Category Archives: Core Classes

Jude 1:3, 20-25. Pastor Rick’s Study Notes and Small Group Questions

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Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

Jude vv. 3, 20-25

v. 3 Beloved, I’ve been very eager to write to you about the salvation we share and especially the need to urge you to stand up for the faith that one time for all has been entrusted to those set apart and made holy by God.

v. 20 You who are beloved, build yourselves up in the purist things of your faith; keep praying in the Holy Spirit.

*v. 21 Remain in God’s love and keep anticipating the mercy and kindness of Jesus Christ our Lord leading toward eternal life.

v. 22 Show a patient kindness to those who are struggling to believe.

v. 23 But to others, pull them up from the fires and pull them toward a right relationship with God; still others, show them compassion even as you despise and shudder at their lives sullied by their sinful nature cut off from God.

v. 24 And to Him who is able to keep each of you from stumbling, standing blameless and celebrating in the presence of His glory;

v. 25 To the only God, our Savior Jesus Christ our Lord, yours is the splendor, majesty, power and dominion before time began, until now, and through all the ages. Amen.

v. 3 Beloved, I’ve been very eager to write to you about the salvation we share and especially the need to urge you to stand up for the faith that one time for all has been entrusted to those set apart and made holy by God.

Those who are loved. It seems that Jude, James’ brother and the half-brother of Jesus, had been eager to write this gathering of Christians about their shared redemption in Christ Jesus; but the urgency is made all the more crucial by the news of selfish and wicked people seeking to hijack the faith. The salvation shared is the “koine” or common salvation, that is, common to all. He writes to the saints. Hagios. We who are His have this incredible trust given, to make Jesus known to the next generation. It can also be noted that this is the same Jude mentioned in the Gospels who sought to take Jesus home fearing he’d lost his mind and mocked him for not going to Jerusalem earlier like others who wanted to be seen and heard. Jude is the last mentioned when Jesus’ half-brothers are listed, so probably the baby brother.

“The faith” is that core set of beliefs that by now had become the “kerygma” and the “beliefs.” Delivered or Entrusted.

The “stand” is for the Faith and at the same time against the preceding: 1) choosing a lifestyle that contradicts the holiness of God (v. 4) or “I am opposed to what doesn’t affirm my feelings or identity”2) following what feels good instead of what is faithful and right and the reign of individual expression or “I am what I feel” (vv. 9-11), 3) grasping for power and influence – the reign of personal power or “I am what I control” (vv. 16-19). Summary: power, sex, expressive individualism. In the culture, these three lead to destruction; in the church, they lead to splits, shame, and spiritual death.

v. 20 You who are beloved, build yourselves up in the purist things of your faith; keep praying in the Holy Spirit.

Again, beloved. We are responsible for doing what is needed to build ourselves up in the practical working out of our beliefs the Father delivered to us. This use of “pistis” is the practical, live by faith; contrast this with verse three, “the faith.”  And to build up, we need the most holy things that make our faith so powerful. Knowing what our faith is built on is essential. Praying in the Spirit is needed. The reflexive “yourself” leads the next verse and but goes with “keeping yourself” or remaining in God’s love instead of here.

v. 21 Remain in God’s love and keep watching with anticipation for the mercy and kindness of Jesus Christ our Lord leading toward eternal life.

This is the kind of waiting and anticipating that is both expectant for a positive outcome and looking to receive what is needed; in this case, God’s mercy poured out that will take us toward eternity. Note the triune implications in these two verses: praying in the Holy Spirit, Remaining in God (the Father’s love), and looking for the mercies of Jesus the Son.

v. 22 Show a patient kindness to those who are struggling to believe.

The word for doubt is a complicated word again reflexive meaning doubting or hesitating, but for good reason in considering and trying to decide. Mercy, or patient kindness, is due to that person.

v. 23 But to others, pull them from the fires and pull them toward a right relationship with God; still others, show them compassion even as you despise and shudder at their lives sullied by their sinful nature cut off from God.

Again, Jude uses words that are hard to translate word-for-word with just one word. Rescue them by snatching them from the fire and toward God. The word means from something toward something in the rescue. Even more graphic, show compassion and mercy to those who are stained by a life without God. He is saying that we love the person, even though we might recoil from the sin.

v. 24 And to Him who is able to keep each of you from stumbling, standing blameless with joyful celebrating in the presence of His glory;

Able as in powerful enough to keep us on our feet and standing at attention exulting and celebrating in joy because we are in God’s presence.

v. 25 To the only God, our Savior Jesus Christ our Lord, yours is the splendor, majesty, power and dominion before time began, until now, and through all the ages. Amen.

This is one of several early “doxologies” that developed as a way of praising God at the end of one’s words. Four-fold praise here; seven-fold in Revelation.

Small Group Questions:

Jude 1

  1. Jude was the brother of James and half-brother to Jesus. He is one of Mary’s kids. What does it mean to  you to know that Jude came to believe that Jesus is both Savior and Lord (read verse 24-25)?
  2. What is the difference between “the Faith” and “your personal walk of faith?” How can you build up your “Faith” and your “faith” in 2023?
  3. Have  you ever gone through a time of doubting and struggling to believe? What helped settle you struggle and doubt?
  4. Have you ever been where your life choices left you far from God? What or who pulled you back toward the Father?
  5. How can we pray for you?

G.R.O.W. Assessment GIFTS Module – Spiritual Gifts Defined:

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When you receive your Spiritual Gifts module results, you’ll notice a percentage score beside each gift. Some will be lower while others will land in the middle. This doesn’t mean you are deficient in anything or that God can’t use you in each of these gifts. In fact, God takes pleasure in using us in ways in which we think we are weaker. By all means, ask God to use you in all ways through any of His Spiritual Gifts. He’s in charge and gives good gifts to His kids!

Notice especially the gifts that are highest as these are the gifts that, at least according to this assessment, you will likely use most frequently in the Kingdom. Your top three are your best Spiritual tools! (In the event of a tie, make it the top four!)

Here are helpful definitions for each gift with a verse or two that describes each (by no means exhaustive in these definitions). This is what a person will likely do based on the Biblical definitions and church experiences and will help you with a basic understanding of your top Gifts. Further study, practice, and conversations with your friends and church leaders will help expand your understanding.

Here is a PDF of this list. g-r-o-w-gifts-defined

GIFTS (The “G” in the G.R.O.W. Assessment):

Artisan/Craftmanship (Exodus 31:1-5) –

  • Creates art that reflects God’s glory and unveils His character
  • Shows ability in one or more medium of creative art so as to connect the unbeliever with the Creator through that art

Celibacy/Volunteer (I Corinthians 7:7) –

  • Remains single through God’s provision in order to serve with greater intensity

Discernment/Distinguishing Spirits (1 John 4:1-6, 1 Corinthians 12:10) –

  • Perceives the intent and origination of spiritual matters
  • Recognizes whether a message is from the Holy Spirit or not
  • Distinguishes right from wrong, truth from error in a situation

Encouragement/Exhortation (Acts 14:22, Romans 12:8) –

  • Urges others toward action, faithfulness, and courage
  • Motivates others to have courage in difficult times or when faith wavers
  • Brings out the best in others and challenges them to meet their potential

Faith (Romans 4:18-21, 1 Corinthians 12:9) –

  • Sees what God is doing and believe Him for results
  • Trusts God to act on His promise in the face of great odds
  • Stands firm until God answers and/or the miracle happens

Giving (2 Corinthians 8:1-7, Romans 12:8) –

  • Gives much proportionately with pure motives
  • Invests resources generously beyond the tithe
  • Earns, invests, and give with Spirit-led success resources in order to support ministry

Guidance/Administration (1 Corinthians 14:40) –

  • Manages details to support to free other leaders to focus on their work
  • Sees gifts in other and connect them to ministry
  • Organizes resources, time, teams, and people for greater Kingdom impact
  • Coordinates multiple details and levels and accomplishes the goals of a project

Healing (James 5:14-16, 1 Corinthians 12:9) –

  • Prays in faith for others with the result that they are healed
  • Senses the prompts of God to pray for healing

Hospitality (1 Peter 4:9) –

  • Finds pleasure in housing or feeding others in home or through the church
  • Makes others feel welcome and significant

Intercession/Supplication (Ephesians 6:18-20) –

  • Prays faithfully until the answer comes
  • Steps into the place of a person, church, people group, or geographical area and prays consistently for the needs

Knowledge/Words (1 Corinthians 12:8, Acts 16:28) –

  • Speaks timely, Spirit-given knowledge that applies to a person’s situation
  • Comprehends and conveys spiritually revealed knowledge that helps a person with a specific need

Leadership (Hebrews 13:7, 17, Romans 12:8) –

  • Influences a group to accomplish it’s purpose or goal
  • Communicates purpose, direction, and vision to the group, team or church
  • Motivates others to work together to accomplish a ministry goal

Mercy/Grace (Luke 10:30-37, Romans 12:8) –

  • Empathizes with those in need and extend encouragement
  • Senses hurts and provide cheerful support to those pain, distress, or crisis

Miracles (Mark 11:23-24, 1 Corinthians 12:10) –

  • Prays in faith for God’s specific intervention in impossible situations and sees answers
  • Sees situations where God wants to move miraculously and prays for supernatural intervention

Missionary/Apostle (Romans 15:20-21,1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Acts 13:1-4) –

  • Shares with a God-given urgency the Gospel to others from vastly different backgrounds
  • Begins a fresh work of God in places that have no Gospel witness
  • Adapts readily to different cultures in order to serve in that culture
  • Seeks through the leadership and provision of the Holy Spirit to know about needs of other people groups and rallies resources to meet the needs
  • Compelled to communicate the Gospel through serving and speaking to others in a different culture than their own

Music (1 Chronicles 16:4) –

  • Plays an instrument or sings in a way that draws others to worship Christ Jesus
  • Creates worship through musical skills that presents the character of God and declares the Good News

Pastor/Shepherding (1 Peter 5:2-4, Hebrews 13:17) –

  • Exercises concern, care, and protection for a group or church that encourages growth spiritual health
  • Equips believers in Biblical world view and understanding of who Jesus is and how each can serve effectively
  • Models spiritual growth and service to members of group or church

Prophecy (1 Corinthians 12:10, 14:3, Acts 11:28) –

  • Delivers with persuasion God’s message
  • Discerns a current situation or potential future occurrence and delivers this message effectively
  • Understands the “big picture” of God’s redemptive and prophetic stream and relates it to the current church situation and direction

Serving/Helps (1 Peter 4:11) –

  • Sees needs easily and finds ways to practically meet those needs
  • Serves others personally and in church without need of recognition
  • Manages time and resources to solve individual or church needs

Teaching (Ephesians 4:12-13, Romans 12:7) –

  • Understands and explains Biblical truth in ways that believers comprehend and apply
  • Learns and is able to take others “with him/her” in learning

Tongues – Interpreting (1 Corinthians 12:10, 14:13) –

  • Understands words spoken in tongues and communicates it clearly to others
  • Interprets a message in a heavenly language or unknown tongue to those present

Tongues – Speaking (1 Corinthians 12:10, 14:2, 14-15, Acts 2:4-8) –

  • Prays in a language understood only by God
  • Speaks in an unlearned language or tongue to, along with interpreting, communicate God’s truth and give God worship

Wisdom/Word (1 Corinthians 2:1, 6-16, 12:7-8) –

  • Understands God’s perspective on practical life situations and conveys it in simple ways
  • Knows what to do, how to do it, and helps others do the same
  • Receives and conveys Spirit-given wisdom and application to a person or group

G.R.O.W. Volunteer Assessment – RELATE Profile

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The G.R.O.W. RELATE Profile is derived from the Kirk Test, a profile developed by missional leader, Chip Kirk. This brief 20-question profile identifies your dominant personality type so you and the team you volunteer with can see how you work with others. Sometimes, there is one very dominant type out of the four. More frequently, there are two nearly equally dominant types. Occasionally, the types are spread equally across the four.The four types are like tendencies or impulses through which you tend to act and serve. All four can have strengths and weaknesses and will be a blessing to their respective teams. And all four can pursue the “good works God has prepared for (each) to accomplish.” (Ephesians 2:10.)

kirk-test-descriptions-web2

 

S.H.A.P.E. Profile Spiritual Gifts Assessment – Spiritual Gifts Defined:

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When you receive your Spiritual Gifts assessment, you’ll notice a percentage score beside each gift. Some will be lower while others will land in the middle. This doesn’t mean you are deficient in anything or that God can’t use you in each of these gifts. In fact, God takes pleasure in using us in ways in which we think we are weaker. By all means, ask God to use you in all ways through any of His Spiritual Gifts. He’s in charge and gives good gifts to His kids!

Notice especially the gifts that are highest as these are the gifts that, at least according to this assessment, you will likely use most frequently in the Kingdom. Your top three are your best Spiritual tools! (In the event of a tie, make it the top four!)

Here are helpful definitions for each gift with a verse or two that describes each (by no means exhaustive in these definitions). This is what a person will likely do based on the Biblical definitions and church experiences and will help you with a basic understanding of your top Gifts. Further study, practice, and conversations with your friends and church leaders will help expand your understanding.

Attached is a PDF of this list – Spiritual Gifts List

Spiritual Gifts (The “S” in the S.H.A.P.E. Profile):

  1. Administration/Guidance (1 Corinthians 14:40) –
  • Manages details to support to free other leaders to focus on their work
  • Sees gifts in other and connect them to ministry
  • Organizes resources, time, teams, and people for greater Kingdom impact
  • Coordinates multiple details and levels and accomplishes the goals of a project
  1. Apostle (Romans 15:20-21,1 Corinthians 9:19-23) –
  • Shares with a God-given urgency the Gospel to others from vastly different backgrounds
  • Begins a fresh work of God in places that have no Gospel witness
  1. Celibacy (I Corinthians 7:7) –
  • Remains single through God’s provision in order to serve with greater intensity
  1. Craftsmanship/Artisan (Exodus 31:1-5) –
  • Creates art that reflects God’s glory and unveils His character
  • Shows ability in one or more medium of creative art so as to connect the unbeliever with the Creator through that art
  1. Discernment/Distinguishing Spirits (1 John 4:1-6, 1 Corinthians 12:10) –
  • Perceives the intent and origination of spiritual matters
  • Recognizes whether a message is from the Holy Spirit or not
  • Distinguishes right from wrong, truth from error in a situation
  1. Encouragement (Acts 14:22, Romans 12:8) –
  • Urges others toward action, faithfulness, and courage
  • Motivates others to have courage in difficult times or when faith wavers
  • Brings out the best in others and challenges them to meet their potential
  1. Evangelism (Acts 8:26-40) –
  • Challenges others with a God-given zeal and compassion to believe in and follow Christ
  • Focuses on the pre-Christian stage of disciple-making
  • Senses readiness in others to trust Christ
  • Shares the Good News in non-threatening compassionate ways with frequent success
  1. Exhortation (Acts 13:15) –
  • Understands and communicates Biblical truth in ways that encourage others to apply it
  • Persuades others to obey Biblical truth
  1. Faith (Romans 4:18-21, 1 Corinthians 12:9) –
  • Sees what God is doing and believe Him for results
  • Trusts God to act on His promise in the face of great odds
  • Stands firm until God answers and/or the miracle happens
  1. Giving (2 Corinthians 8:1-7, Romans 12:8) –
  • Gives much proportionately with pure motives
  • Invests resources generously beyond the tithe
  • Earns, invests, and give with Spirit-led success resources in order to support ministry
  1. Healing (James 5:14-16, 1 Corinthians 12:9) –
  • Prays in faith for others with the result that they are healed
  • Senses the prompts of God to pray for healing
  1. Helps/Service (1 Peter 4:11) –
  • Sees needs easily and finds ways to practically meet those needs
  • Serves others personally and in church without need of recognition
  • Manages time and resources to solve individual or church needs
  1. Hospitality (1 Peter 4:9) –
  • Finds pleasure in housing or feeding others in home or through the church
  • Makes others feel welcome and significant
  1. Prayer/Intercession (Ephesians 6:18-20) –
  • Prays faithfully until the answer comes
  • Steps into the place of a person, church, people group, or geographical area and prays consistently for the needs
  1. Knowledge – Words (1 Corinthians 12:8, Acts 16:28) –
  • Speaks timely, Spirit-given knowledge that applies to a person’s situation
  • Comprehends and conveys spiritually revealed knowledge that helps a person with a specific need
  1. Leadership (Hebrews 13:7, 17, Romans 12:8) –
  • Influences a group to accomplish it’s purpose or goal
  • Communicates purpose, direction, and vision to the group, team or church
  • Motivates others to work together to accomplish a ministry goal
  1. Mercy/Compassion (Luke 10:30-37, Romans 12:8) –
  • Empathizes with those in need and extend encouragement
  • Senses hurts and provide cheerful support to those pain, distress, or crisis
  1. Miracles (Mark 11:23-24, 1 Corinthians 12:10) –
  • Prays in faith for God’s specific intervention in impossible situations and sees answers
  • Sees situations where God wants to move miraculously and prays for supernatural intervention
  1. Missionary (Romans 10:14, Acts 13:1-4) –
  • Adapts readily to different cultures in order to serve in that culture
  • Seeks through the leadership and provision of the Holy Spirit to know about needs of other people groups and rallies resources to meet the needs
  • Compelled to communicate the Gospel through serving and speaking to others in a different culture than their own
  1. Music (1 Chronicles 16:4) –
  • Plays an instrument or sings in a way that draws others to worship Christ Jesus
  • Creates worship through musical skills that presents the character of God and declares the Good News
  1. Pastor/Shepherd (1 Peter 5:2-4, Hebrews 13:17) –
  • Exercises concern, care, and protection for a group or church that encourages growth spiritual health
  • Equips believers in Biblical world view and understanding of who Jesus is and how each can serve effectively
  • Models spiritual growth and service to members of group or church
  1. Poverty – voluntary (Luke 12:22-31, Philippians 4:11-13)
  • Cultivates contentment in whatever material or financial condition
  • Chooses to live simply so as to give generously to Kingdom causes
  • Trusts God with little in order to provide more to impact the world with the Gospel
  1. Prophesy (1 Corinthians 12:10, 14:3, Acts 11:28) –
  • Delivers with persuasion God’s message
  • Discerns a current situation or potential future occurrence and delivers this message effectively
  • Understands the “big picture” of God’s redemptive and prophetic stream and relates it to the current church situation and direction
  1. Teaching (Ephesians 4:12-13, Romans 12:7) –
  • Understands and explains Biblical truth in ways that believers comprehend and apply
  • Learns and is able to take others “with him/her” in learning
  1. Tongues – Interpreting (1 Corinthians 12:10, 14:13) –
  • Understands words spoken in tongues and communicates it clearly to others
  • Interprets a message in a heavenly language or unknown tongue to those present
  1. Tongues – Speaking (1 Corinthians 12:10, 14:2, 14-15, Acts 2:4-8) –
  • Prays in a language understood only by God
  • Speaks in an unlearned language or tongue to, along with interpreting, communicate God’s truth and give God worship
  1. Wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:1, 6-16, 12:7-8) –
  • Understands God’s perspective on practical life situations and conveys it in simple ways
  • Knows what to do, how to do it, and helps others do the same
  • Receives and conveys Spirit-given wisdom and application to a person or group
  1. Writing (1 Peter 5:12) –
  • Writes clearly so that others comprehend and apply God’s truth
  • Creates with words in order to attract others to God and His Good News

Vineyard 201 – Power of God, Power of Prayer

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This week’s article by John Wimber, one of the key pastors who helped launch the “Vineyard Movement” links two important spiritual topics: the power of God and the Christ-follower’s prayer life. God wants to display His power through our lives – no question about his (the whole “same works and even greater” promise still wrecks my experiential grid!) But, what is our responsibility through prayer? And more importantly, how does prayer display God’s Kingdom and Power? Wimber would say, it’s all about intimacy!

Enjoy the article below and learn about the empowering nature of intimacy with God:

PRAYER: INTIMACY WITH GOD

Only in an intimate relationship with God can we hear his voice, know his will,

and understand his heart.

By John Wimber

If most Christians could listen to recordings of their prayers over a week’s time, we would discover we pray the same things, using the same words and sentence structures, over and over again. But, I suspect, what would disturb us most is the cold, mechanical, removed feeling of the prayers. We would become more aware of something we already know but can hardly acknowledge: our relationship with God is distant and impersonal – and because of this we are unhappy and unfulfilled.

Now think of the quality of Jesus’ prayer life. Picture in your mind the freedom and openness he always experienced with his heavenly Father. He spoke to his Father in terms of endearment, referring to him as “Daddy.” Jesus took every problem, every concern, and every decision to him moment by moment. And he did it with ease and joy! It was an intimate relationship, an openness in which he freely shared his most essential, private, and personal thoughts and emotions.

The quality of relationship with his Father also was a key to answered prayer. By knowing his Father’s will, he knew how, what, and whom to pray for. “The world must learn that I love the Father,” Jesus said, “and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me” (John 14:31). How did the world know Jesus loved the Father? Because he did what the Father told him to do, and he was able to do that because he had an intimate relationship with him.

I believe Jesus’ prayer life is something that we should aspire to, that intimacy with God in prayer is a primary goal of the Christian life.

Obedience

Why is our goal intimacy with God? Because only there do we experience forgiveness, renewal, and power for righteous living. Only in an intimate relationship with God can we hear his voice, know his will, and understand his heart.

Some of us, though, think of intimacy as merely a warm emotion—something akin to spiritual goose bumps. But this isn’t what I mean by intimacy with God. By intimacy I mean four things:

  • First, intimacy is self-disclosure. This is our ability to talk with God about who we really are, to say what we need and want, all the time knowing that he hears us and cares about these things. This touches on the formation of such character traits as honesty, integrity, and confidence.
  • Second, intimacy is being known by God. God doesn’t need our cooperation to know everything about us (Matthew 10:30). But for him to work in us and through us, we must cooperate with him, joyfully receiving his fatherly love.
  • Third, intimacy is continual obedience to God. This means knowing God in the deepest part of our beings, hearing his voice, experiencing his grace and then doing what he says to do. There is nothing fancy or mysterious about obedience. The rewards are great: A greater knowledge of God’s holiness and a clear conscience.

Scripture

  • Fourth, intimacy is knowing God. By knowing God I mean having relationship with him and knowing about him. The latter point contains a Catch 22, because a proper understanding of God’s nature is both a goal and prerequisite of intimacy. In other words, what we believe about God determines how we pray, and the quality of our prayer life powerfully affects what we believe about God!

A defective understanding of our heavenly Father’s nature (usually a result of some failure in our earthly father) is one of the greatest obstacles to an intimate prayer life. Do you think of God as quite distant from creation, disinterested in ordinary people’s daily struggles? If so your prayer life is probably an infrequent exercise in paying homage to the Creator, but in no way is it a life-changing relationship. Do you think of God as an angry old man, depriving you of life’s pleasures and joys? If so, your prayer life likely is a loathsome event, full of fear and anger.

God has provided means for overcoming our misconceptions about his nature: Scripture. In the Bible, God reveals his nature to us, but most of us require healing in some area of our lives so we can receive the truth of Scripture. Hurtful memories of our earthly fathers may hold us back from receiving our heavenly Father. Prayer for overcoming the effects of past hurts and immersion in God’s Word are the pathway to knowing God.

Models

Another obstacle to attaining intimacy with God in prayer is the dearth of mature prayer models, men and women who inspire and instruct us through prayer and deed.

As a new Christian, I was discipled by a man who embodied what it meant to be intimate with God. But even he wasn’t perfect, and when he moved away after only two years, I was forced to look elsewhere for a model of intimacy. So to whom can we look? Christ is available to all, our great example of intimacy with the Father. He is the one that we ultimately look to and pattern our lives after.

I began this article by contrasting our prayer life with Christ’s. In the remainder of the article, I will take a closer look at Christ’s relationship with his Father as found in what is commonly called the high priestly prayer of John 17.

The Upper Room

John 17 must be understood with its broader context, chapter 13 through17, the longest account of Jesus’ last night with his disciples in the upper room. Jesus speaks to his disciples in an intimate, after-dinner exchange. He discloses to them some of the most beautiful truths in the Bible. One prominent feature of his discourse is his use of the word love. It is used only six times in chapters 1-12 of John’s Gospel but 31 times in chapters 13-17.

Chapter 17 records Jesus’ conversation with his Father about himself, the apostles, and all believers. I am not as much interested here in what he prayed about as how he prayed, for his manner reveals much about his relationship with the Father.

Verse one says, “He looked toward heaven and prayed.” Did you know that the customary attitude of prayer for Jesus was to open his eyes and raise his head? His position on prayer was different from the practices of most Western Christians. Now, I believe there is nothing wrong in lowering our heads and closing our eyes (it communicates reverence toward God and helps us keep our concentration on God), but Jesus looked up and opened his eyes because his relationship with the Father was open, free, uninhibited.

He begins his prayer with the simple “Father,” the common address of a child to its parent. Jesus was using language common to everyday family life and transferring it to God. It reveals the close familiarity between Jesus and his Father.

Reinforce Truth

Jesus then goes on in verses two to five to pray for himself as within hours he would face the cross. But the tone of his prayer impresses me—informal, free, and heartfelt. These were the prayers of a friend of God. In reading many of Jesus’ prayers, I get the feeling that he is interrupting a private, unspoken conversation in order to speak aloud so the disciples can learn how to pray. In other words, his spoken words appear to be the overflow of a continuing dialogue with his Father.

In saying, “Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you,” Jesus revealed his one motivation in life was to glorify his Father. This meant that all his prayers were steeped with an attitude of obedience and sacrifice, a desire to submit his life to whatever his Father wanted. It is almost as though he is reviewing a fundamental principle of the Christian life: You glorify me, I glorify you. We too, should never hesitate to repeat the fundamental promises of Scripture to God in prayer; in doing so we reinforce his truth in us and faith grows. We need to regularly review our commitments, and what better place is there to do that than with God?

In verses 6 to 19 he prays for the disciples. He continues to focus on fulfilling God’s purpose: to redeem and raise up a people who know the Father. When we experience intimacy with our heavenly Father our hearts will naturally turn toward intercession. Why? Because we will take on his heart, his burden for men and women.

Jesus and the early Christians rarely prayed for the world. Instead, they prayed that the church would be bold in proclaiming the gospel to the unsaved! You don’t have to tell God your friends aren’t saved. He already knows. You need to tell them about Christ, and ask God for the boldness to speak the gospel in love.

Unity

In verses 20 to 26 he prays for all believers “that all may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (v. 21). This is the punch line of the high priestly prayer: We can have the same type of relationship with the Father that Jesus has.

I grew up as an only child with both parents who worked. From the ages of five to eighteen I devoted my life almost entirely to music, sitting alone for hours practicing different musical instruments. I didn’t develop very many social skills with a horn in my mouth. If it hadn’t been for my wife, I don’t know if I would have ever learned how to have deep, intimate friendships. I have found it difficult to know God as my “Daddy,” but as I grow in the knowledge of his nature and take risks with him, I’m learning he loves me and accepts me the way I am. I can enter into the same quality of relationship as Jesus has with the Father.

When we experience the intimacy of the Father and the Son, it will affect our relationship brothers and sisters in such a way that many pagans will believe that Jesus was sent by the Father to redeem the world (v.23). Christian unity, rooted in an intimate relationship with our heavenly Father, is the most powerful testimony of Christ’s lordship in the world today.