SJTJ 282: Week 40 EXPLORE (John 17:13-26 - Jesus' Prayer for His Disciples, and You, Part 2)

12/10/2025 57 min

Listen "SJTJ 282: Week 40 EXPLORE (John 17:13-26 - Jesus' Prayer for His Disciples, and You, Part 2)"

Episode Synopsis

WEEK 40.7 Discussion questions below.DONATE TO THE WILD WAY⁠.  Your support helps us create spiritual formation and discipleship resources that help people be formed in the image of Christ for the sake of others. Episode SummaryIn this Week 40 explore episode, Jamie leads the discussion fresh from a theology and culture residency in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She and Nick complete their study of Jesus's priestly prayer in John 17:13-26, examining Jesus's desire for believers to remain "in the world but not of it" rather than segregating into Christian fortresses. They tackle the challenging call to unity among believers, explore what it means that Jesus prayed specifically for future disciples (including modern listeners), and discuss how to balance maintaining Christian unity while confronting harmful versions of Christianity. The episode concludes with the stunning reality that Jesus's prayers for us have already been answered - we are already with him where he is.Timestamps00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene 01:27 Listener Engagement and Feedback Request 02:09 Recap of John 17: Jesus' Final Prayer 03:09 Imagination Prayer and Its Impact 04:43 Themes of Being in the World and Unity 08:53 Living Out Jesus' Teachings in the World 14:08 Persecution and Living Counter-Culturally 25:22 Jesus' Prayer for Protection and Holiness 28:55 Jesus Prays for Future Believers 31:27 Themes of Unity and Love 35:38 Maintaining Unity in the Church 40:47 Confronting Anti-Christian Christianity 48:57 Jesus' Relentless Love for the World 54:07 Final Reflections and TakeawaysKey PointsIn the World: Jesus prays for disciples to remain in the world as agents of change rather than retreating into Christian fortresses and segregated communitiesWe Are the "How": God's kingdom comes and will is done through believers actively living as salt and light, not just passively praying from the sidelinesJesus Prays for You: Verse 20 marks the moment Jesus turns from praying for the literal disciples to praying specifically for future believers - including every listenerUnity is Non-Negotiable: Disunity among believers is disobedience to Jesus’ command. Jesus' primary desire is that believers be "one" as he and the Father are oneAlready Accomplished: Jesus's prayers have already been answered. We are already with him where he is, already in eternal life, already filled with his loveRelentless Divine Love: God hasn't quit on the hostile world. He pursues it relentlessly through his people who carry his love to othersDiscussion QuestionsChristian Segregation: The hosts critique creating "Christian fortresses" like harvest parties instead of engaging Halloween. How do you balance protecting faith (especially children's) with Jesus's call to be in the world?Active vs. Passive Faith: Jamie argues we should (in part) be "answers to our own prayers" rather than just praying from the sidelines. What might this look like practically in your community?Unity and Theological Disagreement: Jesus prays for unity among all believers, yet Christians are deeply divided. How do you maintain unity with believers you disagree with theologically?When to Speak Out: Nick discusses confronting "anti-Christian Christianity" while maintaining unity. How do you discern when to speak truth to power versus when to maintain peace?Jesus Prays For You: How does it change your spiritual life to know that Jesus's prayer in John 17:20-26 was specifically for you and has already been answered?Connect With UsEmail: [email protected] Request: Send voice notes or emails about how A Slow Journey Through John has shaped you by October 31st, 2025 to be included in the final episodeSocial Media: @GoTheWildWay on Instagram and FacebookWebsite: thewildway.ca