Saturday, May 18, 2013
John 17:13-17 "But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."
OUR ASCENDED LORD PRAYS FOR YOU: SANCTIFIED BY THE TRUTH
In His infinite love for you, Jesus prays that you will be sanctified by the truth of God's word. To sanctify means to set apart for a special purpose. God has answered this prayer for us by sending the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts through His Word of Truth.
The Spirit has set you apart for God's service when He called you to faith in Christ. God chose us out of the world to be His own and the Spirit brought that to fruition in your life. By the same word we receive the unity with one another that Jesus spoke of in yesterday's verses, and Jesus' joy is fulfilled in us. We have His joy in our hearts.
Jesus does not pray that God would take you out of the world, because He has work for you to do in the world. Jesus has sent us into the world to proclaim the message of salvation in Jesus. We are equipped for that work through the word of truth. And while we carry out that work, we are kept safe from the evil one by that word of truth.
All this Jesus prays for you, and all this is done for you by the Spirit through the Word of truth. May we not neglect such a treasure that is given to us, but continue steadfastly in the word and work that Christ has given us.
