In John 17 you get a glimpse of what Jesus prays for you. It’s sometimes called his ‘high priestly prayer’ because he stands and intercedes before the Father on behalf of all his people.
In fact, we’re going to look at five requests that Jesus makes in this prayer. One request is for himself, two are for the disciples with him then, and the other two are for all believers everywhere. And not surprisingly, we’ll see that the two requests for his disciples then actually apply to all of us as well.
It’s a lovely thing to think about what Jesus prays for you.
But it begs a couple of really important questions: Do you think you pray for the same things as he does? Do you even want the things Jesus prays for you? If you think you do want them, it really ought to show in your life. If your life doesn’t reflect what Christ himself asks the Father for you, then you have some big changes to make, don’t you?
Let’s see.
These notes accompany a sermon on YouTube delivered at Bromborough Evangelical Church in June 2026. You can find more in the series in our sermon index.
Jesus prayed to be glorified (1-5)
We often read in the gospels that Jesus prayed, but there aren’t many of his actual prayers recorded. This is by far the longest.
He begins by praying for himself: Read John 17:1.
- How should the Father glorify the Son?
- And how will the Son glorify the Father?
It’s helpful to follow the logic of v4-5 first: The Son (Jesus) has glorified his Father in his perfect obedience on earth: Jesus’ death was the purpose of him leaving heaven’s glories and worship. He became human to die. That way he can take the punishment of death that sinful people deserve. But he could only do that if he himself was sinless – which he was, in perfect obedience to the Father.
So the Son (Jesus) has glorified the Father by displaying the Father’s love and grace: He is willing to go to such lengths to save you. So Read John 17:4-5.
The Father would glorify the Son in raising Jesus from the dead, and clothing him with heavenly splendour and majesty – as described in Daniel 7 or Revelation 5. And Christ is now exalted above every name, and all creation is subject to him. He now intercedes for his own before the Father! That’s where Jesus is now and what he’s doing. If you’re a Christian, Jesus prays for you even now. You can have the utmost confidence in your faith and in the goodness of God because Jesus lives and prays for you!
Eternal life
And it’s in that salvation that Jesus accomplished for his people that he now brings glory to the Father. He brings glory to the Father because he is raised. So read John 17:2-3.
The Son glorifies the Father as he gives eternal life to his own people. What is eternal life? A knowledge of God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.
Be warned: If you have never turned from your sin and asked this God – the only true God – for forgiveness, then you’re lost. You can call yourself a Christian if you like, but when you face the real Jesus one day he’ll turn you away: “I never knew you.” But it is to his glory if you come to him for salvation. He calls you to come.
So when Jesus prays to be glorified, it’s grounded in his work to save lost sinners like you and me. And in his risen intercessory work, he glorifies the Father who has given you his Son!
Jesus prays for your protection (6-16)
Jesus starts to ask the Father on behalf of his people in v11b. But first he give the grounds of his requests in v6-11a.
Read John 17:6a. Firstly, the disciples know the name of God. The name of God is the expression and display of his attributes. It’s the public display of his power and reputation. And Jesus has revealed all that, since to see Jesus is to see the Father. Jesus revealed the Father’s name through obedience to the Father.
The second reason Jesus gives is simpler: He prays for his disciples because they belong to the Father. Read John 17:6b.
And thirdly, they might not be perfect but at least they’ve chosen to stick with Jesus: Read John 17:6c.
And the crunch point is that Jesus is about to leave them. Read John 17:11a. So those are the grounds; now the prayers:
Prayers for his people
In v11b, Jesus prays for the disciples’ protection.
Read John 17:11b. He asks, “Protect them by your name” or “keep them in your name” (ESV). In other words, protect them in who you are, in grace and power. Christ kept them in the Father’s name while he was with them, so he asks the Father to keep them, to protect them.
If you feel fearful about living for Christ, rest assured that the situation facing you is as it was for those disciples. What Jesus prayed for them, he prays for you now.
Why? He gives three reasons:
- He prays that his people may be one, even as the Father and Son are one. It’s about missional unity. We’ll come back to that later. But certainly unity is a hallmark of God, where division is usually spiritual breakdown.
- Secondly, he prays for his disciples simply because the world hates them. If you choose to live for Jesus, it won’t be long before there are problems. The world hates his rule, so it will call you backward, foolish, or even evil.
- And the third reason Jesus prays for his people is that the devil himself hates you and will work against you. Read John 17:15.
If you’re not a Christian, you’ll happily live by the world’s values and norms. Satan won’t bother you except to keep your duped, away from God. You won’t run into too much trouble, spiritually speaking. Until you run into God. Then your rejection of God in this life will be confirmed by him in the next – forever.
Having prayed his people will be protected, he now prays you’ll be sanctified (consecrated, set aside for holy use by God).
Jesus prays for your sanctification (17-19)
Read John 17:18-19.
The point is that because Christians are in the world but not “of the world” (because they are in Christ, and he is not of the world), you must live differently from the world.
Our son has been in the Philippines for two years.He says he could stay there the rest of his life and he’d still always feel out of place: He’s not “of the Philippines.”
Jesus actually prays that you would feel that way about this world: You don’t belong here, and you’re to be set apart. The world is full of lies, greed, hate, and envy. Truth (as God declares it) is what sets Christians apart. “Sanctify them by the truth: Your word is truth.”
Truth isn’t a construct, or a cultural agreement. It’s objective reality. The earth goes round the sun. Rain falls downwards. And you are accountable for your sins before a holy God, who loves you enough to save you. Truth.
The Father set Jesus apart (sanctified him) when he sent him into the world: In John 10:36 Jesus describes himself as “the one the Father set apart and sent into the world.” In John’s gospel, “set apart” or “sanctified” always has this idea of being sent into the world on mission.
So Jesus prays that even though you’re in the world, you should be set apart in holiness and mission to the world.
Be set apart
If that’s what he prays for you, it ought to show in your life. As Christ set himself apart (sanctified himself) for the Father’s work, that meant practical steps every day.
For you, that means choosing to live for God. Prioritise church, prayer, doing good, being mission-minded. You’re not exempt. There are no excuses.
So he prayed for protection and sanctification (to be set apart) for the disciples, and all that applies to you and me too.
Next he prays directly for you.
Jesus prays for our unity (20-23)
Read John 17:20.
He’s not praying for people who believe any old thing. This is why we preach the Bible, so that you will believe the word that those eye-witnesses brought you. Just listen to these words, and how they combine rich language of union with deliberate mission to the world: Read John 17:21-23.
In what sense are the Father and Son ‘one’? And how can you and I be ‘one’ as they are ‘one’?
- The Father and Son are distinct persons, but they have a shared life, a shared identity: The Father is called Father because of his relationship to the Son, and the Son likewise.
- We’re all distinct people, but we also have a shared life, a shared identity: If you are a Christian then you are in Christ, indwelt by the Spirit, a child of God. All of us, equally, one.
- God is love, and the Father and Son are bound in love. Their relationship isn’t just structural, but infinitely relational in love. Likewise, the church isn’t a club or an institution. You’re not a member like a member of a social club. You’re a member of Christ’s body; all of us are. One.
- Don’t miss the missional element too: The Father and Son are utterly unified in mission to the lost. When you and I work together to reach the lost, we share in the oneness of purpose of God himself. Our shared mission work reflects and displays theirs.
No Christian is an island. We’re all united to Jesus as one.
If Jesus prays for you to be visibly united to this church, sharing its mission, then your diary really ought to be in line with that. When you give priority to gathering with Christ’s people, you’re making a visible, public declaration. Simply turning up to church (and prioritising that over other things) is a missional decision for Christ.
Now there’s something else he prays for you:
Jesus prays that you will see his glory (24-26)
Read John 17:24.
Do you have an appetite to see Jesus’ glory?
Is that what you want more than anything, or is it a kind of bonus to being a Christian?
Obviously, in this life you see him with eyes of faith. But it’s still what Jesus prays for you. He knows the highest state you can be in is to see him in delight, and live. Notice that he’s only praying this for his own people.
If you remain outside of Christ – you’ve never come to him in repentance and faith, asking his forgiveness of sin – you’ll not see his glory. You’ll see his wrath, his judgment, and you’ll tremble with fear and horror.
But God himself would rather you come to him for life – today.
For those who have, what do you think of when you think of heaven? Is heaven mostly about being reunited with loved ones? Or maybe its about the relief of a new, sin-free, pain-free body? Those things will come, but they’re side-topics. The main event is Jesus: You’ll see his face. That’s what Jesus prays for for you – the rest will follow.
And church might not be heaven, but as we look to Jesus from the Bible we glimpse his glory. That’s why we preach the Bible, why we preach Christ – whether we’re in John’s gospel, Judges, Psalms, or wherever.
Jesus alone still reveals the Father’s name to you as you look to see Jesus’ glory by faith.
And so read John 17:25-26.
You reveal his glory when you live his love. When you do something in love to someone in this church, they receive the love of God himself through you.
That is a revelation of the name of God, the glory of God, right here.
Conclusion
So we’ve seen 5 prayers: Firstly, that Christ be glorified (in his resurrection, and ascension, and as he saves his people).
And for his disciples, he has prayed
- for our protection from the world and from evil because we’re still in the world; do you dabble with sin?
- and for our sanctification, that we be set apart for God’s work even in the world; is your diary set apart for God?
- for our unity in love, one in purpose and love and mission even as the Father and Son are; will you love this church?
- and that you would see his glory – ultimately in heaven, but now also by faith as you gather here for worship.
So now: Do you pray for the same things as he does? Do you even want the things Jesus prays for you?
If you think you do want them, it really ought to show in your life.
When Christ prays for your missional involvement in his church here, why would you excuse yourself and opt out?
Will you be the answer to Christ’s own prayer, taking his gospel to the world and loving his church – this church, here?