First Reflection on John 17

fusevb — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:51:11 +0000

For those of you who attended the FUSE leadership meeting on the 28th you know that I recommended that we all read and study John 17 between now and Easter. In review this is the longest recorded prayer that we have from Jesus and he is praying it towards the end of his life leading up to his death on the cross. In this prayer Jesus prays for three different people, he first prays for himself, then he prays for his disciples, and finally he prays for the people who would come to know him in the future.

You will also remember that I suggested that this may be a prayer that as a leadership team we should model, especially right now leading up to Easter. As we are praying for FUSE and for God to move on Easter during FUSE I think it is important that we pray for the same three groups of people that Jesus did.

I also said that I would be blogging about my reflections on John 17 and encouraged you all to add your own thoughts to mine. Well here is the first thing that popped off the page to me, look at the order that Jesus prayed in. He first prayed for himself and then worked his way out until he got to people he did not know personally yet. I find this interesting because I know for myself I tend to pray for those around me first and then for those who are not yet in the ministry but would attend FUSE or the student ministry but very rarely do I ever pray for myself. Not Jesus, he starts with himself. What is it that he knew that I don’t? Was there a strategy behind the order of his prayer or do you think he just prayed at random? Why is it so hard for me to pray for myself and so easy to pray for others?

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First Reflection on John 17