It would be interesting to see what folks make of the following.
Jesus prayed for His disciples who God had given Him.
Jesus all prayed for all those who would come to salvation through the
preaching and message of the disciples. That would be you and me.
He didn’t pray for everyone regardless of whether they come to salvation or
not.
FOR THE DISCIPLES.
John 17:6-26 NKJV
[6] "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world.
They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
[7] Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You.
[8] For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have
received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have
believed that You sent Me.
[9] "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have
given Me, for they are Yours. [10] And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine,
and I am glorified in them. [11] Now I am no longer in the world, but
these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through
Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as
We are. [12] While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name.
Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the
son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. [13] But now I come to
You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled
in themselves. [14] I have given them Your word; and the world has hated
them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
[15] I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that
You should keep them from the evil one. [16] They are not of the world,
just as I am not of the world. [17] Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word
is truth. [18] As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
[19] And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified
by the truth.
FOR FUTURE BELIEVERS
[20] "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe
in Me through their word;
[21] that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in
You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that
You sent Me. [22] And the glory which You gave Me I have given them,
that they may be one just as We are one:
[23] I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one,
and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have
loved them as You have loved Me. [24] "Father, I desire that they also
whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold
My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation
of the world. [25] O righteous Father! The world has not known You,
but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. [26] And I
have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with
which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."
It’s awesome when you consider Jesus prayed for us! Wow.
Question do you think He knew which future individuals He was praying for?