Torch, Spring 2002

14 TORCH / Spring 2002 those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You.” This is one of the great challenges for evangelism in the New Testament. Jesus has utter confidence that we’re going to spread the good news. I believe in evangelism. I believe we need to share the gospel. But I am fully persuaded that genuine conversions come only when God’s people desperately pray for them. How could we have the compassion of Christ and not see and not hear and not pray for a lost world? We must major on prayer. If you’re a preacher, major on prayer. If you’re a deacon or a Sunday school teacher, get that church or class to concentrate on prayer. We ought to be more interested in the attendance at prayer meetings than we are on the attendance at Sunday night services. Jesus also prayed for Himself. Jesus prayed for Himself in the first five verses of John 17, but notice the first verse of chapter 18: “When He had finished praying, Jesus left with His disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and He and His disciples went into it.” Do you see what’s missing from John’s account? The other Gospel writers include references to Jesus going to prayer again in Gethsemane. This is where He is eventually arrested, but first He goes to prayer. now, Father, glorify me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began. “I have revealed You to those whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me and they have obeyed Your word. Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You. For I gave them the words You gave Me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those You have given Me, for they are Yours … My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You 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.” Here we see Jesus pleading with the Father in this prayer for those who know Him— those who follow him. He prayed for believers. The really good news is He’s still doing that. Hebrews 7:24- 25 tells us “but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” Do you know what Jesus is doing right now? If you are a believer, He is praying for you. Do you know what He’ll be doing later while you’re sleeping? He’ll be praying for you. Meditate on that for a while. The priest of all priests is pleading for us. He prays for believers because He’s the compassionate Christ. Jesus also prayed for unbelievers: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for How to Have Christlike Compassion Below: Loneliness and despair are by- products of the explosion of senior citizens who require extended and high- level medical intervention. Expressions of love and care are simple, but effective channels of compassion.