Bible Study: John 17

We are starting a new short series following the sermons on Prayer. Here are the questions based on John 17.

For starters:

• What do you find most difficult about prayer?
• Think of a time in your life when prayer has felt a bit more natural to you (that could be right now!). What factors in your life led/lead you to pray more?

Read over the whole of John 17 together.

• Make a note of:

• any words and phrases that are repeated
• any confusing verses or phrases

• What do we learn from this prayer about Jesus’ commitment to:

• His Father (vv.1-5)?
• His first disciples (vv.6-19)?
• All believers – including us (vv.20-26)?

• From your knowledge of what happened at the cross and in the history of the early church – how has God answered Jesus’ prayers here?

• What can we learn from Jesus’ priorities in prayer, as we pray for ourselves and for one another?

• Just as Jesus prayed for his disciples here, so other parts of the New Testament assure us that the risen and ascended Jesus is committed to praying for all believers today.

• Read over the following passages:

• Romans 8:34
• 1 John 2:1
• Hebrews 7:25

• What encouragement can we take from these descriptions of Jesus as our great high priest, who intercedes for us from heaven?

Time of prayer

Give time to pray as a group, basing your time round what Jesus prays for in John 17.

• vv.1-5 – for God to be glorified as people come to know him
• vv.6-19 – for God to be glorified as his people remain faithful to him in a hostile world
• vv.20-26 – for God to be glorified by the unity and love of his people

Pray for:

• your homegroup
• the church family at Avenue
• Christians you know of around the country and the world