Jesus praying to the Father said, "I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do." (John 17:4, NRSV)
This line comes from what we often refer to as the High Priestly Prayer (John 17). It is the prayer that Jesus prays after the Last Supper and before his arrest. It is interesting that Jesus talks about "finishing the work" that the Father had given him to do. We might find ourselves caught off guard by this, especially if we are used to thinking of the work of Christ in terms of the Cross and the Resurrection. In what sense has the work been completed?
During the first five centuries of the Christian Church, our spiritual ancestors often fought bitterly over an understanding of the nature of Christ (who do men say that I am?) and his relationship to the Father and the Holy Spirit. The early church would develop creeds and expressions of faith to define that belief. Perhaps the creed that is best known is our baptismal creed — better known as the Apostles' Creed. Notice that in the second paragraph when it speaks of Jesus it covers his life in one sentence: "born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate." That comma in the middle of the statement covers the entire life, teaching, and example of Jesus.
It is in the comma that we find this completed or finished work of Christ. It refers to the investment of his life and teaching in the lives of those he chose — especially in the 12 we refer to as Apostles. For three and a half years, Jesus poured himself into them. He taught them. He showed them how to be servants in the Kingdom — how to live in the Kingdom. He demonstrated how to continue this mission by making new disciples to continue the work.
After his resurrection, Jesus would spend more time with the disciples, teaching them. But, that night of his arrest he was able to pray to the Father that he had glorified the Father "by finishing the work" that the Father had given him to do. It was a work that the disciples were to continue. It is a work that has been handed on to us. It is a work we are called to faithfully continue. We know we are being disciples of Jesus Christ when we are about making more disciples of Jesus Christ.
As we come to that day when we enter the life to come, may our last prayer in this life be "I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do."
+ In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
