Imagine the moonlit olive tree orchard on the hillside of Jerusalem the night Jesus was betrayed. His closest friends had experienced an emotional Passover feast, which included having their feet washed by the one they believed to be the Messiah. Now, as He pulls them in closer so they can hear, what they’d later understand to be His final instructions to them, the Master revealed His plans to leave them.
Their hearts sank as they considered all that they had left to follow Him. They had hoped He really was the Messiah. Who else could do what He had done? Who else spoke with such authority? Yet He spoke of His death as if it were about to happen.
Jesus said in John 16:20, “I’m telling you, you’re going to weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will be sad for a time, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy…”
The crickets and frogs serenaded their savior as He spoke confusing words of tragedy and hope at the same time. Before He asked them to pray, He said, “In a little while you’ll be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:32-33)
Then He turned and walked away from them. He was in their sights as they watched Him kneel down, His face to the ground. Then a little while later His hands lifted to heaven, then back to kneeling. They sat down slowly thinking about what He’d asked them to do--pray. How could they pray at time like this? What could be said? As they leaned against a few large stones near the orchard, they followed His actions, heads low, faces to the ground. But their plea for understanding gave way to their fatigue and they fell asleep while their savior continued on.
Meanwhile Jesus said in a whisper as sweat and blood dripped from His forehead, “…Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me. My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you…”
A while later, Jesus got up from the ground and returned to find them sleeping. “You men couldn’t keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:40-41) Ashamed the weary friends glanced at each other and bowed in prayer once again, only to find that His words were true, “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”
Once again Jesus spoke to His father, “…Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one…”
As He continued the sounds of broken branches, clanking armor, and muffled chatter could be heard in the distance. Judas. His time of trouble was here, and He knew that He would have only the father to comfort Him…for a while. Soon enough, as He would suffer on the cross, He would even lose that comfort: “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?”
He stood by His sleepy companions as they got to their feet, these men He loved so much, knowing their hearts, and knowing what they would eventually do to fulfill His final plea that He’d asked of God: “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”
Unity has the power to sustain us through even the darkest hours of life. At the heart of Jesus’ prayer, the goal of unity was boldly proclaimed. Now, many years later the gift of unity is still made possible to those who powerfully embrace Jesus's plea for the father to be glorified by the love of His followers. Unity is a powerful ingredient to experiencing the joy and peace that Jesus would be available because of His painful death on the cross.
Paul continues Jesus’ plea for unity in the letter to the Philippians that they would watch out for the things that cause division among them. And that they’d make the effort to seek Him and live in the joy of the Lord. What efforts can you make today to better fulfill the prayer of Jesus that we be unified?
Their hearts sank as they considered all that they had left to follow Him. They had hoped He really was the Messiah. Who else could do what He had done? Who else spoke with such authority? Yet He spoke of His death as if it were about to happen.
Jesus said in John 16:20, “I’m telling you, you’re going to weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will be sad for a time, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy…”
The crickets and frogs serenaded their savior as He spoke confusing words of tragedy and hope at the same time. Before He asked them to pray, He said, “In a little while you’ll be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:32-33)
Then He turned and walked away from them. He was in their sights as they watched Him kneel down, His face to the ground. Then a little while later His hands lifted to heaven, then back to kneeling. They sat down slowly thinking about what He’d asked them to do--pray. How could they pray at time like this? What could be said? As they leaned against a few large stones near the orchard, they followed His actions, heads low, faces to the ground. But their plea for understanding gave way to their fatigue and they fell asleep while their savior continued on.
Meanwhile Jesus said in a whisper as sweat and blood dripped from His forehead, “…Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me. My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you…”
A while later, Jesus got up from the ground and returned to find them sleeping. “You men couldn’t keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:40-41) Ashamed the weary friends glanced at each other and bowed in prayer once again, only to find that His words were true, “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”
Once again Jesus spoke to His father, “…Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one…”
As He continued the sounds of broken branches, clanking armor, and muffled chatter could be heard in the distance. Judas. His time of trouble was here, and He knew that He would have only the father to comfort Him…for a while. Soon enough, as He would suffer on the cross, He would even lose that comfort: “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?”
He stood by His sleepy companions as they got to their feet, these men He loved so much, knowing their hearts, and knowing what they would eventually do to fulfill His final plea that He’d asked of God: “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”
Unity has the power to sustain us through even the darkest hours of life. At the heart of Jesus’ prayer, the goal of unity was boldly proclaimed. Now, many years later the gift of unity is still made possible to those who powerfully embrace Jesus's plea for the father to be glorified by the love of His followers. Unity is a powerful ingredient to experiencing the joy and peace that Jesus would be available because of His painful death on the cross.
Paul continues Jesus’ plea for unity in the letter to the Philippians that they would watch out for the things that cause division among them. And that they’d make the effort to seek Him and live in the joy of the Lord. What efforts can you make today to better fulfill the prayer of Jesus that we be unified?
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