JOHN 17:6-12 FINISHING WELL

6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

Jesus accomplished the work that God had given him to do. He made God known on earth. He made God known as Father to the men God had given him. He shared God’s word with those men. He acknowledged that all he had was given by the Father and he in turn gave it all back to the Father. Finally, he prayed for protection for those he was given as he was about to leave them. This is the pattern for the life and ministry of those who would be Jesus’ disciples.

In following Jesus we need to strive to finish our course on this earth in the manner of Jesus. He has shown us the way and has demonstrated God’s purpose for humankind. From the moment of our creation, humankind was tasked with expanding God’s kingdom in this world. Before the fall it was a matter of tending, tilling and taming. Once sin came into play the task became infinitely more difficult. We no longer knew God directly and became more like the wild vines of the wilderness than the cultivated plants of the garden. Therefore, it became a matter of revelation and the choice to obey what was revealed. Believing the One who came and what he said about the One who sent him are the first steps in fulfilling our purpose. Out of obedience we must do what Jesus showed us to do. We are to make Jesus and the Father known on earth and share his word with others. We must live lives that demonstrate our belief that all we have comes from God. In addition, we need to develop the discipline of praying for others, and specifically for their spiritual well-being.

Finishing well is not about tangible results like scores of converts, wide acclaim as a Christian or accomplishing great things for the kingdom by man’s standards. Finishing well in the kingdom is faithfully fulfilling the purpose for which we were created – to make God known through his word and to pray for our neighbors.

Lord God, may I ever acknowledge you as my Father and the Creator of the world. Give me a zeal for the hearing and proclaiming of your word. Give me a generous heart that reflects your generosity. Give me your love for others so that I might not only be concerned for their eternal well-being, but will steadfastly pray for their salvation. Amen.