Completing the Work

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

COMPLETING THE WORK

John 17:1-5

17:1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

"Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

NIV

We have come to this prayer of Jesus and we need to take it a little at a time, as he has much to say in his prayer. Are his disciples nearby in order to hear all his prayers? It would appear they are right there with him as he had just finished telling them plainly that he came from heaven and was going to return to heaven. Although this is his prayer, he is still teaching his disciples and us through prayer. If Jesus prayed to be glorified for the sole reason of glorifying the Father, then would it not make sense that every blessing we receive from God should be for the purpose of bringing glory to him? If we do something in any way of ministry, that is serving one another or loving our neighbor as ourselves then it should bring glory to God, not to ourselves. Again, this goes back to receiving praise from God rather than from men. It often amazes me why Christians applaud certain types of ministry. Are they giving God applause or the performance of people? Would not a more appreciate response, rather than applause, be hands raised to heaven at the end of the performance/ministry? Do those who minister feel awkward hearing applause? Just a thought. Jesus now prays to the Father, telling him he granted Jesus all authority over all people to give eternal life to all those the Father gave him. Here, it is possible we could get a little Calvinistic, thinking only the ones God chose to give to Jesus receive eternal life. But that is not what Jesus says in this prayer. He has been granted authority over all people, not just the ones God has given him. Jesus has the authority to give eternal life to whosoever believes. Now, this is where it could get a little sticky. No one can believe without first using the faith God measured out to them. It still comes down to the sovereign God giving his creation the freedom to choose to believe or to refuse to believe. Those who believe can receive their eternal life that Jesus offers. Jesus even explains what this eternal life looks like, in that we may know the Father, the one true God and that we may know Jesus Christ, whom the Father sent. To know them is to have eternal life. If a person does not know Jesus Christ or the Father, how then can they have eternal life? Jesus is the only way, he is the only truth, and he is the only light that shines the light on the Father.  Jesus goes on to prayer that he has brought the Father glory by completing the work he gave him to do. Should that not be our prayer also? How can we bring glory to God if we fail to complete that work he has given us to do? When is our work complete?  Can we retire from the work God gave us to do? Even in our old age are we content to just sit around and let all the young people do the work? Then where are we giving God glory? No, we must continue to do the work God called us to and gave us the power to do, whatsoever that is. Jesus certainly reveals he was there with the Father from the beginning, and that should give us great confidence in knowing the plan of the Father and the Son has always been to have their creation live an eternal life in their presence. With man, there is no other way, but with God there in a way, one way to eternal life, and that is through Jesus Christ. Let us always continue to run the race, finish the course, completing the work God gave us to do.