Jesus' Prayer
John Chapters 13 - 16 are devoted to Jesus' words to His disciples after the Passover Meal the night before His crucifixion. In John 13:1-17, He washes His disciples' feet in preparation for the work they will do for His kingdom; and He predicts His betrayal at the hands of Judas and Peter's denial of Him. In John 14, Jesus offers words of wonderful comfort to His disciples and to us as well, which help us to understand that Jesus is the only way to God. He also promises the presence of the Holy Spirit with us. John 15 presents the illustration of Jesus as the true vine, and His followers as His branches; and indicates that following His way will be difficult for all who choose it. And John 16 speaks of the coming of the Holy Spirit for our comfort and encouragement, especially in verse 22:
"… in this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome
the world."
Jesus then goes on to pray for Himself, His disciples and all those who believe
in Him in John 17. In this prayer, Jesus turns over His mission to His disciples,
and ultimately, to all of us who believe in Him.
As we go through the month of August, please take some time to read and reflect
on these passages.
Taken from The Student Bible