Friday, May 17, 2013
John 17:11-12 "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled."
OUR ASCENDED LORD PRAYS FOR YOU: KEPT SAFE IN THE WORLD
Jesus knows what it is like to live in this world. He knows the temptations that we face for "He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus knows the hatred that the world has for God's own. He felt the hatred and rejection of His enemies and finally was put to death by them. He also knows that, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:18-20). Jesus also knows the pressure that we are under as the world tries to entice us back.
You can hear the loving concern that Jesus has for us. He is no longer in the world. He is free from all the attacks, the temptations and suffering of the world, but we are still in the world. Jesus knows that life in this world is not easy for the child of God. He also knows from His experience with the disciples that we are weak and not able to stand firm on our own. Therefore He prays that the Father will keep us through His Name which He has revealed to us.
This Sunday we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is the answer to Jesus' prayer. He who brought us to faith also keeps us in the faith, just as Jesus kept those the Father entrusted to Him.
