NO SURPRISES

John 17:9-19
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Prayer of Jesus

9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 11 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. 12 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.

13 “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. 14 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. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.


Just as Jesus knew what Judas would (betray Him) before it happened, Jesus also knew how the world would regard the church. The disdain for the church we see today was known by Jesus before He even went to the Cross. The wonderful thing to know is that Jesus has already prayed about this, asking the Father to keep us safe. Jesus did not send us into the world, on our evangelistic mission, without the coverage of prayer.

Jesus not only has prayed for us, He became the holy sacrifice. We are covered in prayer and we are covered by the blood. Amen!