Lesson #286
Those who are believers and are born spiritually are part of
the family of God and should exhibit traits of that heavenly family. One of
those traits is revealed as Jesus continues to pray: “Sanctify them in the
truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17 ESV). To sanctify is to be set apart, to
make holy, for the use intended by God. Jesus came to earth to establish his
kingdom, provide a way for people to become a part of that kingdom, to teach
those people the qualifications for membership and their expected involvement
in expanding the kingdom. These people who were chosen by the Father and given
to Jesus, become a new creation through the new birth and now Jesus prays that
they be sanctified; to be set apart to do the work assigned to them before the
foundation of the world. This kingdom that Jesus is establishing is to be
established in truth to reflect Jesus who is truth. Jesus is praying that we
would be set apart as workers of truth. Our part in this is that we are to “Do
[our] best to present [ourselves] to God as one approved, a worker who has no
need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV).
It is this word of truth that sets us apart in doing kingdom work.
Jesus continues to pray: “As you sent me into the world, so
I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18 ESV). “For God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16a). The Father gave by sending
his Son to die on the cross in the person of Jesus to purchase our salvation.
Just as Jesus was sent into the world to accomplish a mission, Jesus sends his
disciples and thus us into the world on assignment to expand his kingdom. This
is why Jesus prayed that we not be taken out of the world; there is work for us
to do first before we are taken out through death. If that work should mean our
death under severe persecution that is ok because we must all die and it is best,
we die doing our assignment than to die neglecting to do our assignment through
denial or disobedience.
Jesus continues to pray: “And for their sake I consecrate
myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth” (John 17:19 ESV). As sinful
people dead in sin, we desperately needed a way of salvation. It was to this
end that Jesus consecrated himself or dedicated himself to accomplish. All
through this study of John, we find Jesus focused on the cross and working
toward it. His death on the cross purchases our salvation and his resurrection
gained victory over death. We are now justified through Jesus, allowing God to show
us mercy and extend grace to us. This puts us in a position in Christ, who is
truth, to be sanctified, to be set apart in holiness as a people he desires us
to be and to do the work he desires us to do.
Prayer
Father, I pray that writing these Bible studies to be read
by people in various parts of the world is according to you will for my life. I
receive such nourishment from studying your word and such joy to see the
growing number of readers from a growing number of countries. From the
countries my stats show, I know there are people found in a variety of
circumstances who need prayer for encouragement, endurance and steadfastness. I
pray that through their suffering they will be encouraged, maybe by what they
read. I pray that through their trials they would have the endurance needed to
press on to the end and for some that may mean giving their life. I pray for
those called upon by the powers of darkness to denounce Jesus that they would
remain steadfast and not waver in their faith as an effective witness,
especially to us here in the west. Those of you in countries of intense
persecution, your ability to stand with the Lord in your faith is a powerful
witness to us who may not understand persecution. My prayers are for you with
thanksgiving for your faithfulness.
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