God’s Vision for 2020
By: Khalilah Shelton
Have you ever wondered what God really wants from you? I've thought that if I can just get the right person to pray for me then things would be different. I've hoped that there was some secret sauce that I could put on my prayers that would just move the hand of the Lord more quickly and make things clearer. Scripture is filled with prayers of saints approaching God the Father. But what makes Jesus’ prayer different? In John chapter 17, Jesus is taking a moment to settle his affairs with his Father. He knows that death is eminent. He knows that there is a torturous execution sentenced to him. Rather than being consumed with the betrayal to come and the heartache and abuse that awaits him, he petitions his Father on our behalf. Wait! You mean to tell me that Jesus, knowing that he was about to be betrayed by Peter, publicly humiliated and sentenced to death on trumped up charges and a bogus trial, prayed for His disciples? Prayed for me?
The content of Christ’s prayer in John 17 should strike every one of his followers in a profound way. He prays to his Father regarding “all those [God] gave him”, but what does this tell us about Jesus’ affection for his followers and the vision the Father has for those given to the Son? Jesus’ love for his Father is always at the forefront of everything that he does. But the Father so loves mankind that He sent His Son on mission to buy back the souls of mankind, all of which had been sold to sin and death in the garden of Eden. What love He has for us, for you, for me! Dear sister, please take that personally. Please let your holy imagination freefall into all of the implications that has on the great lengths He has gone to make Himself known to you! This being so, what is His vision of love? God’s vision for His people is that His people will know Him, that we would fully follow Christ and that we will testify of Him.
God’s vision is that His people would know Him.
“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
John 17:1-5
The book of Genesis tells us that God created a perfect world, man sinned and thus God separated Himself from humanity, but not before covering them physically and spiritually. The spiritual covering that God made for sinful man is Jesus Christ. Jesus came that all of God’s chosen people would know the one true God. He finished the work of bridging the gap between God and man by living a perfect life, dying in our place for our sins and coming back to life and living in heaven with God for all eternity. We, His chosen people, are now able to know God by the perfect Bridge that gives us access to God. What grace! We are purchased by God, through Christ! Now that we know Him how then should we live?
God’s vision is that His people would fully follow Christ.
“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.”
John 17:6-8
Jesus reveals who God is. He shows us that his disciples obeyed, acknowledged, accepted, and believed God and His word. They were willing to walk in the world uprightly, trudge into danger seeking God’s righteousness and were unified with other believers as they lived the life to which the Father had called them. I’m sure some of them lived in less than ideal neighborhoods seeking to share the gospel with locals. Some gave up their careers to follow Christ. All left the comfort of familiarity to pursue the mission of God alongside the most able Missionary. Jesus prayed for their protection and unity as they fully followed him. He also petitioned the Father for a full measure of joy (v.13), sanctification by the truth of His word (v.17) and gave them full assurance of their salvation (v.12). Imagine the joy of living in close community with the Creator of the universe. Consider the weightiness of the first hand account of the One who’s breath breathed out scriptures. Take comfort in the assurance that you will be forever safe in the new heaven and new earth with the Lover of your soul. We should live our lives fully following Christ.
God’s vision is for His disciples to testify of Him.
The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."
John 17:22-26
Christ’s disciples are the testimony to the world of who God is. The unified Church is evidence of God’s presence in the world and the fulfillment of the promise, purpose and love of God the Father through Christ. The work of Christ is a single,unified mission. The Father seeks that all believers of all generations be unified in truth. We are here by Christ’s love and sustaining power. He desires to be with us and to bask in God’s glory forever. He has chosen us to continue to make it known the love that the Father has for Christ is the same love he has for all believers. What a beautiful and glorious vision He has! I can't help but to get the warm and fuzzies when I know that Jesus Christ has prayed for me! Have you caught this vision for 2020 and years to come? Jesus Christ prayed for you, now where are you going in 2020?
