Jesus Prayed for You!

Christian, do you realize Jesus prayed for you? In John Chapter 17, as Jesus Himself was going through what arguably was the most turbulent time in His earthly life, Jesus prayed for you!
Here is the specific verse and following that verse is some of the context, but not all:
John 17:20
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;”

Here is the verse in the immediate context:
John 17:20 Context
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Is there deep theological significance associated with Jesus’ prayer in John 17. There sure is, and we could dig into that treasure trove for the many jewels it contains, but not this time. This time I just wanted to share with my readers the comfort and encouragement this verse brings to me. Think about it, not only did Jesus love me enough to lay down His life for such a worm as I, but He left me a love note in this prayer.

When the troubles and trials of the world seem to overwhelm my soul, I can turn to this verse and take comfort that perfect Jesus prayed for me. I rejoice in the truth that by my Lord's grace I am sanctified in Him. Through the great love of the Son I have fellowship with the Father. I have the comfort of the Holy Ghost, which God sent for me to continually comfort me, through the sacrifice of my redeemer Jesus. All because of Jesus’ great love for me.

Let me close with two scriptures, one is something Jesus told His disciples shortly before this prayer, and the other is what one of those eyewitness disciples later said about that verse, many years after Jesus’ resurrection.
John 15:13

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

1 John 4:19 KJV
19 We love him, because he first loved us.

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