John 17 : 1 - 11
Jesus Prays For His Disciples
TEXT:
John 17:1-11 NRSV
1-5 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. 6-11 “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.
REFLECTIONS:
This prayer from Jesus comes at the end of his time on earth, after all his work is done, and he knows his disciples will be on their own soon. It’s like when a parent is on their death bed, aware that the end is coming, and they begin to speak with the wisdom of one who knows what is really important about this life… and what is not. The thing Jesus wants more than anything, it seems, is for the humans he cares about most to experience the same shape of relationship with each other as he experiences with the Father. The same unity. The same reciprocity. The same mutuality. The same Oneness. It’s almost as if Jesus is inviting humanity right into the middle of the Trinity itself. Member #4. Jesus seems to suggest too, that this Oneness has existed before the time-space continuum. I find that wild and beautiful. As if our participating in it is just a remembrance of our true self. A return to our most fundamental design.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Seek to learn something from each person you interact with this week.
Pathways Toward Centeredness
Naturalism (loving the world outdoors): The sun is finally here! Find a park. Spend some time in its fields and between its trees. Consider how many years before you those trees have been there, and how many years after you they’ll remain.
Questions for Reflection
Do you feel like the world is with you? Or against you? Who are the people with whom you feel most at one with? How were you able to arrive at this place of relationship?
You’re Invited!
One of our community practices is to gather every Sunday morning for prayer, friendship, and conversation about the week’s Scripture text. Doors open at 10:30am for coffee and donuts. Our circle begins at 11:00am. We would love to see you there!
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2640 N Portland Rd
Salem, OR 97301
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
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