“Father, I desire that they also, who you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (john 17:24)
As we draw towards the end of this amazing prayer, we see a few of the key themes of the prayer being brought together in the last specific request that Jesus makes of his Father.
We see the recurrence of that word “glory” that comes in one form or another 8 times in the prayer, mostly in the first 10 verses of John 17, but also in v22 where almost exactly the same phrase as in verse 24 occurs – “the glory that you have given me”. In v24 Jesus actually describes it as “my glory”.
But also there is the idea that believers are those whom the Father has given to the Son. This is an even stronger emphasis in the prayer with the words “gave” or “given” coming 17 times.
Now there are two parts to this prayer – there is a place and a vision.
First, the place – “Father, I desire that they also, who you have given me, may be with me where I am”.
Is there anywhere in the entire universe that you would rather be than in the presence of Christ? Of all the innumerable blessings and privileges given to us as believers, this is without doubt and by far the very greatest – access to the presence of God and his Son, and not just momentarily but eternally and that’s where Jesus wants us to be.
But just think for a moment – why did, why does, Jesus want us to be with him? Surely there is only one reason for that, and that is because he loves us with an everlasting love. When you truly love someone you want to be with them, in person. No place is as sweet as the place where the one you love is. Such is Christ’s love for you and for me that he wants us to with him where he is.
Second, the vision – “Father, I desire that they also, who you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”
Jesus had a specific reason for wanting us and all his people to be with him. He wants us to see the glory given to him by the Father out of his love for the Son and before the creation, or the foundation of the world. Here is a reference back to 17:5.
Now, of course, the first disciples saw something of Jesus’ glory here on earth. Remember John’s words, “…the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (1:14).
John, again, says that when Jesus performed miracle, as at Cana in Galilee, “he manifested his glory” (2:11)
Or as Peter writes in his second letter, “…we were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16), referring to the experience on the Mount of Transfiguration. Luke tells us in his account of that event that Peter, James and John, saw Jesus’ glory (9:32).
John, yet again, in the bleak surroundings of Patmos, sees the glory of the glorious Savior that he knew so well.
Back in the Old Testament, Isaiah sees that heart-stopping vision in the Temple, and our old friend John tells us that Isaiah saw the glory of Jesus (12:41).
Friends, you and might be somewhat envious of these amazing experiences of those early disciples, but take heart and be of good cheer, because one day you and I also will see the glory of the glorified Christ – not in a vision, not in a foretaste of something yet to come, but in all his fullness and beauty and majesty.
That’s what Jesus prays for here. “Father”, he prays, “I desire that they also, who you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory”. And since Jesus only ever desires what the Father desires, and since no prayer of Jesus was ever refused by the Father, be absolutely assured of this my brother or sister – one day you will awake from the sleep of death and you will see Jesus in all his glory.
Jude says, “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy”. (v24)
And friends, here’s something else astonishing – not only will we see Jesus’ glory, we will, in some inexplicable and incomprehensible way, share his glory.
Paul, writing to the Corinthian Christians says, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Or to the Thessalonians, he writes, “To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 2:14).
Peter writes, “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed”. (1 Peter 5:1).