Mission Briefing
Jesus Prayed for YOU – Before You Were Born!
Did you know that Jesus prayed for you the night before He died on the cross – even though you wouldn’t be born for thousands of years? In John 17, He prays for every person who would ever believe in Him, including you. And what He prayed for is stunning! This mission explores John 17:20-23.
What Does John 17:20-23 Mean?
Jesus prayed for complete unity among His followers – the same kind of unity that exists between the Father and the Son. That is an impossibly high standard! And He says the reason matters: when God’s people are truly united, the world sees it and believes that Jesus really was sent by God. Our unity is actually one of the most powerful ways we show the world that the good news is real. Disunity does the opposite – it pushes people away.
Hero Challenge
Read these verses slowly one more time and let it sink in: Jesus prayed for you personally, by name in His heart, the night before He died. Write a one-sentence response to Jesus about how that makes you feel, and keep it somewhere you will see it this week.
Did You Know?
John 17 is known as the “High Priestly Prayer” of Jesus – it’s the longest recorded prayer Jesus ever prayed, and He prayed it in the garden of Gethsemane, just hours before His arrest. Jesus wasn’t just praying for His disciples in the room – He explicitly said He was also praying for “those who will believe in me through their word.” That’s every believer, across all of history, including you today.
Ages 4-6: Little Hero Question
Jesus prayed for you even before you were born! How does it make you feel to know Jesus loves you that much?
Ages 7-9: Growing Hero Question
Jesus says that when His followers are united, people will believe that God sent Him. Why do you think unity is such a powerful witness?
Ages 10-13: Champion Question
Jesus prays for unity modeled after the unity between the Father and Son – perfect, loving, and selfless. What would a community of believers look like if they actually lived this out? What would have to change?
Ready for more? Meet more Bible heroes for kids at Faith Force.
♥ Mission Prayer
Jesus, thank You for praying for me. I can hardly believe that You thought of me that night in the garden. Help me live in a way that honors that prayer — especially by loving and staying united with Your people. Amen.
