JOHN LESSON 47
We will begin this lesson in John 17:14.
V-14, "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them,
because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
In chapter 15 we have just studied that the world hated Jesus, so
it was only natural that it would hate His followers. We have spoken
before how this world is not the home of those who believe in Jesus.
We are in the world, but we are not of the world. The believers in
the Lord Jesus Christ are a separated people, because they have been
given the Word in its fullest sense. The Christians of all ages have
looked for their heavenly home.
V-15, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world,
but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil."
The Lord will keep some Christians in the world to minister the
Word of God as long as there is a possibilty that even one more person
will be saved. In II Peter 3:9 we read how God has even delayed
Jesus' second coming, so that a few more can be saved. II Peter 3:9,
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance." God will
build a hedge around His people and leave them in the world to win
others to Christ.
V-16, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
This is a wonderful statement above. No Christian wants to be of
the world. Just as Jesus was in the world to carry out a mission, His
followers are in the world to carry on the work that Jesus began. We
will be here until the Lord calls us home t o heaven to be with Him.
V-17, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."
Sanctify means make holy. The Bible (Word of God) keeps the
Christian straight. You must feed upon His Word to have the truth.
Jesus Christ (our leader) has set us aside from the world The Word of
God is the only real truth.
V-18, "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also
sent them into the world."
The great commission Jesus had given all Christians is - "Go ye
into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" - from
Mark 16:15. Just as Jesus was sent, Jesus sent His followers to work
in the world until He comes. Luke 19:13 says to Jesus' servants,
occupy until He comes.
V-19, "And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also
might be sanctified through the truth."
Jesus made sacrifices for His own. Our holiness is because of
His. The righteousness of the Christians', actually, is Jesus'. The
truth makes us holy.
V-20, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which
shall believe on me through their word;"
John 20:29 says, "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast
seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and
yet have believed." This, and verse 20 above, are speaking of those
who read the Word of God and believe from just reading the Word.
Jesus prayed for all believers in Christ, even in our time. This
prayer includes us.
V-21, "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and
I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may
believe that thou hast sent me."
Here, again, this is speaking of the spirit and not the flesh.
We will see this, as near as it has ever been, in the Book of Acts,
when we read that they were continuing with one accord in prayer and
supplication. This is what Jesus was speaking of . They had one
common goal. They were all one in Christ Jesus. The problem with
different denominations of Christians fighting is that the world is
looking on and wondering: is Christ divided? Perhaps, we should
answer that we are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ when someone
asks what we are.
V-22, "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them;
that they may be one, even as we are one:"
Jesus will taste death for every man. Any one, who believes and
follows Jesus, will be sons and daughters of the Father; adopted into
the family of God. Our older brother will have paid the penalty for
our sin and won for us the glorious inheritance of eternal life. We
will be joint-heirs with Jesus. Romans 8:17, "And if children, then
heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we
suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." You can
actually read Romans chapter 8 beginning with verse 14 and going
through 17 to get the whole picture.
V-23, "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect
in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast
loved them, as thou hast loved me."
Again, here, we can turn to chapter 8 of Romans to fully
understand what this is saying. The world looking at a Christian
needs to not see that person, but Christ in that person. The flesh is
nothing. If you are a Christian, the Spirit within is a ll. Romans
8:9-10, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that
the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his." V-10, "And if Christ be in you, the body
is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of
righteousness." Here, again, you should go ahead and read Romans
chapter 8, verse 1 through verse 16.
V-24, "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be
with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast
given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."
Jesus has purchased His bride with His own blood. These believers
are His bride. The church is the body of Christ of which He is the
head. When the Father says everything is ready, the groom (Jesus)
will go and blow the trumpet in the sky, and we will go to meet Him.
We will be with Him forever. Read I Thessalonians chapter 14,
beginning with the 13th verse. You can, also, read in Revelation
chapter 7, verse 9 about this bride (the Christians) who stood before
the throne and before the Lamb clothed in white. Brides wear white.
These are the Son's whom the Father has given Him.
V-25, "O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I
have known thee, and these have known that thou has sent me."
Righteousness (all true righteousness) stems from God. There is
no earthly righteousness that can compare. God is a holy God and
cannot look on sin. If He were to see sin, He would burn it up. That
is why He turned away from Jesus on the cross when Jesus cried, "My
God, my God why hast thou forsaken me". This holy, righteous God is
unapproachable by sinful man. No person can look upon the face of God
and live. Jesus (God the Word) was in heaven with Him before He came
to earth, and He had seen Him then. The work that Jesus did while He
was on the earth showed the personality of the Father. These
disciples and all followers of Jesus Christ know that Jesus is from
the Father, and of the Father. Jesus had no earthly father.
V-26, "And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare
it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I
in them."
Jesus has shown the Father to these disciples and to all
believers in the Bible, but He will now show them His resurrection
power. This love Jesus has for these disciples, and for all of us
believers, is magnified in the fact that He will rise from the tomb,
and in so doing, make it possible for us to rise again, also.
Colossians 2:12, "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are
risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath
raised him from the dead."
Notes
John 47 Questions
1. Why does the world hate them?
2. What does Jesus pray the believers will be kept from?
3. Why is it necessary to keep Christians in the world?
4. In II Peter 3:9, we read why Jesus' return has been delayed. What
is it?
5. Why are Christians not of the world?
6. How are we sanctified?
7. "...thy word is ___________________________."
8. Jesus was sent into the world and then sent who?
9. What was the great commission Jesus gave believers?
10. What one word tells us what we are to do until Jesus comes back?
11. Our holiness is because of what?
12. In verse 20, we find that this prayer is for whom?
13. Why did Thomas believe, in John 20:29?
14. Who is more blessed than Thomas?
15. What does verse 21 say that Jesus wants all believers to be?
16. What helps the world to believe?
17. What is wrong with various denominations of believers fighting?
18. In verse 22, who gave Jesus His glory?
19. All who believe will be what relation to Jesus?
20. Romans 9:17, says we will be what with Jesus?
21. How can they be made perfect?
22. What does Romans 8:9 tell us?
23. How long had the Father loved Jesus?
24. What did Jesus buy His bride with?
25. Who are the white robed people who stand around the throne?
26. What adjective was the Father called by in verse 25?
27. Why did God turn away from Jesus on the cross?
28. Whose name did Jesus declare to us?
29. What is the most dramatic power Jesus will show them?
Notes
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