JOHN 17:13 -19 JESUS SAID SANCTIFY THEM BY YOUR TRUTH. YOUR WORD IS TRUTH

John 17:13 "But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 "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. 15 "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 ¶ "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

 

Jesus has spoken many things so we can have His joy complete in our life.  We are also told how we have the Father’s word and because of that we will be hated because we are not like the world.  He prays for us not to be taken out of the world, but that we will be protected while we are here.  Our job is not to get saved and leave, but we are to share God’s word with others.  He also is praying that we will be Holy and separate from the world because we have been transformed by the Word we have read and absorbed into our life.  He also sends us as He was sent and has set Himself apart as completely holy so that we can be that way too.

Now on the terrible threshold that they're about to face with the betrayal, the denial and the scattering; with this cryptic notion about the son of perdition betraying Him to fulfill Scripture, Jesus brings up the subject of joy.

13 "But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

Second thing He prays for is their joy in the world.

Purpose clause “that they may keep on having Christ’s joy in their faithfulness realized in themselves.”

Christ's joy was in the care of the Father for Him. Did you get that? Christ's joy was in knowing that the Father cared for Him. And Christ wanted us to share His joy and so He prays this prayer to show us that the Father also cares for us. Do you see? Christ's great joy was that He knew the Father cared for Him. He knew it. And He says Father; I'm praying out loud so they'll know not only how much I love them but that You're going to care for them. For them to understand the love and care of the Father, for them to understand the intercessory work of Jesus was a constant source of joy.

"Your life's going to fall apart, My friends. It's going to fall apart and I want you to have joy. In a few minutes are going to run away, you're going to deny me, you’re going to scatter like bugs and you know what? It's alright because I want you to have My joy. What a God we have.

Joy came to them because they knew from His words that He had conquered the evil one and brought eternal life to them.

 14 "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.

We welcome the Person of the gospel and believe the message of the gospel!

Thirdly, He prays for their protection in the world. Verse 14, "I have given them Thy Word," and, of course, when He did that that set them apart. I  when they received the Word, the Word of God, the Word made them alive, they were automatically set apart from the rest of the world. And who runs the world? Satan.

Jesus’ intercession for the disciples continued with a reminder of (a) their value and (b) their coming danger. They were valuable because they had received the Word of God: I have given them Your Word (cf. “I gave them the words You gave Me,” v. 8). They were in danger because the satanic world system hated them. It hated them because they are not a part of it.

John 3:20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, ^ulest his works should be exposed. Joh 8:23; 15:18-19; 17:8,16; 1Jo 3:13

The Word of God not only brings us God’s joy and love, but it also imparts God’s power for holy living (John 17:15–17)

 15 "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

There is no escape for us from the perpetual task of changing sons of evil to sons of God. This clear statement is always a warning to Christians. Mt 6:13; 2Th 3:3;

Ga 1:4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father

Though it would secure their own safety, would leave the world unblessed by their testimony.

They have the word but the world's going to hate them. The evil one is a real danger to these people. Jesus does not want them taken out of the world away from the danger of the evil one. Jesus wants them in the world protected in the context from the evil one. Now if you recall, Moses, Elijah and Jonah were all, "Poor, poor, pitiful me" at some point in their life and they wanted God to take them out of the world.

Each one of them asked God to take them out of the world. He didn't answer any one of them. He left them because they had a mission they had to accomplish. They had been sent by God to do something. The same is true for you and me. The world is godless and blind and we're living in the world and the world may very well hate us. And we’re not to be praying and crying and saying, "Take me of the world." We're to stay here.

Like Daniel in Babylon (Dan. 1-2; 4-6) and the saints in Caesar’s household (Phil. 4:22), God intends for His followers to be witnesses to truth in the midst of satanic falsehood

The Bible says in I John 5:18 that the whole world lies in the arms of the wicked one, doesn't it? The whole world. And we need to be protected from the wicked one. Don't take them out just protect them.

 16 "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Joh 17:14

the first thing He prayed for was Oneness through holiness and here He gets down to how we can be made holy.

 17 ¶ "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 2Sa 7:28; Ps 119:142,151; Joh 8:40; 15:3; Ac 15:9; Eph 5:26; 1Pe 1:22 it's truth ... absolute, inerrant, accurate, total revelation of God.

A sanctified Christian is someone who is daily growing in the Word and as a result is separated more and more from the world unto the Father.

Believers are called to Christlikeness (cf. v. 19; Rom. 8:24; Gal. 4:19; I Thess. 5:23). This can only happen through knowledge of the truth, which is both the living word (Jesus cf. 10:36) and written word (Bible cf. 15:3).^[i]

thy word is truth—(Compare Jn 15:3; Col 1:5; Eph 1:13).

Constantly used in the Septuagint to express the entire dedication and consecration of both persons and things to God. Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious

The truth is communicated in the Word, which is both personal and put forward for consideration.  As the message about Jesus was heard, believed, and understood, the disciples’ hearts and minds were captured. This change in their thinking resulted in changes in their living. The same is true of believers today. As they appropriate God’s Word to their lives, they are sanctified—set apart for God and changed in their living in order to honor God (cf. 15:3). God’s message set the apostles apart from the world so that they would do His will, not Satan’s.^[ii]

Romans 12-1-2

The world competes for the Father’s love (1John 2:15–17), but the Word of God enables us to enjoy the Father’s love. One of the first steps toward a worldly life is the neglect of the Word of God.

D.L. Moody wrote in the front of his Bible, “This book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this book.” ^[iii]

True sanctification (being set apart for God) comes through the ministry of the Word of God. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). When you were saved, you were set apart for God. As you grow in your faith, you are more and more experiencing sanctification. You love sin less and you love God more. You want to serve Him and be a blessing to others. All of this comes through the Word.

With the mind, we learn God’s truth through the Word. With the heart, we love God’s truth, His Son. With the will, we yield to the Spirit and live God’s truth day by day. It takes all three for a balanced experience of sanctification. We are people “under orders” and we had better obey! Jesus is now “set apart” in heaven, praying for us, that our witness will bear fruit as many repent of their sins and turn to the Lord.

 18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. Joh 20:21

The Word gives us joy, love, and power to live a holy life. It also gives us what we need to serve Him as witnesses in this world (John 17:18–19). Sanctification is not for the purpose of selfish enjoyment or boasting; it is so that we might represent Christ in this world and win others to Him. Jesus set Himself apart for us, and now He has set us apart for Him. The Father sent Him into the world, and now He sends us into the world

How does He send us? To be holy and set apart. Father, You sent Me here, set apart from men, undefiled, not touched by sin, to confront the world, Father, that's the way I want to send them, holy, undefiled, without blemish. As Peter said, "Without blemish and without spot." Unholy, worldly Christians accomplish nothing. They are negative.

Matthew 28:18–20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority ⁱin heaven and on earth has been given to me. ^19 jGo therefore and ^kmake disciples of ^lall nations, ^jbaptizing them ^min^{2 n}the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them ^oto observe all that ^pI have commanded you. And behold, ^qI am with you always, to ^rthe end of the age.” 

This passage is similar to the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). Each Christian should view himself as a missionary whose task is to communicate God’s truth to others.

1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

 19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. 1Co 1:2,30; 1Th 4:7;

Heb 10:10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The purpose of the death of Christ is to dedicate or separate believers to God and His program.^[iv]

He addressed Him in verse eleven as Holy Father. It's the only time in the New Testament that anyone called God the Father "Holy Father." The only time.

 Why does Jesus call Him Holy Father in the middle of John seventeen? It's not wrong to do it. Why does He say "Holy Father" all of a sudden? Because the word holy means to set something apart and He's trying to give them a forecast of "Holy Father, the one who is the most set apart, I want You to holy them; I want You to set them apart," because sanctification comes from the concept of holiness; to be set apart for God.

Jesus is going to sanctify them; to set them apart, to live in a context where it is hostile and dangerous and they'll be hated, and He says, "I'm going to set you apart for this."

Now here's where we get the idea of the High Priestly Prayer. Jesus says, "I sanctify Myself."

 The high priest picked one time in his life in that year, went in the Holy of Holies and made that offering. He sanctified himself before he did that through ritual cleansing of blood and the ear lobes, all the stuff on the ephod; all that stuff he did offering sacrifices and then he went in, one time in his life; by lot he went in and he offered the sacrifice for the atonement. Remember? Do you know the Old Testament?

 This is where the high priest language comes.

 Jesus says, "I sanctify Myself. I set Myself apart to be the High Priest and I am the sacrifice."

 Because no matter how clean a priest could get, he was still filthy; and no matter what animal he slaughtered, it was still an animal. And so the High Priest is the concept, but the prayer is, "I sanctify Myself."

 Jesus says, "I'm going to come as the priest; perfect and without blemish. I never sinned; I'm the only one and I set Myself apart to be the sacrifice for their sins."

Therefore  the High Priestly prayer. "And when I do that I want to sanctify them so I can leave them intact when I go away." That's what Jesus is praying

For their sake I sanctify Myself? Sanctify, holy, means to set apart. Did Jesus set Himself apart? Sure He did. He set Himself apart to do ... what? ... whose will? ... the Father's. He set Himself apart to do the Father's will. And He's saying this -- Father, for their sakes I set Myself apart to do Your will that they may be set apart to do Your will.

Do you know that we could never do the will of the Father if Jesus hadn't accomplished the Father's will on the cross? Could we? Could we be holy? Set apart unto God without the cross? No. Could we be set apart at all without Christ being set apart? No. That's why Hebrews says, in Hebrews 10:10, "For by one offering has He sanctified," or set apart, "all believers." Once for all He died and set us apart. And if He hadn't been willing to set Himself apart, obediently to the Father's will, we would be unable to do it. And so, Jesus is saying -- Father, I've got to get to the cross and I'm willing to do it, I've got to set Myself apart that they may be set apart.

Listen to this. Hebrews 13:12: "listen ... here's His purpose in dying, listen: Heb 13:12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate." You know why He died?  To set us apart, holy unto God. Same thing in Titus 2:14 It says this: "Who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a people of His own." You see, He had to die to set us apart. He had to be set apart to do God's will that we might be holy. There it is.

I want to conclude with one lesson that from this passage we are to be in the world but not of the world. Jesus prays for their protection and their sanctification so that they will carry out the mission that He leaves them to ultimately glorify God. He prays for their protection and their sanctification so that they will be kept in their mission and He sanctifies them to be left here to carry out the mission of the Gospel that He's given them to preach.

1John 2:15:Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

 So how do we live in the world and not of the world?

America has analyzed this culture more than any other culture perhaps of all time. How many polls do you think the media takes every day? How many politicians take multiple polls in the course of a week? And we've always got our finger to the wind to see what people think. We are led by popular opinion. What a stupid way to think!

"If everybody thinks it's right, it should be right."

 I mean, this is so stupid.

 "Morality by majority."

 What a great way to think, you know? There are absolutes in the Bible. We are to be in the world and not of the world. You can't be a bombastic, fundamentalist, Bible beating, screaming, yelling, loud; well you can. That does a lot of good. Nor are we to capitulate and do nothing. The distinction is the mission. The mission is the Gospel, not an agenda. Jesus did not leave them here to bring in a political revolution; a social revolution. He left them to give life to the dead. That's the mission.

 So we analyze our culture and the danger then is, "Okay, now we've figured it out. Now here's how we shrink wrap the Bible and give it back to the culture that needs it."

The believer is to be distinct from the world's sin, the world's values and the world's goals; we are to look different.

we really have to be distinct from the values of the culture, from the sins of the culture and from the goals of the culture. It's not just what movies are you watching or not watching; it's what values does the culture have and do you share those or do you have eternal values?

2Co 6:17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."(NKJV)

I bet most everyone secretly believes this. If I do right as a Christian, God is somehow beholding to me to bless me and if I'm not blessed, then am I doing something wrong or what God? What if the greatest lesson in life is learned through tragedy? What if the closest walk with Christ is learned in horrible crises? What if intimacy with the Father and glorification for Jesus Christ means death on a cross?

 Wow! That's not American Christianity. We don't like that.

Christ’s example indicates that true sanctification is absolute subjection to God’s will-even to death.

They also may be sanctified = ‘sanctified’ is in the perfect tense; so in Christ’s sanctification (death), all believers are permanently sanctified.^[v]

How can we be overcome by the world when we have the Word of God to enlighten us, enable us, and encourage us?

 

^[i] Utley, R. J. (1999). Vol. Volume 4: The Beloved Disciple’s Memoirs and Letters: The Gospel of John, I, II, and III John. Study Guide Commentary Series (157). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.

^[ii] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Jn 17:16–17). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[iii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Jn 17:13). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[iv] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Jn 17:19). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[v] Mills, M. S. (1999). The Life of Christ: A Study Guide to the Gospel Record (Jn 17:9–26). Dallas, TX: 3E Ministries.

 

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