So, since Jesus is focusing prayer on these 11 men who are his disciples, (he calls them Apostles) those who are being sent with a message. What does he actually pray for? The reason why I ask this is because He clarifies in verse 7-10 who he is praying for.
 
BTW – He knew ahead of time who he was praying for, the Father knew ahead of time who Jesus was praying for. So, why would Jesus spend three verses clarifying who he is praying for? Could it be that Jesus is inviting you to take a look and see what the lion’s share of his ministry involved? I think so…do you? So, we are invited in to see who Jesus is praying for and now what Jesus prays for.
 
This is important.
 
Most of the time in the gospels when Jesus prays, we are left in the same boat as the disciples. He goes away to pray. Or he is writing in the sand and we don’t know what it is. Like the disciples we are left standing there as Jesus goes away to interact with the Father.
 
Where is he going? Why can’t we go with him? How does he pray? What does he pray for?  
 
One time the disciples did ask Jesus how to pray, in the book of Mathew (6:9-13) there is a short picture of what could be a one minute prayer given to the disciples on how they should pray. However, Jesus would go away all night long and pray, so we are again left with, “What is Jesus doing?”
 
John 17 is a deep dive into the prayer life of Jesus. All of the hiddenness of his walk with the Father is peeled back so that we can see. God wants you to see who Jesus prays for so that we can learn who we should be spending our lives on.
 
God also wants you to see what Jesus prays for.
 
Let’s dig deeper into John 17.
 
The first request of Jesus for those who walked closely with him in his earthly ministry is… “that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” (This is verse 13)
 
This is the opener, the beginning, the first. Jesus is saying that he has taught them many things so that the joy that Jesus has would be in them. Jesus is filled with joy and his prayer is that those who are close to him would be filled with his joy. His prayer is that his joy would be in them. Do you want to experience the same joy that Jesus has? You can.
 
Listen, if anyone knows what is and isn’t possible, wouldn’t it be Jesus? If he prays for his joy to be in the disciples, is that something exclusive to them? Is the joy of Jesus only accessible to the eleven? Or is it possible that the joy of Jesus flows through them and down to everyone who believes that the joy of the Lord is accessible?
 
Are you open to the joy of the Lord? Do you believe that the same joy that Jesus feels right now, not a joy like his, no – I mean the joy of Jesus, is resident in you? Jesus is releasing this through his prayer into the Apostles.
 
Where ever you are in this moment, can you simply open your hands and heart and ask to receive the joy of the Lord. There is strength in the joy of Jesus.    
 
Nehemiah 8:10 “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
 
Father, with open hands and heart, we receive from you the joy of your Son Jesus.
 
Stay right here, don’t run away to other things. Linger and wait for the joy of the Lord to be fulfilled in you. The prayer of Jesus is for this very thing, if it is for the disciples, then it is for you too as that joy passes from them all the way through time to you. God’s joy doesn’t dissipate or cease, it is a forever joy.
 
Jesus thank you that you want us to know the joy that is yours. We also thank you that the joy is accessible to us, this is your joy, not the joy of this world. Thank you for making joy possible through the cross.   
 
Hey, linger with God a little more and watch what happens. So, often we leave just when he is ready to bless. We exit when he is starting to dispense. We ask and miss our opportunity to receive because we assume God will give us what we want on the way out the door.
 
Imagine saying to your parents on Christmas day, “Dad, Mom we will open our presents on the way to our next party – thank you for the time.”
 
Blessings,
Pastor D