May 17, 2018 Thursday

““Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. “And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” (John 17:17-19 NKJV)

            Jesus pulls together so much in this little part of the prayer.  So much of the Gospel of John speaks about the Word and Truth.   From the very beginning we see this so clearly.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1-4 NKJV)

            Jesus is the Word of God and is God and also creator!  Jesus does more than just give life but is life itself!

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV)

            I am the truth!  Pilate could not see truth standing before him, the Jewish leaders could not see the truth as Jesus taught and renewed the lives of so many through many healings and miracles!  Jesus makes the amazing claim that He is not just the source of the way, truth and life but Jesus IS the way, truth and life.

            Reread this passage and where it says truth and word see them as Jesus!  Jesus would sanctify Himself so we could be sanctified by Jesus!  Once again the theme of unity and connection are prayed for as we depend upon Jesus to not only be justified (to be forgiven and saved) but to also be sanctified (to be empowered to serve God and others in a good way)!

            Sanctification propels us into the world as we live out the way of Jesus who came to us and did not sit and wait for us to come!  We have the example of Jesus to go out into the world seeking to share the truth guided by the word of God to help people discover the Living Word Jesus the Christ!

            Have you been justified (to be forgiven and saved)?  Have you been sanctified (to be empowered to serve God and others in a good way)?  If you have been justified are you moving out into the world sharing Jesus the Word and the Truth?

            Bonnie and I got caught up on our devotion and prayer.  I was able to listen to the Bible some.  I got the rest of the cards done and ready to be mailed tomorrow.  Still very weary and hope the Nuvigil will get into my system soon.