21 Days of DiscipleshipSample

What Did Jesus Pray?

This chapter is crazy cool because it is the record of one of Jesus’ prayers. We should be on the edge of our seats for this. Jesus, being fully God and fully man, is the only person to ever live who knows what it’s like to pray to the Father in all kinds of situations and emotions and also to hear and respond to the prayers of His people! So what kinds of things did Jesus pray for? He prayed for us. And He still does. 

Let that mind-blowing fact sink in for a second. Scripture tells us that Jesus constantly intercedes for us. Meaning, He goes to the Father on our behalf. So even when it feels like no one is on your team, no one has your back, and no one cares— know that Jesus Himself is praying for you.

In this prayer, Jesus asks for something really specific: that we, His Church, would be unified. He prays:

“I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:23 NIV

Jesus notes that the world will know who He is by our unity. We, together, as a collection of Jesus followers, are called to create a picture of heaven to show our broken world. This picture is presented every day in how we treat each other. But is it a good one? Do our actions and attitudes toward other believers inspire the people around us to want to follow Jesus too? 

Disciples of Jesus are called to treat each other differently. We are called to unity so that the world can see the hope of heaven when they are around you and me.

Challenge: Do we really take this whole unity thing seriously? Jesus did. Hence the fact that He spent some of His last moments before being arrested praying for us to be unified! How can you become more like Jesus by taking unity seriously as well? What might need to change about your attitude and actions towards other believers in light of your new commitment to unity? Think about it, write it down, and live it out.