Read and believe in Jesus

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who WILL BELIEVE IN ME through their word.” John 17:20

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REVIEW – Jesus continued to pray for His disciples (including those believers not in the upper room, and women followers too). Jesus emphasized that these believers belonged to God first, and that God gave them to Jesus (as a reward for his work on the cross).

Then Jesus asked His Father to “keep them in His name” after He leaves the world. He also asks the Father to “keep them from the evil one.” And He prays that God will “sanctify them.” (Remember, Jesus is praying this for US BELIEVERS too.)

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John 17:20-26.

And then that wonderful verse that shows that Jesus was thinking and praying for YOU and me, while He knelt in the upper room among the eleven disciples.

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, that they may ALL be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in us … so that the world may believe that You have sent me.”

Our unity with fellow believers in the love of Jesus and the Father helps unbelievers see that Jesus really is the Christ, the Savior of the world.

Jesus said in chapter 15 that the world will know we are Christians (believers in Christ) because of our love for one another. Now He says that our love and unity with each other and with Him is what will stir up a hunger for faith in the people around us.

“Then Jesus shows His eagerness for all His disciples to one day be with Him in heaven, ‘to SEE My glory that You have given me because You loved me before the foundation of the world.”

Wow, if Jesus is so eager for US to be with Him in heaven, how much more should OUR hearts long for Him, and for “that day.” (Even so, LORD, come quickly!)

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Then Jesus summarizes His prayer in the last two verses of chapter 17, emphasizing the strong connection between God, Himself, and all true believers in both knowledge and love.

“O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know You, but I know You. And these disciples KNOW that You have sent Me.”

“I made known Your name to them, and I will continue to make it known.”

“May the love with which You have loved Me be in them, and I in them.”

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(AMEN!)