or also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony. In other words, Jesus was then praying for us, and those who preceded us, and those who will follow us believing in Him from their messages and testimonies.
He further prayed, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you or that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I think for many believers they do look upon each other as brothers and sisters even though from different churches, but certainly not all and it has been this way for centuries. But then Jesus continued on in this verse, closing with, May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me or I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. I wish this were so, but it is not today. It certainly appeared to be so at least throughout the book of Acts and most of the books that followed.
However, the book of Revelation tells a story of a time that will come when the real believers, no matter what church they attend, will be recognized and they will be as one.
Bottom Line: Let us be living as Jesus wants us to live and as His disciples have shown us how to live in their messages and testimonies throughout the New Testament.
Prayer: Almighty God, Help us to be kind and to reach out to those who are our brothers and sisters in the faith, and further to reach out to the lost so they might know You and Your Son and then be sealed by the Holy Spirit. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Calvary Chapel of Dayton
in Beavercreek