John 17:20-26

Lifted Up!

            I’d be wrong not to discuss Jesus’ ascension today. It’s kind of a big deal in terms of the Church year. While the ascension isn’t our entire focus today, we’ll see very clearly how big of an impact it has on our life. Following Jesus’s resurrection, he remains with his disciples for forty days. Hence, Jesus’ ascension is celebrated every year forty days following Easter—which was this past Thursday. The ascension is the day when Jesus is taken up into heaven to sit on his heavenly throne. Jesus is reunited with the Father in all his heavenly glory so that he may reign over all things. And this seems all well and good. It’s the consummation of Jesus’ victory, enshrining his triumph over sin, Satan, and death by his cross and resurrection. However, the ascension of Jesus is a turning point. It’s a hinge on which the entire perspective of the church changed. Let us understand that Jesus was the origin of the church. He was the first “pastor” if you will, who brings the church into existence. And for the three years of his ministry, the disciples always had Jesus right there with them to ask questions, to seek guidance, and to receive help whenever they came up short. With the ascension, that all changed. Jesus is no longer with them. This super important person, the crux of the entire mission, is now gone! And this is the reality with which we still live. Jesus no longer walks among us, granting us his wisdom and guidance. Thus, Jesus’ ascension is a mixture of emotions. We realize the good and importance behind it, but also wish we didn’t have to say goodbye.

            But today, in our Gospel reading, we see how Jesus prepared his disciples and us for his departure and ascension. Jesus knew already that he couldn’t stay here forever. So, he prayed. While we may be far removed from the time of Jesus, we find something amazing, as we learn:

JESUS PRAYED FOR YOU!

I.

            It’s no great surprise that the phrase “I’m praying for you” means very little among us today. It’s often the last thing we say to someone in a difficult circumstance. It’s not because we don’t mean it (usually), but because we don’t often believe it does any good. It’s one of those phrases that our culture has adopted as simply meaning, “I wish you well, but I’m not going to do anything to help you.” These are things that we must drastically change our understanding about if we’re going to fully grasp and comprehend the significance of Jesus’ actions today. Consider Jesus’ words, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one,” John 17:20-21a. This chapter of John is often called Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. This is when Jesus is praying in the Garden of Gethsemane right before he’s arrested. In these final peaceful moments before his passion, Jesus prays. He prays for his disciples. He prays for their ministry. But most interestingly, he prays for you and me… those who believe through their word. There in the garden, Jesus holds in his heart all those who he cares about. It’s not just those of his time, but as God, he looks forward to the fruitful harvest of his word in his disciples’ hands, to the growth of faith in us too.

            Why would Jesus pray? Why not use his divine power to do exactly what he wanted? Wouldn’t that have been easier? For this is where we always misunderstand prayer. We consider prayer as the antithesis to action, as if prayer means we’re doing nothing of value. But Jesus knew differently. Jesus prayed knowing all that we would endure. He knew the temptation and torment his own disciples would undergo following his passion. Jesus knew our weakness, that we would be beset by sin and its stain, but this is why he first prayed. “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,” John 17:24. Jesus prayed because he knew all the hardships, the struggles, and temptations that we would face. He knew how Satan would attack us. This is why he prayed that we may be upheld through every trial. He prayed that we would continuously believe through the word of his disciples that we may be with him for eternity.

II.

            Jesus doesn’t contrast prayer with action. Rather, his prayer becomes the precursor to all that he does. This was the night when Jesus knew he would be arrested. This was the night when he would face trial before the high priests and Pilate. This was the night when his very own disciples would be scattered for fear of their own lives. Yet, Jesus prayed… and these were no empty words. For it’s impossible for true prayer to do nothing. True prayer, lifted up before the throne of grace, shall unite heart and mind with God and one another. As Jesus said, “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one,” John 17:22-23a. To truly pray for ourselves, for one another, for the church, and for our country is to show the deepest care and concern for one another. And it’s these feeble words offered up to God that works mightily among us. It’s prayer that leads us to the unity for which Jesus prayed. A unity of confession, of belief, of love and devotion to one another.

            Let us come to understand the full significance of this phrase, “Jesus prayed for you.” This doesn’t mean that Jesus had nothing left to give. Rather, it means he gave it all to God for you. Everything that Jesus prayed for, he would then offer up himself to bring to its fulfillment. Jesus prayed that we may be preserved from sin and death. So, God gave us Jesus to face sin and death for us. Jesus prayed that we may be united with one another, so he brought us all together in his body by his death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. Jesus prayed that we may be with him where he is… so Jesus ascended to heaven that he may send to us the Holy Spirit who shall preserve and guide us in this faith unto life everlasting! Indeed, Jesus shows us everything that prayer is. It’s offering up to God all that we have, need, want, and are, laying it all at His feet, so that God may make the best of it all. All this, he does through Jesus Christ and his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. Now, as Jesus sits at God’s right hand, he personally carries our prayers to God, our Heavenly Father, that He may answer them by his infinite grace!

            “I’m praying for you” should mean so much more now when we know that Jesus has… and continues… to pray for us. Jesus knew all the troubles that we would face, especially following his ascension, so he lifts up us all to the throne of God that we may be strengthened and preserved in faith until the time when we shall join Jesus in life everlasting! In Jesus’ name! Amen!