“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 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.” John 17:20-21 (Read John 17:20-26)

Not only did Jesus pray for His disciples who traveled with Him and heard His words and doctrine. On the eve of His sufferings and death, He prayed for those who would (in the days and years following Christ’s death and resurrection) come to believe in Him through the word of these first believers and disciples — the word recorded for us in the pages of the Bible.

Jesus prayed that those who would yet come to believe in Him through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word would also be one in the Father and the Son, and, so also, one with each other.

John also speaks of this in his first epistle when he writes: “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

Through the hearing of God’s Word, the Holy Spirit graciously calls God’s elect to faith in God the Son as Savior and Redeemer and grants to them the forgiveness that Christ won for all upon the cross, thus bringing them into fellowship with God the Father, with Christ Jesus His Son, and with all other believers of all time who trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation.

Jesus even gives to them to partake of the glory that He received from the Father so that those who trust in Jesus are changed into His image and carry on the work that Jesus started by suffering and dying for the sins of the world (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18; 5:15-17; Rom. 8:29; Eph. 4:11-16, 20-24; Mat. 28:16-20; Acts 1:8). In fact, the closer we walk with our Lord Jesus by continuing in His Word and holding fast to Him by faith, the closer and more perfect in one we become with Christ and all others who trust in Him.

Many seek unity among Christians and churches without regard for the doctrine of God’s Word. True unity, on the other hand, is given to us as we hear and believe all that God’s Word teaches!

Jesus prayed that all whom the Father has given Him may one day be with Him in heaven and behold Jesus’ glory which the Father has given Him, for the Father loved the Son even before the creation of the world. Thus, Jesus prays for our eternal salvation and glorification with Him in heaven.

The apostle John writes in his first epistle: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

Jesus concluded His prayer with some remarkable words to consider: “O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee: but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou hast sent Me. And I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:25-26).

The world of humanity has not known God the Father. Contrary to what many think and even though people may speak of God and use His name, they do not know God (cf. Rom. 3:10ff.). But Jesus knows God the Father, and His disciples know that Jesus was sent into the world by the Father to be our Savior. Jesus has and continues to declare the Father’s name among us so that we too might know Him and His great love for us, which is ours in His Son, Christ Jesus!

Dear Lord Jesus, keep us trusting in You and Your cross for the forgiveness of our sins and draw us ever closer to You so that we may be one with You, the Father, and with all who trust in Your holy name. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]