Those You Have Given Him

John 17:1-2,8,11-12,14 – After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him…For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me…I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled…I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.

John 6:37,39,44 – All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away…And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day…“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.

Application:

• ·         God’s action, not ours, is primary in salvation, and Christ’s mercy is unfailing.
• ·         True believers will persevere because of Christ’s firm hold on them.
• ·         Three things about the disciples are mentioned: (1) They accepted the teaching. (2) They knew with certainty Jesus’ divine origin. Acceptance of that revelation led them further into truth. (3) They believed.
• ·         The latter part of the prayer strongly emphasizes unity.
• ·         Christ’s power is adequate for every need.
• ·         “The world” is the world that is hostile to God and God’s people.
• ·         People do not come to Christ strictly on their own initiative; the Father draws them.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV