Finding Faith ... in Jesus' prayer being so powerful it should give us shivers

EDITOR'S NOTE: On Oct. 23, 2021, I was ordained as a minister of word and sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and installed as pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. I also served the same church for four years from October 2017 to October 2021 a synodical authorized minister. The journey together these past seven years has been an amazing one, full of learning, growing and a deepening of my theological mind. This sermon took place on June 4, 2025.

This week's gospel text: John 17:20-26

20 “I ask not only on behalf of these but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

25 “Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them.”

Faith Family … I’d like you to take a moment to think about the one person whose love was so exquisite … that you remember feeling that there is nothing in life that could feel as fine as this!

The message:

You know the feeling I’m talking about …

For some of you, maybe it was that grandparent whom you just could not get enough of. A grandma or grandpa who made you feel like you were the most important person in the world.

Maybe they even made you feel like you were the ONLY person in the world!

For me … no surprise, right? … You all know me. … It was my mother.

I think all of you met her at least once. … And my mother possessed this very rare ability to make each and every individual you conversed with feel as if … … well, they were the MOST important person in the world!

How about you? … Who was your person that made you feel special?

Faith Family … I think that this is exactly what today’s gospel is all about.

I think that Jesus in his prayer is asking God to help him relay this love the Father has for his son to followers like us … who, unfortunately, only possess our limited human capacities.

Listen to some of these phrases that demonstrate how Jesus is expressing his gratitude …

“As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may the also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Another … “so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Finally … “I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory …”

Friends, Jesus in his prayer first of all is expressing his deep gratitude to God for a love that existed before even the foundation of the world. … Jesus knows that his father loved him long before even there was a physical planet to which he would send him one day.

And Jesus is just so grateful. … But even more importantly in this prayer, Jesus is calling out to God asking that he help us to be able to feel and understand this same love too.

Can you imagine, Faith Family? … Oh, it gives me shivers! … Can you imagine friends being able to feel God’s love the way that Jesus does! 

It would be like infinity times the warm feelings your favorite person gave you! … I can’t even imagine an infinite love greater than that which I experienced from my mother! … Can’t even wrap my head around it! 

And yet, this is what Jesus is praying for my friends. He desires for us to know his same glory! … He also loves us so much that he is beckoning to God to allow us to feel one with both Jesus and God so that we too know this indescribable feeling! 

Father, I feel your love so intimately, but I want the people whom you’ve given to me to feel that very same love! … Please Father! 

Jesus … of course … knows the limitations here. 

He says so as much in verse 25 when he says: “Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me.”

Jesus acknowledges that despite how much he loves us, he knows that we will struggle with knowing God’s love. … Right? … I mean, how can we possibly know a love that big, that infinite that unfettered? 

And Jesus recognizes that. … BUT, what Jesus asks is … well, then, Father at least let these given to me know your love through me.

They know I was sent here by you; they know I’m your son. So, maybe, if they can’t experience the feeling of your all-accompanying love … well, maybe Father, they'll get even a glimpse of it through me.

Now friends … you know what's even more powerful than the thought of Jesus desiring for us to know the extent of Jesus’ love?

Knowing that this is the very last prayer he prays … and the very last message he conveys to his disciples … before he is arrested, taken away, tried, tortured and crucified.

Think about that, Faith Family. … Jesus could have said any number of things as his last message. Right? 

He could have commanded us to follow all of the commandments. Could have issued orders for after his departure. Could have threatened us if we didn’t straighten up. 

So many things he could have chosen as his last message, and what he choose: A prayer asking God to assist us in being able to feel the same love he felt from his Father. 

I don’t know about you, but this is pretty moving stuff. If that doesn’t give you the goose bumps … I’m not sure what will. 

In his final moments with his disciples … THE most important thing he wants to convey is the infinite and endless love God has for them. … And that most certainly makes me shiver.

Faith Family … as you go out from church tonight, I hope that you can dwell in this knowledge. That for God so loved the world, He gave us his only son. … And that son is so grateful for the love he receives, that he wants so desperately for us mere mortals to be able to experience it as well.

That is powerful. That news should change our lives. I hope it does for you. … And that is the Good News on this Seventh week after Easter, June 4, 2025. Amen.