Study the Bible
with Pastor Gregory

"The Requests of the Lord"
Part 2
John 17:14-19
Theme: The joy of the believer is directly connected to his freedom from worldliness.

Following up on the issue of joy being produced by the impact of God’s Word perfecting men and producing joy, Jesus continues to address the issue of the role of God’s Word.
Jesus states: "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
Jesus is teaching here that it is impossible for believers to "blend into the woodwork" of the world through seeking to minimize differences so as to not alienate the ungodly.
However, this is the constant pressure applied to believers – through intimidation or hostility they feel the pull to be conformed to the world and to "blend in."
However, because of the impact of the Word of God, men are transformed and called out of the world to be conformed to the Person of Jesus Christ.
Since Christ Jesus is not given to the worldly system of ungodliness, those who are being conformed to Him are finding themselves increasingly dissimilar to the world and are different in nature, standing, Master, aim, citizenship, affection and destiny.
Such dissimilarity will produce hatred by the world since they are only able to love that which is like it.

Since the progression toward Christlikeness is indomitable (unable to be subdued) in the life of the new creature (Christian), the hostility and hatred of the world will also intensify.
Since the Word of God has had such an impact in their lives, Jesus desires that they be used to manifest the glory of the gospel and the change that has been made by means of it.
Therefore, Jesus states: "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one."
Instead of attempting to minimize our contact with those who are in the world, Jesus wants them to be able to observe us.
Essentially, Jesus states that believers have a task to perform – to testify of what God can do for us through Jesus Christ – cp. John 15:27; 1 Peter 2:9
However, there is danger in allowing us to be in contact with the world that He desires that we win – we are vulnerable to the attack of the evil one (Satan) – cp. 1 Peter 5:8
It is only through the power of God and His grace that we are able to be protected from the evil one – cp. 1 Peter 1:5
Once again, this is all because of the incompatibility that exists between the righteous and the ungodly – "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

Being kept from the power of the world is not enough – a mistake that is often made.
When we merely attempt to avoid the encroachment of the world in our lives, we are focusing on a negativity – something that will only produce self-righteousness through the arm of the flesh.
Only when the positive accomplishments of God’s sanctifying power exist to produce genuine consecration and holiness can one be truly set apart – "Sanctify them in the truth."
As one delights in the truth – yielding himself to it – they are conformed to the image of the Son of God so that in heart and mind, in thought, word and deed, one begins to live more and more in accordance to the person of Christ.
It is the Word of God that allows this development to take place – cp. James 1:19-25; 2 Corinthians 3:18.

Thus, Jesus confesses to God once again that the truth that will sanctify His followers is the Word of God.
As the message of God is embraced, their lives will be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus – as it is ignored, they will be found weak and wanting.
God’s Word doesn’t merely contain truth nor does it become truth to the one who is keen of mind; but, it is truth and serves as the standard by which all else must be evaluated.
God’s Word then must be prized, cherished, and valued as the Word of Life – and be unrivaled in our minds in its authority.
We must not settle for truisms such as "cleanliness is next to godliness" or "God helps those who help themselves" or any other statement or principle that seems proper but is not found in God’s Word.
Extrapolations, applications, and moralizations cannot be allowed to serve as the primary foci in the process of being conformed to the image of Christ.
The Word of God is the sole authority for matters of faith and practice.

Jesus indicates that instead of being taken out of the world, we are being sent into the world for a specific purpose – "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world."
It was with a message that the Father sent the Son into the world – cp. John 17:8
Thus, we also are sent into the world with a message – the message of redemption that is in Christ Jesus – cp. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20
Our mission is comparable to the mission of Christ Himself:

Christ came to:	Christians go to:
Reveal His glory	Reveal His glory
Seek & save the lost	Share the gospel with the lost
Shine as the Holy One	Serve as Salt & Light
Submit to the Holy Spirit	Show forth the fruit of Spirit
Fulfill the law	Proclaim the law of liberty
Realize "grace & truth"	Prove Him faithful
Obey the Father	Obey the Son

Before any one of us could ever be set apart to the Lord and made holy, Christ Jesus had to first set Himself apart and perform the will of God – "For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth."
Thus, Christ’s work of obedience was something that had to occur before we could ever be sanctified.
He set the example of offering Himself up willingly to fulfill God’s calling – so that we also might follow Him and willingly take the message to the lost world.