Glynlea Grace United Methodist Chruch

Scripture

John 17:6-18

"I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gavest them to me, and they have kept thy word. ⁷ Now they know that everything that thou hast given me is from thee; ⁸ for I have given them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from thee; and they have believed that thou didst send me. ⁹ I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom thou hast given me, for they are thine; ¹⁰ all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them. ¹¹ And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. ¹² While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³ But now I am coming to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. ¹⁴ I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth. ¹⁸ As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

Summary and Purpose

Summary: As Christians, we are not part of this sinful, fallen world but are sent into this world on a mission. We should be influencing the world rather than allowing the world to influence us. We’re not created to remain within the safety of the church walls. We’re created and sanctified to spread the gospel throughout the world as the hands, feet and mouth of Jesus.

Purpose: To encourage the congregation to seek more ways to impact the world for Christ.  

The Sermon

I. Introduction:  The special times during meals

2. If your family doesn’t take time to sit down together for a meal, give it a try.

3. I have fond memories of eating dinner with my family.

• We talked about our day
• Discussed politics
• Made plans
• Argued
• My parents, however, never went into spontaneous prayer during the dinner conversation. (We prayed before dinner but that was the extent of including God in our dinner conversations.)

II. Jesus’ prayer during the last supper

2. After these long theological discussions, Jesus burst out in spontaneous prayer.

• There’s power in spontaneous prayer: During a KAIROS Prison ministry weekend, I witnessed an inmate initiate spontaneous prayer when two other inmates got into a serious argument. These two inmates reconciled with each other and started to develop caring hearts.
• Jesus’ spontaneous prayer was for us: “I do not pray for these [the disciples currently following me] only, but also for those who believe in me through their word [my future disciples]” John 17:20

3. What did Jesus pray for on our behalf?

III. What Jesus prayed for on our behalf?

2. Second: Jesus prayed for our protection: John 17:10-12

3. Third: Jesus explains why we need protection: John 17:14-18

• As followers of Christ, we are not of this world. Our citizenship is in heaven
• However, we are expected to remain in this sinful, hateful and dangerous world to do God’s work.
• God sends us into this world on a mission
• As Christians, we are created to go on mission in a sinful and hostile world.

IV. Christians are created to go on mission in this sinful and hostile world

1. Imagine the following:

• The U.S. military spends billions of dollars on the world’s largest Aircraft Carrier. The best Aircraft carrier in the world. The President, however, decides he doesn’t want to risk losing it, so the Aircraft Carrier remains in the harbor behind intense security. Never gets used to defend the nation. We would consider that to be incomprehensible.
• A car enthusiast spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars refurbishing a 1951 Ford Convertible. Once he’s finished, he decides not to ever drive the car or display it in a car show. The car will sit in his safe driveway where no one can see it. We would consider that to be silly. A 1951 Ford convertible is meant to be displayed.
• A world class boxer who trains and sacrifices for years and years but decides that he will never fight in a boxing match because he doesn’t want to risk injury. We would ask, why bother with the intense training and sacrifice.

• We are created for this: Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 25:31-46, Mark 16:15, Acts 1:8 and Ephesians 2:10: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
• Bible study, worship, prayer, fasting and fellowship are used by the Holy Spirit to prepare us for going out into the hostile world to do God’s work

1. We are a people on a mission – not just a social club

2. This is why the new ministries we are starting are very important. Ministries such

As:

• Upward Soccer
• Free lunch program
• Crossroads Christian School
• Priase Fires
• Summer youth worker program

3. In our personal lives, we need to seek ways to impact the world for Jesus.

VI. Conclusion: Are we fulfilling our purpose as Christians? Are we doing what we were created for?