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heard His petition to His F a th e r th a t He would give Him the glory which He had w ith Him before th e world was. We have heard His assertion th a t all He has said o f done has been of th e F ather. We have heard, also, His com m ittal of the beloved disciples to the F a th e r’s care,— and now we are to tak e up a continuation of this most wonder ful of all prayers. (1 ) SEPARATION. “They are no t of th e world.” v. 14. The world hated Jesus (John 7 :7 ). “ T h e w o r ld c a n n o t h a t e y o n ; b u t m e I t h a t e th , b e c a u s e I t e s t i f y o f i t t h a t th e w o r k s th e r e o f a r e e v il.” The world will hate us (15:18, 19) The life of Jesus was a reflection upon th e world. The Word of Jesus was a reproof of th e world’s conduct. In proportion to our righteousness will be th e measure of th e world’s hatred for us. Cain hated Abel because of his righteousness. (1 John 3 :1 2 ). Esau h ated Jacob because of the blessing of Isaac. Joseph’s breth ren hated him because of his fath e r’s love. The Jews hated Jesus w ithout a cause. (John 15:25) “ B u t t h i s c o m e th to p a s s t h a t th e w o rd m ig rh t b e fu lf ille d t b a t Is w r i t t e n in t h e i r la w . T h e y h a t e d m e w i th o u t a c a u s e .” Jesus prays th a t His disciples may be kept from the evil of th e world; th a t they may live a separate life; th a t they may be uncontam inated. In th a t prayer, all believers are included (v. 2 0 ) _ “ N e ith e r p r a y I f o r th e s e a lo n e , b u t f o r th e m a ls o w h ic h s h a ll b e lie v e o n m e t h r o u g h t h e i r W o rd .” We are weak, hu t we are very precious to Him. He knows th e hard ships w ith which we have to contend. He knows th e power of th e enemy. He knows th a t the devil will desire to sift us (Luke 2 2 :3 1 ). He knows th a t we must overcome the world or th e world will overcome us. Conflicts are a blessing (2 Tim. 4: 7, 8; Rev. 2 1 :7 ). “ H e t h a t o v e r c o m e th s h a ll I n h e r it a ll th i n g s ; a n d I w ill h e h is G o d , a n d h e s h a ll b e m y s o n .”
Every victory gives new streng th , and every victory becomes a testimony. We need a healthy sp iritual n atu re to w ithstand conflict, and th a t can only be attain ed by constant exercise (1 Tim. 4 :8 ; Jas. 1 :3 ). The same God who kept Jesus and gave Him victory over th e world, th e flesh and th e devil, will be w ith us (Heb. 13:5, 6) « F o r h e h a t h s a id , I 'w ill n e v e r le a v e th e e n o r f o r s a k e th e e ; S o t h a t w e m a y b o ld ly s a y , T h e L o rd Is m y h e lp e r , a n d I w ill n o t f e a r w h a t Jesus prays for th e sanctification of His disciples. They m ight be separated from the world, and yet not be sancti fied. “ Sanctification” implies separa tion un to God th rough th e Word. Many th ink th a t separation must be effected through law, through force, through argum ent; bu t one means only is used of God,— through th e Word (Eph. 5: 26) “ T h a t h e m i g h t s a n c t if y a n d c le a n s e i t w ith th e w a s h in g o f w a t e r b y th e w o rd .” Sanctification is th e will of God (1 Thess. 4 :3 ) “ F o r t h i s is t h e w ill o f G o d , e v e n y o u r s a n c tif ic a tio n .” This shows us the necessity of study ing and preaching th e Word. Because so little is made of th e Word, few be lievers are sanctified. The h ea rt must be obedient to th e teaching of the Word. The life must be yielded will ingly. (3) UNIFICATION. "T h at they all may be one” (v. 21). This is the te st of discipleship. There never can be unification w ithout sancti fication. Uniform ity is not unity. There must be oneness of life, of p u r pose, of object. There must be a center —-Jesu s Christ. There must be a recog nition of th e Holy Spirit. We are one (Rom. 12:5) “ So w e , b e in g m a n y , a r e o n e b o d y In C h r is t, a n d e v e r y o n e m e m b e r s o n e f a n o t h e r .” (1 Cor. 12:12, 20) “ F o r a s th e b o d y Is o n e , a n d h a t h m a n y m e m b e r s a n d a l l th e m e m b e r s o f t h a t o n e m a n s h a ll d o u n to m e .” (2) SANCTIFICATION. “Sanctify them through th y tru th .“ y. 17.
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