Prayer - Lesson 7 - The Heart of Christ, in Prayer Part 2

Continuing in John Chapter 17 where we see the heart of our Savior . . . His deep intercession reveals the depth of His passion for those whom He loves and the extent of His relationship with The Father.

This is basically broken down into three seperate intercessions. In the first prayer (verses 1 - 5) He acknowledges God the Father, their relationship, and the work at hand. He then asks for His life to bring glory back to the Father, and that He would soon be back in glory with Him.

We looked at the second one (verses 6 - 19), last week, where He poured out His heart to the Father on behalf of those closest to Him; His disciples. Today, we are going to focus on the remaining verses (20 - 26), where his intercession is for all of us. You. Me. Here it is in The Message by Eugene H. Peterson:

"I'm praying not only for them but also for those who will believe in me because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind - just as You, Father, are in me and I in You, so that they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that You, in fact, send Me. The same glory You gave me, I gave them, so they'll be as unified and together as We are - I in them and You in Me. Then they'll be mature in thei oneness, and give the godless world evidence that You've sent Me and loved them in the same way You've loved Me.

"Father, I want those You gave Me to be with Me, right where I am, so they can see my glory, the splendor You gave me, having loved Me long before there ever was a world. Righteous Father, the world has never known You, but I have known You, and these disciples know that You send me on this mission. I have made Your very being known to them - tho You are and what You do - and continue to make it known, so taht Your love for Me might be in them exactly as I am in in them."

1. How can we know that this prayer is for us?

2. What is the Lord's desire for us?

3. What would be the goal of that desire fulfilled? (why did Jesus ask for this?)

4. How does Jesus say that God the Father loves us?

5. What does Jesus say He has passed along to us to help us achieve that?

6. What is the gift God the Father gave to Jesus?

7. Where does He (Jesus) desire that gift to be?

8. How long has Jesus known the Love of the Father?

9. What has the Lord made known to His disciples, and to us?

10. What is His promise regarding this?

11. Again, what is the goal of all this to be?

Oh, glory!!!! Can you understand, dear ones, why I feel so strongly about these verses? Can't you truly see the Lord's heart for us in this prayer? I would encourage you to read it again and again this week, until we meet again . . . blessings!

Answer Sheet Available