Nothing focuses the mind like knowing you’re going to be shot in the morning.

— Winston Churchill

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

— John 17:1-5

However astute Churchill’s point was, it only serves to amplify the gravity of Jesus’ prayer on the night before he was crucified. This year, my reflections on the last week of Jesus’ life have been dominated by one thought: he finished well. His prayer in John 17 gives us a picture of what a strong finish looks like.

1. He Gave an Account of Himself. None of us will give God such an accomplished account of himself when his time comes. “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do,” he said (v. 5). “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world” (v. 6). “I have given them the words that you gave me” (v. 7). “I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction” (v. 12). “I have given them your word” (v. 14). “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world” (v. 18). “I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known” (v. 26).

2. He Looked Beyond His Own End. Much of the account he gave of himself had to do with the way he set his disciples up to succeed and carry on after his departure. “Holy Father, keep them in your name” (v. 11). “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one” (v. 15). “Sanctify them in the truth” (v. 17). “I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself” (vv. 18-19). He also prayed for his followers who would come in time, including you and me: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word” (v. 20).

3. He Considered Himself Dead Already. Though he was praying in the garden of Gethsemane, he said things like, “I am no longer in the world… I am coming to you… While I was with them, I kept them… “

4. He Labored to the End. A pitcher’s perfect game isn’t over until the 27th out, so it’s fitting that a famous catcher was the one who said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” Though he considered himself dead already, Jesus knew that as long as there was breath in his lungs and blood flowing through his veins, there was yet work to do: “I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known” (v. 26). A man with less than 24 hours to live declaring what he “will continue” to do… amazing.

If the Christian life is indeed a process of becoming more like Jesus each day, then we’ve been given a model for the way each of us should address his last day. Each of us will give an account of himself and the life he’s led. Each of us has disciples, whether they are wives or children or students or whoever we mentor in our lives and ministries; we will give an account for how we led them, too. May each of us be able to give an unashamed account of himself as we say to our Lord, “here’s what I’ve done with what you’ve given me.” May we consider ourselves dead to the world and alive to Christ so that we may continue in unbroken and unflagging fruitful and faithful service until it is said of us, “it is finished.”