Glory, unity, and Love are what Jesus prayed for you and me. A disciple is someone who learns from Jesus so as to live like Jesus — someone who, because of God’s awakening grace, conforms his or her words and ways to the Words and ways of Jesus.
Jesus prayed in John chapter 17:
20 “And I ask not only for these disciples, but also for all those who will one day believe in me through their message. 21 I pray for them all to be joined together as one even as you and I, Father, are joined together as one. I pray for them to become one with us so that the world will recognize that you sent me.
You and I are meant to be in unity as Jesus’ disciples. We are to honor each other’s calling and supply our calling to enrich the entire Body of Christ. We have been separated from the world which enables us to be in unity.
22 For the very glory you have given to me I have given them so that they will be joined together as one and experience the same unity that We enjoy. 23 You live fully in Me and now I live fully in them so that they will experience perfect unity, and the world will be convinced that You have sent Me, for they will see that You Love each one of them with the same passionate Love that you have for me.
FATHER Loves you and me with the same Love He has for Jesus. Do not challenge those Words for They are life to those who truly embrace Them. You must understand that Jesus expunged our past so there is nothing preventing us from being in full unity and Love with FATHER.
24 “Father, I ask that You allow everyone that You have given to Me to be with Me where I am! Then they will see My full glory— the very splendor You have placed upon Me because You have Loved Me even before the beginning of time.
When did FATHER give us to Jesus? THEY made that decision when THEY wrote our books in Heaven (Psalm 139:16), before THEY formed us in the womb. You and I were destined to be Jesus’ disciples as were many others. However, we had the option to accept our intended destinies or select the way to destruction.
25 “You are My righteous Father, but the unbelieving world has never known you in the perfect way that I know you! And all those who believe in Me also know that You have sent Me! 26 I have revealed to them Who You are and I will continue to make You even more real to them, so that they may experience the same endless Love that You have for Me, for Your Love will now live in them, even as I live in them!”
As I shared yesterday in 2nd Peter chapter1, it is all about unending Love:
5So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing your faith with goodness,
and to goodness add understanding,
6and to understanding add the strength of self-control,
and to self-control add patient endurance,
and to patient endurance add godliness,
7and to godliness add mercy toward your brothers and sisters,
and to mercy toward others add unending Love.
Jesus spoke about what it means to be His disciple in John chapter 12:
26 If you want to be My disciple, follow Me and you will go where I am going. And if you truly follow Me as my disciple, the Father will shower His favor upon your life.
Most importantly, Jesus shared that His Words came directly from FATHER thus we know FATHER’S Divine Intent for each of us when we meditate on the prayer above (John 17):
44 Jesus shouted out passionately, “To believe in Me is to also believe in God Who sent Me.
45 For when you look at Me you are seeing the One Who sent Me. 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world so that all who trust in me will no longer wander in darkness.
47 If you hear My Words and refuse to follow them, I do not judge You. For I have not come to judge you but to save you. 48 If you reject Me and refuse to follow My Words, you already have a judge. The message of Truth I have given you will rise up to judge you at the Day of Judgment.
We have been warned about our refusal to follow the Words of Jesus!
49 For I’m not speaking as someone who is self-appointed, but I speak by the authority of the Father Himself who sent me, and Who instructed Me what to say. 50And I know that the Father’s commands result in Eternal life, and that’s why I speak the very Words I’ve heard Him speak.”
As disciples we are to take on unending Love, unity, and His glory… nothing less.