The Disciple's Delight

THE PRAYER LIFE OF JESUS

"The Disciples Delight" (Pt. II)

Bobby Earls (adapted from a sermon by Ernest L. Easley)

July 19, 2000

John 17:1, 6-19

Just a reminder, on August 6th, we're renewing our commitment to our church prayer ministry. We need to become a prayer-driven church!

As I study the early church as recorded in the book of Acts, I don't find the church driven by personalities, programs, pep, or purpose! They were driven by prayer. And from their praying came power, and from the power came their purpose!

Greater than ministry, greater than miracles, greater than preaching is prayer! It was for Jesus! And tonight we're picking up where we left off last Wednesday as we listen in on the greatest prayer ever prayed.

And that prayer is found in the gospel according to John, chapter 17. So take God's Word and join me for a few minutes in John 17.

Now this chapter of John reveals the priority of Jesus: prayer!! Prayer was His priority for His power and direction came from above. And if it's supernatural power you want, and if it's direction from God you want, then prayer must be your priority too!

Now as Jesus prays, He begins by praying for Himself in the first five verses. Then beginning in verse 6-19 He prays for His disciples. And then finally in verses 20-26 He prays for those who will believe!

We're looking again tonight in that middle section where Jesus prays for His disciples. Now specifically, He was praying for those disciples gathered in the upper room. But more generally, He was praying for all His disciples, which tells me there is something here for us.

I want to show you from God's Word what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. And by doing so, if Jesus Christ is not your all and all, if Jesus Christ is not the savior of your life, then I want you to see what you're missing!

We're thinking today about The Disciples' Delight found in John 17.1, 6-19

Jesus is praying! And as He prays this prayer, He reveals to us three delights that every disciple of Jesus Christ experiences. Three delights that belong to every person who has eternal life.

Now last Wednesday we saw the first of these three delights. And the first delight that the disciples of Jesus receive is that we are

A SECURE PEOPLE. Now we're not going to spend a lot of time here because we covered it last week. But let me just point out in verse 6 -the delight of Jesus.

John 17.6 “6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.”

If Jesus is your all in all, then you bring delight to Jesus Christ! In fact, in this prayer of Jesus we learn that we're God's gift to Jesus! We're God's loving gift to Jesus. We're God's lasting gift to Jesus.

John 17.12 “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” "While I was with them in the world, I kept (watched, cared for, preserved) them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept (guarded, protected); and none of them is lost..."

Sometimes we get to thinking that we have eternal security because we're somehow holding on God. But I've got some wonderful news for you. You can let go! For your security doesn't come through your holding on to God, you have security because God's holding on to you!!

That's the delight of Jesus. Next comes

-the desire of Jesus.

John 17:11 b, "... that they may be one as We are." That's His desire!

For His disciples to be unified. Now, there's a difference in being together and being unified. If you take two cats and tie their tales together and then throw them over a telephone wire, their together but their not unified!

He's praying for us to be one in purpose, one in passion, one in purity! One life! One Lord! One love! For when the disciples are unified, and then prayed up, confessed up, and controlled by the Holy Spirit, they can do anything!

So, the disciples of Jesus are

A SECURE PEOPLE.

A SANCTIFIED PEOPLE.

That's found beginning in verses 15-17, "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."

Jesus wants His disciples sanctified just as He was sanctified. For Jesus prays in verse 19, "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified..."

Now somebody asks, "What does sanctified mean?" Well, you need to know because one of the disciples delights is that we're not only a secure people, but we are a sanctified people.

-the meaning of sanctified.

Verse 17, "Sanctify them..." What is the meaning of "sanctified?" Well, when you hear or read the word "sanctified", think of being "set apart." That's what the word means: to set apart.

Set apart from the world, set apart unto God! That's being sanctified! To be set apart from the world and to be set apart unto God for a special mission!

Disciples of Jesus ought to stand out in this world like a rose in a desert, like a diamond on a piece of black velvet! "The Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel" (Exo 11.7).

Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them…" Set them apart from the world. And when you're set apart from the world and set apart unto God, the things of this world seem less appealing!

Now you say, "But how can that happen in my life? After all, I live in this world." Indeed you do live in this world, and God has a reason for it in which we'll see in a moment. Yes, you're in the world but a disciple of Jesus isn't of the world, and we're not to live like the world.

Today, in the average Christian, you've got to look real hard to see any difference between them and the non-Christian! James 4.4, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

Amplified, "Do you not know that being the world's friend is being God's enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God."

1 Thessalonians 4.7, "For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness (sanctify)."

Now you say, "Pastor, I'm a disciple of Jesus. I've been saved. I love the Lord. But I find it difficult to be different from those in the world.

Where do I find the strength to be sanctified? Where do I find the courage to take a stand for Christ?" I'm so glad you asked! We've talked about the meaning of being sanctified,

-the method of being sanctified.

John 17.17, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." Verse 19, "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth."

Do you see it? Verse 17, ".. by Your truth." Verse 19, "by the truth." Now what truth is He referring too? The truth of the Word of God! Do you want to know how to become sanctified? Do you want to know how to become set apart from the world and set apart unto God for a special mission?

You get into the Word and let the Word get into you! That's how!

Now, in once sense, every disciple has been sanctified when Jesus stepped into their life. But not only have we been sanctified, we're also being sanctified as we welcome God's Word, as we obey God's Word!

2 Corinthians 7.1, "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh, and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

Let me tell you something about being a disciple of Jesus Christ and sin: you won't lose the ability to sin, but you can diminish the desire for sin! The possibility to sin remains but the pursuit of sin reduces! You ask, "What makes that happen?" By being sanctified in the truth! Getting into the Word and the Word getting into you!

Oh, the Disciples Delight! It's from this prayer we learn that we are

A SECURE PEOPLE.

A SANCTIFIED PEOPLE.

A SENT PEOPLE.

John 17.18, "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." So why did God the Father send God the Son into the world? He sent Him to reveal God to man! Right? Jesus was sent "to seek and to save that which was lost." And now the sendee is saying to the sender: "As you have sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." Now quickly see with me

the progression.

First, we are a secure people. Then, we are a sanctified people. Set apart from the world and set a part unto God.

Now why are we secure? Why are we being sanctified? Well, we're being sanctified because we are a Sent People just as Jesus was sent. Do you see it?

We have been sanctified, that took place when we turned our life over to Jesus Christ. We are being sanctified, that takes place daily through the Word of God. That's the progression. But see with me,

the purpose.

John 17.18, "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world."

Here's the purpose of being secure and sanctified: So that Christ might send us into the world to share the message of hope!!We're not being sanctified to show people how spiritual we are. We're being sanctified so that we can tell people that there's hope in Jesus! Bible sanctification is for one purpose: it's for service not for show!

Acts 13.2, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." That's the purpose for sanctification: for service!

Now let me ask you a question? Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ? Is Jesus Christ your all in all? Is He more precious than gold to you? If so, wonderful!! You are a Secure Person. A Sanctified Person.

And a Sent Person! That's why we want to be be a part of the church and continue growing and serving as you become set apart from the world and set apart unto God through the truth of His Word.