John 17:13-19 The Message
13-19 Now I’m returning to you.
I’m saying these things in the world’s hearing
So my people can experience
My joy completed in them.
I gave them your word;
The godless world hated them because of it,
Because they didn’t join the world’s ways,
Just as I didn’t join the world’s ways.
I’m not asking that you take them out of the world
But that you guard them from the Evil One.
They are no more defined by the world
Than I am defined by the world.
Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth;
Your word is consecrating truth.
In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world,
I give them a mission in the world.
I’m consecrating myself for their sakes
So they’ll be truth-consecrated in their mission.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning; is now and ever shall be; world without end; Amen, Amen.
When Jesus prayed these words for His disciples, He prayed them aloud.
And so this prayer was also an instruction to them about how to interact with the surrounding world.
The “set aside” life that Jesus sets forth here is one that is neither comfortably indistinguishable from the world nor comfortably separate from it.
This is Jesus’ vision for His people: to be in the world but distinct from it.
This is, in fact, what God’s people have always been called to, as a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9-10).
The Psalms are abundantly clear that evil is always a clear and present danger.
People and groups of people are consistently described as “enemies” and also “bloodthirsty men” (Psalm 59:1-2), “evildoers” are all around (94:4), and there are some whose ways can only be described as “crooked” (125:5).
Therefore, the great challenge for Christians is knowing how to honor Christ’s words—and Christ’s works and the greatest challenges Christians face are how to refrain from being compromised by the persistent evil which surrounds us.
Our greatest form of defense is seen in Jesus’ request to the Father: “Guard them and Keep them from the evil one.”
Guardianship, protection is available to all who entrust themselves to God.
This truth is articulated in the Psalms too, where we read of God’s protection being offered to the needy.
The Lord says that “because the needy groan, I will now arise” (Psalm 12:5).
In other words, it is not the arrogant and boastful that He protects but those who recognize their dependence on Him.
Theirs are the groanings the Lord hears.
And the Lord’s protection for the needy is also protection from the wicked.
David confesses that God “will guard us from this generation forever” (v 7).
Wicked people may hurt God’s people but they cannot do so in any permanent way, for ultimately they can’t hurt our souls.
God will keep us from everlasting harm.
The protection of God is for the needy and from the wicked, but how does it come to us?
The Word of God for the children of god
Divine guidance and protection comes to us Through the word of God, which provides a lamp for our feet and a light to our paths (Psalm 119:105).
His every word proves true, offering a shield against all foes (Psalm 18:30).
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As for God, His way is [a]blameless.
The word of the Lord is tested [it is perfect, it is faultless];
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
If we want to live faithfully in the world, we must devote ourselves to the Scriptures.
To think rightly about the evil around you, then, the word of God must be in your heart, in your mind, on your tongue – God has given it to you to keep you.
Do you diligently read and study His Word, diligently pray for yourself what Jesus prayed for His followers on that night before He died?
Consider whether you are more in danger of becoming like the world or of removing yourself from it.
Ask the Lord for the protection and guardianship of His love, His wisdom, and courage required to live as He did: in the world, yet gloriously distinct from it.
We are in the world, yet too gloriously distinct from it
Even today, I can still remember a friend of mine telling me a lesson she learned about life.
“We choose our hard,” she said, repeating what she had heard.
She provided me with an example.
Being overweight is hard.
Losing weight is hard.
Then she brought the focus back to our conversation.
Addiction is hard.
Sobriety is hard.
Christianity is hard.
She told me to choose.
No matter what, no matter who we are or where we are or when we are. life is always stacked with the challenges that we foresee, and others that we do not.
Either way, life is hard, but the kind of hard we face is strictly up to us.
Following my open heart surgery on July 17, 2023, that got me thinking hard.
Being a Christian is hard too, but so is not being a Christian.
Just as I struggle to remember my worth in God, I can imagine non-believers and atheist’s who don’t define themselves by God are stuck chasing after self worth through things that are indefensibly temporary and undeniably fleeting.
If you look at your own life, with a well considered eye towards on those tough choices, surely, truly you too can relate to the challenge of things being hard.
Trusting God is hard, but so is not trusting.
Finding community is a challenge, but so is having no one.
Whatever the case, please don’t ever think of yourself as alone.
You are not.
Walking the Christian life is difficult.
Doing so every day requires a radically hard core commitment to Jesus Christ.
If you need some encouragement, as I have over these last six weeks since my open heart surgery when they literally stopped my heart for 80 long minutes, I genuinely encourage you all keep reading – seeking Holy Spirit empowerment.
I have thought deeply and here are the six hardest things to do as Christians.
1. Waiting on god
Psalm 27:14 Amplified Bible
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Wait for and confidently expect the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.
Patience is a virtue, they said.
Patience is impossible, that didn’t say.
And for good reason.
Patience is both a virtue, and possible, but very difficult to attain.
Tuning your heart to waiting on God can feel like waiting an eternity, like the boredom of watching paint dry or the agony of five and a half of heart surgery.
Figures in the Bible waited on God to act in various ways.
Abraham waited on God to have children.
Job waited on God to be restored.
Sometimes we know what God will do next, and sometimes we don’t.
The latter makes the waiting process much more difficult.
We have no idea what to expect on the other side.
Consider your own life.
Are you feeling bored during your wait, angry, sad?
Whatever you’re waiting for, take heart in knowing that God hears your prayers and is aware of your situation.
Rather than lamenting the wait, which believe me I can easily understand, what else can you do to make the most of your life while you wait for God’s miracles?
I’ll tell you what one person told me. “Worship the Great I AM while you wait.”
2. TRUSTING IN GOD
Proverbs 3:5-8 Amplified Bible
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Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart
And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
6
[a]In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].
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Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord [with reverent awe and obedience] and turn [entirely] away from evil.
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It will be health to your body [your marrow, your nerves, your sinews, your muscles—all your inner parts]
And refreshment (physical well-being) to your bones.
Having faith in God when we’re on a mountaintop – easy.
Having faith in God when we’re sinking low into a valley – hard.
Trusting that God has our best intentions at heart is not something we want to hear, let alone believe, when the heart of life is seemingly collapsing around us.
Even when we are not the ones specifically suffering, when we see calamities happening around the world, lives threatened we question God’s whereabouts.
This is the natural human response, but as Christians the Word of God is clear we should first seek out and strive the hardest for the supernatural response.
As punishment, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a burning furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar.
They refused to worship the king’s gods and his golden statues.
Despite knowing their consequences they would not commit idolatry.
They outwardly expressed their trust in God to the king.
They believed that God could rescue them, and even if not, God was still the only god.
Their trust paid off big time for them and the king (Daniel 3)!
God is willing to work in our lives too, and He does all the time.
We simply don’t recognize or understand everything that God does.
But whether we do or don’t, we should always strive our hardest to trust.
3. serve our enemies
Matthew 5:43-48 Amplified Bible
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor (fellow man) and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, [a]love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him]. 46 For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers [wishing them God’s blessing and peace], what more [than others] are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles [who do not know the Lord] do that? 48 You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Forgiveness is one thing, serving our enemies, well, that’s something completely different.
Forgiveness is understandable, and can be easy to do, though not always. Humbly serving our enemies – I don’t usually see people electing to do that.
Whether that person is a mean coworker, a disgruntled boss, an angry neighbor, putting ourselves out there to serve others can feel like a chore.
If you’re already introverted and aloof, serving an enemy is bound to feel contrary to your human nature.
Yet, despite how we feel on the inside, or what we see on the outside from others, scripture is pretty clear on this topic.
We are to forgive others and bless them.
We can pray and if given the opportunity, should serve them.
Now, there’s no need to take Scripture to the literal extreme.
Jesus often spoke in parables, and for good reason – we can take away multiple meanings.
We should be willing and ready to serve our enemies, but this does not literally mean doing anything and everything asked of us.
If your enemy asks you to rob a bank on their behalf.
The obvious response is no.
If your enemy asks you to hand over all of your finances, the answer is again no, but if they wanted a cup or bottle of water, what’s the worst that could happen?
Pray for ways to serve your enemies and seek discernment for how to best do so.
4. remember the goodness and mercies of god
Isaiah 63:7 Amplified Bible
God’s Ancient Mercies Recalled
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I will tell of the loving kindnesses of the Lord, and the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
According to all that the Lord has done for us,
And His great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has shown them according to His compassion
And according to the abundance of His loving kindnesses.
Speaking of enemies, trusting, and waiting, sometimes calamities stack up so much in our lives we begin wondering if God is really on our side.
If God is so good, why does He let such awful things happen to us?
And not just to us, but people across the world.
Whenever God’s goodness comes into question, we should do like the figures of old did in Scripture – remember God’s ancient mercies to all.
Doubt occurs because we forget the good God has done on our behalf and for other people.
Our focus shifts from the positive to the negative.
When we remember God’s goodness, we reverse this process.
Then suddenly, the doubt fades away.
The best way to remember God’s goodness is to seek what reminds you of God.
Reading Scripture, journaling, praying, and good community all help, but they aren’t the only methods.
What’s something you else can do or encourage others to do today?
5. finding friendship and community
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Amplified Bible
9 Two are better than one because they have a more satisfying return for their labor; 10 for if [a]either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and does not have another to lift him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, then they keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? 12 And though one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
One unfortunate trend that affects the church is superficiality, where people only reveal their surface-level selves, thus, prevent any sort of deep connection.
For Christians looking for community, this poses an immediate barrier for those who want depth.
Scripture states that iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), but how much can we sharpen one another without allowing ourselves vulnerable among each other?
Sharpening requires exposure, and exposure requires vulnerability.
And the issue of being superficial is not confined to one church or one denomination.
Most churches have become much like the rest of our culture, inwardly focused even as we talk about serving others – We just focus far too much on ourselves.
If community is what you’re after, know that there are people out there for you.
Finding them will require effort on our part, also praying and waiting on God.
Trust Him to provide.
6. be like christ
Ephesians 5:1-2 Amplified Bible
Be Imitators of God
5 Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; 2 and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
Part of the reason people doubt the Christian faith is that they see us as hypocrites.
We encourage the world to behave in one way, but we very often act just like them.
Licentiousness, avarice, theft, and more.
What we have to remind the outside world is that church is for broken people.
We are broken people, and that is why being Christ-like is difficult.
There will never be a day when we are exactly like Him.
There can’t be.
But the goal is to try, aiming for perfection though never arriving.
We struggle day by day with the flesh, maintaining faith, waiting, and the list goes on.
It is reasonable and quite rational to believe and teach others that we will never be perfect, but the more we strive, to be like Him, the more we live for His glory.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt being a Christian is hard, but much like the other decisions we make in life, we choose our hard.
To be a Christian or to not be a Christian.
To work hard at becoming a better Christian or to not work hard at being a better Christian.
The choice is up to us, but the benefits are clear.
Choose your easy.
Choose your hard.
In the name of God, the Father and God the the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
God, my Guide and Guardian, Grant me courage and compassion, dear Father, as I live in the place of both danger and grace — that place of redemption where light penetrates the darkness, and lost men and women are rescued from the decay and despotism of the world and its dark prince. Keep my heart on the light, and my strength renewed when I face the powers of darkness and the hate this world might offer. Please, dear Father, guard my heart against cynicism and hate, so that I can be one of your many tools of redemption. In Jesus’ name. Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning; is now and ever shall be; world without end; Amen, Amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 