God’s Eternal Perspective

John 17, brothers and sisters, perhaps some of you are motivated to read it this morning for devotions. It's a marvelous chapter. And just before we actually read it, let me remind you a little bit. When we read it, let's read it with solemnity, we'll read it in three sections. It's so rich, but it's like the curtain is drawn. And we see the divine persons Father and Son interacting. It's a very solemn chapter, and not to be taken lightly. You know, not that we take anything lightly, necessarily, but it's not something you just read and say, well, good for him. This sounds good. I'm glad you got that one. But rather, that when we realize that the curtain has been drawn, and the Lord allows us for one glorious moment, to enter behind the veil, into the Holy of Holies, you might say, the Son of the Father, and mostly the son speaking, but you can sense the father and him dialoguing, even though there's no words from the Father, to be heard directly, dialoguing in the most profound ways. And I've entitled it eternally, God's perspective on life, eternity, God's perspective on life. And as I said, last night, this chapter can teach us how to be successful in our spiritual life, in our spiritual life. And you know, just before we read it, I also want to say this. Nowadays, there is a tendency to say, it's your relationship with God that counts, not the knowledge of truth, and the knowledge of doctrine and the knowledge of dogma. But you could be imagining that you have a relationship with God, and really not have a very deep one, unless you pay attention to his revelation. And this is God revealing Himself to us. And we were just singing a few seconds ago, I'm drawing nearer to you speak to me, reveal Yourself to me. And the Lord is more than eager to reveal himself. And he's left the confirmation in writing so that we don't live off imagination. But revelation, what God has really said, and if you ignore truth, you may feel really good about what you're saying, I'm doing, and you're making tremendous mistakes, and going off the track without realizing it by not paying attention to the signs on the highway that the Lord has left. And also, you know, there's a statement that I use when I preach the gospel, but it's worth remembering even as believers, what you believe, is of utmost importance. Because your life and conduct will be a reflection of what you believe. If you believe that infidels should be blown up with you taking your own life, that's what you're gonna do, you'll fill a car with bombs, and ram it into a bunch of people and blow them and yourself up, because that's what you believe. So what you believe has a lot of significance. And that's why we got to take the word of God seriously and encourage all of the younger generation to do likewise. Because there is a tendency, it's not modern, by the way, it started in the Garden of Eden, just in case you are wondering, when they didn't take the word of God seriously, you know, every other generation, it seems like Christianity has to renew itself, because there's a tendency among Christians to begin to drift, and especially when you don't take the Word of God to heart. So here we go. We're looking into eternity because God's perspective is eternal. We always think in terms of time, I got my watch here, so as to ignore it, but I do have it. Yeah. And we think in terms of time, and space, and hours and minutes, and vacations and retirement than 401Ks we think in this, the Lord looks at the whole of eternity. And in this passage, I think we're going to realize, among other things that struck me, as I met at the did ever so slightly on it, that we're going to see Jesus Christ praying to God the Father, and he didn't plan it. Like we always tried to break everything down. So it sticks in our mind. The Lord didn't say to himself, Okay, I gotta pray. Now. Firstly, I'm going to pray about eternity past, then I got to pray about eternity present. And then I got to pray about eternity future. So it sticks in people's minds. He just prayed. But as you analyze this wonderful prayer, which is really the Lord's Prayer, you see that that the Lord begins the first section that the way I've divided it, there's no way to divide this chapter in neat little packages, but just not to forget it. I have done that. But he his first talks to the father about their eternal relationship. Then he starts praying for the disciples who were around them at that moment, the 11, the 12, but the 12 one was on his way to you know, where, and then he projects himself in the last section, to us and to the future until the Second Coming, in fact, until eternity future, so it's an amazing V Young that the Lord gives us in this prayer of God the Father and God the Son interrelating with each other, as divine persons. So let's read first of all, verses 1 through 10, the father and the son from eternity thinking about the past, but it's intermingle. I just say the past, just so as to, you know, fix it in our minds. Let's read the Holy Word of God. After Jesus had said this, he looked toward heaven, and prayed, Father, the time has come, glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You, for You granted him authority over all people, that he might give eternal life to all those that you have given him. Now, this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth, by completing the work that you gave me to do. And now Father, glorify me in Your presence, with the glory that I had with you, before the world began, I have revealed you, to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have obeyed your word. Now, they know that everything that you have given me comes from you, for I gave them the words that you gave me. And they accepted them. They know with certainty that I came from you. And they believed that You sent Me, I pray for them. I'm not praying for the world. But for those that you have given me, for they are yours. All that I have is yours. And all that you have is mine. And Glory has come to me through them. Now you want to keep reading, but don't look up, look up the Hagaman you're keeping on reading, I know it kind of draws you and you don't want to stop, but you got to stop somewhere. So you might as well stop there for the moment, we'll get back to the second section. Now, there are several themes in this chapter that jumped out at you. I don't have an exactly an order. But look, let me give you 14 themes, just one word themes that I want to remind you that is there. As you meditate on this chapter first. It jumped out at me, glory, glory. Secondly, no, perhaps I should have said first father, then glory, sanctification. Truth, I'm going too fast for those who are writing, Father glory, sanctification, truth, eternal life, believed believer believed the word believe, oneness. No, no to know, the world. I was impressed. Amazing how much he talks about the world. I've been trying to study what the world is in the Scripture. And it's coming clear through this chapter. Scripture. The son, joy, Revelation, and sent those 14. All right, now look, first of all, let's look at this business of how the Father and the Son interrelate to each other. He begins by saying, Father, the time has come, what time is he talking about? The Crucifixion, and the return to glory? It's a matter of hours in the light of eternity. But it's the most dramatic hours that the world has ever seen, who had God incarnate, God the Son, having become the son of Adam, you know, when he called himself a son of man, I just dawned on me only this year, can you believe it? Some of us are thick, only this year, that the actual translation would be the son of Adam, the son of Adam, because Adam is man. And Jesus was the Son of God, inherently, but the son of Adam, by picking on human nature. So the Son of God become the son of Adam dies on a cross for the sins all the way from Adam, the last person when the history comes to an end, and what an amazing thing The time has come. It doesn't need to explain what the time is. He knows the Father knows. And we happen to know to the time for which he was born, the time for which the Holy Spirit overshadow the Blessed Virgin Mary, and she became pregnant by the Lord Jesus Christ, what a mystery. And he has the Father and the Son talking to each other. That night. He's been taken over by his enemies, and he's gonna be crucified the very next day. And the "Blessed master is talking to his father. And he says, Father, the time has come. I'm sure that through eternity The Bible says they talked about it, they share it. They remember that the Lord Jesus says in a quotation that's in the olden in the New Testament, is a Father above Do you have prepared for me? Here am I to do Your will Oh god, you know how he positions himself as a son of Adam. And as you study the New Testament, of course, you always try to figure as he's speaking now, as a son of God was the son of Adam, he always was two in one. However, when he speaks, at some occasions, he's speaking as the son of Adam, and other occasions as the Son of God. And that's important thing. Now here he says, glory, glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. Now, you know, in another passage, he mentions, you know, the glory that he had in verse five, look at verse five. Again, he says, now, Father, glorify Me, he's asking to be glorified, in your presence, with the glory I had with you, before the world began. So what's going on here? There are three things about glory and glorifying that I come up with at this point first, there is the inherent glory, that Jesus Christ as Son of God has had from eternity. That's what verse five is all about, when he says, glorify me in Your presence with the glory I had with you, before the world began, the glory of Jesus Christ as God the Son is total and absolute, from eternity to eternity, that never changed. When he became the Son of Adam, when he was born on the Blessed Virgin Mary, he, he did not he did none of his glory was lost, it was not visible, because he chose a human nature to be the son of Adam, but he was the glory was there. But then secondly, there's the acquired glory, the glory that he's talking about, glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You, is the glory He acquired is about the best term the theologians have been able to come up with. And me too, is that he acquired so to speak by the holiness of his life, by the purity of his soul, by the perfection of his behavior, by the obedience that was 100%. He acquired glory, even unbelievers, on Jesus, as a man on his he was a good man. We know what CS Lewis said about that. But forget that for the moment. He was such a perfect character, such a glorious, that he acquired glory. Now the glory of the cross, I believe, is what he's talking about here. The glory of His obedience, perfect obedience is Philippians. Two says, where he went to death, and not only death, but death of a cross the death of one who died for others. So this is the acquired glory. But you know how interesting a phrase it uses in verse 10. Look at verse 10, that we just finished the reading with says, All I have is yours. And all you have is mine. And Glory has come to me through them. Isn't that a beautiful statement that encourages even us in the 21st century, the Lord Jesus is talking about his disciples and He says, Glory has come to me. How does he put it in the NIV Glory has come to me, through them. And think brothers and sisters, that by the way we live by the way we talk, by the way, be willhave, in our regular work, in our home, in the neighborhood, wherever the Lord takes us at the club, on vacation, by the way we live, we can bring glory to Jesus Christ, we sometimes flippantly say, Lord, glorify Your name, Lord, be glorified. But you know, think about it, that you and I, he sang to the Father, Father, you glorify Me, but glory has come to me through these people. That's an amazing thing. It's so sad when we disobey the Lord. And we even in a tiny bit besmirches name, by something we do by our temper by losing ourselves control by some words that are out of order, by whatever we do, how sad it is, isn't it sad when a believer appears on the cover of Time magazine, or in a newspaper article, you know, and behavior has taken place that really dishonors our Lord Jesus Christ, we aggrieved not in a self righteous way as a dirty little sinner. You know, no, it's not that it's the sadness that the name of Jesus is Miss merged, but that we can glorify the Lord and the Lord. Jesus says, Father, glorify Your Son, glorify me with the glory that I had before. And then you know, look at the other revelation that comes out. But this interaction of eternity past if you want to put it that way, you granted him that his Your son is speaking in the third person about himself. You granted him authority over all people, that he might give eternal life to all those that you have given him. Now, you know, what an interesting interaction that we see revealed here, between the Father and the Son, where the Lord Jesus is saying, Father, I have authority over all people, as son of Adam, where he His delegated authority, and he will be the King of kings and Lord of lords. As far as the nations are concerned, when he comes back as the Messiah, even the Jewish nation will recognize him then. But you know, he's saying, you've given me certain people, and I have given them eternal life. What a nice interaction between the Father and the Son, and who are these people whom the Father has given to the Son, it's all those who believe in Him and repent of their sins, and by that surrendering to Him. And so the father says, These are yours, my son, these are yours. And so the Son has authority, and those people is us. Hallelujah. The father said, give Jesus I give you Louis Palau. And Jesus must have said, I really, do I want that guy, you know? Yes, yes, yes. Have him have him because he's washed by your own blood. You know, what a beautiful picture of the Father and the Son, isn't it interacting and thinking of us, not only about themselves, but thinking of us what grace you know, because we know ourselves, we know the stuff we've said and done, and especially thought that should never have been said, done or thought, you know, and yet we are his a gift from the Father to the Son. That's why we try to glorify Him by our words, and our thoughts and our deeds, not because the law says it or you might go to hell, we aren't going to hell, we do it because we want to please the one whose gift we are from the Father to the Son, but what a revelation of how they interact among themselves. And then he explains what eternal life is, when we speak to unbelievers, we must never forget this. Now, this I mean, he's talking to the Father. Now this is eternal life, that they may know you. And as the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have said, that is eternal life. And, you know, I think one of the greatest themes when you tried to witness to someone talk about eternal life, I have found it in my part of the world, Latin America, which is been originally sort of Christianized, if you want to put it that way, by the Roman Catholic Church, on the priests that came four and 500 years ago, there is a lack of knowledge of the assurance of eternal life. And the one thing that a Roman Catholic relishes to hear, because I bet most of my life working in Roman Catholic countries, is when you give them the assurance of eternal life. And it is one theme that really stands out that a Roman Catholic goes, Oh, thank you, thank you, they will often thank you when you tell them now you have eternal life. Thank you, thank you, you know, so don't want to thank the Lord, I didn't give it to you. I'm just informing you, you know, but but it really is a great theme. You know, the human soul longs for eternal life, even atheists, you know, when even when they argue against you, they are often on the verge property of getting converted, and the more they argue against eternal life, the more they wanted, only they don't want to admit it. Many times. But you know, don't hesitate to talk about eternal life and the assurance that you have yourself about eternal life. This is eternal life to know Him, the only true God. Think about that brothers and sisters, even flipping does we often I and depth less as we are, to think that we have eternal life, and to have eternal life is to actually know God for ourselves. And eternal life is not something you get when you die, which you see in Latin America. That's what people think. If you ask a Latin, do you have eternal life? They will say, How can I know that I get there, you know, which is a terrible way to die, without knowing where you're gonna land and upstairs or down in the other place, you know, it's not worth it, you know. But I emphasize eternal life is not something eternal life is Christ living in you. God has given us eternal life, this life is in His Son, whoever has the Son of God has life, whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. So eternal life is a fundamental truth all over the world, in the Hindu places, what are they thinking about when they talk about reincarnation, to purify themselves and purify at baby perhaps find Nirvana, which ends up being nothing, but nevertheless, you know, there's a sort of a search for eternal life. So don't forget that. And here the Lord is speaking to his father. And he said, Father, this is eternal life to know you. And you know, the more we know him, the more we enjoy him. And so then in verse four, he says, I have brought you glory on Earth. Here we go, by completing the work that you gave me to do. Isn't that interesting? The sun, it's the night before he's betrayed 50 days before he goes back to glory. And he is saying, Father, I have glorified your name by completing the work that you gave me to do. So if you say, Louise, how can I glorify God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit? The One way is by completing the work that he gave you to do, which means that we You need to spend time in his presence. And the way we glorify Him is by completing the work he's given us to do. And no matter what other people say, Yes, you seek for counsel, yes, you ask for prayer. Yes, you pray with other people, you might open up your heart, you listen to the positives and negatives. But in the end, if you want to glorify God, complete the work that he laid on your heart, whatever that may be, whatever is put on your heart by the Holy Spirit, you complete it, because Jesus himself says, Father, I have brought you glory on earth, by completing the work that you gave me to do, I'm very conscious of that. There's always many voices trying to get you to do this, or that. And sometimes you do this and that. But primarily, you've got to remember what it was I commissioned to do, what is on my heart that I should be doing. And each one should be able to spell it out before the Lord necessarily publish a book on it. But what has the Lord told you to do you want to glorify God, my brother, then do what he's told you to do, and do it in his presence, and glorify Him on Earth by doing what he's told you to do. And then he begins, he finishes that little section is now Father, glorify me in Your presence, with a glory I had with you, before the world began. To me, I'm so intrigued, I still don't have much to say on that. The Son and the Father are talking. And he says, Father glorify me with the same glory I had, from the very beginning, in these 33 years that have gone by, since he had come to earth, sort of didn't create a distance, because he was always one with a father. And yet, in a way, there was a distance, the distance of being son of Adam, for those 33 years on the earth, it wasn't quite quite, quite 100%, as being in the very presence of the full glory of God, the three in one. And so he says, Father, glorify me with that glory I had, when, before the world began. So this is a very intimate, sacred moment, the Father and the Son, thinking about glory, glorifying one another, he glorified the father, the father glorifies Him, and they're offering eternal life to the world. So this is a beautiful glimpse of spending time in the presence of God. Now, it goes on in verses six through 10, still thinking in a way about eternity past, if you want to put it that way. And remember, he's praying now as the high priest, you know, in the Bible, it talks about the high priestly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's turn to Yes, Hebrews 723, through 25, Hebrews 723, to 25. Look at what the Lord, the Holy Spirit tells us, through the apostle here about the intercessory ministry of Jesus Christ, what he's doing now, in heaven on our behalf, Hebrews 723, to 25, this is the Scripture says, Now there has been many of those priests, that is Jewish priests serving in the tabernacle on Earth, since death prevented them from continuing in office. But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, he is able to save completely, those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them. So the Lord Jesus Christ is the high priest. That's a long story. And I won't go into it. Most of you know Bible, so I don't have to review at all. But you know, in the, in the Jewish setup that Moses did, by revelation from the Lord, there was a high priest, and then there was the priests. Now, the picture, the reality is, we have one high priest, who never changes because he has an eternal ministry, he's the son of God, He is the high priest. And when you read about the high priest in the Old Testament, it's a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever you read Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, it's the High Priest is a picture of Jesus Christ, the other priests is us, we believe as a priest, but he is the high priest, and he has authority and He intercedes for us. And he says, Here, he is able to save completely, the King James said to the uttermost, which is an interesting phrase, I somehow I like it actually, he is able to save to the uttermost, as far as you can imagine. He is able to save it says completely same thing, but more colorful to the animals, those who come to God through Him. Why? Because he always lives to intercede for them. The reason we can have the assurance of eternal life is not only that he died on the cross and rose for our sins and gave his blood, but we stumble even after we've received Jesus Christ. Don't wait, but he lives to make intercession for us. Now, let's go to First John chapter two, to confirm that in First John, chapter two verses one and two, you remember Look what it says. But let's read it. First John two, one and two, My dear children, I write this to you, so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father. In our defense. The old King James uses just one word. We have an advocate, we have a lawyer, we have an attorney, an attorney, they here they go into an explanation, one who speaks to the Father, in our defense, or defense attorney. That's what the paper is, there's also Jesus Christ, the righteous one, he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world. So again, Hebrews seven, First John to same truth, the high priest, as an attorney interceding for us, the high priest who offered blood for the cleansing of our sins. Remember Leviticus, if you don't, you better study Leviticus, and he was doing and we can be sure that even after we believed, and we stumble, we are forgiven. And our advocate, our lawyer, our attorney, our intercessor, our defense attorney, stands before the Father presents his blood that he gave on the grace and says, We stumbled again. But father, I gave my life for that clown, therefore, he still has eternal life. And that's a wonderful priestly work that the Lord is doing right now, all the time, incessantly, for each one of us. There's other passages, if you want to read them for yourself, Hebrews 924, and Romans 834. But it's the same basic truth with just a little different angle. And it's worth looking up when you have time. So now he says in verse six, I have revealed you, to those whom you gave me out of the world, they were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you, for I gave them the words that you gave me, and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believe that you sent me. You know, it's interesting. And this chapter reveals that like no other passage that I know in Scripture, that the great desire of God the Father, and God the Son, is that we believe that he is the cent one from God, that He is the Anointed One, the Promised One, he knew that many in the world wouldn't believe it. But the thing that gave him incredible joy over and over, and we'll see it in a few moments, at the end of the chapter is these have believed that you sent me, he says, I gave him your words, and they believe them. This gave no end of thrill to the heart of Jesus Christ. And as he talks to the Father, He says, Father, I give them the words that you gave me, and they believe them is so so exciting to think the son talking to the Father, because the Father knows that because he's got yet they're interacting, you know, husbands or wives, we talk about things that we both know, and we both agree, but you talk about it anyway, you know, things that you agree on, you love to go over and over. And here the Father and the Son, He says, I have revealed you, to those you gave me out of the world, you know, how little is known of God, if He doesn't reveal Himself to us. You look at the religions of the world, how sad it is, the religions of the world, the things that are said the things that are done, trying to figure out God somewhere out there, if God hadn't revealed Himself to you and me, we too would be doing pagan things. We will be trying to imagine what God is like and inventing our God in our own image. But this is not our God in our own image. He gives us His words, we believe and say they knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believe that you sent me. And you know, brothers and sisters, when you talk to people where you work at the club, when you have golfing when you're traveling, whatever. We have to tell people, how we know him and how we love Him speaking of eternal life, and letting people know, you know, I happen to know him actually, yes, he's my savior. He's my father, I talk to him every day, I worship him. I believe His promises, he's blessed me, he's blessed, my family, etc, etc. I think we need to speak with that kind of authority. And then here you see the Father and the Son interacting somewhat about the past the glory you sent me, you gave them to me. I gave him your words. Now they believe and now follow the hour has come. That was in the past. That was what we planned. That's why the we we worked it out together. Now. Father, I'm coming home. I'm coming back now returns in the second section which we're jumping a few verses obviously. Let's go verses 11 to 19. The Lord Jesus Christ is now thinking about those around them the the 12 he actually makes reference to Judas Iscariot without using his name. So let's read verses 11 to 90. The divisions in the Bible are impossible to follow each each Bible as a different division because it's undeniable, this prayer, but there we go, I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world. And I'm coming to you, Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name that you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name that you gave me. None has been lost, except the one doomed to destruction. So that scripture would be fulfilled, I am coming to you now. But I see these things while I'm still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them, I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one, they are not of the world, even as I am not of it, Sanctify them by the truth, Your word is truth. As you send me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them, I sanctify Myself, that they do may be truly sanctified. Let's stop right there at verse 19. I say that this is sort of eternity present, the immediate that he was dealing with at that particular moment. And it's very intriguing what absorbed the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ, what absorbed them was the protection of the 12, or the 11. Because the 12, had already gone off and hung himself, or was about two, and the 11, and their production and the other disciples that were on earth at that particular moment. But what he desires for those that walked with Him, those three years at least, is what He desires for us to. But for the moment, let's look at it as at that moment in Jerusalem, at the moment in Israel, he begins by saying in verse 11, that he is not going to be in the world any longer. And therefore, he's praying for them, because they're going to be left alone, although not really. Because earlier, he'd already said the Holy Spirit was coming to do the work that he had been doing. But you know, it hits you here, I'm sure you notice, since I pointed it out at the beginning, how much he talks about the world, the world, the world, he says, To begin with, I will remain in the world no longer they are still in the world. And I'm coming to you father, protected by the power of your name. And then he goes on verse 13, I'm coming to you now to say these things while I'm still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I given your word, the world has hated them, they are not of the world any more than I am of the world, the subject of the world is a very important subject. It's always been a bit difficult for me, because I was brought up in a church with a breach of Oh, was with blast the world, you know, and they overdid it so much, that as a kid, I felt you know, I don't want to think about it till I get old. Well, now I'm old. So I'm thinking about it again, you know, and the world is, is the word is Cosmos, in the Greek language. And, and it really has two basic meanings. There is the physical cosmos, the creation, you know, everything that's physical, that scientists study, and that is physical creation, if you want to put it that way, in a quick little phrase, that's the cosmos. He's not talking about that, because that he created and it's impersonal. And although it's suffering, because of the fall of the human race, and a world that one day will be renewed, and will come back to its original state and a new heaven and a new earth. But that's not what he's talking. He's talking about human organ, the human organization of humanity. If you remember, in first John two, it says, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. Because everything in the world, the pride of life, the lust of the eyes, and something else is not of a father, but his off the world. So the Lord here is sort of talking to the Father. And somehow they seem that the need to talk about the world there are several things first, first, the creation of the world. Okay, that's the cosmos physical leave that aside. Second, Jesus Christ, an outsider, to the world, interesting way of looking at it. Why? Because of the rebellion of the human race that should have been subjected to Jesus Christ, gladly obedient, worshiping Him, serving Him and honoring him by obedience. No, the human race has become rebellious, and we all have our kingdoms of pride. There are areas of our life For we think we really are really sharp and superior. And sometimes we are stupid enough to say it. So that most of the time we keep it quiet because it's smart enough to know it doesn't sound too good. But there are areas of our life where we really think we're hot stuff, you know, especially if business is going good or you discover something one bright. Yeah, I remember one fella was traveling back, visiting a man who has known a lot about the Lord and I sure hope he knows him. But he's not walking with him a very brilliant lawyer with degrees from everywhere and made tons of money on some islands. I mean, he is really well originals guys I've ever met. He wanted to talk about Rwanda. And as I was there, he was this visiting guy from Massachusetts, as a young fellow, a brilliant guy who had made millions of bucks with some software companies sold it for millions and now he's he was going to London on the same plane, I was from this islands, just off the fringe goes to go to London to buy himself a mansion and he bought it I found out in the riches district in London, you know, 5 million pounds and he was very proud of it and bragging away, you know, nice young guy and middle 30s, but also a very bitter man. And he was very atheistic. But then I began to change the conversation. And and I said that, you know, you really been successful, haven't you? He told me he was an atheist. He's what do you do? I said, I tell people about God and how to have eternal life. God, what do you need God for man? And I said, Boy, you you really have succeeded. Yeah, I succeeded. done good. Yeah. And, and I said to him, you think you did it all on your own doll on my own? I got the brains. I said to him, who gave you the brains? It was man, you really stick the knife in, don't you? I thought, Oh, good. At least I got through to me at all. But but it's true. He had never thought where did I get my brains? I think he thought he invented his own brains. I mean, you know, how egotistical you can be that you actually think I got brains, and I made them myself at all, if that isn't the epitome of arrogance, but he was a nice guy, actually, I'm still after him, trying to see if he'll come to the Lord. He was too bright. Somedays got to see the truth. But you know, it really is something how the world operates. The world is full of the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, and the pride of things that we own. And we believers, because we're in the world, we have to watch it all the time. You know, do we really need a new car? Or is it just because all the neighbors have bought themselves on you Lexus, and I'm gonna let these guys put me down, I got bucks through and I gotta show him, why am I doing this? So why do I have to brag? You know, we have to watch our hearts, we really do. Because the world is at enmity with God the Father, to love the world is to not love God. However, that doesn't mean that you don't enjoy things. So it's a very delicate balance. Or you have to spend lots of time with the Lord, to keep the Bible. There's nothing wrong with Alexis, I'd love to have one myself. But I drive a 13 year old mercury in case you want to know. And it was given to me so and I've only got 57,000 miles a little less than a second gumming. I've hardly used it and it runs very well. But things are not wrong. It's the love of things that's wrong. You know, it's somebody has said, God made us to love people and use things. But we love things and use people. And there's a lot of truth to that. It's a bit of an extreme statement. But there's a lot of truth to that. He made us to love people and things have to be used for the glory of God, but we turn it around. And there's a lust of things and the desire to just brag because that's the world and we are part of the world. Now we are redeemed by Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, the influence around us never ceases. It's on all the time, the pressure around us, and even inside us sometimes to do things. So he says, first of all, he says, I will remain in the world no longer that is among the mass of society. Within days, he was gone out of the world. Second, but he says but these are still in the world. So that reminds us that all of us, we don't stay away, many believers trying to be holy, have separated themselves from the world. In other words from human society. And as a result, they're not able to really reach out and evangelize. They're not able to show love in the name of the Lord. And they mistakenly think that's all being separate in outward things separate in the way you dress, or you know, makeup or whatever, through the centuries, things change, that somehow that's what it is to be holy. No, he says, These are still in the world. But we're in the world but not of the world. The scripture says that. And in First Peter, it's speaks of us as strangers and pilgrims in the world. So we do business. We get married, we have children, we use the things God gives us for His glory for our enjoyment. The Bible says he's given us all things freely to enjoy. Yes, we enjoy but we are strangers on pilgrims. That's why the Bible uses the picture of the tent. And he says, this body we live in his attempt. Tents are meant to be folded and taken down eventually. So we are in the world, we love people, we serve them, we evangelize them, we want to bring them into the kingdom of God. But we must always keep that mentality. I'm in the world, but they're not of the world any more than I are the world, says the Lord. So the Lord Jesus in an interesting way, he created the universe, He created the human beings that are now called the world, those who refuse to repent, believe and subject themselves to the Word of God, and yet he is in the world, but he removes himself from the world. He says, I am not of the world. And then he says in verse 18, you sent me into the world. In other words, he looks at the world as we should see it in some ways, as a mission field, you know, if you have a relative, that's gentleman that he has a son who's a missionary in China, and he's a missionary, and one of the provinces of China teaching English training, overseeing some other young people, and serving them, and he's been there for seven years, you say, My son is a missionary in China, it's a proper way to say, well, you and I are our missionaries to the world. And in a way, we should see ourselves that way. I'm in the world that I'm not of it. I'm a pilgrim. And I'm a stranger in it. Some of the things in the world of fun, and I enjoy them. Other things are alien to me. In fact, they're pretty bad sometimes, and pride and lost and showing off about things is the mark of the world, the bragging, the self centeredness, the thinking yourself superior, that you made your own brains kind of thing. And so we learned to keep that duality. And it's attention that goes on through our lives, I've come to realize, because we're in it, we are part of it. But at the same time, we're not we are strangers and pilgrim. So we need sensitivity. And last night, we never were able to finish proverbs three, I'm sure you are grateful to know. But the next section that I didn't touch on, talks about have knowledge and discernment, my child, and you know, the gift of discernment is actually a gift of the Holy Spirit, give them to the church. And some people have enormous discernment, they can see through things faster than the rest of us. And some of us have discernment, when it comes to say demons and spiritual forces of darkness. Other people have discernment when it comes to the world. Other people have discernment when it comes to the flesh, which are the three enemies that the world is absolutely subjected to the world, the flesh, that the and some people have a gift of discernment, and they can quickly discern this is not right. This is not wise. This is a mistake. That's why the fellowship of the church week as it is, and it's very weak, we know that because we are part of it. That's why the church is weak because you and I are part of it. The fact is this. There are people in the church with a gift of discernment. Sometimes when they tell you something, they don't do it very wisely. I have had a tendency all my life naturally, like everybody else, when somebody says something poorly said you, you're gonna react, right? Just get at it, what do you know, you know, but if you can listen beyond the facade, or the appearance, if you can listen to what they're really trying to tell you. Often, it really hits home, and the church, for all his weakness as a lot of strengths, effects. It's got more strengths and weaknesses. We always point out the weaknesses, we forget the strengths. I love my church in Portland, we've been there. My wife and I, since we were, we were married there. In fact, she's been there since she was eight years old, because our grandparents were the ones who got the thing going. And all these years, we've stuck it out. The church has got up and down, sometimes warmer, sometimes a little cooler, sometimes more excitable, sometimes a little last four or five pastors have come and gone through these 45 or whatever years it is, but the church is the church. And sometimes people who are most weak can say the most spiritual things. In fact, St. Paul had chapter seven of First Corinthians he talked about the troubles they were going through in Corinth, and they were going to court to public court. And Paul says, Isn't there anyone in your congregation, even among the weakest? Who can judge between you? And he makes the point of saying even if it's the weakest person, do you have to go to court and public? Can't you judge these things inside the church? And the answer is yes, you could, if you put your mind to it. And you know, the church has great value. Brothers and sisters, don't stay away because of some little idiotic thing that somebody says, or somebody does. If you're so smart that you discovered something, take them out to lunch, pay for the lunch and talk to them. And it's amazing. If a man takes a clergyman out to lunch base for lunch and talks Turkey, like you would at the office, you'll soon be a blessing to that person. I encourage you to do it. But anyway, the world the second disciples on the world, look at this. In verse 14, it says the world has hated them. The world has hated them. And in John 1518, Jesus said, If they hated me, they will hate you. You know, we shouldn't be surprised in Latin America, where hatred when I was a boy was very visible and open and people would insult you as you walk down the street. Because you are a Bible believing Christian, they will call your names and your mother names and all the rest of it. My mom taught us kids, John 16, and the world you will have tribulations but cheer up. I have overcome the world. So once you settle that, there is no reason why the world should love you. Now we're lovable guys, all of us. Of course. However, not everybody thinks we are. Particularly when you believe Jesus Christ is the only way. The only truth and the only life today a lot of people really react. I mean, they react even visibly, you they even right, vitriolic stuff, call you all sorts of names. So if you're faithful to Jesus, guys, don't be surprised that somebody thinks you are dumb witted, redneck fundamentalists, right wing extremists, then throw out all the adjectives they can to put you down. Don't be shocked. Don't be surprised. Like Jesus said, If they did it to me, Hey, maybe they're gonna do it to you. They hated me. They'll hate you. If we're true followers of Jesus, guys, we're not, we don't like it. We try to avoid it. I don't blame you for that. But if you are faithful and talk about Jesus Christ, even in the most gentle and humble ways, as you know, God, Jesus Christ and the way the truth, and if no one comes to the Father, what do you think you are? What about all the other people? What about the other religions? Yes, I understand. And that's why we must tell them about Jesus Christ and etc, etc. But don't be surprised the world will feed you. That's what Jesus and he's talking to the Father. He says, Father, the world as hate to them. The second thing in verses 14 And then again, in verse 16, he says they are not of the world. So being not of the world, sometimes is visible, sometimes it's not. I think we all try to demonstrate that we're normal human beings. That's why we have our festivals in our festivals, we have sports, we have music, we have people tell their story. We want to show that we're not weirdos, who just got strange views about God on themselves. We have normal human beings. But on the other hand, there are some things that we do that are not the same as the world, that we will not perceive the world when it comes to cheating and lying in business, we just simply don't do it. We'd rather lose our job, if it's necessary. Hopefully not. But we're willing, we're willing not to make a deal. So if we have to lie and cheat, we won't do it. That's the end of it. You know, and some of us have lost our jobs, or lost a deal because of it. But the Lord is pleased, and the Lord will honor First Samuel to 30 those who want me I will honor those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. And you know, the Lord promises that, but we do it. We don't cheat. We don't lie in business. Because Because we follow Jesus Christ is different from the world. And same is true with sexual morality is not that well, self righteous by us show offs, we don't do it because we are followers of the Lamb. And we are holy, and we keep ourselves holy. We are tempted like everybody else. But we insist on keeping ourselves holy. We do not go with the current of the world, the world says, hey, you know, it's okay. Don't worry. It's just the nuts who think you shouldn't do that. Go ahead and do it. Except they'll kill their wife and she does it. But nevertheless, the fact is that we are not of the world we don't live like the world, there are principles that are basic, their basic principles that we do not live by, I don't envy you guys who have children, you teenagers nowadays, especially girls, how to deal with modestly and how to do hug. God bless you boys. Don't ask for my advice, because I don't have any personally, I don't dish out advice very easily. But what are they to be training boys and girls in their teenage years? Now, you know, about modesty? And about how should a person dress or not dress? And how far do you go, you know, how are we different? And so on? Okay, then he says, Whoever loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them. That is a very strong statement, you know, so we have to search our hearts. I love the Father more than I love the world. I refuse to brag, I refuse to show off. I refuse to go around giving myself credit. I give the glory and the credit and the honor to the Lord. And that is what the Lord would have us do. And then interestingly enough, in verse nine, did you notice the phrase of the Lord Jesus says about the world, he says, I pray for them, that is the disciples that the father given that I am not praying for the world, but for those you given me, for they are yours now. What's that? He's not praying for the world because the world does not belong to Him. This is the high priestly prayer. He is praying for his own people, that they will be kept from danger that they will be killed. from persecution that they would get from evil, that they would be kept from the evil one. He says, When he says, Father, Sanctify them by your truth, your word is the truth. So he's not praying for the unbelievers. Why? Because there's nothing to be prayed about. If they don't repent and believe, the Lord is not going to sit there hours praying for them, they refuse to be prayed for they refuse to be held. They refuse to be made children of God, they refuse to live a godly life, they have no interest in pleasing God the Father, they prefer the world, and its pride and loss and show off he says, to God, the Father. So he says, I'm not praying for the world. I'm praying for them. And that's a stark and serious statement, you know, therefore, that's why we all have a burden, to win the last to bring them to Jesus Christ, because they desperately need Lord Jesus Christ. Okay, the third section, and this is running. Now, as always, look at verses beginning with 20. And the finish, there are three quick things that I'll mention to you and leave them with you. My prayer is not for them alone, that is the 12. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one father, just as you're in me, and I'm in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me, I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one, as we are one, I in them, and you and me, may they be brought to complete unity, to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I want those that you have given me to be with me where I am, and see my glory, the glory that you have given me, because you love me before the creation of the world, all righteous father, the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me, I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love that you have for me, may be in them. And I myself may be in them. Now this is again, a most profound passage in all of the Scripture, but you will see three things if you happen to have time to meditate on it today. First, the fiery passion of Jesus Christ. He says it several times, that the world may believe that the world may believe that the world may believe that you sent me father. You know, that was the passion that Jesus had, it was a fiery passion. Oh god for Father, you. You sent me into the world. And and I want them to believe if only they would believe but prayer didn't work, action had to be done. The second thing is the deep cry of the Lord and verse 22. Father, may they be one as we are one I in them and you so he he's bleeding for oneness. The deep cry of Jesus Christ was that the believers throughout the ages now remember, this is eternity future, so to speak, eternal the future, that they will be one that we as believers. Forget Baptists, forget Presbyterians, forget everything. The only thing is, we love Jesus Christ were his children, we serve him. He's our master. He's our Lord. We should not use human labels. We should insist on saying I love Jesus Christ. I am a follower of Jesus Christ. I obey and anybody who loves him like I do. He's my brother, my sister. And that's the end of it. It's very exciting. Actually, the young people want that new Christians want it is some of us who get old fashioned and we get old entrenched into denominational ism, that we want to pick a fight over something that's not even worth fighting about. It'd be one in Christ, and you can have a denomination mount a campaign that looks just as good as any other campaign. But they are denomination, they they pour in millions of bucks. There was one denomination in Latin America, who tried to do it again and again. And everybody can smell a rat right away. This is divisive. This is sectarian. This is just this little group trying to snitch people for themselves, not to introduce them to Jesus Christ and to God the Father, and it's for us, it's for us, and the people ignore them and the media ignores them and they're sort of become a little footnote over there. But when the body comes together, in honestly under the umbrella of Jesus Christ is great power. And the Lord said it so it shouldn't surprise us for one second should it and waxing eloquent that and then lastly, the secret energy that the Lord talks about? The secret energy is Father, You in Me, and I am them, that they may be perfectly one as we are one soul that the world may believe. So his fiery passion was father, the world should believe. Second, the way to do it is his deep cry that they may be one. And the secret. The secret is Christ living in us union with God. And he says he finishes up the verse, he says, that we may be in them, and I myself may be in them. Now that is essential Christianity, at its rock bottom, the cross is the foundation. Without the cross and the blood of grace, there would be no such thing. As believers, children of God and Christianity, the resurrection confirmed it. And there would be no life without the resurrection. But brothers and sisters, it is that amazing truth, that only by revelation, because you ever really accepted, Christ lives in me. He is in me, that is what makes me a child of God. That's what makes me a Christian. That's what makes me an alive person to God. Not that I've got religion in my head, or on my chest with a cross or a Bible in my hand, or giving to the AIDS relief in Africa. Not that that's just an outflow, it can be an outflow. The key is union with God, Christ lives in me, he came into my life, He dwells in me, that is eternal life. That is the life of God in the soul of man. So let's read again, shall we, John 17. And Let's meditate on the three major points plus the one about heaven, which is the closing paragraph, verses 20, to 23. To begin with, my prayer is not for them alone. I pray also, for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one father, just as you 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, I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one, as we are one, I in them, and you in Me, may they be brought to complete unity, to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them, even as You have loved Me. Now, the introductory verse is verse 20. And it's really a very important one. My prayer is not for them alone. He's interceding. I pray also for those who will believe you when i Among many other millions, through their message, that all of them may be one, you know, I was thinking about the importance of the message. You know, the gospel is a message. A message includes words, there's a statement that my old time friends know I have a beef about when somebody quotes some old Saint, maybe it's not true. Maybe it's apocryphal, when you say, always preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words. Well, I'll tell you what, you have not preached the gospel if you don't use words, so you better use words, you know, yes, a good life, a proper life, a holy life is a witness, but it's not the gospel. Because you may be a fine Buddhist perhaps, or you may be a fine vegetarian. And people may think that's all you are, you know, be a vegetarian, don't be a Buddhist. But a good life is a backup for your words. But without words, don't kid yourself. You've not preached the gospel. You've set it up for the preaching of the Gospel by preaching, we mean, sharing, you know, not standing up and waving your arms, but just sharing. So yes, live a godly life. That's a witness, but the gospel hasn't been presented until you use words. That's why the Lord is very precise. He says, I pray for those who will believe in me through their message. Let's never forget that it is a message. It is a proclamation. It is a set of truth. And it's called The Good News. The word gospel that we use, always we have to have a preacher explain it to us, because gospel means absolutely nothing in the English language. It just a word. It means good news and the Greek so why don't we call it the good news once and for all? It's so much better. When you say gospel immediately you think, Ah, are you arguing with me? No, I've got good news for you. God loves you. Jesus Christ died for you. He rose. It's good news right there. It spells out that it's also a message Okay, enough of that. I can really get worked up about that one. But you know, the important thing really, that the Lord is revealing, and remember, even though he's praying to the Father, my own presumption is that though, that the apostle John was there listening to the prayer, and the boy took class notes as they did in the old days when there were no tape recorders, you remember that? They could do it so quick, you know, used to always watching amazement when, when I was younger journalists could do it. And it's a top speed and they had it down right? Much better than nowadays where they write longhand, and they can read what they wrote themselves. But you know, John wrote it down by the Holy Spirit. And there are three things First, the fiery passion of Jesus Christ. And it is this, my wife was reminding me yesterday. And then she quoted the verse 25, which reinforces it, when it says, all righteous father, the world does not know you, that was the Passion of Jesus Christ. You remember, it says in Luke 1610, I believe, or 1910, when he said, The Son of Man came to seek and to save those who were lost. It was a rescue operation, he came down because we were lost, we were lost. And the reason he says, Father, the world doesn't know you, if they don't know you, they don't have eternal life. If they don't have eternal life, they're going to hell. That's why I came and died on the cross that Jesus Christ is saying, and you know, that fiery passion of the Lord Jesus is what motivates believers. You remember, First Timothy Chapter Two says, God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth. In 2 Peter, chapter three, the apostle Peter by the Holy Spirit says, God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God wants all men to be saved, but not all, all men and women who want to be saved, they reject the they will not repent, they will not believe, but God's passion is the passion express your father, that world doesn't know you. So that is the great prayer that he has, so that the world will believe that you sent me that was his despair, he was gonna die the next day for the sins of the world. And as he talks to the father, he's still in a sense of despair. You might put it that way, though, not really the way we think of despair. But the son of God is is appalled that people still won't believe. And you know, when the Holy Spirit doesn't work in our lives, that's one of the results, we have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, you know, that we want to see people come into the kingdom. And of course, all of you are here because of you have that same passion, and therefore, I don't need to drive at home. But we are that passion. And that's why we keep going and going and going till our dying day sharing the good news, wherever the Lord takes us. But that's the first. The second thing you notice, is the deep cry, as I call it, of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is repeated several times. But verse 22, probably does it as clear as any. And the deep cry is that they may be one, I have given them the glory that you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one I in them, and you and me, may they be brought to complete unity, to let the world know that you sent me and I've loved them, even as you've loved me. Now, you know, in that book on Second Corinthians that I told you about their whatever it's called Stop pretending that I work through the passage in 2 Corinthians, where it actually explains the concept he says, I have given them the glory that you gave me so that they may be one. Well let's look at a very quickly in Second Corinthians turn to a quickly as a backup verse for what is the glory that He's given us. And you'll be pleasantly surprised at what the glory is. It isn't heaven, though Heaven is glorious do and he calls it a glorious, but in second Corinthians chapter four, and look at verses three through six. And here it tells us what is the glory when he says, I've given the glory that you gave me so that they may be one? Okay, here we go virtually, even if our gospel is veiled, somewhat covered, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, for we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as Your servants for Jesus sake. And here it comes for God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. You know what the glory that He has given us is his own person dwelling in us. When it says, I have given back to John 17. When he says in his breath to the Father, I have given them the glory that you gave me, so that they may be one. He is saying, it is me in all my divinity, personhood living in his people. In other words, brothers and sisters, this is a glorious thought. I think I said yesterday, perhaps, that this is the heart of the good news. The good news is superlative in every angle, the way God planned it from beginning to end. I'm always impressed by that how the good news is so good, that it covers every possible angle that a human being could ever want. You know, redemption in the past, the presence of the Holy Spirit in us now glory in the future, and 1000 things in between. It is a glorious plan. That's why it's called the good news. But it's also called glory. And the glory is that the divine person called Jesus Christ has come to indwell us. And when he says to the Father, Father, given the glory that you gave me, he saying, I've given them myself, but not on the cross only. That was an objective fact that he died on the cross. He was buried on the third day, he rose again. And 40 days later, he went to went up to heaven, and then the Holy Spirit came down. It is He Himself, brothers and sisters, living in us. That's what's glorious, about being a child of God. So in John 17, what he's saying, as he's bleeding with a father expressing his heart is, Lord, may they be one because of the glory that in dwells them, and the glory is himself. So we are one like it or not. That's why when we set up the visions, when we set up walls among ourselves, it is so contrary to everything that Jesus Christ came to do. And if you study the whole New Testament, one of the main themes is that there is no distinction between Jew agenda in the family of God, the walls are down, he is our peace, He made peace, he proclaims peace Ephesians chapter two, one month, one, three verses one in a row, he is RPZ made peace, he proclaims peace and peace among ourselves comes when we refuse to label each other with brands and names that are not biblical, where we are one and Jesus Christ. And you know, you may know more than I do, you probably do. Or I may know more than some of the younger kids who are here, but we're still one and we grow together, and we help one another, to grow in the knowledge of the Lord. It's very exciting, you know, but this is a truth that doesn't come easy to us human beings, because we have a natural bent to the religious, the flesh is very religiously inclined, and basically, the religious inclination of the faith is do something, do something. And I was reading this morning I was thinking rather, are various passages where the truth comes out, but let me dwell for a second, he gives us the glory, so that we may be one. But not just one bunch of nice Rotarians, or you know, World War Two veterans or Vietnam vets who get together after a motorcycle ride, you know, in Hillsboro, Oregon or something. Now, this is far more than just a bunch of guys, golfers, you know, getting together, that's fine. But this is much more than that. This is a unity. And he says, Father, just like you are in Me, and I am in you. So may they be one. Now that to me is the depth and the profundity of the unity, that we are one brothers and sisters, if we would only get it and accept it, and rejoice in it, and live it just as a father is in the sun. And the son isn't the Father, we are in Him, He is in us. And we are in each other because of the glory of the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives. Now, that sounds for a person who hasn't heard it too much into you. This is a bit far out, you know. But you know, in fact, it is repeated in every epistle of the New Testament, you just have to look for it without trying very hard. The teaching about the indwelling. God living in us is fabulous. I just mentioned three or four. In 1 Corinthians 6:19. It says, Don't you know that your body is the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God lives in you. That passage is talking in the context of holiness, because just previous to that it says, Don't you know that drunkards and thieves and greedy and immoral and blah, blah, blah, a whole list of gory, low class, I call it low class sins is in the context. And he says, But don't you notice he's even talking about having sex with prostitutes in the very previous words, and then suddenly he comes off and he says, but you don't you know that your body is the temple of God. Man, you and I would have never thought of putting that in writing. But the Holy Spirit said it's through, and that the Spirit of God lives in you. And you were bought at a price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which belongs to God. And you know, there the presence of the indwelling Lord Jesus Christ, by His Spirit, living in us is is the sanctifying power. Then I was thinking about Galatians 2:20, you and I were talking about the Sabbath and all that one of our brothers here meets regularly with a with a rabbi, and the rabbi asked them, you know, why don't Christians keep the Sabbath? So last night, we were going through the Scriptures, and this morning when I was thinking about this passage, it popped to my head is our conversation yesterday, in Galatians, 2:20, the famous verse, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, but it's not I, it's Christ living in me and the life I now live in the body. I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, I do not treat the grace of God as something of minor importance. Because if sanctification came by the flesh, then Christ died for nothing. The key there, the context is that we are liberated from being under the legal law of Moses, by the grace of Christ is liberation, liberation from performance, to try and please God, liberation from performance to be forgiven from performance, he says, I'm crucified, I am dead to the law by dying with Christ. So Christ living in us is a reminder every day that we don't have to perform so as to get right with God, or or to stay in the light. No, it's the indwelling Christ who does it. And then Colossians 1:27 says, The Mystery now revealed through His saints, that is Christ in you the assurance of glory, the word hope has to be changed in the text, because in in English, Hope has become hope. So maybe, possibly, perhaps, but the biblical word of hope that we translate hope, which at one point meant what the scripture man is assurance conviction, we have the assured conviction of glory, the presence of the Holy Spirit of the risen Christ in us is the assurance that we have eternal life. When somebody says to me, how do you know that this is true? I say, two reasons. And then a third one, the first one, the document says, the second one, the indwelling, Holy Spirit confirms it. And the third one is the body of Christ, millions, all of us have had the same experience. And we know that we know that we know Jesus Christ. I remember once we had an organist, who came to Mexico and played in two or three of our festivals, and he always, he was very uneasy when I would do a family night and those days, we would have three week crusades, you know, and so we would have different nights you know, family night, couples night youth night, trying to keep the pot stirred. And he was really always go you after we go to the hotel, and you guys, you know, you married he never been married. You guys always think about love. I have never fell in love with a woman. I don't think he'd fallen in love with a man either. But I'm saying that because you might you might cross your mind did me too. But he said, I don't believe in this business love show you guys get married, you have children, you like the idea of, you know, having offspring and your name is perpetuated through your children and grandchildren, you bounce from on your knee. But love he said, I'm not sure that's such a thing exists. And I thought, well, here we go. He's never experienced that. So he doesn't believe in it. But millions of us actually do love each other at least every so often. I mean, we we have great feelings of loving emotion, you know, but you can't argue with a guy if he says I don't believe in it, because I haven't experienced it. Well, tough on you, man. Because I really had a pretty good time, you know, but if you haven't experienced that, of course, you're going to argue again. So the fact is that the fellowship of the body confirms the assurance that we know him. That's why the Lord says, Don't forsake the gathering of your souls together, the body of Christ coming together, there's something special that the Lord loves, where two or three are gathered in my name there am I in the midst, you'd say, well, isn't the witness all the time? Yes, yes, yes. But there's a special way in which the Lord is in our midst. We experienced that. The other day in Omaha, we experienced that in many places. I experienced that Sunday morning baptizing my buddy up in the in our church in Portland. But in the body of Christ, when the body is together, there's a special sense of the presence of the Lord. There's also a very special and differences when you're alone, worshiping and praying and spending time with the Lord alone. But the fact is, then, that the Lord is saying here, I in them, and you and me Father, may they be one that was his real, you know, it was a deep cry, a deep cry, and I feel brothers and sisters, and I think most of you in this room live Get out. There's nothing so glorious as when you love other people because you belong to Christ. You know Christ, you trust Him as the one and only Lord and Savior. Do you believe that the cross is the one way to be right with God? Do you believe that He's the Son of God, you believe he's alive? We're brothers and sisters, we have a lot to learn. Sure. I've learned so much since I was a kid. When I was young, I really thought I knew a lot. I didn't church all those years, a very smart little fellow, you know, I read all the English theologian, commentaries that Hispanics didn't have any Comment Commentary. So I feel pretty good about myself. That was terrible sin, you know, but through the years, you learn so much, you think you know a lot when you're a kid, and you do know a lot. But there's so much more to be known. But we're still brothers, we can grow, we can know the Lord better, we can help one another grow. But we are brothers and one in Jesus guy. And when we work together, that's what impacts our city. Well, number three, is the secret energy, which I've already delved into, because none of this is like neat little packages, that you can separate one with the other. Look at it again, in verse 23. Yes, it says, I am them, and you and me. May they be brought to complete unity, to let the world know that you sent me and I've loved them, even as You have loved Me. Here, the secret brothers and sisters of having a passion, like the Passion of Jesus Christ, for the last God, Father, that world doesn't know you, we got to keep going. We got to do our utmost our duty, our calling is to get the good news to everybody. Somebody has called it the scandal of the unfulfilled commission, that after 2000 years, what a scandal, we still haven't gotten the Word of God to every last corner of the world. We're getting close, I think, with the media, thank God all the new creations that have come. But nevertheless, after I was in Rome, I remember about two or three years ago, we were hoping to plan something, it didn't quite work out. But in Evangelical churches, you know, how many there are in Rome, maximum 6000, in all of the city of Rome, where Paul went, and Peter, presumably when perhaps not guaranteed, but probably perhaps 6000, after 2000 years, okay, supposing there was 100,000. But think of that after 2000 years, and so many parts of the world have been penetrated, that passion should never die out in us. Not that we become obsessed in the sick, phony psychological overdoing it, but spiritually, that we truly have the passion that Jesus Christ has. When he says, Father, this is the secret, it's me living in them. And you know, brothers and sisters, the secret has to do, as I said, with a depth of union, as here they tell sanctifying power, First Corinthians 619, is as liberating power from the law and living religious legalism. It also in Colossians, 127. I said, it was a short conviction. And then the most amazing thought that I have ever thought, I think, is in Ephesians, one and verse 18, I'm not going to dwell on it. But I thought, we're into the subject, and I want to read it to you, the NIV puts it as good as it gets. It says in Ephesians 1:18, I pray also, this is Paul now that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, in order, you may know the hope, to which he has called you. And here it comes the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe the phrase that struck me when I was studying Ephesians, some years ago, word for word is this middle of verse 18. The riches, listen carefully, of his that is Jesus Christ, His glorious inheritance in the saints. Now, what it's saying there, and you can check out any translation, and if you know Greek, you can check the Greek is this, it's so astonishing, that it's startling. The Holy Spirit is telling us that for Jesus Christ, you know, we think of our inheritance, our inheritance is heaven. Our inheritance is Glory, our inheritance is perfection. Our inheritance is everything that God has for us, half of which has not been revealed yet, and who knows how much but here, he turns it around, and he says, we, you and I think of yourself for a minute forget everybody else, all the ugly people around you just think of yourself as he, I am His glorious inheritance. Because that's what he's saying that we are to Jesus Christ, the inheritance. He looks at you and me and he says, There is my inheritance. It has been given to me by the Father, and I have taken possession of it. It's a profound thought, and I won't dwell on it. Sometimes when you're having devotion, meditate on it and think of it and write down what the Lord lays on your heart. But think of this, you and I, are the inheritance that Jesus Christ looked forward to. And as a result of the cross on the resurrection, on the day that He sent His Spirit himself, we became his inheritance. Or you think about that we ugly little creatures, with all the nasty things we thought, and said and done, but redeemed by the blood of Christ, we are his inheritance. It's one of the most profound thoughts that can engage a human person's mind that Jesus Christ looks at me and says, Louis, is my inheritance isn't me, Lord, look at somebody else. I'm not good enough for you. But because we are redeemed and rescued, that is a profound thought. So the indwelling Christ is not only a functional power, to overcome temptation, to stay clean, to think, divine thoughts, to have the assurance of glory when we die, but that we are his inheritance. That's why we want to be holy. It says in Second Corinthians five, we make it our aim to please him. Why? Because He indwells us, because he's been so gracious to us. And on top of it all, he says that we are his inheritance, we want to be the best inheritance possible. Anyway, enough of that, because it goes on too long. But you know, it is the deepest thought brothers and sisters. And if you have not quite perceived that truth, and you know, it takes time, as I told you, I was brought up in good Bible teaching churches, I was taught by some of the best Bible teachers the world has ever seen. I've read some of the best commentaries that you can imagine. And messages all through the ages, I've been blessed with availability of this stuff. But it was only when I was about 2526, that I finally truly understood that Christ living in me, was not just a pretty thought, or a beautiful idea, or a wonderful concept. What a nice way to put it. No, it was literally true. And it was an Englishman by the name of Ian Thomas, came to chapel and spoke for only 22 minutes, when Pat and I was still students and single at MoMA. And he explained Galatians 220. And he drove it home, in such a way, and of course, I was probably ready for it, because of the frustration that comes until you understand that reality. Until you understand. It's not I, but Christ living in me, working in me and through me, that you can live a very frustrated Christian life. And you know that you're a child of God, and you know that you have eternal life, and you for sure know that you are forgiven, and nobody can take away eternal life from you. Nevertheless, until you understand this truth, there is a tension that is tremendous. There's a frustration, even in believers, and some of them just throw their hands up and say, Oh, phooey on the whole thing. I believe it, I hope I land in heaven. But I don't know how this works. It doesn't seem to work. And the key is that it's not I but Christ. And when you catch it, suddenly you see it all over the New Testament, until you catch it, so to speak, or it catches you that you're sort of frustrated, and it's just sort of like an appeal, be holy, be holy. Wow. Tell me how, you know, I remember when we were teenagers, I shouldn't prolong this, because I gotta get to x 20. And we got 25 minutes to go. But I remember we would go to visiting teachers, great Bible teachers. And I often wonder, later on, I would think, I wonder if they caught it or didn't, because we as teenagers, I remember once we sat down with a very famous Bible teacher in Argentina, very gifted guy. He was a New Zealand that I think I'm very revered by in our circles. And we said to him, Mr. So and so he was a medical doctor on top of it. Very bright and Scripture also. And we said to him, you know, what is the secret? You know, because we struggled struggle struggling through sometimes we're on the verge and one or two of our little group, but boom, he's gone over the, over the precipice, and how do we protect ourselves? And basically, I remember them again and again, we went up because we used to have lots of Bible teachers. Who are you reading the Bible? We read five chapters a day, how many chapters do we have to read? You know, are you praying? Yes, we get up at five in the morning. We have an online prayer meeting on Friday night. Well pray some more. Are you witnessing as we pass out literature, we have street meetings, we have children's meetings, okay, well do some more of it. And they left you hanging, figuring that it's just doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo. And you're still frustrated, and nobody seemed to either we didn't get it. We're not stupid, so it wasn't really well. Christ in you, man. The Divinity Lee As in you, since you were converted, you have God's Spirit. And then in some circles, we emphasize the Holy Spirit, but only in the context of gifts. Gifts are a glorious thing. All of us have gifts of the Holy Spirit. And it's glorious to have them. But if all you emphasize about the Holy Spirit is the gifts of the Spirit, you will also be frustrated. And you could have massive falls, because you're almost on the right track, but not 100%. And you exercise the gifts, and the gifts bring blessing. But if you don't understand the other side of the presence of the Holy Spirit, which is the fruit of the Spirit, which has to do with your character, not with the exercise of gifts, now they go together, they can go together, but they often don't. That's why some famous evangelists suddenly topples with some incredibly obnoxious, sad, destructive, shame, creating family destroying church destroying sin, and use it, how can it be? Look at the people he led to Christ? Look at the churches he built. Look at the books he wrote, it's all great. How could he have done this over here? And then collapse so massively over there? Well, the answer is, the emphasis was on the gifts of the Spirit, which is glorious, but there was a neglect of the fruit, the character produced by the Spirit. And therefore, until you understand, this is not just the blessing of God's presence, so that I can be a great servant of God. That's one side. This is so that I can be more like Jesus Christ. And so the indwelling Christ by the Holy Spirit, that we are temples of God, and 1 Corinthians 3, you remember says, God's temple is sacred, he says, and you are that temple, it's sacred. We're not just little weasels running around. Again, I'm gonna try my best for Jesus. No, this is much more profound. I am the temple of the living God, at the swimming pool, in the golf course walking through downtown Bend, you know, or Portland, OR Hillsborough, or wherever you hang out. I am the temple of the living God, not just a nice guy trying to do something for the Kingdom. I am the tape and he lives in me. So that's the deep, deep secret that Jesus revealed the energy of His presence. And when we get it, it isn't that we become perfect. No, no, no, no. But suddenly we are at peace, resting in his presence that indwells us. It is one of the greatest discoveries that millions are not catching today. So may God bless you and understanding it.