Small Group Lesson Plan for July 1st- John 17:6-26

Written by: Jon Soden

JOHN 17:6–26

We say it all the time – “I’ll be praying for you!”

And sometimes, we don’t actually follow through. It’s become a courtesy phrase during a difficult time, almost like saying “how are you?” without expecting a real answer. However, when someone truly does pray for you, it is a great feeling filled with peace and power.

Scripture tells us why:

“...Pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

If the prayers of a human carry that much power, imagine the joy of knowing that Jesus Himself prays for you. That’s exactly what happens in John 17. In verses 6-19, Jesus prays specifically for His disciples. But then comes the verse that changes everything:

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.” John 17:20

Jesus prayed for you before you were even born. So now when we read the chapter, we’re not just reading a prayer, we’re hearing Jesus speak directly to the Father on our behalf. Let’s look at some of the promises and encouragement from Jesus.

1. Protection

Verse 11: “...protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.” John 17:11

Jesus experienced life on earth and therefore knows the world is dangerous and distracting. His first request is that the Father would guard your faith through unity with other believers.

2. Identity

Verse 14: “...they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.” John 17:14

Your identity isn’t shaped by the world’s values or pressures—it’s anchored in Christ. The world celebrates things like greed, lust, power, and popularity, but Jesus walked through the same temptations and pressures we face today and overcame them perfectly. “The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you” (Romans 8:11). Because of that, you already have everything you need to stand firm, resist the pull of the world, and stay rooted in who God says you are.

3. Sanctification

Verses 17-19: “Sanctify them by truth; your word is truth…For them I sanctify myself, that they too may truly be sanctified.” John 17:17-19

Heavenly Sanctification: This verse has both heavenly and earthly impact. Sanctify means “to be made separate from ordinary use.” God calls us to live a righteous life, but to be perfect is impossible, making us unrighteous no matter how hard we try. Jesus gives us this true righteousness by living a perfect life and sacrificing Himself for us on the cross. This makes us worthy and "sanctified" to enter heaven. It allows us to live free in the grace and mercy of God, and to live righteously out of love for God–not out of fear.

Earthly Sanctification: Jesus also alludes to earthly sanctification; that sanctification is truth, and truth is the Word. Therefore, we can pursue sanctification on this earth by understanding, absorbing, and living out the Bible because it is the nature of God. It is a gift that God gave us the directions here on Earth. “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.” Proverbs 4:7. We have the wisdom sitting right in front of us–make sure to open up that Bible.

4. A Call to Action

““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. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23

Jesus prays:

●       That you experience unity with other believers

●       That you would share in the love the Father has for the Son

●       the world would see God through your life

●       you would be brought into complete oneness with Him

Christ calls for us to be united with other believers and that by doing so we will show and bring others to Christ. This can be true on a macro level in the sense of the church, but I believe Jesus also means this in our personal lives. Coming week after week to Firefighters For Christ is not easy for any of us. Life gets in the way, whether it be work, family, or other obligations. Upkeep of logistics, events, and devotionals takes time out of our already busy schedules. While it may at times start to feel routine, there is power in simply showing up. It may not be this week or next, but you never know when someone will walk through the doors for the first time. And by showing up time and time again, we keep the FFC organization running for Orange County, and while I don’t know what it will look like, I do know that God has an awesome plan for OC-FFC that we cannot see or comprehend. So let’s walk together, continue in our faithfulness, and trust that God is building something bigger than we realize.

God’s values and the world’s values clash...what worldly identity values are most difficult to face here on earth?

Think of a time when simply showing up made a difference in your or someone else’s life.

What do you hope that God does through the FFC ministry and fire department? What role can you play in that?