- INTRO:
- The Diving Bell Spider/Water Spider/Argyroneta (L. “silvery net”) The water spider is an amazing little creature. It lives in rivers and streams. How does this species survive in its watery environment? It spins a tough basket-like web of silk, a kind of diving bell, and anchors it under water to plants or other objects. Then it captures a surface air bubble, which it pulls down and ejects into it’s underwater house, filling it with air. This combination of web building and bubble trapping allows the water spider to live in an environment that normally would destroy it. (Our Daily Bread, June 8, 1992)
- As Christians, we too live in an environment that could destroy us. The world’s values, attitudes, and practices threaten to drown us unless we are able to protect ourselves from them. How are we to survive spiritually in this hostile worldly environment? We must build a “bubble” of protection around ourselves by trusting God, studying the Scriptures, praying, fellowshipping with believers, communing with the Holy Spirit, and obeying His Word. These activities will insulate our mind & heart and help to keep us safe and secure in Christ. As the water spider lives in the water but is not of the water, so we must live in but not be of the world.
- We see Jesus walking toward deaths door, “calmly, victoriously, joyously”.
- We’re also reminded that we were the Fathers gift to the Son (see give 2,6,11,12)
- Outline: Jesus prayed for Himself(1-5); for His disciples(6-19); for all of His church(20-26)
- What did/does Jesus do for His disciples?
- JESUS PRAYS FOR HIS DISCIPLES! (6-19)
- REVEALING TO THEM! (6-8,14)
- Jesus had revealed the Father to them, i.e. His character & resources (6,7).
- Jesus also revealed His Father’s Words (8,14).
- PRAYING FOR THEM! (9,10)
- What a great promise ALL Mine are Yours & Yours Mine.
- What if we really believed that, & lived as children in our Fathers house?
- KEEPING THEM! (11-16)
- (12) Judas was not a saved man, even though he was one of the 12.
- He was never washed from his sins 13:11; He was not chosen by Christ 13:18.
- He was not kept (17:12). He wore the uniform but wasn’t part of the team.
- He’s a frightening example of how near one can get to the kingdom, & still be lost.
- (14) Not of the world - John gives us the biblical definition later in his 1st epistle 1Jn 2:16
- For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world.
- The 3 offsprings don’t originate or proceed from the Father.
- This spirit of the world permeates all society. All its plans, aims, & activities belong to the present passing show. (Eccl. calls it “under the sun”)
- The world has always been on a collision course with Christ, because His teachings reverses everything that the world prizes.
- Don’t forget the Diving Bell Spider/Water Spider. That amazing little creature that can live in an environment that normally would destroy it. So can you!
- (15) What’s amazing is what He didn’t ask for!
- He didn’t ask for the Father to take them out of the world.
- He never intended them to retreat back into the saltshaker.
- He never intended their lights to be placed under a bushel.
- True, we are not to be of the world, but we are to be in it!
- Phil.2:15 strikes a good balance that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
- Protected from the evil one, or Satan, who is more than active in the world, & bitterly opposed to the things of God.
- Which part of this verse do you need to hear this morning? (a or b)
- [Group A] Some are too far away from this world (i.e. Can’t relate to people, culture) & Some are too far into it [Group B] (can’t tell any difference form them & the world). {Please here both my a & b before you judge what I’m saying}
- Those in Group A have removed yourself so far from our world you don’t have any influence upon it. Your goal is isolating/protecting/safeguarding yourself or your family, & you’ve forgot your mandate was not to be monastic but evangelistic.
- Jesus says, “remember why I left you in this world”. Follow my example: I ran from religious sounding people & ran to the filthy who needed me.
- Jesus said to be innocent, He didn’t say to be naive! [May we warn our kids of what awaits them at University or out in the world, & not just hope they never see anything!] [shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves]
- 2 ways to easily engage this world: Music & film. Why?
- Music - is the language that articulates what people are thinking & feeling.
- If it’s popular, it’s because it’s connecting w/people.
- Films - seem to be the new pulpit in America. Its the new church where people go to get their story. [We get our story at church from His word]
- They have preachers called filmmakers propagating their world views, their philosophical systems, their morals & values.
- I’m NOT saying participate in culture just for purposes of entertainment! “You are a missionary going into a foreign world, trying to figure out a people group so you can talk to them about Jesus.”
- I’m saying watch professionally. What’s their sermon? What are they trying to convey? Who are they trying to convert? What is their gospel? What are they trying to get me to commit to?
- Then we let them know, Jesus has a better answer! - Scripture has a better answer! (Adapted from Mark Driscollʼs Podcast; Jn.17, The People of Tension; 10-15-08.)
- Those in Group B have gotten too far into the world & you need to be kept from the evil one. Your goal is looking & sounding & smelling just like the world, & you’ve forgot your mandate was not to be of but in the world.
- Liberty is the flag you wave, but you forgot the rest of the verse…
- Gal.5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty(you have!); only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
- Liberty is limited by love!
- UNIFYING THEM! (11)
- That they may be one - Unity!
- Unity was no small request. These were tough-minded, independent, strong-willed men.
- Yet He wasn’t after organizational unity, but “interpersonal, relational” unity!
- Jesus wasn’t after, nor is He today, after uniformity. He recognized their diversity, & He valued it.
- He didn’t Xerox disciples. Nor churches for that matter.
- He uses our individuality to achieve a variety of purposes. To fight on different battle fields, to wage different wars, to wield different weapons.
- But we’re all in the battle, fighting for the same King!
- SANCTIFYING THEM! (17,19)
- Sanctifying - doesn’t mean growing a halo, or glowing with spirituality.
- It means “to set apart for a certain purpose or for an intended use”.
- If you take food out of the refrigerator for dinner, in the biblical sense you have sanctified that food, set it apart for a specific use.
- How are you to be sanctified? By the truth. And, Why are we to be sanctified? To become useful.
- If His Word is not working in us in a life-changing way, the World will be.
- If we are not becoming conformed to the image of Christ, we will be squeezed into the mold of the world. [“Dusty bibles lead to dirty lives!”]
- SENDING THEM! (18)
- They are not of the world(14,16); they are not taken out of the world right away(15); but are sent into the world. Be insulated, not isolated!
Illustration: There are 2 ways of handling pressure:
One is illustrated by a bathysphere, the miniature submarine used to explore the ocean in places so deep that the water pressure would crush a conventional submarine like an aluminum can. Bathyspheres compensate with plate steel several inches thick, which keeps the water out but also makes them heavy and hard to maneuver. Inside they're cramped. When these craft descend to the ocean floor, however, they find they're not alone. When their lights are turned on and you look through the tiny, thick plate glass windows, what do you see? Fish!
These fish cope with extreme pressure in an entirely different way. They don't build thick skins: they remain supple and free. They compensate for the outside pressure through equal and opposite pressure inside themselves. Christians, likewise, don't have to be hard and thick skinned - as long as they appropriate God's power within to equal the pressure without. (Jay Kesler in Campus Life. Leadership, Vol. 5, no. 2.)