Jesus’ Prayer                                                                      March 31, 2010

John 17:13-19

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.  I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.  Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.  As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.  For them I sanctify myself that they too may be truly sanctified.”

Living a life for God, for Jesus Christ, is to have a relationship with Him.  And in that relationship we are to have joy, and not only just a little joy, but it is Jesus’ intent that we have a full measure of joy.  The key to immeasurable joy, is living in intimate contact with Jesus Christ, who is the source of all joy.  This passage tells us that when we become Christians, we are no longer of this world, anymore than Jesus is of this world.  But we are called to live in this world, but not get caught up in worldly things.  Jesus prays for us here, that we would be protected from the evil one.  And then Jesus asks God the Father to sanctify us by the truth, which is His word, the Bible.  It is so important as Christians that we stand on the Word of God and not waver to the right, or to the left.  We are like a ship in treacherous waters, (the world), where we must stay on course, not wavering from God’s leading, neither to the right, or to the left, but to focus on the goal set before us, and live by the truth, “the word,” which God has given us through the power of the Holy Spirit.  To sanctify, means to “set apart.”  As Christians, we are not of the world, but we are set apart.  We are called to bear witness in the world we live in, and we should not, and must not take that lightly, for that is our calling.  It is not easy to live in the world, bearing witness, when often the world does not agree with us, and to have immeasurable joy while we witness seems almost impossible, but Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world!”

Lord we pray that you would teach us how to have joy in the world in which we live.  I pray that you would bless our community and teach us how to live a sanctified, set apart life, where we will use our time in this world wisely, to witness for You and live a life pleasing to you, filled with immeasurable joy.  In your name, we pray.  Amen.