JESUS PRAYS FOR HIS DISCIPLES

Passage: John 17:6~19  

Key verse: 18


1. I have revealed you to them (6-8)

Jesus talked with God about the men whom God had given him. He had revealed God to them by giving them God's word and training them in obedience. The purpose of his training was to teach them faith by planting God's word in their hearts (6,8,14). Jesus had prayed for them, and he had been their shepherd. Now it was time for them to become disciple-makers and shepherds (18). He could only commit them to God in prayer.

2. Prayer topics for the disciples (9-18)

Jesus did not pray for them to have easy lives. He gave them back to God. The devil would attack them by trying to destroy their love for one another. Jesus prayed that God would protect them from the evil one by the power of his name, and help them to be one. They must live in the world, but they must not be worldly. They must live according to the truth--not according to the shallow pragmatism of the world (17). Jesus died to make them holy.


Prayer: Lord, sanctify me by your truth and help me be a disciple-maker and shepherd.

One Word: Sent by Jesus into the world