The statement is true: Living in Christ is out of this world!
Father, 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 you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.
All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name 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 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 say these things while I am 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 sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Study Questions
- What are the goals of Jesus in this prayer?
- How does Christ root his prayer in past accomplishments?
- How does Christ acknowledge God’s blessing on him and give thanks?
- How does Christ reflect on past accomplishments?
- How well do you reveal God to those he brings into your life?
- How might you seek more opportunities to reveal God’s glory to others?
- In what ways can you know when you are revealing God to others?
- What would you say to a close friend or family member if they claimed God’s words are not relevant to them?
- Why do you think Jesus does not pray for the world?
- How might you pray for someone pass through difficult circumstances?
Observations
- Those in Christ were God’s.
- God gave his own to Christ.
- Those who follow Christ obey the words of God.
- Christ gave his own the words God gave him.
- Those who follow Christ accept the words Christ gave him from God.
- Those in Christ know with confidence that Christ came from God.
- Those in Christ believe God sent Jesus.
- Christ prays for his own.
- Christ does not pray for those in the world.
- Those in Christ belong to God.
- Glory comes to Christ through those who are in him.
- While with Christ all who were his remained safe and protected but the one destined for destruction.
- Christ says he prayed this prayer aloud so those who are in him might have the full measure of joy in him.
- The world hates those in Christ.
- The world hates those who have the word of God in them.
- Like Christ, those in him are out of this world, even while they remain in this world.
- Christ prays for the protection of his own from the Evil One.
- Christ desires that his own be set apart and made holy by the truth.
- God’s Word is truth.
- Christ sends those who are his own into the world.
