WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:29.980 John 17 and verse 15. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:59.980 John 17 and verse 15. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:29.980 John 17 and verse 15. 00:01:29.980 --> 00:01:31.980 John 17 and verse 15. 00:01:31.980 --> 00:01:33.980 John 17 and verse 15. 00:01:33.980 --> 00:01:35.980 John 17 and verse 15. 00:01:35.980 --> 00:02:05.980 00:02:05.980 --> 00:02:35.980 00:02:35.979 --> 00:03:05.979 00:03:05.979 --> 00:03:07.979 John 17 and verse 15. 00:03:07.979 --> 00:03:09.979 John 17 and verse 15. 00:03:09.979 --> 00:03:11.979 John 17 and verse 15. 00:03:11.979 --> 00:03:13.979 John 17 and verse 15. 00:03:13.979 --> 00:03:43.979 00:03:43.979 --> 00:03:45.979 John 17 and verse 15. 00:03:45.979 --> 00:03:45.979 00:03:45.979 --> 00:03:45.979 00:03:45.979 --> 00:03:45.979 00:03:45.979 --> 00:03:45.979 00:03:45.979 --> 00:03:45.979 00:03:45.979 --> 00:03:45.979 00:03:45.979 --> 00:03:46.979 John 17 and verse 15. 00:03:46.979 --> 00:03:47.979 John 17 and verse 15. 00:03:47.979 --> 00:03:49.979 John 17 and verse 15. 00:03:49.979 --> 00:03:52.459 And he said to the Lord, oh, just take me away. 00:03:53.060 --> 00:04:01.679 It's interesting that a man who prayed to the Lord to be taken away never saw death because the Lord one day just took him. 00:04:02.899 --> 00:04:15.919 And it also we find that the likes of Peter, he so was overcome with a wonder of the transfiguration. 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:31.300 When he was up on the mountain with James and John and when Christ was transfigured and the manifestation of the presence of glory was so great that he just wanted to continue there. 00:04:32.339 --> 00:04:38.800 He wanted that they would build little tabernacles for themselves, that they would just continue to live there forever. 00:04:39.579 --> 00:04:42.120 Peter was a married man, probably a family. 00:04:42.300 --> 00:04:45.699 He had worked down on earth, but he had no thought about these things. 00:04:46.439 --> 00:04:50.540 The glory was so great that he just wanted to continue there forever. 00:04:51.939 --> 00:04:56.840 And there have been times when God's people have experienced unusual blessing. 00:04:58.060 --> 00:05:01.220 And they probably, like Peter, said, Lord, just take me away. 00:05:02.020 --> 00:05:05.040 Because it's like everything in this world has faded. 00:05:05.800 --> 00:05:10.920 And there is just such a great sense of the glory and the wonder of the Lord. 00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:18.740 But the fact of the matter is that Jesus is praying that we will remain here in the world. 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:20.580 And what a blessing for the world. 00:05:21.400 --> 00:05:23.360 Can you imagine what the world would be like? 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:27.280 That Christ is taken away, crucified and taken. 00:05:27.280 --> 00:05:30.240 And that every person who comes to faith. 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:32.240 Imagine what this world would be like. 00:05:32.379 --> 00:05:35.420 The moment that you come to faith, you're taken away. 00:05:36.300 --> 00:05:44.259 So that the world would be bereft of every voice speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:05:44.259 --> 00:05:47.259 All the prayers gone. 00:05:48.019 --> 00:05:49.259 All the witnessing gone. 00:05:49.899 --> 00:05:51.959 So God's people are to remain here. 00:05:52.579 --> 00:05:54.899 And we're to remain here as witnesses. 00:05:54.899 --> 00:06:10.839 And the amazing thing is that the Lord, in his wisdom, has used us, feeble, inadequate, frail, to preach, to teach, to witness, to share, to serve. 00:06:10.839 --> 00:06:23.699 Because every person who comes to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is involved in serving the Lord, in witnessing for the Lord, in sharing the gospel. 00:06:23.859 --> 00:06:26.819 It becomes very clear here of that. 00:06:27.799 --> 00:06:29.419 And this is how the gospel spreads. 00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:30.959 This is how the gospel grows. 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:40.319 So these disciples, the first disciples, of course, were going to be witnesses to the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:06:40.419 --> 00:06:41.959 And they were going to go out preaching this. 00:06:42.259 --> 00:06:44.219 They were first-hand witnesses of it. 00:06:44.479 --> 00:06:46.639 It wasn't hearsay on their part. 00:06:47.079 --> 00:06:47.859 They had seen. 00:06:48.379 --> 00:06:49.839 They had seen the risen Lord. 00:06:49.919 --> 00:06:51.879 They had been accompanied Jesus. 00:06:52.379 --> 00:06:54.000 And they had heard from Jesus. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:59.459 They were commissioned by the risen Jesus to go out with the word. 00:06:59.459 --> 00:07:11.879 And so it is for us as well, although we didn't witness what the disciples and the apostles witnessed, we also are commanded to live and to witness. 00:07:12.259 --> 00:07:13.099 We're to be salt. 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:17.899 We're to be light in a dark world, in a rotting world. 00:07:18.599 --> 00:07:22.699 We are to bring our influence to bear upon society. 00:07:22.699 --> 00:07:32.819 And the means by which we are to do this, Jesus makes it very clear to us because he goes on to say, as he says, 00:07:32.899 --> 00:07:35.079 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 00:07:35.620 --> 00:07:37.879 Sanctify them in the truth. 00:07:38.300 --> 00:07:40.300 Your word is truth. 00:07:41.240 --> 00:07:44.240 So this is the means, of course. 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:51.800 But before that, when he says, I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:58.480 Now, you and I know the havoc that Satan wrecks in this world. 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:04.480 And he is out all the time to disturb our peace. 00:08:05.060 --> 00:08:08.840 He's out all the time to create havoc within the church. 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:17.560 We're told how Satan entered Judas' heart before he went to betray Jesus. 00:08:19.060 --> 00:08:25.419 And I'm sure Peter, every day of his life, reflected upon what he did. 00:08:26.139 --> 00:08:29.679 Peter, who was so resolute, so strong, so courageous. 00:08:30.599 --> 00:08:35.379 Peter, who meant it when he said to Jesus, I'm ready to go to death with you. 00:08:35.379 --> 00:08:39.340 I'm ready. I'm willing to go to prison for you. 00:08:39.700 --> 00:08:41.820 I would give my life for you, Jesus. 00:08:43.820 --> 00:08:49.059 But Jesus, remember, warned him that Satan had desires after him. 00:08:50.139 --> 00:08:51.939 Satan has desired to have you, Peter. 00:08:53.220 --> 00:08:55.700 But I prayed for you that your faith won't fail. 00:08:57.179 --> 00:09:00.220 And when Satan got a hold of Peter, what did he do? 00:09:00.220 --> 00:09:09.500 Well, Peter, to his dying day, would never forget how he denied Jesus, his Lord, who he loved with oaths and with curses. 00:09:09.580 --> 00:09:11.519 I don't know him. He means nothing to me. 00:09:12.120 --> 00:09:16.639 Peter would say, I can't believe that I did that. 00:09:18.060 --> 00:09:23.860 And I'm sure we've all, at one time or another, as Christians said, I can't believe I did that. 00:09:24.259 --> 00:09:26.340 I can't believe I spoke in that way. 00:09:26.340 --> 00:09:31.680 I cannot believe that I did that, how I have let my Lord down. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:47.800 And that's why, later on, Peter, writing, and he knows all about Satan's power and strategy, says, he warns us that Satan goes about like a roaring lion, prowling about, seeking whom he may devour. 00:09:48.820 --> 00:09:50.259 And every Christian is marked. 00:09:51.019 --> 00:09:53.620 And the more you do for the Lord, the more you're marked. 00:09:53.620 --> 00:09:55.899 And he's out to get you. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:58.799 He's out to get you in your own personal life. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:00.500 He's out to get you in your home life. 00:10:00.560 --> 00:10:02.879 He's out to get you in your church life. 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:04.279 He's out to get you. 00:10:05.620 --> 00:10:08.200 Let's not kid ourselves about that. 00:10:08.840 --> 00:10:13.560 And every so often, we become conscious of his attacks upon us. 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:19.319 But thank the Lord that our Lord is stronger and that our Lord will defend us. 00:10:19.859 --> 00:10:22.419 And he has promised to defend us. 00:10:23.439 --> 00:10:30.299 But Satan is out to spoil our walk, to bring dishonor on the cause, all these sort of things. 00:10:30.299 --> 00:10:34.159 So Jesus is praying about this very thing. 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:39.699 And he's saying, keep them from, keep them from the evil one. 00:10:40.179 --> 00:10:45.000 Now, of course, some, you might find some translations doesn't have one. 00:10:45.079 --> 00:10:46.779 It just says, keep from evil. 00:10:46.779 --> 00:10:51.480 And everything that we say about the evil one is true. 00:10:51.980 --> 00:11:01.959 And even if it just said evil, well, that includes the evil one, but also involves all the evil that's within us and all the evil that is around us. 00:11:02.419 --> 00:11:03.600 It's like the Lord's Prayer. 00:11:04.419 --> 00:11:07.259 Remember how we ask, deliver us from evil. 00:11:07.259 --> 00:11:20.059 And so Jesus, aware that the disciples and all subsequent disciples in this world are going to be his witnesses, he says, sanctify them in the truth. 00:11:20.539 --> 00:11:22.399 Your word is truth. 00:11:22.919 --> 00:11:24.379 That's what Jesus says. 00:11:25.139 --> 00:11:27.519 Sanctify them in the truth. 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:28.740 Your word is truth. 00:11:29.819 --> 00:11:34.539 Now, to sanctify really means to set apart. 00:11:34.539 --> 00:11:38.199 That's its first and foremost thing. 00:11:38.740 --> 00:11:45.799 It's the same, really, as you could have in verse 19, where Jesus says, I consecrate myself. 00:11:47.240 --> 00:11:49.139 It's to set apart. 00:11:50.139 --> 00:11:54.259 And, you know, the moment you're born again, God has set you apart. 00:11:54.259 --> 00:11:59.500 You read in the Old Testament about how the priests and so they were set apart by God. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:04.439 Well, you are set apart by God in this world. 00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:07.980 The moment you're born again, you're sanctified. 00:12:08.319 --> 00:12:13.159 That's what theologians will distinguish in sanctification. 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:22.240 They'll say there's definitive sanctification, which is a once and for all, which happens the moment you're justified, you're also sanctified. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:26.940 But then there's what they term progressive, ongoing sanctification. 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:34.259 And we know that that is so part of what Jesus is praying for here. 00:12:34.259 --> 00:12:36.360 Yes, you're set apart. 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:36.439 You're set apart. 00:12:36.439 --> 00:12:39.019 You're set apart for the Lord. 00:12:39.019 --> 00:12:47.720 And the Lord is going to see to it that you are prepared and being prepared to be his witnesses in this world. 00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:59.860 Because it is only as we are molded in the world and shaped in the world and built in the world that we can be effective evangelists. 00:12:59.860 --> 00:13:04.100 You see, the world looks at the Christian. 00:13:04.300 --> 00:13:05.779 Where does the world see Christ? 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:08.620 If the world doesn't have a Bible, where does the world see Christ? 00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:11.639 The world sees Christ in the Lord's people. 00:13:11.639 --> 00:13:22.500 And if we resemble the world, if we're just like the world in our actions and in everything we're about, then the world doesn't take note of anything. 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:35.439 But if they see the attitude of the Christian and the lifestyle of the Christian being different, then that's going to make them sit up and take note. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:42.060 Being exactly like the world, the world says, well, what's the point in Christianity? 00:13:42.400 --> 00:13:43.420 It's just what I have. 00:13:44.360 --> 00:14:00.480 But when they might see the Christian in the way that they react to tragedy, in the way they react to trial, in the way they react to difficult circumstances in life, in the way they react by word, by action. 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:04.639 And they see it as different to others. 00:14:04.820 --> 00:14:05.879 That makes them think. 00:14:06.039 --> 00:14:08.680 That's what causes the world to take note. 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:25.220 And that's why the Lord says the very key to evangelism, the key to witnessing, the key to serving me in this world is being sanctified, is being built up in the faith. 00:14:25.220 --> 00:14:30.420 And that's why the word of God has to be key to our lives. 00:14:30.800 --> 00:14:35.080 You can never be with the word of God without it having an impact. 00:14:35.620 --> 00:14:40.480 I find that at a personal level whenever I say I'm going to preach anywhere. 00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:49.899 And with the word, you read, you write, you pray, you reflect, you meditate, all these things. 00:14:49.899 --> 00:14:54.899 And you discover what the word says, that those who water will be watered. 00:14:55.559 --> 00:15:03.539 So that even in the studying of God's word, you can never study God's word without deriving benefit from it. 00:15:03.879 --> 00:15:07.159 And it's not just in preaching, but in anything that you're going to do. 00:15:07.220 --> 00:15:17.179 If it's in the Sunday school or in a youth fellowship or at the club or whatever you're doing when you're handling God's word and seeking to take out of it for others, 00:15:17.179 --> 00:15:21.339 it will do its own work in your own heart and in your own life. 00:15:21.459 --> 00:15:23.139 That's what the nature of it. 00:15:23.199 --> 00:15:26.839 You cannot be in the word without deriving benefit. 00:15:27.939 --> 00:15:33.819 And the more you're in it, the more it will influence who you are and what you do. 00:15:35.299 --> 00:15:40.000 And you know when you see a really fast flowing stream. 00:15:40.439 --> 00:15:44.459 It's rushing down and it's been running down for years and years. 00:15:44.459 --> 00:15:46.479 A really fast flowing river. 00:15:47.179 --> 00:15:53.799 And you'll find that the stones there that over the years begin to get smoothed. 00:15:54.919 --> 00:16:01.159 Maybe the rough is being smoothed away a bit by the fast flowing force of the river. 00:16:02.359 --> 00:16:04.639 And that's what happens with us as well. 00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:13.059 That the rough within our lives, as the word is flowing through our spiritual veins, 00:16:13.059 --> 00:16:25.339 begins to remove the rough and smooth us and shape us and mould us more so that we begin to resemble our Lord and our Saviour. 00:16:26.539 --> 00:16:29.379 Now obviously as we go along, we don't feel it. 00:16:29.379 --> 00:16:34.659 And very often the more mature you get, the less you sometimes say, 00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:41.279 oh, you look back and say, oh, I thought I would have grown so much by now, but I feel that I haven't. 00:16:42.139 --> 00:16:43.600 And we often look back. 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:46.019 But we know that we have come on. 00:16:46.439 --> 00:16:47.320 We have gone. 00:16:47.580 --> 00:16:49.559 We're further on than when we started. 00:16:49.559 --> 00:16:58.179 The thing is that sometimes when we look back to when we began, the sense of newness, the sense of wonder was so great. 00:16:58.259 --> 00:17:04.500 And the thrill in our heart was such that we sometimes say, oh, I'm not there. 00:17:04.859 --> 00:17:05.799 No, you're not there. 00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:07.339 You're further on. 00:17:07.779 --> 00:17:08.500 You have grown. 00:17:08.619 --> 00:17:09.500 You have developed. 00:17:09.500 --> 00:17:10.099 God's word. 00:17:10.099 --> 00:17:11.859 Even if you don't know it. 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:14.500 But it's through the word that we come to know God. 00:17:15.259 --> 00:17:19.099 Who by searching the question is asked in scripture can find God? 00:17:19.579 --> 00:17:21.779 Well, we find him in the word. 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:24.700 This holy revelation of himself is here. 00:17:25.140 --> 00:17:30.559 God's word is the manual for our lives on how we are to live in this world. 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:39.859 and so Jesus is praying for his people because then he says in the next verse as you sent me 00:17:39.859 --> 00:17:47.460 into the world so I have sent them into the world see this is the way the Lord works first he says 00:17:47.460 --> 00:17:55.079 come come to me come to me him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out the great invitation 00:17:55.079 --> 00:18:04.359 is to come and you tonight you've come you look back and you've come but once you've come his next 00:18:04.359 --> 00:18:12.980 thing is go you're to go out into the world and to tell what great things the Lord has done 00:18:12.980 --> 00:18:20.199 every day you're a living witness and we've got to remember that we're living witnesses being read 00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:28.120 scripture tells us we're being read by the world around us you remember Legion the man who was 00:18:28.120 --> 00:18:37.360 possessed by so many demons and Jesus cast the demons out and when Jesus was leaving Legion pleaded 00:18:37.360 --> 00:18:44.220 I said Lord Jesus can I go with you he wanted to go with Jesus because of what Jesus had done for him 00:18:44.220 --> 00:18:53.579 but Jesus said no go home and tell what great things the Lord has done for you 00:18:53.579 --> 00:19:03.299 Legion's work having come to embrace Jesus as Savior was to go back home and to be a witness there and to 00:19:03.299 --> 00:19:11.019 tell people of what Jesus had done and Jesus is saying the same thing to you and to me and you and I 00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:17.799 know that home is often the hardest place to witness because people know you the best they know you who 00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:25.839 you really are but we're commanded to go and the command it's a command to go it gives this to all people 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:34.980 and it's not an option Jesus doesn't say to us well go and live for me and witness for me if you feel up to 00:19:34.980 --> 00:19:42.960 it or if you want to know it's not an option it is what we're given to do it's what we become 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:50.400 because remember what Jesus has done here we go back we've said that and for their sake I consecrate 00:19:50.400 --> 00:20:02.700 myself Jesus set himself apart for us Jesus consecrated what he says myself in other words the entirety 00:20:02.700 --> 00:20:14.019 of my whole being my emotions my affections my will my spiritual life my physical life my mental life the 00:20:14.019 --> 00:20:27.700 entirety of all of who I am I consecrate I sanctify I give myself for you for me it's not incredible he held 00:20:27.700 --> 00:20:39.819 nothing back and surely it's the least that we can do for him is to go out as he says go and tell and 00:20:39.819 --> 00:20:49.480 remember there's our beautiful reward because you and I will never know in this world the impact that our 00:20:49.480 --> 00:20:55.960 life for good may have because often we think it's not going to happen but you know it's amazing how 00:20:55.960 --> 00:21:05.440 very often when people will talk about how they came to faith it's amazing the amount of people who 00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:14.140 have had an influence upon the journey to faith people at home people at work people in the community 00:21:14.140 --> 00:21:21.460 people here people here people there people that they knew they'll say oh well he his life her life 00:21:21.460 --> 00:21:28.420 there's there's so many factors come into it it's all part of it's all part of this ministry all part of 00:21:28.420 --> 00:21:34.700 this service that we do to the Lord Jesus Christ and remember at the end of the day it tells us 00:21:34.700 --> 00:21:41.259 those who turn many to righteousness shall shine like the stars forever and ever 00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:48.920 how we thank the Lord for this prayer and you know it's this prayer is continually being answered 00:21:48.920 --> 00:21:55.839 it's been answered right up to tonight and remember that when the Lord sends you out 00:21:55.839 --> 00:22:03.579 he doesn't send you out there you go out on your own on you go it's his work it's not your work it's his 00:22:03.579 --> 00:22:17.480 work it's a shared work so he's saying I want you to do my work in this world because without you the world the world doesn't know of me 00:22:17.480 --> 00:22:27.419 so you make known who I am every single day what a privilege we have what a responsibility 00:22:27.420 --> 00:22:35.080 but always remember that the strength is from the Lord we cannot do it in our own strength 00:22:35.080 --> 00:22:42.500 and remember the heartbeat of it all is the word be much in the word be much in prayer 00:22:42.500 --> 00:22:48.080 sanctify them in the truth your word is truth let us pray 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:57.019 Lord we give thanks for your word and we give thanks for this great high priestly prayer where we're given a little glimpse of 00:22:57.019 --> 00:23:07.579 our saviour where he's pouring out his heart to his father and we give thanks that this is a prayer that has been answered 00:23:07.579 --> 00:23:15.359 and continues to be answered and we pray to bless us and grant us all grace in our daily witness 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:23.459 in our walk before others and our walk before you forgive us oh Lord for how often we let you down 00:23:23.459 --> 00:23:31.299 we're not what we want to be we're not what we should be but we give thanks Lord that we're not what we once were 00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:38.899 and so we pray that every day that we will have our eyes fixed upon you that the word might be 00:23:38.900 --> 00:23:49.200 our daily bread that every day we will be equipped by your word bless us in and do us good pray for those who mourn who are sad at this time we 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:56.140 remember the late Annables family Lord we give thanks for her wonderful life of service 00:23:56.140 --> 00:24:04.720 here and elsewhere and so we pray tonight for Catherine and for Alistair and for Hamish and their families 00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:11.480 we pray that you will bless all who mourn all who are sad all who have gone through harrowing and difficult times 00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:20.000 bless them we pray take us all to our home safely and cleanse us from our every sin in Jesus name we ask it amen 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:23.480 we're going to