The Great Protector : John 17:12 : What Jesus Did! : HEARTLIGHT®

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The Great Protector - John 17:12

"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." (ERV) Full Text

Key Thought

Jesus came to save, to bless, to redeem, and to protect. The whole focus of Jesus last moments with his disciples was protection. He wanted to protect them spiritually from discouragement, so he told them about what was going to happen with him and promised to send the Holy Spirit as the comforter and counselor to help them. He wanted to protect them physically, so he takes control of his own arrest (John 18) and makes sure that his disciples are not involved with the torturous night and day that follow. All of this means that he must bear his impending death, his mockery of a trial, and his agonizing trip to Calvary alone. Why did he do it this way? Because of his love for his own and his desire to protect them. And that, dear friend, is how cares for you, too!

Today's Prayer

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Father, even in my struggles, please help me find Jesus. I know he is there, comforting me and strengthening me through the Holy Spirit and joining me when I meet with other Christians. Please give me courage that does not flag in the face of opposition, ridicule, or pain. Help me see my Lord Jesus and never doubt his desire to bring me safely home to you. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

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Today's Verses in Context

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)

Comments on "The Great Protector":

So Judas led a group of soldiers to the garden. Judas also brought some guards from the leading priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons. Jesus knew everything that would happen to him. Jesus went out and asked, "Who are you looking for?" The men answered, "Jesus from Nazareth." Jesus said, "I am Jesus." (Judas, the one that turned against Jesus, was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, "I am Jesus," the men moved back and fell to the ground. Jesus asked them again, "Who are you looking for?" The men said, "Jesus from Nazareth." Jesus said, "I told you that I am Jesus. So if you are looking for me, then let these other men go free." This happened so that the words Jesus said before would be true: "I have not lost any of the men you gave me." —John 18:3-9 (ERV)

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets. You kill with rocks those men that God has sent you. Many, many times I wanted to help your people. I wanted to gather your people together like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you did not let me. —Luke 13:34 (ERV)

Can anything separate us from Christ's love? No! Can trouble separate us from Christ's love? No! Can problems or persecution separate us from Christ's love? No! If we have no food or clothes, will that separate us from Christ's love? No! Will danger or even death separate us from Christ's love? No! Like it is written in the Scriptures : "For you (Christ) we are in danger of death all the time. People think we are worth no more than sheep to be killed." But in all these things we have full victory through God who showed his love for us. Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love—not death, not life, not angels or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from God's love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 8:35-39 (ERV)