Jesus Prayed for You Before You Even Existed | John 17:1-26
"Have you ever had someone say, 'I'll pray for you,' and then actually do it?"
Yes? Some of us. And what's even more awesome is when they actually follow up weeks later and ask, "How did it go?" You feel amazing, don't you? You feel seen, loved, cared for.
In John 17 Jesus, before the cross, before you even existed, prayed for you and for me.
JESUS PRAYS THREE THINGS
1. PROTECT THEM (vv. 11-12)
Jesus prays for protection so they'd remain faithful. When we become followers of Jesus, it's not just us holding on to God. God holds on to us. Jesus prays: "Father, hold on to them even when they feel like giving up. Be their comfort, their strength. Protect their faith, protect their soul."
2. GIVE THEM JOY (v. 13)
Jesus isn't praying they'd be happy and things would go nicely. But you will have peace in that trouble. You will experience grief, but in that grief, you'll still have joy. Not happiness—joy. A joy that will not be taken.
3. SANCTIFY THEM BY TRUTH (vv. 16-17)
Sanctify means being set apart, made whole, changed, transformed, renewed. Here's how God changes us: not by vibes, not by feels, not by trying harder—but by truth. The Word of God. If you are a follower of Jesus and you want to grow as a Christian, you need this. You cannot grow as a Christian without it.
God's Word:
- Exposes our sin
- Shapes our desires
- Redirects our lives
- Brings us joy in dark moments
We need God's Word not occasionally, not when we feel like it, but regularly, deeply, personally.
Series: Revealing Jesus (John 13-17)
Speaker: Jai
Scripture: John 17:1-26