This week, we are looking at the prayer that Jesus prayed shortly before He went to the cross. Some call it, “The High-Priestly Prayer.” It’s found in John chapter 17.

There are three parts of this prayer. He prayed first for Himself (John 17:1–5), then for His apostles (vv. 6–19), and finally for future believers (vv. 20–26).

Yesterday, we looked at Jesus’ prayer regarding Himself.

Today, we look at His prayer for His apostles.

John 17:6–19 (ESV)

6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

I am simply going to break this prayer down in outline form and let the Scriptures speak for themselves.

A. In praying for His disciples, He first reviewed His ministry for them.

1. He has revealed the Father to them (17:6–7).

“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.”

2. He has given the Father’s words to them (17:8, 14).

“For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.” (verse 8)

“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (verse 14)

3. He has prayed for them (17:9–10).

“I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.”

4. He has kept them safe, with the exception of Judas (17:12).

“While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”

5. He has set Himself apart for their sanctification (17:19).

“And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.”

6. He has sent them into the world (17:18).

“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.”

B. Next, Jesus previews the Father’s future ministry for the disciples.

1. He asks that the Father unify them (17:11).

“And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”

2. He asks that the Father impart joy to them (17:13).

“But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves..”

3. He asks that the Father protect them (17:15–16).

“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”

4. He asks that the Father sanctify them (17:17).

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

One cannot help but sense the love Jesus has for His apostles.

He came from the Father in order to show them the love of the Father. He gave them the words that the Father had given Him to say. He sees that they have now separated themselves from the ways of the world. He prays for them as they must now stand up against a hostile world. Up until now He had protected them from the evil one, but now He asked the Father to be their protector. He prays for their unity to live as one, even as He and the Father are one.  He prays that they might be separated out by the truth that comes from the Father’s words of truth.

What an amazing prayer.  And even now Jesus prays the same for us.