“Sanctify them by Your truth. As you sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” John 17:17-18
In our continued reflection upon Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, after He has prayed to Himself, He prays for His Disciples. These are the ones who have followed Jesus for the past three years and now, as Jesus prepares to go to the cross, He petitions His Father on their behalf. Jesus’ followers will be the ones to carry on His message and continue His ministry into the world. They will face many challenges. They will be persecuted, imprisoned, slandered and will ultimately go to a martyr’s death proclaiming Jesus to be the Lord of Life, the One Who has risen from the dead. How wonderful it is that Jesus makes a special point to pray for His Disciples knowing all that they will face after He has ascended into Heaven.
This section of Scripture always reminds me of just how mindful God is of His children. He is concerned for us in the present, but most especially for the future. He already knows what His followers will face in this fallen world, and He already petitions His Father, and our Father, on our behalf. Whatever Jesus asks, the Father will answer!
What is most notable in Jesus’ petition is that He asks for us to be sanctified by the truths of God’s word. Sanctification is an act of God to make us holy, and to be made holy by truth means that God is leading us into the true reality of this life because His word is truth. Despite what this fallen world may say, think or do, we can be confident in the fact that our God will lead us to that which is good, right and holy, because we have Jesus on our side, praying for us and preparing our future.
Know that you are loved!
Peace and Joy,
Pastor Kilian