John 17 - 3.24.26

SCRIPTURE:  John 17:1 – 5

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

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

OBSERVATION

Do you ever envision a scene when you read a scripture? In reading this prayer, I saw Jesus look up to the heavens with eyes full of joy, maybe some tears, all in praise to his Father. This prayer is in worship to God, our heavenly Father. I loved every word of this prayer, the praise, and the purpose. Jesus is vocalizing his heart about the salvation message.

Jesus prays as if He already died on the cross. He knows how His story ends here on earth, and how His death will bring eternal life to all who believe. 

In verse 1, Jesus prays and acknowledges his position as God’s son. He asks for glory so that he can glorify his Father in heaven. His focus is not on himself but to glorify God. He again prays, in verse 5, asking again for glory in his Father’s presence. Jesus is acknowledging that after his death, he will rise again and be in glory with God. 

There are four small words in verse 5 that stood out to me the most. Jesus is asking for the same glory that he had with his Father in heaven, “before the world began.”  Jesus is confirming his presence when the world began and exactly what John 1:1 – 2 says:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.”

APPLICATION

Jesus modeled and vocalized his position under the Father yet confirmed that God is the one who has the power and position, through Jesus, to give eternal life. When we pray, give God all the glory, honor, praise and position as the one true God.

God was glorified through Jesus in his resurrection. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead after three days, God would not be glorified but would be seen as not the one true God. Because Jesus did rise from the dead, as it was predicted, God is ultimately glorified. This is why it’s important we share answered prayer, something God revealed to you, how He cares and loves us so we can give God all the glory.

In verse 3, Jesus shares the essence of eternal life: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”  What Jesus did on the cross changed everything! Through Jesus, we can have a personal relationship with God through Him. The word “know” in Greek is used to describe a deep level of intimacy. This scripture, in essence, says eternal life doesn’t necessarily begin when you die, it begins here and now with a personal and intimate relationship with God through Jesus. It’s through your prayers, time in His Word, praising Him for everything, and walking through life with Him daily. Living an eternal lifestyle now can change how you actually live your life. It can draw you into a deeper relationshp. It can enhance how you view and live every aspect of your life, in how you love others, all in preparation for the life you will live in eternity. Once your physical body dies here on this earth, your spirit (the part of you that had the personal, deep, and intimate relationship with God and Jesus) will then transition into the eternal world called heaven. Praise God!

PRAYER

Lord, I’m so overwhelmed with thankfulness for your eternal plans. Thank you for Jesus, His life, His sacrifice, and raising him from the dead so we can begin living an eternal life here. Help me, Lord, to always keep my eyes on you. Forgive me for the times where “life” gets in the way of living an eternal life for you each and every moment. All I desire is a deeper relationship with you each day. Just like Jesus’ prayer in this scripture, I pray that my life will bring you glory, honor and praise. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

- Mary Oberg