"Pray to Live in the World"

Alleluia, Christ is risen!  He has risen indeed!

Alleluia, Christ is risen!  He has risen indeed!

Alleluia, Christ is risen!  He has risen indeed!

          John 17:14–19 ¹⁴I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

          It is getting harder for people to become Christians because more and more Christians are joining the people of the world.  We have so many things of this world that are influencing our younger people.  And, what is so disappointing is that our churches are doing less and less to influence our children.  Why is that?  The world is fun and church is a chore.  Why is that?  We Christians also get caught up in the hype of the world for acceptance because who doesn't want to be cool?  Who wants to be hated?  Please raise your hand if you want to be hated.

          Hate is assuredly a cruel act to place on anyone and our world is quick to shout hate crime.  Sadly those who shout hate crime are committing the very same crime they blame others for.  This is true especially when it is directed toward Christianity.  And here is the greater problem, there are a lot of Christians doing it to each other as well.  We live in a world that loves to hate and we believers and non believers do it through their own self righteousness. 

          Let's ask ourselves a question, who among us does not sin, and does not point to others who do sin?  No matter which half of that question you use you still can't honestly raise your hand.  Let's ask another question, who among us does not measure the severity of their sin or the sin of others?  Again, no matter which half of this question you use you still can't honestly raise your hand.  There is only one who can raise their hand to any of these questions and that is Jesus Christ.

          John 17:18–19 ¹⁸As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

          Ephesians 2:10 ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

          We are Christians and we are not supposed to be of this world but rather sent into the world, and this does not give us an excuse to hate anyone.  We are actually sent into the world to love our neighbor. ("love one another" can be found 14 times in the N.T.; "love your neighbor" can be found 7 times in the N.T.)  Let's ask another question, if someone treats you with hate, would you more likely change so they won't hate you?  Some of you might say no, some of you might actually say yes, and some of you will say no until you are confronted with this dilemma because it has more to do with people accepting you and even more when it is people you love. 

So let's ask one more question, would you be more likely to change if someone treated you with love and forgiveness?  And again, some of you might say yes, some of you might say it depends, and some of you might say yes until you are confronted with this situation because again it is about acceptance to the world.  Thank God Christ and the Holy Spirit sanctifies us.

Though Jesus Christ showed us the greatest love by dying for us we still turn our back on Him and live as if we are of the world instead of just being in the world.  Let us pray to live in the world and teach it the love of Christ so all can be not of the world.

          John 17:11b–13 ¹¹And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. ¹²While 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. ¹³But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

          Thank God Christ sanctifies us and has made us holy in His blood.  Here Jesus prays for us, He is still praying for us even sitting at the right hand of the Father.  Jesus is not only praying for us but He is praying without ceasing.  Jesus did not stop before He was nailed to the cross, He continued to pray for us while He hung bleeding and dying on that cross meant for sinners.

Jesus Christ our savior prayed to the Father "forgive them for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)  Jesus continues to pray for us for His will is to see as many of us not fall to the world but believe in the gospel.  And this is the gospel that He does not lose any of us because we are given to Him by His Father in heaven and our Father in heaven. This is keeping us in His name the name above all names, Yahweh, the name of the Father and the name of the Son and the name of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!  He has risen indeed!

Alleluia, Christ is risen!  He has risen indeed!

Alleluia, Christ is risen!  He has risen indeed!