“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you[e] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” John 17.24-26
Have you noticed how much time Jesus says on saying the same thing about knowing him, being in him, and him being in you? So much of this chapter is on this theme.
He begins in this segment on telling the Father a great desire of his. Some might thing it’s to rule the world, to end world hunger, stamp out poverty or unify all people and all nations. This is not what Jesus desires in this passage. He desires for those the Father has given him to be with him where he is and to see his glory.” Period. The focus is back on Jesus.
Now this really gets to some unbelievers who say that Jesus makes it all about himself. Yet he should. He is God. Equal to God. The same as God. In order for the world to be a better place we must first make God first place. Jesus wants us to see the glory that God has given him (v.24) because God loved Jesus “before the creation of the world.” If we love Jesus first, we can begin to know just how much God loves us. If he loved Jesus before they creation of the world, perhaps he loves us as well. And when we feel loved, we will love others and the world will become better for His glory.
Jesus then talks about how the world doesn’t know the Father but how he knows the Father. I wonder what the Jews thought about this — they who were, and are still, self-righteousness people (some of this is good and some of this is bad.) He is essentially saying he knows God and other people don’t. Jesus doesn’t keep this knowledge of God secret, he says I have made you known to them, “will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” Jesus is always pointing people to the Father.
Knowing God is Jesus’s number one desire. He wants to know the Father, which he does, and he wants us to know him. He wants the love the Father and the Son share for one another to be in us so that he may be in us. It’s all about relationships with Jesus. Once the relationship is foundational then healing can come not only to humanity but to the world as well.
“O Lord God, thank you for loving me and for knowing me. Thank you for your power that lives in me. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who draws me forward to knowing and loving you more. In my brokenness, you bring healing. When I am walking in the dark, you provide light. Come now, Beautiful Savior, and redeem the world. Draw all people to yourself. Revive our land, renew our hearts, bring healing to the broken. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen