Jesus’ Priestly Prayer

John 17:9-12

Unite God's People

Paul J. Bucknell
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The Bible Teaching Commentary

John 17:1-8 Glorify | John 17:9-12 Unite | John 17:13-15 Protect
John 17:16-19 Sanctify | John 17:20-23 Testimony | John 17:24-26 Share
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Unite God's People from John 17:9-12 is the second of six requests made during Jesus' lengthy prayer at the end of the Upper Room Discourse which has us focus on the unity or oneness of God's people. Includes Bible study questions.

2) Unite God’s People (John 17:9-12)

“Keep them in Thy name, which Thou has given Me, that they may be one, even as We are one” (John 17:11).

In John versers 9-12 Jesus prays to maintain the faith of those for which He came. He seems to be aware of a great force from which they must be guarded less they perish (17:12). His direct reference is of His close disciples (verse 12, (Jesus said He would pray for them) and the context of an oncoming spiritual tsunami (see 18:1).

1. Who is Jesus focusing His prayers for (17:9)?

2. From verse 10, what would you say the secret of Jesus’ effective service was?

3. What is it that Jesus specifically requests of the Father in verse 11?

4. Explain what ‘that they may be one, even as We are’ might mean (11)?

Summary

The Father desires a work in the believer’s life that forms an eternal bond of oneness with other believers, Christ and God the Father. The church’s unity is constantly challenged by disunity, individualism, materialism, etc. but in order to rightly combat this problem, we need to realize God’s greater purposes as expressed here and seek His protection.

Reflection and application questions

• Does the ‘oneness’ refer to the completeness of number, the intimacy between, the common purpose or other things?

• Do you see any challenges to the unity of the body of Christ today in our context? If so, what are they and how might we better combat them?

Group discussion question

• Start by attempting to define this oneness expressed in verse 11 and follow this up by discussing ways this

Click to continue to the next prayer request of Jesus.

3) Protect His Disciples (John 17:13-15)

Check out other quality BFF materials related to the above topics.

A video and handout of this lesson is available on the BFF New Testament Library - see below.

Biblical Foundations for Freedom ( BFF )

Rev. Paul J. Bucknell