Jesus’ prayer to Father God shows the nature of a true intimate relationship. Every real personal bond is created and sustained by revealing, giving and receiving.  The Father chose to reveal Himself to people through Jesus.  He had previously spoken to His people through prophets (Hebrews 1:1-2), but when Jesus came people could see the glorious character of God in a human body (John 1:14). Without the Bible record of Jesus, we cannot know God as a person.  As John 1:18 says, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”

The Father gave the disciples to Jesus so that they could see the Father (John 14:7); and Jesus gave them the words the Father had given Him.  Without those words, the trainee apostles would have no understanding of God, His character, His love and His salvation plan.  But the apostles knew that they had been entrusted with truth that God had revealed to them (1 Corinthians 4:1).  Jesus also taught them that they had the right to ask for what they needed and it would be given to them (Matthew 7:7), and that they would be given the right words when they were accused of following Jesus (Luke 12:11-12).  It was right to keep asking for wisdom, because God would give it (Ephesians 1:16-17).

If the disciples had not accepted what Jesus revealed, they could not have known Him or the Father.  If they had not obeyed Jesus’ command to follow Him, they would not have known Him.  If they had rejected His words, they would never have come to believe who He is.  But they did receive the Truth with joy and so became Children of God (John 1:12).  What God gave through Jesus, the disciples received and entered into a family relationship with God Himself.

Although some think that spiritual wisdom can come from distilling the wisdom in the world, that cannot be true.  We can only know the God who made the world because He has revealed Himself, and supremely in Jesus.  However, when we share His words with our friends and colleagues, we are doing more than just transmitting information.  We are enabling people to hear the words of the God who reveals Himself.  Of course, sharing the message is only part of the story. Judas Iscariot heard, but He would not accept it - becoming the model of all whose eternity is in hell.  When we hear, we need to accept and obey; not to gain ‘merit points’ with God, but because that is the only way to grow in relationship with the Lord.