Never Unentangled

Aside from the cat of nine tails that tore lacerations in his flesh. Aside from the mocking he endured pretty much his entire life on earth. Aside from his being so set apart and never having a “normal” life. From his being crucified for doing absolutely nothing wrong. That he left a throne of GLORY to come into this sinful, savage place we call earth. The fact he had to leave total perfection and take on the imperfections.

This is the most OBVIOUS demonstration of his love.

But what about the less obvious things we missed?

In John 17, you see everything about this God-man named Jesus – Yeshua Hamashiach – you need to see to know how he truly feels about you. MINUS the agony-filled death he died, just read the words he spoke before he was ever led to the slaughter.

You can hear his heart for you in his words. He prayed it knowing you would sin against him. He prayed it knowing you would betray him. He prayed it before you were even conceived by humans.

“After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said,

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began. “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me. “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold. “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.” —‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Verses 6-8: Jesus cares that he fulfilled his mission and showed us the father. He’s so loving, caring, and sweet. He cared that he did what he said he would do. That he wasn’t a liar like they said. He cared that he properly set an example for us on how to commune with the father and know his love and heart. He cared. He knew it would be recorded, and we would have it for all time.

Verses 9-12: Jesus cares about our protection, both from the world but also from the evil one. He cares that you don’t get ravaged by wolves. That you heal your trauma. That the kingdom of darkness can’t steal you from out of his hands. Do we understand his heart for us here? He cares about you like a parent over a newborn. He doesn’t want anything to upset you, harm you, or deceive you.

Verses 13-16: Jesus reiterates our protection & desires our joy. He desires your joy. For you to be completely fulfilled in him and to lack absolutely nothing.

Verses 17-20: Jesus connects holiness to truth and his sacrifice. Holiness = truth + sacrifice. Our only hope for a slither of holiness and to be with the Holy later is to accept the truth of who he is today and honor his sacrifice.

Verses 21-26: Unity. Jesus prays for unity in the body of Christ. And that, as a result, we would inherit the glory. Unity is so important to him that he prayed we would be unified to the father. I think he knew offense would one of the hardest things we would struggle with in this life, so he showed the importance of unity here.

When I read John 17, I usually feel selfish for how I sometimes pray. Sometimes, my prayer focus can be a bit too selfish.

We need to see that Jesus prayed more for us than he did for himself. Likewise, we have a responsibility to pray similar to how he prayed AND fulfilled what he prayed FOR.

These things he prayed for would’ve also been the will of the father, so they aren’t really suggestions but subtle & loving commands. We are also disciples, aren’t we? Then the things he desired for them apply to us. We should desire all the same things he desires. Love what he loves and despise what he despises.

We don’t just have the cross to look at as the demonstration of an overwhelming, immense love. We have John 17 and these sweet, caring, protective words he spoke over us right before we killed him in the most brutal way a man could die at the time.

I want us to see how intertwined we’re supposed to be with Yahweh and Yeshua. When you read the way he prayed, it’s like we’re all supposed to be SO intertwined (like roots) that we can never be unentangled.

Completely interwoven. No separation and needing each other.

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬