“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 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. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
Jesus prayed for us, too. Yes, for us who believe in Jesus Christ now, in the 21st century. He prayed for all who would believe in Him through His disciples’ words. The disciples words are recorded in the New Testament; they are the only way that we have to know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believe in Him. So we qualify. We believe in Jesus through the disciples’ words.
Jesus prayed primarily for unity. He prayed for the same unity that exists between the Father and the Son. We saw earlier that Jesus defined that unity as existing because the Father gave Jesus the Father’s words to speak and the Father’s work to do (John 8:28; 10:25-38; 14:8-21; 15:9-10) . That’s the unity they share. And Christ prayed that we would share that same unity with each other – ultimately, with Him and the Father. Why? So that the world might believe that the Father sent Christ.
In this prayer, Jesus also declares that He gives His glory to those who believe in Him through the disciples’ testimony – to us! We have the glory of Jesus! What was that glory? It was the glory of bearing His Father’s words in His mouth and life to such an extent that He was put on display before the world on the cross. In the world’s eyes, it was not glorious. But Christ still received the world’s attention, and that same attention will come to those who believe in Him, carrying His words and deeds into the darkness. Again, what is the purpose of this glory? That we might be united with each other, with Jesus, and with the Father – Jesus’ words in us, the Father’s words in Jesus.
And why is this unity so important that God would give us His glory? First, so that the world may know that the Father sent Christ. If it is clear that Christ sent us by the way we bear His words and deeds into this world, then the world must also know that the Father sent Christ. So the world will encounter God through us, and the goal is that the world will know Him. Second, so that the world may see that the Father loves those who believe in Him just as the Father loves Christ. Our unity is supposed to testify to the world not only that the Father sent Jesus, but that the Father loves those who believe in Jesus enough that the Father glorifies them. If the world would recognize these two things – that the Father sent Jesus and loves those who believe in Jesus – then the world would have no good reason to reject the Father any more, but every good reason to seek to know Him.
Father, unify us with You and with each other like this. Those of us who believe in You, may we unite in Your words and Your deeds (which You command through Your words). And may our unity in these things testify to the world that You sent Christ and that You love those who believe in Jesus. May the world be drawn to Your love. May the people of the world become believers, too.
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