“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:20-21).
Even though Jesus was the Son of God, He realized the importance of communicating with His Father through prayer; and, on several occasions, He taught His followers the importance of their maintaining an active prayer life.
In this prayer in John, He actually prays for everyone who has obeyed the gospel, beginning in the first century and continuing until today—He prays for all who believe in Him through the teaching of the apostles—that includes us since we have the inspired word of the apostles written down so that we can know God’s Will.
As well, this prayer emphasizes His desire for His followers to be one—that is, that they should maintain the unity found in The Faith. We can be one if we learn the scriptures and dedicate ourselves to following their teaching.
Jesus gives further emphasis to the idea of unity by making it the primary factor in our influence over others in the world. If others see us bound together in our faith, they will want what we have and will want to be a part of something so enriching.