X — CHRIST’S PRAYER

X — WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRIST’S PRAYER AND A PRAYING MISSIO DEI CHURCH?

Christ prayed the well-known “Prayer in Gethsemane” the night He was betrayed. It’s also important to realize that the prayer of John 17 – the whole chapter – was His prayer the night before He was crucified. In His High Priestly prayer, Christ prayed for Himself and His mission, He prayed for His disciples and their participation in His mission, and He prayed for all believers and those “who will believe” through their being sent. The “just as” is an important conjunction in John 17 and elsewhere in Scripture. Just as Christ was sent, He sends us. Just as Christ loves, He directs us to love. Just as Christ serves, He directs us to serve. Just as Christ prayed, He directs us to pray for ourselves, our receiving and participating in His mission, so that all believers and unbelievers may know Christ’s love and be saved. 

36. Luke 10:1-2 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” 

37. John 17:1 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.”

38. John 17:20 I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.

39.  Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

40.  John 16:23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.

41.  1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.

42. Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 

(For further study see the Lord’s Prayer, Luther’s Small Catechism.)