Midweek Message from the Mount – May 23, 2012

I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. ¹⁵ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.  (John 17:14-17)

 

“A scuba diver may live in the water but he breathes the air--he has to take his environment with him.”  This is the way it’s supposed to be for the Christian living in this world.  You live in it, but you are not of it.   You don’t breathe what everyone else in the world does.  Instead, you live and breathe God’s Word.

And for that reason, the world hates you.  It opposes what you believe.  It tries to get you to give in and be tolerant and accepting of what God calls sin and the world calls “choices” and “fun.”  Thankfully we do not have to experience violent persecution for our faith in our country, but the persecution is there, as subtle as it may be.  The world hates you and what you stand for. 

And that’s why Jesus prays for you in the words above.  This is part of his prayer to the Father on Maundy Thursday evening before he was arrested.  Consider what he’s facing in the next hours, and it’s you he prays for.  Even though the world may hate you he doesn’t pray that you are taken out of this world.  But he prays that you are protected from the evil one who would use this sinful world to get us to doubt our God and give up on his promises.  And Jesus points us to his Word.  That he has given us his Word and that we be sanctified (made and kept holy) by the truth of his Holy Word.  It’s there we find forgiveness for the times we have looked just like the sinful world around us.  It’s there we find comfort of the perfect life and innocent of Jesus for us.   It’s there we find the peace of knowing that in his time he will bring us out of this sinful world to his heavenly kingdom.  It’s there where we find guidance for our life of faith in a sinful world.

Be sanctified by the truth of God’s Word!  It’s there you find the ammo you need to fight evil one as you continue to be in this world, but not of it.  That’s what God has called you to be!

Prayer:  Gracious Father, there is much evil in the world around us that Satan will try to use to get us to doubt you and give up on you.  Forgive us, for Jesus’ sake, for the times we have become part of the world we live in.  Lead us to your Word where we see how much you love us and to receive the strength we need to remain your children.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.