Making Him Known in the World

John 17

​In his high priestly prayer in John 17, Jesus prayed for Himself, His disciples, and all of His church.

“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.” John 17:1–5 (ESV)

Warren Wiersbe writes in his Word Commentary, “The prayer reveals our Lord’s spiritual priorities: glorifying the Father, the unity of the church, the sanctity of the church, and the winning of a lost world.” The question that arises for us is... are these priorities in our life?

“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.” John 17:6–11 (ESV)

Dr. Tony Evans writes in his Study Bible, “Jesus seems to be anticipating the state of affairs after His ascension, when the disciples are carrying on His earthly ministry. The term “world” could refer to those who oppose Jesus. If this is the case, Jesus means that He will no longer dialogue with those who oppose Him. From this point forward, Jesus’ answers to His oppressors are minimal and straightforward; He speaks plainly. He will go to His death in the same way as the Suffering Servant—silently.”

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” Isaiah 53:7 (ESV)

He writes on, “Since believers are one with Jesus, and Jesus is one with God the Father, believers are one with God the Father. However, proximity to God’s holiness requires a sacrifice for believers’ sins—which takes place in Jesus’ death. Jesus has emphasized this point to His disciples throughout chapters 14–17.”

“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. John 17:12–16 (ESV)

It also reveals the gifts He has given His people: eternal life, the Word, and His glory. The believers are the Father’s gift to Him, just as Jesus is the Father’s love gift to us. It is all of grace!

The word world appears nineteen times in this prayer, for this prayer tells us how to “overcome the world.” We must seek God’s glory first, experience His joy, be sanctified by the Word, seek to win the lost, and encourage the unity of God’s people.

“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.” John 17:17–23 (ESV)

Sanctify refers to God’s ongoing work to set His people apart for His purposes—to make them holy as He is holy. The Spirit is the one who prompts and tends to this work.

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7

Glory is another key word in this passage. Christ laid aside His glory to come to earth, glorified God on earth, and was glorified when He returned to heaven, Christ is glorified in His church, and has shared His glory with the church. We already have the glory; we are just waiting for it to be fully revealed.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Romans 8:18–21 (ESV)

Wiersbe writes that the Scottish Reformer John Knox had this prayer read to him daily during his last illness. But we would all benefit by starting now to read it and meditate on it. What a treasury of truth it is!

“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.” John 17:25–26 (ESV)
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Do you know Him? Do those around you know Him? Will you make Him known in a world that does not know Him?

Know today that as God sent Jesus into the world, so is He sending us into the world to make Him known.

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