Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Monday November 14, John 17.12-26

John 17.12-26

12While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled.13But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves.14I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.15I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.16They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
17Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.18As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.19And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.
20”I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word,21that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.22The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one,23I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.25“Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me.26I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Thoughts:  This is the ending of Jesus' high priestly prayer and I'm always drawn to the statement in verse 15 " 15I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one."  It seems that in Christ both heaven and earth are connected.  We are not called, nor does Jesus wish us to be 'out of the world' but prays for our protection while we are IN the world.  It seems that so many folks try to find holiness, try to find God by escaping the world and I don't see that as the Christina way.  I believe the wonder of Christianity is that we find holiness precisely in the world that often seems so 'unholy.'  That is we aren't called to be anything other than what we are: creatures in the world.  However, there is one difference, we are now creatures who abide in Christ and thereby like the incarnation itself, the mundane becomes filled with sacred possibility!

Questions:  How do you respond to your Christian friends who seem to believe the only role for a Christian is to get out of the world?

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