Road to Calvary (VIII)

After Jesus' resurrection, he appeared to Mary, to his disciples, to everyone. Everyone saw his pierced hands and feet, the biggest proof of his return. To conclude this mini series, i decided on focusing on Jesus final moment on earth, before he was taken into heaven once and for all.

¹ In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach ² until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. ³ After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. ⁴ On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. ⁵ For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

⁹ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

¹⁰ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:1-11

"wait for my gift" Jesus says (v.4). This gift is the holy spirit. It not only applies to the disciples but for you and me as well. When we have believed that Christ has taken our sin away, has risen and defeated the grave, the holy spirit comes into us. The spirit is a guide, that voice in your head when you're tempted, to keep you on track and from wavering in your faith.

We all know that Jesus is going to return for his second coming, and its going to be a great day when that happens, but no one knows when. It could be tomorrow, it could be in a few decades. Only the father knows, as Jesus tells (v.7). But while we wait, we will be witnesses and representatives. He's given us the role to share his life with others, not just with speech, but also by our actions and our entire lives. Note that he says Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. It has to get bigger, and wider. Not only reaching out to the people within arms reach, but as well as the people on the opposite ends of the earth. These were Christ's last words on earth.

Look to the sky. Thats what the disciples did (v.11). But they were told, that our God, Jesus Christ will rise into heaven, and will one day descend from heaven, bringing judgement and bringing joy. This is what brings us hope. Life is worth the living just because he lives. Its a good reminder. I think now whenever i look into the sky, it'll refuel me with hope, knowing he's coming back.

People have been waiting for centuries for Christ to come. And sometimes it seems hopeless because its been SO LONG. But i think thats the true test of faith. He has promised that he will return to rescue us from this deadly world, and bring us to a world of love and happiness. Do you have the faith to wait, knowing this is the Lord of Lords, King of Kings who will return?

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

2 Peter 3:10

Road to Calvary (VII)

He has risen! Hallelujah! Christ has risen and has defeated the grave! All praise and glory to God now and forevermore!

Today during the sermon, the speaker started with clips from the movie Passion of The Christ. She reminded us that it isn't just a movie, but reality. I started watching, but within the first minute, I had to look away. It was just too much, and i couldn't take it. The blood. The pain. The scars. The beating. The whipping. All for me. All for you. Seeing the nine-tail whip lash onto his flesh and rip it away when taken back. Watching the nails being pounded into his wrist and his feet. Seeing how rough they were, even trying to think of how severe that pain was is unbearable. It took that clip for me to really and fully realize the degree of pain Christ went through for us. How much he took on, the sin of MANKIND on his shoulders, dying for all of us. That's true love. We can't and should not sugar coat it anymore.

But, although he was crucified and had died, his promise reigned, and he rose from the grave three days later.

¹ Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) ¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

John 20:1-10

The third day, Mary and Simon Peter went to visit the tomb, and to their surprise, Jesus wasn't there. There's isn't much to say about this passage. Its all facts. But knowing that Christ has risen brings us true and eternal hope.

Christ has risen, he has conquered death. Something us humans have been trying to do for centuries. He has overcome the greatest thing. From temptations, to death, he is victorious! And because of this, we should be so thankful knowing that someone so powerful and perfect is right next to us. If he can overcome something as great as death, with God by our side, we can be victorious over whatever sin we are dealing with.

We sang a newer song at service today. Christ is Risen by Matt Maher. The lyrics are so powerful, especially in the bridge, and singing it today, i can really sing it, not with the words but with my heart. It was like singing and saying to the devil that we are victorious, you cannot win, we cannot lose, and that God is greater than anything in this world.

"O death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your victory? O church, come stand in the light! Our God is not dead, He's Alive, He's Alive!"

What powerful lyrics. But that wasn't the only song that impacted me today.

During the baptism today, we sang the song Because He Lives. The past while i've just been down in the dumps, wanting to give up, to give in, and just to stop. It wasn't worth it, but the lyrics again here pushed me forward.

"Because he lives, I can face tomorrow,

Because he lives, All fear is gone.

Because I know, He holds the future,

And life is worth the living, just because He lives."

It is because of God's love, Christ's resurrection that I live. That I continue to fight each and every day. He is protecting me in his loving arms, there is nothing to fear because he has a perfect plan for me. The part that struck me most was "and life is worth the living, JUST because He lives". JUST because. He's the reason why life is worth living, JUST GOD. JUST CHRIST. Nothing else.

Praise God.

He works in such magical, mysterious ways.

I cannot do anything by exalt his almighty name.

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

Road to Calvary (V)

Today is Good Friday. It was today, many many years ago that our Saviour was put on a cross, shed his blood for our sins. He gave up his life for us. A sinless, guiltless perfect man died for you and me.

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. ¹⁷ Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). ¹⁸ There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

¹⁹ Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. ²⁰Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. ²¹ The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

²² Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

²³ When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

²⁴ “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”

This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,

“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”

So this is what the soldiers did.

²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.”From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

John 19:17-27

Christ was crucified for us. If you looked into it, you were see exactly how extreme and how painful it really was, from the whipping, to carrying the cross, to being nailed, hung, and pierced. He went though a lot of pain for us.

We get to see a last glimpse of Pilate's character here, and like the speaker described in the sermon today, that some people respond to the cross by just touching it, not embracing it. Pilate recognized that God was guiltless, but he still gave into peer pressure in the previous post. Pilate wrote "The King of The Jews" as a statement, whereas the others wanted it to say that "he CLAIMED to be the King of The Jews". But Pilate stayed true and kept it how he wrote it, hinting at the truth and what he believed and saw. A sinless, guiltless person, taking the blame and the consequence for something he didn't deserve.

The next part, with the casting lots, it said that it was done to fulfill scripture as it was said in Psalm 22:18. I personally do not see and understand the significance yet besides fulfilling scripture. For instance, why did they cast lots for it? What was the point of that?

The last few verses, i feel like it shows the detail of God's plan. That when Mary saw her son up there on the cross, he had already planned for her to be taken care of, by his disciple. It shows how detailed our God thinks, how exact and precise, and to the tee. That all things are perfect in his hands.

²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

³¹ Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. ³² The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.³⁴ Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. ³⁵ The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. ³⁶ These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” ³⁷ and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

John 19:28-37

"It is finished". Jesus' final words before he died on the cross. You can really see his true dedication to his Father and to the plan. He carried out every single bit of God's plan from beginning to end, not wavering or straying away.

Again, like the garment and the lots, scripture was to be fulfilled when Jesus was pierced. That no bones will be broken, only pierced, as referred to in Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12, as well as Psalm 34:20. Its amazing to see that even after Jesus' death that scripture is being fulfilled and God's plan is always in motion.

Jesus' body was then buried in a tomb, and he lay there the next three days, and while the world mourned, God above knew that something greater was coming.

Resurrection Sunday.

¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

John 2:19

Road to Calvary (IV)

Jesus was betrayed, arrested, and was lead to crucifixion. After Peter's denial, he is brought to Pilate, as he's questioned, but as the Son of God, he did not deny, and told the truth that no one believed. That he was the Son of God. Pilate looked through his records, and it was true, he hasn't committed any crime and did no deserve any form of punishment since our God is pure and sinless. He asked the crowd what they wanted, between Jesus and Barabbus (who was a robber), yet the crowd still wanted to bring down Christ. So Pilate gave in and gave them what they wanted (John 18:28-40).

¹ Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. ² The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe ³ and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

⁴ Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” ⁵ When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

⁶ As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”

But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

⁷ The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”

⁸ When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, ⁹ and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰“Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

¹¹ Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

¹² From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

¹³ When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). ¹⁴ It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.

“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.

¹⁵ But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

¹⁶ Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

John 19:1-16

Just as described, Jesus was ridiculed. He was spat on, he was made fun of, and insulted, with a crown of thorns and the purple robe (v. 1-3).

After the bit at the end of John 18, we see Pilate's growth here. He brings Jesus back out to the crowd, saying that he has found NO guilt in him, that he shouldn't be crucified. He's defending Christ! (v.4). Yet the people continue to order for Christ to be crucified. Have you ever thought, "wow if only i was born in that time, i would be able to see this great amazing God", but if you really think about it, what if you were one of thousands that were ordering Christ to be crucified. Can you imagine being in that moment, whether you were apart of the crowd or were against it. Seeing our Saviour beaten, torn, battered. The pain he must go through for us, out of love and grace.

Pilate goes crazy. He drags God back and tells him that he has to power to free him, but this one line that Jesus said was extremely powerful. “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” (v.11). Christ acknowledged what Pilate was trying to do, but it also shows God's power. He knows that no matter what anyone may try to do, God's plan will rule and will reign. It was Christ's purpose to be the final sacrifice for us, and His will shall be done. Pilate continues to try and save Christ, and the crowd says that if you release him, you are not a friend of Caesar's.

I had no idea it was going to be like this, but every single post, i continue to see links between the characters as well as us everyday. Judas represented the sinner in us, we will betray and fall short of God's glory. We may also be like Peter, two faced, denying Christ for our own benefit, out of pride or for our reputation. And once again, we can relate to Pilate. The crowd continues to shout at Pilate, and its exactly like the world today. Casear is the "king of The World" and the people are the people OF the World. And we are constantly being told what to do by the media, what standards we should have, how we should live, and it is up to us whether to decide to follow and give in or stand against. Although in the end Pilate gave in and followed the orders of the people, he still had a spark in him that wanted to do the good.

Like I mentioned earlier, that God's plan is so much more perfect and so much more powerful. Although Pilate did want to save Jesus from his death, but I feel like its possible that God made sure that Pilate wouldn't stand against. That he would eventually give in, and bring Jesus to his death because the plan will and must be carried out.

Where do you stand? As Easter weekend starts, instead of thinking about the chocolate you'll get, and maybe a visit from the Easter bunny, take some time to reflect on the pain and the journey Christ went through on his final days on earth. He lived out the truth. He fought for the truth. He was arrested for the truth. He died for the truth. He stood by the truth. He was the truth.

Jesus Christ is the greatest example we should live by that has ever walked on this earth. May he be glorified today and forevermore.

10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:10

Road to Calvary (III)

Before Jesus was arrested, as the amazing man he was, continue to prove himself by prophesying. Earlier in John 13, Jesus predicts that Peter will deny him three times before the rooster crows, and in John 18, that is exactly what happens after Jesus is arrested.

15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest,16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

...

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

John 18:15-18, 25-27

In the previous post, Judas represented us as followers of Christ that have fallen short of his glory because we are human and because we are sinners and need the love and help of Christ to reconcile with God. Similarly, here, Peter also can represent us. When we confess, repent and believe in our God, the sinner's prayer says that we accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour. But many times, we forget why we say this, what this statement means and what commitment we're getting into exactly.

Saviour. We believe that Christ died on the cross for us, for all of mankind because we have fallen short of God's glory through sin. He is that connection between us and God, granting us the gift of salvation.

Lord. We often forget that when we say Lord, we are letting God take our lives by the reigns, and giving him full access and control. He reigns in our life as Lord. We should know and believe that he has a perfect and better plan for us, and having faith in him will only bring us blessing and happiness.

As a commitment, we are "married" to Christ. Peter, one of the disciples was completely committed to following Christ, but afterwards, he denied knowing him. If you were married, you wouldn't deny that your spouse was your spouse right? What kind of relationship is that? Yet as followers we may have the tendency to deny our God, due to pride, selfishness, and reputation.

Have you ever been a "Peter" in your life? Have you ever denied your faith because you would get ridiculed? judged? "Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself", at first, it seems like such an insignificant line, why is that necessary to be put in? (v. 18) After thinking about it, it shows how two-faced Peter (as well as us) can be. He simply decided to follow the world, "the servant and officers" (who were against Jesus), and join in their activities. This really demonstrates the difference between living IN this world and OF this world. Where do you stand? How far will you go before you decide to go against Christ?

"at once, a rooster crowed." A true demonstration of the power of God. That it IMMEDIATELY crowed, exactly as Jesus predicted. I've felt this before, after sinning, I sometimes feel like Adam and Eve, after biting into that apple after temptation, to have my eyes truly open to realize exactly how disgusting this act was, and how Satan lured us in.

But there's hope. God STILL continues to love us oh so unconditionally. And as long as we have genuine repentance and ask for forgiveness, he will give us another chance, a clean slate as his mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23).

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Romans 11:33

Road to Calvary (II)

After Jesus' prayer for himself, his disciples, and for us, he is betrayed by Judas as he knew and expected.

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

John 18:1-11

We've heard this story several times, and we've always learnt and have known Judas as the "bad guy". But when I was thinking about this passage today, and reading it over, i think that Judas truly represents all of us. We have all betrayed Jesus, we have all gone against him, behind his back, and have fallen short of his glory.

And its okay, we are human, we are sinners and we cannot be perfect and holy. But as Christ followers, we have to strive for this holiness, for this righteousness to become like and imitate God. If we say we are followers yet still indulge in the things of this world, thats being two-faced and it doesn't present a good representation of Christ. In this world we are called to be light, and everyone is looking at us. Your actions, and speech as Christians can easily make impressions on others, whether it may be positive, negative, accurate or inaccurate.

The last two verses real stuck out to me. When Simon uses a sword and slices off the servant's ear. Thinking about it now, and thinking about how impulsive he was, I think many times as Christians, as we start to build our faith, after we pass the early stages, we can easily develop as "Holier Than Thou" attitude, and I think we easily judge others very quickly as well. Like Simon, instead of cutting off an ear, we'd say "oh we're better than that person", "oh he's does this, when he shouldn't be doing it", but we really should be looking at ourselves. Everyone is equal in sin. Jesus says to him, "shall i not drink the cup my father gives me?". I found this as a really odd statement, why would he say such a thing? I think he's trying to say that because Jesus knows it is apart of God's plan for him to die, he needs to obey and follow it, (drinking the cup) and execute and fulfill his purpose.

One last thing i noticed was how calm Jesus was. Although he knew his plan for him, he was calm. For us, i think we often are scared and would panic because we don't know his plan for us, but Jesus' plan was death. Yet he had such great faith in God, ready for whatever he has in store for him.

As this final week before Easter arrives, continue to reflect and think about, how you are representing Christ, after understanding and knowing what kind of person he is.

¹⁰The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹²Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

Romans 6:10-12

Road To Calvary (I)

Since it is the final week before Easter comes around, i decided that I wanted to dedicate this week to Jesus' road to Calvary. Im planning to go through his last moments on earth, everyday, starting from John 17 (not sure why i picked there). Here goes. May God speak to you and me through his Word.

¹ After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“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.

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

⁶ “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. ⁷ Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. ⁸ For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.⁹ I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. ¹⁰All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. ¹¹ I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. ¹² While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe bythat name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

¹³ “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. ¹⁴ I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. ¹⁵ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Jesus Prays for All Believers

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. ²²I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— ²³ I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

²⁴ “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

²⁵ “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. ²⁶ I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

John 17

After reading through and listening to what Jesus said in this prayer, there's really a lot of context here. So i'll try to break it down, or just share first thoughts that came to my mind. In the text i was reading in, ESV, i didn't know it was split into so many parts, but i guess that'll be an advantage.

Verses 1-5, when reading this, i thought that this could also be a prayer we should be praying to God with. He talks about glorifying God with his life (v.2) just as we should be with our speech, and actions, living as a holy and pleasing sacrifice. It also hints about our purpose on this earth. Christ's purpose was to be sent to die, carrying the sins of mankind, granting us salvation and forgiveness for those who believe and repent. But for us, can we say v.4 before we leave the earth? That we've brought glory to his plan?

Verses 6-19, going through this, i can really see how Christ is the connection between us and God. Like that cartoon i've seen where the cross is the bridge between earth and heaven. In these verses I feel like he's really talking FOR us. For instance, he says protect them (v.11). He's really talking for us, wanting the best for us, but something extremely important is that he's praying for those who have accepted the truth (v.8-9). He states very clearly that he is praying for them (those who accepted the word), NOT the world. Reading this section over and over, you can really see how much God has loved us. He talks about how he's protected us while he was on earth, but now that he's leaving he hopes God can provide and watch for us (v.11-12). The rest of the verses continue to show his connection with us, being the link between the sinful and the holy. Verse 16 dives right back into being representatives of Christ, of living IN this world, not OF this world. As followers of Christ we must live and strive to imitate him. Jesus knows that following him is hard, and the world will hate you because you are going against the current, the trends, but its a fight (v.14).

Verses 20-26 are similar to the section before, but instead, Christ is praying for all the believers versus his disciples earlier. But no only does Jesus pray for the believers, he adds in the non believers too. He knows that there are people who do not believe, and that he proclaimed his name, radiating God's love to others, and he hopes that that can continue to happen through his disciples and through us. Thats one of the more general purposes we have on this earth, to share his love and good news to others.

Reading and going through this passage, I think i've finally opened up and have seen Christ's love for me. I've always felt distant from his death and sacrifice because it happened so long ago, but reading his prayer, it really shows his love for us as we see him speaking for us.

⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

1 John 4:9-11