Tag: John

Jesus’s Prayer is That He Glorifies God

Scripture: John 17: 1-5

Jesus’s Prayer

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the work began.”

Scripture Commentary:

This entire chapter is Jesus’s prayer. From it, we learn that the world is a tremendous battleground where the forces under Satan’s power and those under God’s authority are at war. Satan and his forces are motivated by bitter hatred for Christ and his forces.

Jesus prayed for his disciples, including those of us who follow him today. He prayed that God would keep his chosen believers safe from satan’s power, setting them apart and making them pure and holy, uniting them through his truth.

How do we get eternal life? Jesus tells us clearly here – by knowing God the Father through his Son, Jesus Christ. Eternal life requires entering into a personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

When we admit our sin and turn away from it, Christ’s love lives in us by the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus came to earth, he was one with God. At the time of this prayer, when his mission on earth was almost finished, Jesus was asking his Father to restore him to his original place of honor and authority.

Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, and Stephen’s dying exclamation in the book of Acts, attest that Jesus did return to his exalted position at the right hand of God. Jesus is the only way to God.

Read the Entire Chapter:
John Chapter 17

The Productive Branch Bears Fruit

Scripture: John 15: 1-4

I AM the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Scripture Commentary: God prunes the branch so that it bears great fruit

Are we carrying old, ungodly material with us (i.e., things that we know we should have put out of our lives a long time ago)? Be honest with yourself and let Jesus purge those things so that you can be fruitful for God. When you let go, you will become a fruitful, and not an unproductive, branch.

Jesus will cut away the unproductive parts so the productive parts can carry his Word. Do not be the part that has to be cut off and burned in the fire.

We are not perfect. God sometimes disciplines us to strengthen our character and faith, so the part of us that is infected would not infect the whole body.  We will come across blockers In our walk who will try to stop us from living out God’s Word.

Remember Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to comfort us, to teach us and to show us the way.

Read the Entire Chapter:
John Chapter 15