What Jesus Did : John 17:6-8 - The Finished Work of God
by Phil Ware
The Finished Work of God - John 17:6-8
"You gave me some men from the world. I have shown them what you are like. Those men belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They have obeyed your teaching. Now they know that everything you gave me comes from you. I gave these men the teachings that you gave me. They accepted those teachings. They know that I truly came from you. And they believed that you sent me. (ERV) Full Text
Key Thought
The work of God is to believe in his Son, the one God sent to earth. Jesus has helped bring his disciples to that faith as much as possible before the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. He has given them words. He has given them love. He has given them forgiveness. He has given them his example. Now he must give his life and his Spirit so he can send them out with authority to share his story. Jesus entrusted all that he did and all that he was to a group of human beings. They changed the world. So can we. We have the same Savior. We have the same Spirit. We have the opportunity. The real question is, "Do we have the same faith?"
Today's Prayer
Holy and righteous God, my loving Father, please use me to be part of your plan to touch the world with your grace and salvation. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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After Jesus said these things he looked toward heaven. Jesus prayed, "Father, the time has come. Give glory to your Son so that the Son can give glory to you. You gave the Son power over all people so that the Son could give eternal life to all those people you have given to him. And this is eternal life: that people can know you, the only true God, and that people can know Jesus Christ, the One you sent. I finished the work you gave me to do. I brought you glory on earth. And now, Father, give me glory with you. Give me the glory I had with you before the world was made. "You gave me some men from the world. I have shown them what you are like. Those men belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They have obeyed your teaching. Now they know that everything you gave me comes from you. I gave these men the teachings that you gave me. They accepted those teachings. They know that I truly came from you. And they believed that you sent me. I pray for them now. I am not praying for the people in the world. But I am praying for these men you gave me, because they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And my glory is seen in these men. Now I am coming to you. I will not stay in the world now. But these men are still in the world. Holy Father, keep them safe. Keep them safe by the power of your name (the name you gave me), so that they will be one, the same as you and I are one. While I was with them, I kept them safe. I kept them safe by the power of your name--the name you gave me. I protected them. And only one of them was lost--the man (Judas) that chose to be lost. He was lost so that what was said in the Scriptures would happen.
-- John 17:1-12 (ERV)
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