Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, grant us this great favor: that we may hear You pray. Amen.
Text: John 17:1–5
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as 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 have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”
Devotion
This Bible passage is the first part of Jesus’ high-priestly prayer, and this prayer is the simplest and most profound in the whole Bible.
Here in these five verses He prays for Himself as the Savior of the world: that the Father would glorify Him, that He may glorify the Father and give all those whom the Father had given Him eternal life. The hour had come, He must suffer death to be glorified Himself and to glorify the Father and to give us eternal life. He had power to lay down His life and power to take it up again. But in this the Holy Trinity’s eternal plan of wisdom and love is revealed. Here we meet glory so overwhelmingly great, yet so gentle and humble, that our heart must melt. Here is righteousness and wisdom, but above all, love so powerful that it draws to itself all whose eyes have been enlightened by the Spirit. And “this is eternal life.” We know the only true God, who is revealed on earth by His only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We know the Father and the Son through the Son’s coming to earth, His suffering death, and His victory. We know Him in this way only by the enlightenment of the Spirit whom the Son after His glorification sends from the Father. Whoever thus knows God so that he gives his heart to Him, knows Him with the knowledge of love, just as the Son knows the Father: he has eternal life. Love stronger than death has come to him and enticed his heart. He lives in Jesus, and Jesus in him. Yes, this is eternal life, and only this. But this is indeed eternal life, “that they know You – know You, the only true God – the only – only true God, and Him You sent, Jesus Christ.” How incredibly important! This, only this is eternal life, eternal life! To give us this life and thereby to honor the Father, Jesus must go – and He is willing to go – through death to His glory, and He prays about this. He will take this as a gift of the Father, though He is the Only-begotten and had the glory, before the world was. O what a prayer this is! How everything in us must be moved to worship and thank Him when we hear it!
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are greatly praised, who would put aside the use of Your glory and pray to the Father for glorification by suffering death to draw us from death to life. You see we understand still so little of the depth and height of this truth. But we pray You: give us Your Holy Spirit, and show us Your Father, so that we still may indeed have eternal life. O let us know Your love which passes understanding. Glorify Yourself in us, precious Savior, and glorify us with You, so that we may praise Your glory eternally in heaven. Amen.
Hymn
Sweet Jesus, Thou my heart’s desire;
In whom my soul reposes,
Thy precious words my soul inspire,
Like lilies and like roses.
My mouth for Thee prepareth praise,
And while Thy goodness thus displays,
So many sweets incloses.
Light of my soul, in Thy bright rays
Alone I stand beholding
Those beauties, with uncovered face
Which quicken me unfolding.
O take my heart, and fill it quite,
My glory, with Thy glory bright;
Fast-locked forever holding.
Lange: L 538:1-2 tr. Lyra Davidica, alt.;
tune: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (ELH 35); alternate hymn: Jesus, priceless treasure ELH 264:1-2