“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:” John 17:22
David understood the act of crying out to God with the desires of his heart, knowing God would hear and answer. “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). We know that Jesus lived out what God’s Word has taught throughout the ages. We see once again, that Jesus makes his petitions known to God in His prayer in the garden on the evening He was arrested, believing God would answer every request: “20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world”(John 17:20–24).
Although Jesus had just prayed for his disciples, notice that He was no longer just praying for them. Jesus was now praying for every person born from then on who would believe the Bible and would give their hearts and lives to Jesus (John 17:20). If you will observe, He included the same issues in prayer for us that He had prayed for the disciples, the men with whom He had spent three years ministering. He made known God’s glory (John 17:22), not only to them, but also to the Gentiles as well. (Glorify means “to reveal the divine character and attributes of God. In John 17:22, this is from the verb that means to be accounted, or be of reputation of”.) Christians today are to understand this as well. When the world see a Christian, they should be depicting the “glory” of God. In other words, a Christian should reveal the attributes of God, having this reputation revealed in their lives.“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Also understand that as Believers, the whole world should see and recognize us as Christians.
Jesus’ heart’s desire is laid out for us in these verses. He wanted the people who believed in Him to understand that He would be in us and that God’s glory would be revealed to us. Then those who believed could understand the love of God. See how this is understood and revealed to us. “16. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18. May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19. And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:16–19).
In John 17:26, Jesus prayed that we would experience the same love from God that He did. How can that happen? “Jesus answered and said unto him,If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23).
Something to consider: After Jesus died and rose again, John could look back at what Jesus had taught and lived out in His life. Once John understood that Jesus was God, he penned these wonderful words to help others understand just what he saw and experienced. Jesus was God come in the flesh—to reveal God to a lost world, giving them the power to become the sons of God. “1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2. The same was in the beginning with God. 3. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. … 10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:1–5, 10–12). What a privilege! When one receives Jesus, believing by faith, that one becomes a son of God.
Have you recognized the glory revealed in Jesus, believed, and become a child of God?
Have you then allowed the world to recognized the glory (the divine character and attributes of God) of God revealed in your life?
http://biblicalpath.com/index.php/how-to-be-saved/
This was a great study in John 17. It was part of our Biblical Path Sunday School lesson for 12/24/23. What a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas Eve morning! It surely quickened my spirit even more as I read the Lord Jesus’s prayer to the Father where He says He imputes His righteousness onto even me! Christ in us the hope of glory!”