I am captivated by the thought of Jesus praying, not only for His contemporary disciples, but also for believers to come! Our Lord certainly had faith in the growth of His Church!
If you recall, Jesus in Matthew 16:18 resolutely said “I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH!”Future saints!
And this Church (including those of us who been saved over the past few years), millennia after Jesus waked the earth … will be some day be … “glorious, not having spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish!” Quoting Ephesians 5:27!
No wonder our Lord so earnestly prays for those who “shall believe” on Him!
In this 17th chapter we have Jesus praying as our Mediator to His Father. Obviously having our needs and burdens and trials on His Heart! This is a fulfillment of Bible typology. When Israel’s High Preist went into the Holy Place to commune with God … he wore an outer covering on his chest called a “breastplate.” On it were engraved (on twelve precious stones) the names of all the tribes of Israel! They were, so to speak, on his heart! Let’s then praise God for Jesus our great High Priest! Who wears us on His Heart, in His Heart!
I tried in the Lesson to depict this One-ness between the Father, Son, Holy Spirit … a Unity into which we Christians are invited to participate!
Here are some One-ness verses that might help to further illustrate. The Harmony that exists between believing Jews and gentiles, for example. “For he (Jesus) is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us (Jews and gentiles). Ephesians 2:14
Furthermore, Colossians 2:2 says that we Christians are to be “knit together in love!” Sounds pretty unified!
1 John 1:3 pictures this as well … “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
Wow!
EVERY BLESSING WE HAVE, EVERY POSSESSION WE ENJOY … IS A RESULT OF THE INTIMATE UNION WE HAVE WITH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST!
Now, if you can, watch the whole Lesson …
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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