“Overheard”

A Service of the Word for the 7th Sunday of Easter
May 17, 2026: IN-PERSON and ONLINE at 10:30 a.m.
The Rev. Matthew Emery, lead minister, preaching
Acts 1:6-14 and John 17:1–11

There are many places in the four “gospels” in our Bibles—the four narrative accounts of Jesus' life, ministry, death, and resurrection—where we are told that Jesus prayed. Only a few, however, convey just what Jesus prayed: what he said, what he prayed for, how he prayed. On the final night Jesus spent with his disciples prior to his arrest, trial, crucifixion, and death, though, Jesus prayed at quite some length, for himself, for the disciples he was with in that moment, and for still yet others “who will believe in [him] through their word.” That last group includes us, of course, as the word of those first disciples shaped others who shaped others who shaped others who, down the line, eventually shaped and formed us, bringing us to faith. The unique and beautiful thing about the “high priestly prayer” of Jesus we find in John 17 is that those first disciples and us today all get the gift of overhearing Jesus as he prays for us. What did Jesus pray for for them? What does Jesus pray for for us? Is there anything for us to learn about how we pray, how we believe, and how we live as we listen in?