After praying for Himself (v. 1-5) and His disciples (v. 6-19), Jesus prays "for those who in distant lands and far-off ages will also enter the Christian faith" (William Barclay). Jesus’ prayer for His church was...

I. Unselfish: "I do not pray for these alone." Jesus did not limit His prayer to His disciples. "Other sheep have I."

II. Expectant: "But for those who will believe." Jesus was the original optimist. He had a firm faith in the future.

III. Exclusive: "For those who will believe in Me." Our belief must be centered in Christ, "the way, the truth, the life."

IV. Validated: "For those who will believe in Me through their word." Apostolic teaching validated the claims of Christ, who delegated His authority unto them (see v. 8).

V. Inclusive: "That they all may be one." By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body where we are one in Christ (1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:26-28).

VI. Modeled: "As You, Father, are in Me, and I in You." The Father and Son are one in nature, aim, and destiny. While we do not possess divine nature, we can partake of it (2 Pet. 1:4).

VII. Universal: "That the world may believe." The world is mentioned 17 times in John 17. "God so loved the world." "Go into all the world." The world at its worst needs the church at her best.

Conclusion: How can we answer His 2,000 year-old prayer?

1. Believe in Christ. Be added to His body.

2. Maintain the unity. Don’t divide over issues.

3. Evangelize the world. Join hands together.