Sermon by Donald R. Hart – Antioch Christian Church, Pittsburg, Missouri – April 29, 2007
(All Scripture quoted is from the NIV unless otherwise noted)
OUT OF THIS WORLD
Text: John 17:13-19
13 "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. 14 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. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
INTRODUCTION
We have all probably heard someone say about a particular meal or some rich, decadent dessert item as being “out of this world”. Sometimes the term has been used to describe some particular individual – “they are out of this world”. Now that may be either a compliment or it may be describing them as being somewhat eccentric.
Just this week we heard the news item of a planet outside our solar system that is somewhat similar to our earth. It is smaller than the earth, but has a temperature range within human tolerances and could support liquid water. Now that is really something that is out of this world.
Our text today is part of a prayer by Jesus as he nears the end of his ministry and is primarily a prayer on behalf of his disciples. He knows that he will soon be leaving them and thus he is holding them up before the Father – praying for their protection and for their guidance.
In verse 14 he says, “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.” What does he mean here? He then requests this in verse 15 – “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”
That begins to shed some light as to the fact that they are different from those in the world who would pursue evil ways. They are obviously going to be targets of Satan, the evil one, who will try to entrap and destroy them. But Jesus asks for protection on their behalf.
In verse 16 Jesus repeats the thought “They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” In essence he is saying that even though they are still in the world, they are really not a part of the world. You might wonder in what way are they not a part of the world? You may even be confused by the idea of being in the world and yet not being in the world.
As I was putting material together for this theme I was surprised at the number of times this idea of not being a part of the world is used in the New Testament. Here are some passages to help us understand this being in the world, but not a part of the world.
In Romans 6:4 we read, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
In this passage we see that “living a new life” is a part of the transition that takes place when we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ. Later in Romans 12:1-2, Paul tells us that we are to be “living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God”. Notice:
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship.
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
What is happening here? A transition is taking place – we are to drop those things that would be like the “pattern of this world” and begin a transformation by “the renewing of our minds”.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
So here is how it plays out. When we give ourselves to Jesus Christ we change our allegiance away from the things of this world and begin a process of transformation and become a new creature in him. Thus, like the disciples of Jesus, we are in the world, but not a part of the world.
PROPOSITION
I would ask as to what kind of things will change in this transformation from the world and to the becoming of a new creature. Today in this message I want to consider some things that will be different about us as a people “out of this world”.
I. WE ARE NOT TO WAGE WAR AS THE WORLD
2 Corinthians 10:2-5
2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Paul had been dealing with some tough issues in the Corinthian church and here he tells them that our warfare is not like that of the world. We work from a different standard and use different type of weapons.
In the world we see the weapons of anger, revenge and violence used. These things are not to be a part of the arsenal of the Christian.
The American Standard Version of Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:”
Then it adds in verse 27, “neither give place to the devil.”
In James 1:19-20 we have an interesting insight into becoming angry, notice:
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
We understand that anger is a natural response emotion of our human nature. However, from the passages we just read we also understand that anger is to be a short-lived experience. Hanging on to anger will give place to the devil and anger does NOT bring about a righteous life – the kind of life that pleases God.
Jesus gave us some very explicit instructions along this line – they are not easy ones to follow, but they are plainly stated in
Luke 6:27-31 -
27 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
I don’t know about you, but these instructions are not a part of my natural response system and in order for me to carry them out there has to be a lot of “transforming” and “renewing” of my mind.
The Christian is not to carry a grudge, harbor animosity, and have an unforgiving spirit, nor are we to hold on to bitterness in any form. We do not wage war as the world does – we are to be out of this world in our response mechanisms.
II. WE ARE NOT TO SIN LIKE THE WORLD
Now I do not mean that we sin differently, but rather that we are seeking to overcome our sinful desires. This is what we find in 1 Peter 2:11-12 – “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
Peter tells us that we are “aliens and strangers in the world” and as such we are to live according to a different standard than that of the world. Our manner of living is to be such that the person of the world will not be able to find fault with us. They may not want to live godly lives themselves, but they will respect us for how we live. Now that doesn’t mean we have to be weird or strange, or even out of date, but rather our attitudes toward the things of this world will be different.
If for some reason you do not think our manner of living is important, let me share the following:
Ephesians 1:4 - For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
Colossians 1:22 - But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
Colossians 3:12-14 - Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
1 Thessalonians 4:7-8
7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 12:14 - Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Does this mean we will live perfect lives? No! As long as we are in this body there will always be a warfare going on among our members. But it does mean that we will continue in the “transforming” and “renewing” mode of becoming “new creatures” for as long as we live. Let me offer this word of hope – we have the Lord to help us according to Hebrews 4:14-16.
III. WE ARE NOT TO COVET (HAVE DESIRES) LIKE THE WORLD
2 Peter 1:3-4
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
What leads us astray? It is when we begin to covet or desire the things of the world like the people of the world.
1 John 2:15-17
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Does this mean that we should not set goals or strive to be successful? No! It means that we are not to be driven by the same desires as the world. God wants us to have our priorities right.
IV. WE ARE NOT TO HAVE A FEAR OF THE EVIL ONE
Jesus in our text prayed that the Father would protect his disciples and that is still the desire of the Lord – that we would be protected from the evil one.
Notice 1 John 4:4-6
4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
You need to keep in mind that “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
V. WE ARE NOT TO HAVE A FEAR OF DEATH
For the one who is not a Christian, facing death is like a leap into the dark. For the child of God, it is like going home. We are aliens and strangers in this world and dying is when we go to the land to which we belong.
1 Corinthians 15:53-58 tells us:
54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55 "Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
And if your faith begins to waiver, let me remind you of what Paul said in Romans 8:37-39
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
CONCLUSION
It may be that you are here today and have never started the process of “transformation” and “renewing of your mind” that will lead you to live “out of this world”. May I recommend to you the way of Christ. Believe on him, surrender your life to him, confess him as Lord and be baptized for the remission of your sins.
For those of us who have named the name of Christ as Lord, I know of the warfare we go through as we live in this present world, but God is able to help us persevere to the end. Therefore let us not become weary in well doing.
Our closing song – the song of decision is “This Is My Father’s World”. There is beauty in it, but also sometimes the wrong seems oh so strong – but remember, God is still in control. We will see the victory.
