United in Christ: The Prayer of Jesus for His Church

John 17.20-26 - October 25th, 2026

Sermon - Pastor Scott Thompson

In John 17.20-26, Jesus continues His prayer to the Father, turning His attention toward all those who would believe in Him through the testimony of His disciples. This includes believers throughout history, including us today. As Jesus prepares to face the cross, He prays for the unity of His people, their relationship with Him, and the glory they will one day share with Him.

These verses reveal the heart of Christ for His Church and remind us that our salvation rests in the work of God, who brings sinners to Himself through Jesus Christ.

Jesus Prays for Future Believers

Jesus begins by praying not only for His disciples but also for those who will believe in Him through their word. The Gospel would be proclaimed, and through that testimony, people would come to faith in Christ.

This reminds us that the spread of the Gospel is not an accident of history. God works through the proclamation of His Word to bring people to faith in His Son. The disciples would testify about Christ, and others would believe through their testimony. This pattern continues today as the Gospel is preached throughout the world.

Our faith is not based on human wisdom, personal feelings, or religious traditions. It rests upon the truth revealed in God's Word concerning Jesus Christ, His death, and His resurrection.

Unity Through Christ

In verses 21-23, Jesus repeatedly speaks of unity between believers, the Father, and the Son. He prays that His people would be one, just as the Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father.

This unity is not a call to compromise biblical truth or pretend that differences do not matter. Christian unity is grounded in the truth of who Christ is and what He has accomplished. It flows from our shared relationship with Him.

Jesus says that He has given His people the glory the Father gave Him so that they may be one. This does not mean believers become divine or share God's divine nature. Rather, through Christ, we are brought into a relationship with God and united as His people.

The world is to see something different in the Church. When believers love one another, stand together in the truth, and live under the Lordship of Christ, their unity bears witness to the reality of the Gospel.

Yet our unity is not something we manufacture through human effort alone. It is rooted in the saving work of Christ, who reconciles sinners to God and brings them together as one people.

God's Love for His People

In verse 24, Jesus expresses His desire that those the Father has given Him would be with Him where He is, so that they may see His glory.

Consider the significance of this statement. Jesus is looking beyond the suffering of the cross to the glory that awaits Him. He also looks forward to the day when His people will be with Him forever.

Our hope is not merely that we escape judgment or enjoy a better life in this world. Our ultimate hope is to be with Christ, to behold His glory, and to dwell in the presence of our Savior forever.

Jesus explains that the Father loved Him before the foundation of the world. God's love is not something that began when humanity was created. Before the world existed, the Father loved the Son. This reveals the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son and reminds us that God's purposes are not reactions to unforeseen events.

The salvation of God's people unfolds according to His eternal purpose, accomplished through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Knowing God Through Jesus Christ

In verses 25-26, Jesus declares that the world has not known the Father, but He has known Him, and His disciples have come to know that the Father sent Him.

Jesus has made the Father's name known to His people, and He promises to continue doing so. He reveals the Father as no one else can because He is the eternal Son of God.

We cannot know God rightly by inventing our own understanding of Him. We must know Him as He has revealed Himself through His Son and in His Word. Jesus is not merely a messenger pointing toward God. He is the Son who perfectly reveals the Father.

Jesus concludes by speaking of the Father's love being in His people and of Himself being in them. This is the blessing of salvation: through Christ, we are reconciled to God, brought into His family, and made recipients of His love.

Our Eternal Hope

John 17.20-26 reminds us that Jesus is not merely concerned with His immediate disciples. His prayer reaches forward to all who will believe in Him through their testimony. He prays for our unity, looks forward to our presence with Him in glory, and speaks of the love of God dwelling in His people.

Our confidence does not rest in our ability to save ourselves, maintain our standing before God, or accomplish His eternal purposes. Salvation belongs to the Lord. The Father gives a people to the Son, the Son redeems them, and the Gospel is proclaimed so that people may believe in Him.

As believers, we should pursue unity grounded in biblical truth, love one another as those who belong to Christ, and keep our eyes fixed on the day when we will see our Savior in His glory.

The One who prayed for His people before going to the cross is the same One who died and rose again to secure their salvation. Our hope is in Him, and our greatest joy will be to dwell with Him forever.

We always encourage everyone to check everything through the lens of the Scriptures. Be like the noble Bereans of Paul's day. Please visit us here for much more, and remember, Christ is enough.

Let us serve together, worship together, show love together and together...go serve our King! 

FRF Family