The Lord's Prayer
Posted 9/15/2001
Joh 17:1-26 is the true Lord's prayer - this is how He prayed. The traditional "Lord's Prayer" is just an example, and outline, that He gave to His disciples as a teaching aid.
Jesus prayed quite differently. Several things stand out after a few readings:
Respect
- He puts God first before Himself as the source of eternal life (3)
 - He spent His life accomplishing the work of His Father (4)
 - He recognized that the disciples were given Him from God (6)
 - He knows full well that all He has is from God (7)
 - He characterized Himself as a mere messenger, a prophet, pointing the way to God (8)
 
Real Concern for Others
- He is about to die, yet spends most of His prayer pleading for the church (9-24)
 - "Keep them in thy name" (11-12)
 - "Joy made full in themselves" (13)
 - "Keep them from the evil one" (15)
 - "Sanctify them in the truth" (17)
 
Unity
- "They may all be one" (21)
 - "Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee" (21)
 - "Glory . . . that they may be one" (22)
 - "Perfected in unity" (23)
 - "Be with Me where I am" (24)
 
Love
- "Thou . . . didst love them" (23)
 - "Thou didst love me" (24)
 - "I have known thee" (25)
 - "Thou didst love me may be in them" (26)