THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE

Passage: John 17:20-26

Key verse: 22

NIV

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,(A) Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.(B) May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.(C) 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me,(D) that they may be one as we are one(E)— 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(F) and have loved them(G) even as you have loved me.

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

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

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Footnotes
  1. John 17:26 Greek your name
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

20 “I do not (A)ask for these only, but also for those (B)who will believe in me through their word, 21 (C)that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that (D)they also may be in (E)us, so that the world (F)may believe that you have sent me. 22 (G)The glory that you have given me (H)I have given to them, (I)that they may be one even as we are one, 23 (J)I in them and you in me, (K)that they may become perfectly one, (L)so that the world may know that you sent me and (M)loved them even as (N)you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be (O)with me (P)where I am, (Q)to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me (R)before the foundation of the world. 25 (S)O righteous Father, even though (T)the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 (U)I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love (V)with which you have loved me may be in them, and (W)I in them.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Jesus prayed for his future disciples (us) to be one. This unity does not refer to social unity. It is the unity of believers whom Jesus has redeemed through his blood. Everyone needs unity with our Father God and the Son, submitting their self-centered desires to God’s will and having the same spirit, love, and purpose of Christ. When we are transformed in Christ from what we were, we will see the world from God’s perspective and live according to God’s words and will. We will be one as the Father and the Son are one. The unity of believers from all walks of life is a witness of Jesus Christ to others.

Jesus prayed also that we would be with him in the kingdom to come. He really wanted to share his glory with us. What a glorious day it will be as we shall see his glory and share in it.

Jesus also prayed for us to continue to know the Father. The goal in the Christian life is to grow in our relationship with God, for this is eternal life through Jesus Christ (3). Jesus promised that he would continue to make God known to us and that he himself would come to dwell in us.

Prayer: Lord, help me to pursue Christian unity and come to know you ever more.

One Word: Unity in Christ