Summary, part 5 of 5 – John, Chapter 17

Chapter 17 contains Yeshua’s impassioned prayer to the Father. It is the middle of the night and He is only moments from His betrayal by the hands of Judas. While John 17 contains the fullness of Yeshua’s prayer, Luke 22 sets the scene in detail.

Yeshua tells the disciples to pray so that they will not enter into temptation, but they fall asleep. Then He separates Himself and begins to pray. Luke 22:42 Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done. He prays this with such zeal that He sweats blood.

Why do I think that is the best prayer ever prayed? Yeshua would not yield to the flesh. He prayed, He heard and He obeyed. The Father had something greater for His Son. In the greatest act of submission, He took on the sins of the world. 2 Corinthians 5:21 He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

We all want to join Him in His victory. But, are we willing to join Him in His suffering? Paul was willing and expressed himself to the Philippians. Philippians 3:10 My aim is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the sharing of His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death – if somehow I might arrive at the resurrection from among the dead.

Yeshua spoke this to His disciples earlier in the Upper Room Discourse … John 15:13 No one has greater love than this: that he lay down his life for his friends. That you and I could be called a friend of God is a great miracle, only possible through God’s grace.

As you can tell, I’m impressed with the passion of Yeshua in the Upper Room Discourse. First He expresses His passion (while prophesying and teaching) horizontally to His disciples (and now, because we can read the Bible), to us as well. Then He expresses His passion to the Father in John 17. We read that account and say, “Yes and amen. Bo Yeshua Bo!” (Come Yeshua come)

Why did Yeshua give Himself in such a self-sacrificing way? He answered that for us at the end of John 17. First Yeshua says that His desire is for us to be with Him, where He is, partaking of His Father’s glory. John 17:24 Father, I also want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory – the glory You gave Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. Then He prays to share His love and Himself. John 17:26b … so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them. Yes, it was so that the love of the Father and Son would be shared with us. I receive it. Would you receive it too?