The Lord's Big Prayer John 17

You've heard the Lord's prayer before, I'm sure. It's found in Matthew and we say it so many times in church, you can probably recite it from memory, in your sleep (be honest, you are half asleep in church). But there is another Lord's prayer, found in John, that is amazing, astonishing, wowzers. The Lord's big prayer contains more spiritual truth than the Pope in a bible store, and shows us how Jesus, God, ourselves, and the world all connect.

"the hour has come". Jesus prays this prayer just before the Romans come to arrest him. He is done with teaching and healing, now it is time for suffering and the cross.

"glorify your son that the son may glorify you" - God is Jesus' dad. They have a super-close relationship, they talk all the time, God loves Jesus "this is my beloved Son, with him I am well pleased," and Jesus does all things to bring his dad glory (aka show the world how awesome God is). Jesus in God are in an eternal game of glorification - "my dad is so cool," "my son is sooooo totally cool," "no seriously, my dad is so completely rad your eyes will explode if you look at him," "seriously, have you seen my son, he's taking away the sins of the world; how epic is that!".

"you (God) gave him (Jesus) authority over all flesh that he (Jesus) may give eternal life to all you have given him". First, Jesus likes to pray in third person, I don't know why! Second, Jesus has authority over all of humanity. . .this is why he did so many crazy miracles, healing the blind, raising the dead, walking on water, etc; all these awesome deeds were to show that he has all of God's power and is boss! Jesus is also given the homework assignment of handing out eternal life! What is eternal life, you ask?

"this is eternal life, that they might know you, the one true God, and the one you have sent - Jesus Christ".

Eternal life is knowing God and knowing Jesus. Christians sometimes talk about having a relationship with Jesus, this is why. God wants us to KNOW him, to TALK to him, to BE with him. Jesus and his dad want to be your bff's.

"I (jesus) have glorified you (God) on the earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now glorify me in your presence with the glory I had in you before the world began". Maybe we could think of all the glory like a tesla coil. Awesomeness shoots out from God like lightning, touching Jesus, and shooting back again. Jesus zaps God by doing all his homework (miracles, teaching, dying for sins, etc.). Now he asks God of a reward, like a big yummy milkshake of glory. And then he slips in a little detail, "with the glory you gave me before the world began".

Fire alarm, flashing lights, pay attention! Jesus and God go waaaaaaay back, to before the creation of the world. Jesus tells us some interesting things, and this might be the most fascinating. See, Jesus is God. . .but at the same time, he's Jesus. . .and there is another "part" or "person" of God, the holy spirit, who Jesus talks about a lot in John 16. So one God, but three different "persons" or "personalities". Kinda like my family - there is Arianna, David, Madeline, and Annabelle - we're all separate people, but we're all the Shirks (an imperfect analogy, but it may help to wrap your brain around the idea). This is important because God is a relational God. He doesn't sit around in heaven all lonely and bored. God the Father has been hanging out with Jesus and the Spirit since the beginning of time, and now he wants us to be part of that relationship!  

That's part one of the Lord's big prayer. . .more to come soon!