033 - Not of the World

You pick up your Bible and wonder, is there more here than meets the is there something here for me. I mean it's just words printed on paper right it may look like just print on the page but it's more than a join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it, as we ask God to meet us there and is welcome to more than God done to this place Jesus prayed asking you to compile the world keep them in the very near his purpose. There is Saturday morning. I'm Jim. We are looking at the moon marvelous John 17 the prayer of Jesus written them. John's Gospel without question the most detailed prayer we overhear Jesus break and it tells us so much about who he is, who the father is the apostles are who we are. What's the nature of this new relationship melodies physically leaving them and how that work is very dissenting to me. We could go for months on Johnson as a young believer. I I was just Afraid of this prayer.

Many just felt like it was all wound up in knots and doublespeak in no way limit, but when we slow down and really ask the question.

Is he praying for what is he asking for what does he want us to see or understand because were invited into this prayer, yet deliberately a public prayer from benefit right so and I am always I'm always impressed you with the contrast between the quality of my kind of prayer and maybe your cutter prayer and Jesus. Here I mean he's he's print big this is just so different you know what was really on his heart. What was on his mind. Relationship love unity all the things that he had been. He had come to communicate over and over and over again we see him coming back to this idea of loving and being loved by the father being one as he and the father are one eye. He just had opened that that thought we were closing out last week's show including us in that oneness yes yes so that's this marvelous and this is all there's a all over all of this is this cloud and the apostles minds about what's going to happen when Jesus leaves because it's very clear to me understand he's leaving you know he's going back to the father and so what what does that leave them ways. Driving home to them that the relationship will be different, better to your advantage. Yeah, and we just can't. They couldn't get their heads around that yeah yeah but you know I did. I just wanted to say ahead of time here that coming into this part of the prayer he's begin layering upon layering. All of these statements of equality equivalents at rest as just like one thing cell is another. And just like the father sent me.

I'm going to send them just like you love me. I love them.

Those kinds of statements and so I hope I get a chance to point is that as we go through.

If it doesn't come through in this conversation there's a big segment of the Bible study that's posted on the web you want to mention it again because you mentioned it is posted. I think where that where the new programs are posted and it's just labeled as a PDF. You can download it and print it yourself and it will give you give you some tools to work your way into a deeper understanding of this prayer and then consequently deeper love for the Lord in a deeper understanding of how to pray ourselves in the way that he prayed yet so hopefully you are holding your response to this very brief broadcaster do create a hunger and you can use that guide to help you.

Just walk through this slowly and contemplatively and really really wonder at what you what you see Jesus as our purpose is to draw you into the word for yourself so that you sell can can gain love for the Lord Jesus and desire to walk in the same purpose that he had which was to love, to speak the father's truth.

Yeah, you can read this you can read this yourself and it's just not that cryptic but dumb but does the Bible study guide is really a nice kind of handheld way to kind of, you know, it's like I tell people when you go on a trip to a foreign country, in your sight seeing someplace in your sightsee guy says it will look at the right side of the bus to see this boy what a mess or look at the left side of the bus was away of us in the guideway sin would look at that and look at that as this, and we don't want to look at it for you. We want you to see it for yourself.

So that's what the guy told us to go to go to more than Inc.org and you'll find it right there. We could to do this soulless pickup were left off were halfway through, John says and lined off with verse 13 and I'll just pick it up there and and read on.

Jesus says, but now I'm coming to you and he's talking the father in these things I speak in the world that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

I've given your word in the world has hated them because they are not of the world.

Just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world. Just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth.

Let's stop there yet. We came back to the word again in the very words of Jesus taught them got Jesus in trouble and is getting them in trouble. Well, shouldn't give us pause you shouldn't surprise us that the word made flesh now says I have given them and and it's all about communication and and interestingly enough now if they have his word which you remember John 11.

The word became flesh is the purpose that is coming not to have any. Interestingly enough, Jesus doesn't say, even though I am leaving this place. I'm not asking you father that you take them out of the spotlight. I'm asking you that they stay here but that you watch over them to keep the evil one which point that takes us back to Matthew six again doesn't just lead us not into content. They shape us from evil, or keep us from the evil one right so Christ Jesus praying that very thing.

Father keep them from evil yes so they really have a purpose in staying in the same way the Jews had a purpose in being here, but this is a messy place. This is a toxic full of sin messy kind of place and he had already told him just a little while before the world hated me it will hate you and yes you because it hasn't known the father and this is rubs against a lot of Christians worldview that if I come to Jesus he's going to make life easy for me and factual. He will actually rescue me out of the things are very uncomfortable in life that may not be the case but there really is a much more profound and joyful purpose for you being here. But make no mistake, it's a messy place and you are pray PRE why of the evil one. So I said you saying they're going to stay here. I pray that you would watch over these ones from evil and I'm praying for you not to take them out of the world, yet keep them right here in the world and he says this fascinating thing in verse 16. Thing is not the world, just as I am not of the world what he has said it twice. He said in verse 14. They are not of the world in the same way, just as I am not of the world and any said again in verse 716 they are not of the world. Just as I am not of the world. How is it they became not of the world. What is the difference between being in the world. They were all born here. Are they all right will this just like I'm not of the world and what is changed is his word. His word has pulled them out of this world. They are no longer of this place anymore radically transform their inheritance. In that sense, instead of inheriting the futility of their fathers living in the sinful place. Now they inherit something that's divine comes from God because his word and now suddenly we don't fit here anymore this world, not a product of this world's values this world's way of thinking this world purpose. And therein lies the friction that this world.

That is why oh why they didn't like Jesus. And that's why they'll come to not like the apostle will either not one of us anymore fit here anymore and that's going be our experience to people to recognize we don't fit here but in that not fitting the purposes being fulfilled to glorified gutters and Martin Luther King said you know if you find that this world does not satisfy the things that you want. I'm mangling the quote that that what that demonstrates is that you were made for another world made for another very different world right right and that's that's for the friction come from is not is not the be that they're going to fight you about the fact you know love your neighbor is a difference it agrees with that. That's not the issue.

The issues were talking about the righteousness of God which they don't have cause a lot of friction, a lot of friction, so not of the world. Just as I'm not of the world out there and it but therein it sows 17 souls since their waist deep in this junk sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth, so as you sent me into the world so I have sent them into the world and for their sake I consecrate myself that they may be sanctified in truth. So what is sanctify.

Oh to be set apart for a holy purpose right so here we are hip deep in the toxic mess of sin, but were while were standing in it. We can be set apart from this is what is taught. Most of us think of a sanctifying is the process of being separated from the influence of that stuff and that's what he thinks while they're here, but ask you to take them out of here but to keep them from evil one. And while they're here in the presence of evil one and up hip deep in all this junk I pray that you would continue to separate them from all this S sanctify them in the truth. Your word is the truth right is is truth right when have we ever limited time when it was harder to tease apart truth and hear what's true, what's not true. So Jesus is asking the father I set them apart and make them holy in your word and they would be so grounded in what you have said and who you are, that they won't be pulled apart, pulled pulled in a different direction. Yeah, yeah, I coming out of a scientific background myself. There's a firm belief in the scientific community that there really is only one reality we can all take guesses at it. But they're all guesses do you do something really set up but everyone believes only one reality that sense. That's the sense of truth if there really is only one way, the way things are the way things really are and who's the best authority to tell you on the way things how they really are what got himself well.

The sinker and creator exactly. So if you want to have the straight, the straight shot about what's going on. Listen to what God says about the way things are. There is such a thing as absolute truth. That's on getting it right is really only one way things are and the rest are all opinions, usually very poorly informed opinions or something. We would rather believe yes true yeah you tell yourself a lie often enough, long enough and loud enough begins to frame your reality, which is an alternate imaginary reality, yet really is that I might add many the alternate realities that we embrace is usually end up hurting their destructive and so that's that's why that's why he send them into the world like God and Jews in the world because people are believing crazy stuff they don't understand the realities of what sin isn't being self-destructive. I am sending them out into this junk for the purposes of saving them from the effects of it and so that's that's the purpose of wasting this one here comes another one of those.

Just as statements we sent you sent me into the world so I have sent them into the world right now.

Why did the fathers and the sun to love, to demonstrate the true character of the character of God to act out in reality God's sacrificing love right right well right it's not just that we are little minions sent out to preach a message to actually walk in the same purpose that Jesus had just communicate the love of God to the world. Yes, so if you want to communicate the love of God in a real way. Weldon sent out there and love the world love the people in it okay and he says that kind of the tale of that and for their sake I consecrate myself right. I set myself apart as holy.

For that purpose, that they also may be sanctified in truth, I read so it only that such a big idea.

Jesus saying I I am doing this holy thing giving my life as a ransom for the world so that they also may be set apart as holy men. They're not going to give their lives to save the world. They are going to be called to give their lives in service to Christ right who saves the world, and as a result is a go, the many places they go to suddenly people who who born and raised in the places they are will find himself fitting less and less in the place that they were raise and they'll find themselves not of the world anymore because of the set apartness of what the word doesn't life it really it really makes a citizens of another place and this natural citizenship we have ears tends to fade away and realizing all this is not really my place anymore because sin sends rampant in this place. It's interesting that Jesus is coming here begin to talk about unity and oneness when earlier in his ministry he had said to them, you know, I didn't come to bring peace on earth I can sort right yeah right when a sword divides and makes it very clear that you are either on one side or the other of that cut so you know we we talk a lot about unity these days.

But what really is being one with the father has seen the father are one. Yeah there unity is important and what is going make a case for here is unity with the father is really the important right unity, right.

So your push on into the 20 okay so starting verse 20 says I don't ask for these only so he's turning the corner now from praying for the 12th floor standing there listening to him, but also for those who will believe in me through their word may all be one, just as you father are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us so that the world may believe that you sent me very are there, you are right there included in the prayer thousand years ago. This prayer has moved beyond the 12 floor standing there to all of us who have come after and have believed because of what they said and did, and wrote anything that they all of us may all be one, and he says it the way you are in me and I'm in you, that they may be in us all what we we ran across this once before about father and Jesus is the father is in Jesus. Jesus in us, like wearing too many instants being in only possible because of the activity of the Holy Spirit exactly the Holy Spirit makes our unity with God work because we have relationship with an intimate relationship with him because he's in a seat next home and honestly no longer have to go to Jerusalem, where the temple is no longer have to go anywhere he is in the office and, in fact, in a real sense like the temple in the Old Testament was the place where God chose to dwell amongst his name. Now he dwells in us in the same well and if you trace the outline through the Scriptures you see him from a tent in the wilderness to a temple attached to the ground to now, Jesus said, you know, some greater than the temple is here I am the temple and ready care and tabernacle among us.

And now we in Christ are the dwelling place of God in the spirit that's amazing wow that's really amazing. That's why this this this whole prayer is a jaw dropper learning stuff that we just got in some before and now it's explicit just skating so lightly on the surface there is purpose he says is so that all of this oneness so that the world may believe that you sent me told about who Jesus is all about Jesus right and then. In fact, is what makes us one because remember the Word became flesh. That was his purpose to make known who God is and now our purpose that we have adopted because of that, because we does is to make known who God is and in that process were doing the six over one, because we actually have exactly the same role when we have the role that he has empowered by himself in the process of making who God is, and drunken men to himself.

So that's it is astonishing thing. In fact, I've talked about this before. That's not sacrilegious to say that the church as it is right now is actually the way the second incarnation, the first incarnation God in Jesus, and now like Paul even says where the body right we we pick up pick up her Jesus left off in terms of making known to the world who God is in the flesh, glorifying in the flesh with this guide is and as a result of making know we actually are one, because we have that same purpose and we are one in a very real way, because we are in Christ have his Holy Spirit indwelling unifying factor that transcends all of our flashy temporal differences are colors are languages are cultures and even to some extent, our politics yeah exactly and that's a super important point to make because many people say what you can be one in purpose, but not really be one in terms of will know with the Holy Spirit in all this we ask your one in nature as well is running breath and get the same age that it's very case. It's astonishing what God is done living in each one of us that creates a oneness as far beyond his purpose.

Purpose is part of it but in terms of action being the body of Christ with one spirit that longing one another. 22 the glory that you given me had given to them that they may be one even as we are one. I am and you and me, that they may become perfectly one, here it comes again so that world know that you sent me and left them even as you loved me how many things even as statement is allotted for right now they sit just like this just like this, it means the same. Even as we are one. Yeah, that they may become perfectly one, that means completely one-on-one. Nothing. Nothing being held back in that sense and for the purposes that the world may know the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me so that's the purpose for God so loved the world, and here's being is here's a message being made clear through who Jesus is to sacrifice the cross of the apostles will eventually do it's all what I'm on my deathbed. What was the purpose of life. Knowing the nature and character in the lovingkindness of well and so glory comes back here in verse 22 make sense given to them will now wait a minute. Isaiah says God doesn't share his glory right but here it says now I given them, given them the same glory that you given to me while the glory that he has in mind here is that intimate oneness with all yeah yeah yeah the Isaiah not sharing his glory start muscles can't write titles but this is the real God but yet except residents is all the same glory. It's all the nature of God is one that shines out to the unity of this life in us that those in Christ manifest. We need to move on to verse 24. We are just skimming the surface. Or think of a little rock skipping across the top of a pond were just skimming the tops so I read 24 father, I desire that they also you've given me, may be with me. Hey, where I am to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. While this raises questions righteous father even of the world does not know you. I know you and please know that you have sent me.

I made known to them your name and I will continue to make it known. Why, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them. What a way to finish a prayer know where to start. That is like a way too much and we got about four minutes look well, let's go back to where he says father, I desire that they with me where I great good news for these guys series that can be right. He had just told him earlier in evening. Now I'm going to prepare a place for you, that where I am. You may also be so. He's now he's letting them hear him ask the father I really want them with me and where will that be will that will be in the glorious presence of the father, the righteous father right now.

You'll see a glory of who Jesus is that you never dreamed it would be blinding if we were not all cell sons of light is light, you know, if you go and read Revelation 21 and 22 in that description of becoming residents in the new Jerusalem and the father and the son and the land are the light mean the son of the moon anymore yeah yeah meeting will be on their foreheads will see him as he is. It just stops us in our tracks think that is the place that he's preparing for right right and Jesus is saying I want them to be with me so they'll see the terms of understand that there is something about the nature of Jesus.

The nature of God that still somewhat cloaked even in the physical body. Jesus and says I want them to be a piece of the see that and that's the glory I had before the foundation of the world again.

So it would go in terms of the eternal nature of Jesus as he didn't just start happening after Mary and Joseph had baby faces the world doesn't know you but I'm sending these guys just the way you sent me, so that the world will know something that the world will know it's all about Jesus. It's all about Jesus and I like to 26. I made known to them your name again if you think reputation identity and my meeting on everything about who you are and your reputation. What you're known for, and I will continue I will continue to make that known to them while. How is he going to do that through that indwelling Holy Spirit told them the spirit. When he comes, he will disclose to you everything about me and glorify me to make known to you and he'll remind you all, yes, I've said so class is not stopped because it is going by seven. Jesus says now make it down and I'm in continue to make it known well the spirit will make it not going away in the sun like amount that we are there it is again now in our heads against mess and the nature of God that is just stops us here so either we are that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I know this is an interesting topic and more time on the love of God because we talk about before mankind was made in God's love who did God love you have to have an object of your love right.

Well, he says it right here that the love with which you have loved me may be in them. There is love actually inside God there is either oriented line. Yes, this is and this is not the first time. This is been hinted at in this prayer and he's asking us to come in and participate in that love is inviting us in so he doesn't need us to have an object doubles all of theirs already love to live in order to be love must have an object exactly exactly saying the father father you and me have always been loving one another and now we are inviting not just these 12 guys but the whole world. We are fighting them and that is the heart of the great good news that God who loves that God who loves and is fully content in his love is now in his greatness and his mercy invited us to take part in that love wow that astonishing that's astonishing we come to the end of our time and again. We've just lost over John 17, but I hope it's wet your appetite to go back and pick look more closely with if there's what you just read it.

I made a practice of reading this prayer every so often. Every few weeks or sometimes every day and I don't think you get to the bottom of it. But just to dwell in the depths of knowing the one the father sent prayed for me writing this way stabilizes be refreshes my sense of purpose. He knew we were coming.

He prayed for us ahead of time and he prayed for us that we might have eternal life, which by definition is knowing that surround a timeframe that will come back next week and Johnny team will see the rest of Jesus and things get kinda ugly but as they get ugly.

Keep going back and reading John 17 this is just astonishing.

Some Jim Leger was assigned see you next week and Johnny team