The apostle John wrote how Jesus prayed to His Father God about His disciples, “I have given them your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world”, and in chapter seventeen and verse nineteen of his book John shared how Jesus prayed to His Heavenly Father God about His disciples saying, “for their sakes, I sanctify myself” where we read:
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
The verse reads, “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, ...” John began with the words, “and for their sakes” which means “and on behalf of their, Jesus' disciples, cause and state” “I sanctify myself” or “I, Jesus, consecrate, dedicate and purify my own self”. John shared how Jesus told His Heavenly Father that He “purified” Himself on the behalf of His disciples.
The verse goes on to say, “... that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” John continued with the words, “that they also” or “so they, the disciples of Jesus, even so and indeed” “might be sanctified” which means “may exist as consecrated, dedicated and purified” “through the truth” or “by way and with that which is true in any matter under consideration, fact and reality”. John shared how Jesus said the reason He “sanctified” Himself was so His disciples could be “consecrated and purified” by that which is “true in any matter”.
When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus thought it was important for Himself and His disciples to be “set apart and consecrated” for the task they had ahead of them. Jesus was to be arrested, tried, tortured and crucified for the sins of the world, and His disciples would pay a price for carrying on that message after He was resurrected and ascended to His Father in Heaven. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (See John 3:16), and anyone who yields their life to Jesus may receive God's gift of salvation for mankind. Let all who read these words understand Jesus “sanctified” Himself so that everyone who believes and trusts in Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” may be “sanctified” as well and be used to share His “gospel” to the world.
Next time John shares how Jesus prays to His Heavenly Father God about His disciples saying, “neither pray I for these alone”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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