EASTER - THE UPPER ROOM PT 8 – THE PRAYER , CROSS, AND RESURRECTION
JOHN 17
The High Priestly Prayer
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
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.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me.
26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Jesus Prays – “The Hour Has Come”
John 17:1–5
“Glorify your Son…”
Jesus is asking the Father to lift Him up—not on a throne, but on a cross.
The glory He seeks is not the kind the world chases, It’s the glory of humility, of obedience, of love poured out.
He prays not to avoid the cross, but to fulfill its purpose.
In verse 3 Jesus defines eternal life—not as a destination, but as a relationship:
“And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
Jesus Prays – “Sanctify Them in the Truth”
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” – John 17:17
He doesn’t pray for their escape. He doesn’t ask the Father to take them out of the world, instead, He asks the Father to keep them right in the middle of it.
“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” – John 17:15
“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.”
– John 17:18
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” - John 17:19
Jesus anchors His disciples—not in tradition-not in politics-not in personal strength-but in truth-and not just any truth:God’s Word.
Jesus didn’t just pray for His disciples to somehow survive His crucifixion - He prayed that they would carry His resurrection.
Jesus Prays - For All Believers
John 17:20–26
What does He ask the Father for?
That we would be united—not by convenience or comfort, but by the bond of the Spirit.
That we would reflect the perfect unity of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Spirit, distinct yet inseparable.
He prays that we would be filled with the same love the Father has for the Son.
And then He reveals the reason He prays this:
“…so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.” (John 17:21)
Our unity isn’t just for us—it’s how the world sees Him.
TABLE TIME:
As we engage in conversation, let Paul’s words to the Colossian church be our framework. Colossians 4:6, ‘Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.’
How does Jesus’ prayer in John 17 reveal what matters most to Him for His followers?
Which part of His prayer most challenges, encourages, or inspires you personally?
Jesus didn’t pray to escape suffering—He prayed that His suffering would glorify God.
What does it look like to glorify God in your own times of struggle or suffering?
In light of Jesus’ prayer and resurrection, how might we reframe our understanding of suffering, purpose, and victory in the Christian life?
Jesus defines eternal life not as a destination but a relationship (v.3).
in light of this, how does this affect your view of eternity?
Jesus says in his prayer “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” vs 17.
In what ways does the concept of ‘sanctification through truth’ apply to your daily life and spiritual growth? How can we actively engage with God’s Word to be shaped by its truth?
Jesus prays for our sanctification, not our isolation.
What does it mean for you to be in the world but not of it?
Where do you find it most challenging to live that out?
Jesus prayed for future believers (including us) before His crucifixion. How does this long-range vision of Jesus impact your view of your place in God’s ongoing story?
Jesus prayed that His followers would experience the same kind of unity He shares with the Father and the Holy Spirit. What are some practical ways we can cultivate this deep, Christ-centered unity within our lives and communities today?
Jesus prayed for you. He died for you. He rose for you. And He still intercedes for you.
Take a few moments to pray for one another—that each person would experience deeper intimacy with the Father, boldness in mission, and unity in love as we live in response to His prayer and resurrection.
Prayer Requests: