If you knew that the next prayer you prayed aloud over a loved would be one of your last, would you pray for blessings and safety? Or would you fill your prayer with substance? Not for God’s benefit, but for the benefit of the loved one listening to your prayer on their behalf? Steven Curtis Chapman’s song, “One True God” points directly at God, and so does the prayer of Jesus in John 17.
Join me as we spend some time in this prayer…one of Christ’s last prayers while in a suit of flesh here on earth.
On this episode I discuss:
- The story behind the song “One True God” by Steven Curtis Chapman – YouTube Video
- Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
- Read in context
- Use section headings
- Ask questions
- Complete a word study
- Journal
- My questions
- Who prayed?
- Who was with Him?
- Where were they?
- What events led up to this prayer?
- What happens immediately after this prayer?
- My case for why I think they had a venue change before this prayer – see Episode 123
- Reading all the way through the prayer before picking it apart
- The fact that this prayer was a “close to the end” prayer and that the hour was already on the calendar – John 17:1
- The Greek word for “glorify” – BibleHub.com Word Study
- God’s transfer of authority to Christ – John 17:2
- The definition of eternal life
- The principle that teaches us that we glorify God when we complete the work He gives us…what that work entails may surprise you
- Jesus longed for the glory He and His Father shared before the beginning of time
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If you have never heard this song before, you can watch the official lyric video on YouTube below.
Additional Resources
Download the single or the entire album by clicking the link below.
This Week’s Challenge
Read John 17 all the way through. Pull out a notebook or journal and write down some questions and then seek out the answers to record the context. I picked apart 5 verses. Follow my example to continue studying this prayer of Jesus. Don’t miss the shift in verse 9 when He starts praying for His disciples, and then makes it clear that He’s praying for us, too! Don’t miss the desperate plea for unity like Jesus and His Father share — they not only share perfect unity, but they are ONE.
