Reading: John 17-18
I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy Truth: Thy Word is Truth. As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world(John 17:15-18).
Throughout the Gospel of John, much emphasis has been placed on the love that God has for His creation. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (3:16). It has been stressed, repeatedly, that love is the foundation upon which faith is built (8:42). Now, as Jesus approaches the end of His physical ministry, His love for His disciples shines through as He prays for God to guide and support them through the difficult times to come.
His loving prayer, however, was not just for the eleven close friends that He was leaving behind. He was praying for everyone who would come to know and accept Him as Lord and Savior from that point on. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word (17:20). Every word that Jesus spoke to these men to prepare them for His service once He would no longer be physically present among them was also said for our benefit. As Jesus prayed to His Father in preparation for the ordeal to come, He did so with you and me in the forefront of His mind.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus held nothing back. He did not set Himself apart, insulating Himself against the world's evils. He sat down for meals with tax collectors and thieves (Matt. 9:10-13), interacted as equals with Samaritans and other non-Jews (John 4:1-30), and even dealt kindly with adulterers (8:3-11). He did not stand in the front of the room and lecture these people; He went out among them, stayed at their homes, and got to know many of them on a personal level. Through it all, He remained sinless and committed to His mission on earth.
It is this type of relationship with the world that Christ now expects us to follow. Once we have given ourselves to Jesus, we are not of the world, yet we have been sent into the world. Today, many Christians choose to live in semi-seclusion, avoiding the society of sinners in hopes of escaping the pollution of the world. They are focused on protecting God’s identified family, not on seeking those who may be lost. This is not the mission that has been set before us by God. When Jesus heard it, He saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Mark 2:17). Jesus does not call us to stay separate. He challenges us to live out in the open—shoulder to shoulder with those we are called to serve. He knows it won’t be easy; that is why He has marked us as His and requested from the Father that we receive the same level of support that He Himself received during His time on this earth.
And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are One: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me(John 17:22-23).
Thought For Today:To completely shut ourselves away from the world is to deny the test God has set before us. Through tribulation, He deepens our faith.
Cross Reference:For John 17:12: See Ps. 41:9.
Word Studies:17:12 son of perdition = Judas Iscariot; 18:30 malefactor = evildoer, criminal.
Pray For Government Official:Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ), Rep. Rick Allen (GA), Rep. Sam Graves (MO), Rep. Susie Lee (NV), Rep. Morgan Luttrell (TX) • Country: Grenada (110,152) Caribbean • Major Languages: English, French Paois • Religious Freedom • 53% Roman Catholic; 13.8% Anglican; 33.2% Protestant • Prayer Suggestion: Rise early in the morning to lift up your prayers to God and hope in His Word (Ps. 119:147).