Not of this World

Gleaning from our Bible Study on Sunday from John 17:

John 17:1-2 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 

Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world

In this chapter, Jesus is praying to His Father God, and is saying that he (Jesus) is not of this world. (Jesus was standing there on earth, yet he was proclaiming that He is no longer in this world.  His vision was of things not seen to others but things that were visible to Him.)

Jesus asks the Father that he might be glorified, so that He may glorify God.  He knows the hours is approaching where he is to die, be resurrected and leave this earth.  Jesus also knows he has been faithful to teach only the Words that came from His father, and trusts that his disciples will use these same words to go forth and minister in His name.

Jesus is asking the Father, in the same way that you have sent me, I ask you to send my followers, because they are also not of this world.  (This is because when we follow Jesus we are lifted up into another Kingdom - - the kingdom of God.)

Jesus continues praying that he has kept his disciples, and now asks His Father to protect and keep them from evil in all of its forms.

Jesus declares that God's words are truth, and may they be "one" even as we are "one."  As you have sent me, so send I them.

Jesus reminds God, that he is praying for them, but also for all those who in the distant future will believe because of the faithfulness of preachers and teachers to reveal the truth of the Word of God.

John 17:12.  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 

This is what it is all about, that we may be glorified and pass it on and glorify God.  As we worship at the throne, gathering with all nations of all languages, dialects praising God all in one accord in the Spirit.