Gospel lesson for the week

John 17: 6-19

In this reading the church hears Jesus' words on the night before his death. This gospel reports the words of Jesus' prayer, a prayer for his disciples and for all who would believe in him through their words.

⁶I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; ⁸for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. ⁹I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours.¹⁰All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. ¹¹And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. ¹²While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. ¹⁴I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. ¹⁵I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. ¹⁷Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Gospel Reflection Questions 
 to share and discuss

1. How are you living Christ’s “word of truth” in your lives?
   
   
2. Jesus is no longer “in the flesh” in this world – who is now the messenger of Christ’s word for the world?
   
   
3. How does Jesus help us “navigate” this world and protect us today?
   
   

Prayer

Dear God, we are here to be used by you, to learn from our mistakes and to grow in faith.  Help us to be your messenger to/for this world in our words and actions and thoughts.  Help us to serve the world better and to have strength for our “journey” in this world.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

This is Mt. Olive’s weekly online Bible Study for youth, adults and families. Each week we will reflect on the coming weekend’s Gospel text covered at our upcoming worship services. This is your opportunity to read the text, reflect on the questions, share and discuss with friends and family, and share a prayer.

< SUBSCRIBE >
Get our weekly Bible study newsletter emailed to you!

illustration by Julie Lonneman exclusively for Augsburg Fortress.