Gospel of John, 17:13-21

We'll go to lesson 35. Marilyn, do you need a 35? Actually, I've been chomping at bed. On the study of John, I've been waiting for John 17. This is by far, I think, one of the best chapters in the Bible because we see the intimacy between Christ and God the Father. I love these verses, and I was chomping at the bit, especially getting down to where we get into verses 20 and 21. Really, 20, I think, is key. But I think these are tremendous verses. And just the intimacy that we see between the Son and the Father and how that relates to us is unbelievable. So, this is John 17, verses 13 through 21. I'll go ahead and read the passage, John 17, 13-21.

But now I come to you, and these things I speak in the world, so that they may have my joy made full in themselves. 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. I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have also sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, even 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. Again, tremendous verses, all 17 is just fantastic.

It's kind of the end of the crescendo, I think. After this point we get more kind of in the historical part, what goes on, the crucifixion and afterwards, but this is kind of the culminating point. of the last several chapters. You know, as we started in, John, you kind of get little bits of revelation by the Lord. He kind of just spits out things, and you can just see, as we said, the disciples and the people listening.

Wow, what is this? Keeps going on and then you get more and more and as we've gotten closer and closer and remember the last several chapters It's only several days between What he's he's gone through in the last several chapters So this is kind of I think kind of the culminate culmination of all this where he finally if the hours come and he's his last conversation with God the Father and we just see the intimacy in this so and In question 1, from verse 13, who was coming to whom in this verse? Jesus to the Father. The Son is coming to the Father. As in verse 11, Jesus states that He comes to the Father. Where was He coming from? He says, I come to you. Where is He coming from? From where? The earth, the world. You know, he was in the world.

Again, in verse 11, Jesus says that he is no longer in the world, but he comes to the Father. Realize the intimacy of this. Jesus had stepped out of glory and taken on human form, away from the intimacy that he enjoyed with the Father from eternity past. Now he'd been on the earth for about 33 years, and now in a few short hours, he would complete the work that the Father had given him, and he would soon return to his side.

Think of all the things. When he says, I come to you. He's coming and it's almost, I think, the breath of fresh air. He's almost at the finish line. He knows what's going to happen. I think he's looking beyond the cross now and he's looking to the Father to see the return. I come to you. I'm coming back. The intimacy that we had, I now come to you. And so, again, the point being, he's in the world and he's coming to the Father, the intimacy of that. In question two, what did Jesus represent when he said, now I come to you? What does he represent by saying, now I come to you? What does he represent?

Those that were given to him. Those who were given to him. What else? I said his name. His name? What do you mean by that? Well, the one Son of God, Jesus Christ. So he represents the Son of God. What else? It's finished. He's looking and saying basically, he's looking beyond the cross so it's completed, it's finished. So what does he represent by that? Looking across the cross and saying, I come to you. What does he represent at that point? There was the first Adam and then? The second Adam. So what does he represent now?

Fully God and what? Fully man. he is now representing, he is now fully God, fully man, he's the now federal head of the new creation. Because he's saying, you know, I come to you and this is, he said earlier, I'm not in the world, I'm no longer of the world. He's looking beyond the cross and now he's saying he represents the new creation. Although not glorified yet, he would come to the Father as fully God and fully man, the new federal head of a new race of people. Now not as an individual, He comes as a represented head of His redeemed family. He represents all those who have been given to Him. So it's a lot different now. So remember that this is before He went to the cross.

We're speaking as He's looking beyond to that completing work of His Father, the finished part. And the thing is, he was not thinking of himself at this point, I don't think. He's thinking of all of us. Because we'll see in the intimacy as you get down here, who's he talking about at the end of here? He's going to be talking about us, and all the disciples.

So he's coming, he doesn't just come as like, I'm by myself and I come. I think he's saying, I come as the head of all of this new creation. A brand new position, or a brand new standing for him. I think the intimacy of that, again, he's looking beyond the cross and he's representing all of us as the new head of the new creation. Alright, question three.

In verse 13, what does it mean when Jesus said, so that they may have my joy made full in themselves? The verse says, but now I come to you and these things I speak in the world so that they may have my joy made full in themselves. When he says, my joy, what joy did Jesus have? He was just about ready to go to the cross, having all the sins of the world put on Him, past, present, future, all laid on Him. The Father was about to turn His back on Him. What joy did He have? The joy of coming to the Father.

I think this, again, the cross looms before Him in a few short hours, basically. But he's looking over. He's looking over that to see what? That he completed the father's work. He would return to his side. He would be glorified. He would be the federal head of this new race. All these things bring joy to him. It was what he would receive after the cross, that he again had completed the work of the Father, he would be glorified and returned to the Father, and he had intimate fellowship with the Father and with all those who the Father had given to him. He was looking forward to that too, the fellowship that he would have with us.

That's the joy. If you look at the cross, joy in the fact that the completed work and what he received from that. But like I said, I think in here the joy he's talking about is all that will be fulfilled after the cross. So what is significant about Jesus saying that it is my joy? Is there anything about that? My joy.

Well, he's talking about being with the Father in there. Even though he was here on the earth as a man, there must have been some kind of a separation between him and his father. Oh, absolutely. He always knew the Father as the Father. And all he could do was the Father's will. I mean, he did it. Breathing was doing the Father's will.

What is significant about my, what if I say, my joy? What is that? It's mine. I can give it. It's mine. I can give it to you. If it's mine, he gave it It's His and I give it to you. It was His to give. He was to purchase it through His blood and it was His to give. This thing smacks just of grace.

Unmerited. One of my isms that I always say, and I always think about this a lot, He didn't have to, but he did. Did he have to give away his joy? No. It was his. He didn't have to give it away, but he did. I always think about a lot of those things. I remember even thinking about after the three days in the tomb. Did he have to roll away the stone? No, but he did. Why? To show everybody.

He didn't have to, but he did. And I think there are a lot of these things, he didn't have to, but he did. When you think about that, so many things, and when I do that, I put that in the context of grace. He didn't have to, but he does. Did he have to give us unlimited blessings? Did he have to make it unmerited? No, but he does. So, this is one where he has his joy, he has it, But what? He gives it to us. He gives it to Him. It's His and He gives it to Him. So what does it mean to have His joy, quote, made full in us? Yeah, made full.

So what does that mean? yeah you know we have the joy that he has you feel like that today when the stock market goes down a thousand points in a day do you have that joy when you get rear-ended in your car and you have your car wiped out or you know name whatever you have the joy it's made fool of us you know and and I think I guess one that I looked to was You don't have to look at this. It's actually in 1 Peter 1, 3-9. And I'll read it. This is where I think it kind of expresses that.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to what His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith, for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now, for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And though you have not seen him, You love Him. And though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, what? You greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. Again, I think the joy that we have is what? Because of all of Him. And even though we go through trials, what does it say? Rejoice. You greatly rejoice. That's where I think he's been making full that joy that he had in us. Again, we'll get to that a little bit later, you know, about the sojourners here and citizens of heaven and where our perspective and our focus is.

And so when you doubt God's love or care for us, think of all that Jesus has that has promised to us personally. Think of all the things that are just in John 17, then he talks about the preceding chapters. Remember about do not fear. All the things he's told us about, these things he's giving to us. He's told us about. One of the ones, his peace. I go through this a lot. I love the fact of the peace that he gives to us. Throughout all the stock market crashes, the gas things, the elections, everything like that, all these traumatic things of the earth, we have peace.

Doesn't matter. We're not citizens here. John 14, 27. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives to you do I give to you. Thank you, Lord. It's not as the world gives. I've seen my 401k, I've given to the 401k and it has been taken. It's not as the world gives. And peace, you have peace through all this.

And again, the other one, His rest in Matthew 11, 28-30. Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, and I am gentle and humble in heart. And you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

These are all the things where he says, make my joy full in you. Think of everything that he's promised us. He's given us all this, what are we worried about? You know, there are trials, there are things that go on. They're tough, but we should have peace. We should have rest. And we'll see some of the verses coming down. I mean, He's promised us so much. What are we worried about?

In a trial, sometimes it's tough, but I go back to one of my memorized verses. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that detesting your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. The trials are meant there. Consider it all joy. Ow! What do you mean? Make my joy full in them. through trials. He's given us that joy. It's a tremendous thing. He's made His joy full in us. Any questions? Thoughts? I'm rambling here. I'm getting off. I love this. I love John 17. So if I start rambling, just throw things at me or whatever. Question four.

Is the word spoken of in verse 14 the same as in verses 6, 8, or 17? So in verse 14, I've 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. John 6, I've manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me. And they have kept your word. Verse 8, for the words which you have given me, I have given to them. And they received them and truly understood that I came forth from you, and they believe that you sent me. and 17, sanctify them in truth, your word is truth.

So from verses, are those all the same word? Are you talking about the Greek? Well I was, yeah, I mean I would say, yeah, I got into the Greek to figure it out a little bit because I wondered if it was you know, if it was the same thing. When he gives them the word in all these verses, if it was the same word in Greek. I look to the Greek sometimes to see if it means the same. So, do you think it's the same word in all of them? Basically, yes. Basically, but actually, it's a little different. I was curious, and he kept saying his word. Thy word is truth. He's the word. All those things. And there was kind of a little difference.

For verses 6, 14, and 17, the word in Greek is logos. For verse 8, the word in the Greek is rhema. So there is a little bit difference in the two different ones. esoteric, I think, a little bit. But Rema from Zodiates means, of the Lord, meaning the doctrines or promises of God revealed and taught in the Bible. William Kelly describes it as, the words given to the father to the son, which the son had given to the disciple, the communications of love, whence they knew truly that he came from the father and believed to their joy that the father had sent him. So the rhema is more kind of general. As I said, communications of love, kind of the general discourse, general thoughts. Where in 6, 14, and 17, it's logos, which, defined by Zodiatis, is of divine declarations, precepts, oracles relating to the instructions of men in religion, the word of God, i.e., the divine doctrines and precepts of the gospel, the gospel itself. So this is basically the word, the expression of Jesus' mind in verse 8.

So 6.14 and 17, thy word, are more the general communications of his love, where in verse 8, no, the other way around. 6, 14, and 17 are the ones that are by word, and 8 is a general communication of his precepts and love.

It was just kind of a different thing. I looked at it, and I saw these words, and I'm just curious if it meant the same thing. So there is a little bit of difference to it. I just want to point that out, that whenever you see by word or the word, sometimes it can mean a little bit different. It's all from God. But the point being is, when you say thy word or the word, it tends to be the gospel or Christ, the word, so there is a little bit of difference in there.

Question five, in verse 14, why does the world hate them, and why does Jesus say they are not of the world? So, why does the world hate them? As we just discussed, what do the disciples have now? They'll have their citizenship. They are not from here. They have the truth of God's Word. Jesus has just given them His Word and they have kept His Word about who Jesus was. I think Mike brings this out and I think that's kind of a good point. It's probably not as apparent now, but in the Millennial Kingdom, as we rule and reign, people just see us and know that we are new creations in Christ.

They'll just be able to look at us and see that we don't have referee shirts or anything like that. You know, IR of Christ. We aren't going to have shirts or anything. They will know us just by looking at us. So now we don't have that. I can't go into Mile High Stadium and go, you, you, you. I can't do that.

But they know us by God's truth. They know us just by we're different. It's kind of like when you go, I don't know about you, when I travel and stuff too. You know when you're traveling, you have business or whatever, but when you run into a Christian, it's a completely different relationship. It's just a bond. It's family. And so, you know, we can identify other Christians. Well, the world identifies them. What do they do? They hate it. Yeah.

Edward Bloom in his commentary said, as believers share Jesus Christ, everything in the world, the cravings of a sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does, loses its attractiveness. A believer's commitment shows the world's values to be trash or dung. 3.8.

Therefore the world hates the exposure of its sham values. It's light in darkness. When you have light in darkness, where do the rats run? They don't like it. Kelly puts it this way. In the world, they were to be witnesses of Him and the Father's word He has given them. And the world hated them. Not for that word only, offensive as it is to the world, but because they, the disciples who had it, were not of the world, even as their master is not.

You know, we are sojourners. We're different. We're not from around here. And they don't like that and the light and all the things you said. So why did Jesus say they were not of the world? They're not part of the satanic world system. We are citizens of heaven. We are by association or, my favorite, identification, we are identified with Christ. Is he said he is Christ of the world? No. And if we're identified with him, we're new creatures in Christ, we're not of the world either. So they will hate us because we are not of this world.

How important is that today to know that? Are we to have the same tastes, ambitions, and behavior as the world? Yeah. Should we be focused on this land or the land with which we are citizens? We're sojourners. We're supposed to be light, salt, those things. We're to be ambassadors. But our focus is at home. As I confessed a few weeks ago, I'm a political junkie, but I have to put my focus back on Christ and my citizenship.

Where I come from, there are no elections. There are no high gas prices. There's no turmoil. there's you know no Wall Street there's none of that you know I I don't have to worry about elections where I come from you know put in that perspective in and quickly all this junk that we were going through I will say you know that that the him a segment using you know the things that earth will grow strangely dim you know our focus is there all this stuff becomes peripheral yeah I have a note here that the world means cosmos, which is the world system.

Right, cosmos. That's what you were talking about, the world system. Not just the world as a planet, but the system. The whole system itself. And again, that goes to light and darkness. They live in darkness. And when we shine light on them, you think they like that? No. Alright, question six.

Why does Jesus pray to the Father to leave us in the world? And I blew it on a lot of copies of the new ones. It's verse 15, not verse 14. And does he protect us from the evil one today? So why does he pray to the Father to leave us in the world? Leaving us in the world. Was this cruel punishment by Jesus to us and the disciples? Was this just him putting the thumbscrews to us? We are to be witnesses. So why did he left us here to be witnesses?

I guess my question is one of the other ones. What do you think the disciples were thinking upon hearing this? Especially after knowing that Jesus told them he'd be returning to the Father. I'm leaving. Wait a minute. You guys are left here. I suddenly thought about that. What were they thinking? They have so much information going on.

And he's telling them, I'm returning. He did say just in past chapters, I'm going to give you the comforter and it's better that I go, because the indwelling and the Holy Spirit and all that. But he just is saying, see you, and the world hates you, I'm going to leave you here. I'm sure these guys are going, wait a minute. And they're fighting over who's going to sit next to him, be aware of the position. They're thinking, I want to be right next to you. Wherever you're going, I want to be right next to you.

And he just says, the world will hate you, and I'm leaving you here. So it doesn't jive with, they may have his joy made full in themselves. By the way, I'm leaving you here in this hateful world. Have joy. So I'm sure they were just going through a lot of turmoil at this point. A couple questions.

Did he leave it in here? Was it because he did not have the power to remove them? No. Matthew 28, 18. And Jesus came up and spoke to them saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. So he could remove them. Was it because he was not willing to take them out of the world?

Now, Galatians 1.4, who gave himself for our sins so that he might rescue us from this present evil age. He could take us out. He was willing to do it. Was it because his victory over the world was not complete?

No. John 16.33, he just said it. These things I have spoken to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage. I have overcome the world. Was it because he was unaware of the character of the world? No, he just told them that, as a matter of fact. Well, in 1633, in the world you'll have tribulation. And they just told him, the world's going to hate you. The world's going to hate you. Was it because he didn't love us?

No. No, John 13.1. Jesus, knowing that his hour had come, that he would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end." What would our request have been?

Get me out of here. Beam me up, Scotty. Get me out of here. You just told me you were going to leave me here with this hate-filled world. Can I have a vote in this? You know, can I get out of here? So why does He pray to the Father to leave us here in the world? To glorify Him. To be ambassadors.

You know, and I have a lot of different thoughts on this. My note to myself here is I cannot begin to understand all the reasons why Jesus left us here. But some of the reasons I came up with. and looking at some of the commentaries. Which is kind of an interesting idea. I don't know if Mike showed you this. With John 17, just our little limited study, this entire book is just on John 17. Verse by verse. So there's quite a bit in here. A couple of things I was thinking about.

Number one, this may be the best place for us to learn about God's grace. And as we see in 2 Peter 3 18, he says to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He may be here to understand what grace is. He says to grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord. Peter specifically, in 2 Peter, Paul prays specifically that they grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. Also, while we're here, we're to be transformed or conformed to the image of Christ. Again, I think this process is for us to be conformed. I think it could be. But I think there's something that is shaping us for all eternity.

Some of the things that go on are shaping, are growing our understanding of grace. But that's not to say that we're going to get more and more grace. We've been given all grace. No. Absolutely. Good point. Grace is the system we operate in. We have, you know, when you look at the verse in our grace class, super abundantly above everything we can think. Grace over abounds. There's not a lack of it. We don't go and we're empty or we can get more. It's pervasive. That's the system we operate in. So yeah, it's not that. So we're to be conformed to the image.

I think a lot of our, and this is something Mike and I have talked about and I think about a lot, why are we left here? But I think there is something shaping us, this conformity, this knowledge of grace that we're learning. And I think that'll be shaping us as we step out of these shells and step into eternity. That we'll have, I guess, a different appreciation or some kind of knowledge of what we've gone through to understand grace and to understand our conformity to his image. I don't have a great explanation why. I mean I think he could have gone and taken us out. and thrown us, but there's some reason He's left us here. And I think some of these things to know about grace and to be transformed.

In Romans 8, 29, for those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to what? To become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among the many brethren. Romans 12, 2. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may prove what The will of God is that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

If you had taken all the believers out, you would have built a church. And that's another, the ambassadors. And we'll see that as we get, in fact, moving along. Hopefully we'll get to that. That is true. And we'll see that in 21. Philippians 3, 7-11, but whatever things were gained to me, and this is going back to what you were talking about, those things I have counted as lost for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be lost in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." You know, the conformity part. And then the last one was that we are ambassadors to this world and as ambassadors we have unbelievable privileges too.

And 1 Corinthians 3.21-23, So then let no one boast in men, for all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come. All things belong to you. And you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God. all things belong to you."

Now does he protect us from the evil one since he has left us in the world? You're on your own. Go in this hate-filled world. Does he protect us? Absolutely. Do not be fearful. He's given us the Holy Spirit. I went back to Romans 8, 31-39. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for all of us, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? He's given us all things. Remember in Ephesians, we've been blessed with all spiritual blessings? Now you start putting the picture together about my joy be full in you. Think of all these things He's promised to us. Who will bring charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died. Yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Well, tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword, just as it is written, for your sake we are being put to death all day long. We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered. But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be what able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Are we protected from the evil one? Absolutely. You know, I was getting to the question we talked about on Tuesday. Is Satan omnipresent? No. No. Fact. But he has his minions. You know, we were talking about this and we brought up this question and I was thinking about your prayer for the church in Uganda. We had a prayer request on Tuesday, a prayer about attacks from the evil one. Now, Micah is in an inevitable way, a sensitive, compassionate way.

I'll use another name, Bob. Satan goes, I know Bob. I'm going to go there today. And I'm going to attack him. Because I know where he lives. I know his name. I know his address. I've got one thing to do today. And that's to go attack Bob. Think that works? The attacks. Now, so the converse or the comeback is, well, he's got all his minions, his devil, his angels, Minions working for him. Hey, they're the ones that come after you. Is he a defeated foe, or is he still victorious? Satan is minion. He's defeated, but he's allowed to operate. And the key word is allowed. Who allows that? God. God does. So when you say you're being attacked by Satan or his minions, what are you saying? God went, oh, what?

I missed that. Those little rascals, I can't control them. There are too many of them. When you defeat a foe, what do you usually do to the foe? You make them work for you. And somehow God allows these trials, tribulations and things to go on. For what? His glory. Satan is a defeated foe. So protection from the evil one is, hey, I've already defeated him. His minions are defeated.

Is that protection? Yes? Well, I wrote down for this one, James 4, 7, Submit yourself to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. So does that mean if we don't submit ourselves to God and we don't resist the devil, then he is around us? I think that's in James. Remember what the first part is that I just quoted. Yeah, submit yourself to God. No, James 1.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials. What was the trial provided for? For your growth. So submitting to him is submitting to his will, walking in the Spirit. You're in the Spirit. Are you submitting to God? Yes. So, are you resisting the devil by that? Yes.

So, again, in him and acting who we are, knowing, in faith, all these things, protected from the evil one, we resist the devil. He has no foothold in us if we are walking in the Spirit. That's how we resist him. We keep our focus on Christ. And we resist any attacks by the devil. So, I mean, I think it's consistent, and especially in James where he's just told us that, you know, in chapter 1. He also says in James 1 that we are drawn by our own Lust. Unfortunately, that's the other thing, the Lord left us with two natures. And we get drawn. And what does it mean? We take our eyes off Christ, and what do we do? To this world. To the lust of this world. And when lust is conceded... Slippery slope. Is that okay? Sure. Okay. Quickly. Don't get up.

Question seven, what does sanctify them in truth mean in verse 17? Okay, first of all, what does sanctified mean? Set apart. What is truth? Wow, set apart is easy, but truth, what? God's word or? Christ. Both equally, synonymous. So God's word is truth and Jesus is truth.

In John 14.6, Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

John 17.7, your word is truth. So, what does sanctify them in the truth mean? Does it mean that the means of the sanctification is God's truth? What does it mean to sanctify them in the truth?

Yeah, we're set apart in Christ. I think that's the key. By God. We're set apart, we're put into Christ, and once we're in Him, we're set apart. For His purposes. Exactly. So, as we're set apart in Him, what happens? I'm going to duct tape him down sometimes so he can't do it. So we're set apart and what happens? Do God's will. Absolutely. What else? One of Mike's favorite verses. Yep. Well, I really don't know here. I had Mike's favorite one of his favorite verses. We all kind of get our favorite ones.

2 Corinthians 3.18. But we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are what? are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord the Spirit. As we're set apart from Him, what's happening? We're being transformed. We're beholding Him. Alright, from question 8, from verse 18, do we have the same mission as Jesus? So in verse 18, as you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. Do we have the same mission? Yes.

How many yeses? Come on, chickens. A lot of short hands there going up. How many say no? No. No. Good. Good, good, good. Okay. And the yeses? A yes hand. We have two yeses over here. Yes. Go ahead. Why do you think yes? Well, Jesus came to make the Father known. Exactly. We are witnesses. We have the Holy Spirit within. Witness and blood behind us. Okay, we've heard from the yes camp, now the no camp. We are in Him, but we are not Him.

Christ came to earth to die for our sins. I don't think that we can die for our own sins. The basic mission that He came to the world to do was to follow the Father's will. And in that, Yes, we have the same mission that he did to follow the Father's will. But his will for Christ is totally different than what I feel like he has a will for us. That's basically where I was at. I mean, yeah, I've said yes, but with a caveat. I mean, in him, we have everything but deity, and we did not come here to die to pay for the sins. But the mission is the same without that.

I mean, he's basically saying now, Be ambassadors. Glorify my Father. Point to the Father. Point to me. We're ambassadors. He did the Father's will. He pointed. He was to glorify the Father. What are we supposed to do? Glorify the Father. But, you're absolutely right. The mission was not exactly the same as that. Question 9.

What does Jesus mean in verse 19 when he says, For their sakes I sanctify myself. And what does he mean that they may be sanctified? Verse 19, for their sakes I sanctify myself and that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. So what does it mean, for their sakes I sanctify myself?

Is that what he's talking about the cross? That he's setting himself apart to take up on our sin? I think that's part of it. No, I have John 15, 13, greater love is no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Others, for their sakes I sanctify myself. What does that mean? No one but he could sanctify himself. That's part of it.

I have a quote from Marcus Rainsford saying, there is a depth and fullness here which can never be fully expressed, even in heaven. Observe, our Lord not only lays the foundation of his people's sanctification in the reality of his own, but he also estimates the fullness and completeness of it by the same standard. Realize that Jesus is saying for their sake. for ours, that he is dedicating, consecrating, or setting apart his whole self, his person, his godhood, manhood, soul, and body, so we may be set apart and sanctified." Setting all that apart for us.

Like I said, you can't even begin to plumb the depths of that. So close. We better close. We'll have to see when Caroline gets in next week if we can finish this. I wanted to do 20 and 21. Those are my favorite verses. 20. That talks about us. All right, let's close.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time. We thank you Anytime again, just to delve into your word, we thank you just for the intimacy that we have seen in John 17 between you and the Son. We thank you that as we come to look through this passage, we have that same intimacy. that you and the Lord have, Father, we will have with you. And we have it now. And we have so many blessings and so many things because of what the Son did on the cross.

And Father, we just through simple faith and believing in that, we are entered into a system of grace that is unmerited, unlimited blessings. Father, we just praise you and thank you for that. So Father, we just commit the remainder of this day to you. In Jesus' name, Amen.