Interceding in Prayer
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Key Verse: “Now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” Selected Scripture: |
IN A PREVIOUS LESSON, the Lord had met with his disciples for his final meal with them. Afterwards, Jesus offered to his Heavenly Father one of his final prayers on behalf of his disciples, and also for those who would follow him thereafter throughout the Gospel Age. He had said several times to the disciples that he was soon to depart from them. Now his concern was for their welfare, knowing that they would be sorely discomforted as they witnessed the events of the coming day. Finally, they would even see him crucified between two thieves.
As we consider our Lord’s compassion concerning his followers, we see his love, care, and oneness he had with those who had followed him for the last three and one-half years. It was a oneness of purpose, sympathy, and love for each other. This same oneness that our Lord described as already existing between himself and the Father is the ideal goal toward which we are taught to strive. Those who are inspired by the true doctrines of the Holy Word of God, the Bible, and have true faith, will be bound together by the same cords of love. Their fellowship will be, as the Master said, “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 17:21) At that momentous time, Jesus also prayed: “I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.”—John 17:8,9
As our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus are bound together inseparably by a mutual love, so likewise the true footstep followers will be one in spirit and in doctrine. As the Master said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32) The reason for true brotherhood is that each one is fully consecrated to God and his service, is begotten of the Holy Spirit, and is devoted to righteousness and truth, and to doing the will of God. Thus, “They shall be all taught of God.”—John 6:45
Christians have believed the words of Jesus when he said, “My Father is greater than I,” and “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (John 14:28; 20:21) They recognize the oneness between the Father and the Son as being not oneness of person, but oneness of heart, of mind, and of purpose. According to our Lord’s words in prayer, he said, “I pray for them … that they may be one, as we are [one].” Most recognize that the man Christ Jesus is the only perfect representative sent by the Heavenly Father. He who ‘sees’ the Son, ‘sees’ the Father as well, because he is the “express image” of the Father’s “person.” (Heb. 1:3) Only in this way is it possible for mankind to ‘see’ the invisible, immortal God “whom no man hath seen, nor can see.”—Col. 1:15; John 1:18; I Tim. 6:16
Thus it is that the only begotten Son of God revealed the Heavenly Father to his footstep followers, and interceded for them in prayer.