Characteristics of a Disciples – Part 8

Characteristics of a Disciple Part 8

Jhn 17:20  “I do not pray for these alone [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for [all] those who [will ever] believe and trust in Me through their message,

Jhn 17:21  that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me.

John 17:20–23
Jesus’ prayer reveals our value, identity, and unity in Him.

This is one of the most sacred moments in Scripture—Jesus, knowing He’s about to face the cross, turns His attention toward the Father and begins to pray. But what’s astonishing is this: He prays for you and me.

 

He could have asked for strength or strategy, but instead, He prays for us—for our unity, our identity, and our purpose. Let’s look closely at what Jesus prayed, and what it means for us today.

 

Point 1: Jesus Chose to Pray for Us

  • Jesus was looking down the corridor of time—and He saw you.
  • You are not forgotten or random—you are remembered in prayer by the Savior Himself.
  • You are called by God and chosen. 
  • His intercession didn’t stop there:

Heb 7:25  Therefore He is able also to save forever (completely, perfectly, for eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede and intervene on their behalf [with God].

You matter to God—so much that Jesus prayed for you before you were born.

Point 2: Our Identity Is Found in Christ

Jhn 17:21  that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me.

  • Jesus doesn’t just pray for our survival; He prays that we’d be one with Him, just as He is one with the Father.
  • This reveals something powerful: your identity is not based on your past, pain, or performance—it’s rooted in your connection to Christ.

What is identity?

  • Identity is who you are at the core—your value, purpose, and origin.
  • In Christ, your identity is:
    • Beloved – (Ephesians 1:6)
    • Chosen – (1 Peter 2:9)
    • New Creation – (2 Corinthians 5:17)
    • Accepted – (Romans 15:7)
    • God’s workmanship – (Ephesians 2:10)

We don’t achieve our identity—we receive it in Jesus.

 

Point 3: Unity Reveals Jesus to the World

Jhn 17:21  that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me.

Jhn 17:22  I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one, just as We are one;

  • Unity is not uniformity—it’s shared purpose in the midst of diversity.
  • When the church walks in unity, we become living proof that Jesus is real.

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

Unity is evangelism—how we treat each other testifies about Jesus.

 

Point 4: God Shares His Glory with Us

“The glory which You gave Me I have given them…” (v.22)

  • Jesus shared His glory with us—not for our fame but for our transformation.
  • Glory here refers to the manifested presence, weight, and honor of God.

Col 1:27  God [in His eternal plan] chose to make known to them how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in and among you, the hope and guarantee of [realizing the] glory.

This means we are carriers of divine purpose, set apart to reflect Him in the earth.

You are not ordinary—you carry the glory of God.

 

Point 5: We Are Loved with the Same Love the Father Has for Jesus

“…that the world may know… that You have loved them as You have loved Me.” (v.23)

  • This is one of the most staggering statements in all of Scripture.
  • God doesn’t love you less than Jesus—He loves you as He loves Jesus.
  • That love is unearned, unchanging, and unshakable.

Rom 8:38  For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced–beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers,

Rom 8:39  nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You are radically, eternally, and unconditionally loved by the Father.

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