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Thursday, February 24, 2005
I remember my first days at seminary after going through some rough stretches in our ministry the previous year. I was emotionally, spiritually, physically and financially tired…as was my wife, and my children were 3 and 1. There was no joy, and I’d let the world get the best of me.
I had about two weeks before I’d need to find a job, so I decided to take a week and just soak in the teaching from my Bible exposition classes (those are where you read books of the Bible and try to explain what it means). Every day, at least 3 times a day (4 if you count chapel services) for a week, I experienced the healing power of the Word. Each class refreshed me, encouraged me, gave me hope and spurred me on.
And then I got a job. Two, in fact. It wasn’t long before reading the Bible became what you did to study for a class paper or test, or maybe prepare a lesson for your church class or something. About mid-semester, I heard a professor speak in chapel and he said something directly addressing the problem I was having (which is likely why he was speaking in chapel to seminary students at that time, because I’m guessing almost everyone was going through what I was going through). He said a couple of things:
First, that it was important to remember that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And theologians have the power to make Him mere words again.
Second, he told us to “take off the shoes of our minds” in class because the Word was Holy ground, able to affect our lives in profound and meaningful ways.
Wow. It changed the entire way I went to seminary…for two years I remembered those two statements. It’s 8 years later and I still remember them.
And I think that’s what Jesus was after in the next section of the High Priestly prayer. We’ve already seen how we share in His life, and that we know His name. Today we’ll see that we have His word.
Verses 13-19 read: “But now I come to You and these things I speak in the world, 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 truth; Thy word is truth. As You did send me into the world, I have also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves might be sanctified in truth.”
First of all, look at why Jesus was speaking these things in the world: That they might have Christ’s JOY made FULL in THEM. So often you see believers who are miserable for one reason or another, but usually it’s because they’re doing things they know better than to do or they want to do things they know better than to do. Christ wanted us to live lives that were full of joy, and if you’re not joyful in your walk, well…that’s a pretty good thing to check to see where you are spiritually at any give moment.
Secondly, notice that it isn’t supposed to be EASY. If you are in the Word and living it out, notice the result: The world will HATE you. See you aren’t really of this world…you’re an outsider. Paul felt this very strongly in Philippians…because he was in jail for the reality of telling people that Jesus was their Lord. Well, Caesar didn’t think too highly of that. 7 years later full-blow persecution of the church began with deaths and burnings and all that jazz.
In fact, I used to have teenagers go to all sorts of places like beaches or mountains or the tops of tall buildings, whatever. I’d make them yell at the top of their lungs, “I AM NOT OF THIS WORLD.” Just like Jesus, we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom that supercedes anything we’re a part of on this planet. And this planet will hate us because of that reality.
Finally, we are “set apart” for Holy living. Verse 17 tells us to be sanctified (set apart) in truth. And the Word is truth. In other words, if we’re in the Word, it will set us apart from humanity. Practical, holy living is another mark of the believer.
So, run through the little checklist today: Are you full of joy in your walk? Are you different from the world at all, or are you more “of” the world that “in” it? Finally, would you think that you are living a practical and holy faith? How would you measure that?
Brent 5:27 AM
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