Lesson 86: Christ the High Priest, part 2
First, Jesus prays for Himself, for His being glorified, that so He may glorify the Father. “Father, glorify Your Son. And now, Father, glorify Me.” And He brings forward the grounds on which He thus prays. A holy covenant had been concluded between the Father and the Son in heaven. The Father had promised Him power over all flesh as the reward of His work: He had done the work, He had glorified the Father, and His one purpose is now still further to glorify Him. With the utmost boldness, He asks that the Father may glorify Him; that He may now be and do for His people all He has undertaken.
Disciple of Jesus, you have the first lesson in your work of priestly intercession, to be learned from the example of your great High Priest. To pray in the Name of Jesus is to pray in unity, in sympathy with Him. As the Son began His prayer by making clear His relation to the Father, pleading His work and obedience and His desire to see the Father glorified, do so too. Draw near and appear before the Father in Christ. Plead His finished work. Say that you are one with it, that you trust on it, live in it. Say that you too have given yourself to finish the work the Father has given you to do, and to live alone for His glory. And ask then confidently that the Son may be glorified in you. This is praying in the Name, in the very words, in the Spirit of Jesus, in union with Jesus Himself. Such prayer has power. If with Jesus you glorify the Father, the Father will glorify Jesus by doing what you ask in His Name. It is only when your own personal relation on this point, like Christ’s, is clear with God, when you are glorifying Him, and seeking all for His glory, that like Christ, you will have power to intercede for those around you.
Our Lord next prays for the circle of His disciples. He speaks of them as those whom the Father has given Him. Their chief mark is that they have received Christ’s word. He says of them that He now sends them into the world in His place, just as the Father had sent Him. And He asks two things for them: that the Father keep them from the evil one, and sanctify them through His Word, because He sanctifies Himself for them.
Just like the Lord, each believing intercessor has his own immediate circle for whom he first prays. Parents have their children, teachers their pupils, pastors their flocks, all workers their special charge, and all believers those whose care lies upon their hearts. It is of great consequence that intercession should be personal, pointed, and definite. And then our first prayer must always be that they may receive the word. But this prayer will not be effective, unless with our Lord we can say, “I have given them Your word.” It is this which gives us liberty and power in intercession for souls. Not only pray for them, but speak to them. And when they have received the word, let us pray much for their being kept from the evil one, and for their being sanctified through that word. Instead of being hopeless or judging or giving up those who fall, let us pray for our circle, “Father! Keep them in Your Name;” “Sanctify them through Your truth.” Prayer in the Name of Jesus accomplishes much: “What you will shall be done unto you.”
Prayer: Blessed Lord, I come now to accept this as my calling. For this I would forsake all and follow You. Into Your hands I would believingly yield my whole being. Form, train, and inspire me to be one of Your prayer-legion, wrestlers who watch and strive in prayer; God’s princes, who have power and prevail. Take possession of my heart, and fill it with the one desire - for the glory of God in the ingathering, and sanctification, and union of those whom the Father has given You. Take my mind and let this be my study and my wisdom, to know when prayer can bring a blessing. Take me wholly and fit me as a priest ever to stand before God and to bless in His Name.