Open your Bibles, if you would,
to John chapter 17. John chapter 17, we'll continue
our study in this wonderful chapter. Now tonight, we'll actually be
finishing, concluding the second portion of this prayer. Remember,
it's broken up into three sections. The first section, our Lord is
praying for himself. The second section, our Lord
is praying for the apostles and also us in light of some of the
things that he said in there. And then in the third section,
he's praying for we who would believe. starting in verse 20. So tonight
we're going to be going through verse 18 and 19. We won't spend
a whole lot of time on verse 18 because we've spent time on
the fact that Christ was sent by the Father before, but I will
be saying a little bit about that verse. And Christ, we know
Christ, was sent by God and came to this earth to redeem his people
from their sin, how? By the giving of his life, by
dying in our room and place on Calvary's cross. So with that,
let's read verses 14 to 19 of John chapter 17. The scripture
declares, I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated
them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of
the world. I pray that thou shouldest take
them out of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest
take them out of the world, but thou shouldest keep them from
the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the
world. Sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth.
As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent
them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify
myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Now, let's look at verse 18 here. We see our Lord bringing forth
the fact, again, that he was sent into this world. And we
know he was sent into this world by the Father, and now we see
that he sends his apostles into the world as well. Look at verse
18. As thou hast sent me into the
world, again he's speaking to the Father, even so have I also
sent them into the world. And let us remember that Christ
Christ Jesus, our Lord, was the great missionary. We don't think
about that about Him. He's the great missionary, beloved,
and we're minor missionaries. We're minor missionaries. We're
sent into this world to accomplish the Father's will and purpose.
We don't know what that is. But in being here, his will and
purpose is accomplished while we're here upon this earth. And
we know we're here for the furtherance of the gospel because Paul talks
about that in the section you read this weekend on Sunday,
that the very fact that Paul was in prison, he said, I'm in
prison for the furtherance of the gospel. And so we know that's
true of all believers' lives, that where we are and where we
are is for the furtherance of the gospel. Listen to what Calvin
brings forth about this verse. He says, he confirms his prayer
by another argument, mainly because the calling of Christ and of
the apostles is the same calling and is common to both. He says,
I now, notice that, notice that in verse 18, even also, or as
thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them
into the world. So they're sent like he's sent. Calvin says, I now, he says,
appoint them to an office, which I hithero held by thy command,
by God's command. And therefore it is necessary
that they should be furnished with the power of the spirit
that they may be able to sustain so weighty a charge. So there's
no way that we could witness for Christ or be a witness for
Christ in this world if it weren't for the Holy Spirit working in
us and doing great things within us. And beloved of God, our Redeemer
was sent into the world by the Father. Turn if you would to
Isaiah chapter 61. He was sent in to this world to accomplish
the full redemption of God's people, of all those who the
Father gave him. He was sent into this world,
Christ Jesus our Lord was sent into this world to redeem their
eternal souls, to purchase their eternal souls, to live the perfect
life that they never could, and then to go to Calvary's cross
as the Lamb of God, the Passover Lamb, and die in their room and
place, and save them from their sins. And look at this in Isaiah
chapter 61, verses 1 to 3. This is speaking of Christ. The
spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed
me to preach good tidings unto the meek. He has sent me to bind
up the brokenhearted. Look at this, to proclaim liberty
to the captives, freedoms to those who are captives. And what
were we captive by? Sin. Now we're set free, beloved. We're set free. Now we're free
from the guilt of sin. We're free from the condemnation
of sin. We're free from the penalty of sin. Now we're not free from
the presence of sin yet, but that's coming, beloved. That's
coming when we go home to be with the Lord. Look at that,
to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison
to them that are bound. We were so bound up with sin,
we couldn't get anywhere. But we're set free, beloved.
We're at liberty now. Oh, what liberty we have. To
proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance
of our God, to comfort all that mourn. Did you mourn over your
sin? Do you still mourn over your sin? Yeah, but we get comfort,
don't we? We get comfort from the Holy
Scriptures. We get comfort from the preaching of the gospel.
knowing that our sins are all forgiven in Christ Jesus our
Lord. And then it says, to appoint
unto them that morn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for
ashes and oil for mourning, the oil of joy for mourning. See,
our mourning's been turned into joy now, hasn't it, by the fact
that Christ died in our ruined place, that he purchased our
eternal souls in the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
Oh, we were so weighed down by our sin, but what We now wear
the garments of praise. All our sins are forgiven. We
have a full redemption in Christ. There's not one of our sins that's
not covered by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not one. Every
one of them is covered by the blood of Christ, forgiven in
Christ Jesus our Lord. Look at this. The garment of
praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called trees
of righteousness. That's where we are, beloved.
Trees of righteousness planted by the Father, right? In good
ground, in good ground. And it's him that gives the increase,
isn't it? God gives the increase. He planted us in righteousness
and he gives the increases. Now, we don't grow in righteousness,
right? But we do grow in grace, don't
we? We grow in grace and the knowledge and truth. Look at
this, the planting of the Lord. It's his work, beloved. You know
why? Well, look at the end of that
verse, that he might be glorified. That's it right there. See, we
got nothing to glorify and do. We got nothing to glory in as
believers, absolutely, except Christ and the Father and the
Holy Spirit. We glorify them. We praise them
for their mighty, mighty work. I love that verse there. It just
gives all the glory, the planting of the Lord from beginning to
end, right? Oh my, that he might be glorified. And then, you know, Christ, Christ
took not that office of honor unto himself as the high priest. He was sent and ordained by God
to accomplish God's will. In Hebrews, turn if you would
to Hebrews chapter five. Look at this, this is wonderful
too. Our Lord came. He came into this world to do
the will of the Father. He said, nevertheless, not my
will be done. Remember in the garden? Not my will be done,
but thy will, thy will. Oh my, look at this. Hebrews
chapter five, verses one to five. And here's our high priest, right?
We're reading this prayer in John 17. This is a high priestly
prayer. This is the prayer of our high
priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, for every high priest
taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining
to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are
out of the way? for that he himself also is compassed
with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought,
as for the people, so also for himself to offer for sin." So
the high priest, he's a sinner just like the people. So he had
to offer for himself too as well. But see Christ, he's the sinless,
spotless Lamb of God. He doesn't have to offer nothing
for himself. Nothing at all. He's the only high priest who's
sinless and spotless. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. And no man taketh this honor
unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not
himself, right, to be made a high priest. But he said unto him,
Thou art my son, today have I begotten thee. See, it's the Father that
put him in that position. He was sent by the Father to
honor the Father, to honor His law, to honor His justice. And he did that, he was subservient
to the Father while he was here upon this earth. Now turn, if
you would, to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Do you know that we have the
ministry of reconciliation? That's what we have as God's
people. My oh my, 2nd Corinthians chapter
5, verses 18 to 21. I know I have us turning here
a little bit, but this is important for us that we are sent. See,
Christ was sent into this world. We're sent into this world, beloved.
We're sent into this world too. Look at this in 2nd Corinthians
chapter 5, verses 18 to 21. Look at this. And all things
are of God. who hath reconciled us to himself
by Jesus Christ. So the only way we're reconciled
to God, this verse says, not by anything we do, right? Does
it say by those things you've done? It doesn't say that, does
it? It said God reconciled us to
himself through Christ, not by works of righteousness which
we've done, nothing that we do. Now what has he given us? The
ministry of reconciliation. That's why we say, flee to Christ.
He's the only hope for sinners. The only way for a sinner such
as me and such as you to be reconciled to God is only in and through
the Lord Jesus Christ. There's no other way. Look at
this. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world
unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath
committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Isn't that amazing? Not imputing their trespasses
unto them? No, because they were imputed
to Christ, weren't they? Oh my goodness, now then we are ambassadors
for Christ. That's what you and I are. That's
not just the preacher, that's every believer. We're ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did besiege you by us. We pray you
in Christ's name, be you reconciled to God. Look at this, for yet
made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him, the great transfer. Our
sins are imputed to Christ and His righteousness is imputed
to us. It's absolutely amazing. Stunning. Absolutely stunning. Now one more place, John chapter
20. John chapter 20. And this truth again is brought
forth in John 20 verses 21 to 23. We're going to read 19 to
23. Our Lord appears to the disciples here. He appears to the disciples here
after his death. John 19 to 23. And look, we're
gonna see, he can ascend them. He can ascend them. See, we're
sent people, aren't we? Christ was sending to this world,
we're sending to the world. Beloved, look at this. John 20
verses 19 to 23. Then the same day at evening,
being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where
the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus
and stood in the midst and saith unto them, peace be unto you.
Now look at that. They're like people like us. They were afraid. They were afraid of what the
Jews would do to them. You mean Peter and John and the apostles
weren't super Christians? No. They were flesh just like
you and I, beloved. It says they were afraid. But
look what our Lord says to them. Peace be unto you. Don't be afraid.
Right? Remember what he said to them
in John 14? Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in me? Right? Believe in God also. Don't
let your heart be troubled. And so he says here, peace be
unto you. They were afraid. And when he had said so, he showed
unto them his hands and his side, and then the disciples were glad
when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus unto them, look
at this, peace be unto you, as my Father has sent me, even so
I send you. There it is. And when he had said this, he
breathed on them and saith, unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost,
whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosoever
sins ye retain, they are retained." Look at that. Look at that in
verse 21. Then said Jesus unto them, Peace be unto you, as my
Father has sent me, even so I send you. Let's go back again to John
17 and read verse 18 again. As thou hast sent me into the
world, even so have I also sent them into the world. Look at
that. Very similar to what he said over there in John chapter
20, isn't it? Yeah. John 17 verse 18. As thou hast
sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into
the world. So we're sent into this world,
beloved. Why doesn't the Lord, as soon
as he saves us, take us home? Because he has something for
us to do, doesn't he? has nothing to do with our salvation.
But the whole reason we're here, there's a cause. It may be to
be gathered together in a grace church and your gifts that the
Holy Spirit's given you be used. It might just be to support the
work and might be just praying for the preacher. I love it when
you tell me you're praying for me. That's wonderful. That's
music to my ears, beloved. I was talking to a fellow today
when I went out for breakfast with a fellow this morning, and
he was complaining about how churches don't have unity and
all this stuff, and I said, well, I said, I'll tell you what, you
need to come visit the church where I'm at. And he says, what
do you mean? And I said, I said, I'll tell
you what, I have a family. We love each other in this church.
And it's not fake, is it? It's real. It's amazing. And
there's true love, true Christian love within this body. And I
said, you need to just come and hear the gospel and get to know
folks. I don't know if you ever will,
but what peace we have. And it's all the Holy Spirit's
work, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. And I was telling him that too.
He goes, well, do you do an altar call? I said, no, the call's
in the message. And he goes, what do you mean? I said, well,
I'll give you an example. This weekend I was preaching. I said, whosoever
will, let him come. God's going to call whom He's
going to call. I know that. Right? But the call's in the
Gospel message. We don't have to know all the
call. The call's in the message. Look to Christ, sinner. That's
what this sinner did. Look to Christ with a bunch of
sinners here. Oh, my. I know if you do, it's only
by God's grace, but still. We're sent out in the world to
proclaim this wonderful truth. Be ye reconciled to God. How?
In and through the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone. Oh, it's
wonderful news. Now let's look at verse 19. And
we see here that our Lord brings forth that He has set apart for
His people. Now think about this. Here's
the Lord of glory. Before He's come to this earth,
He's covenant with the Father and the Holy Spirit in eternity.
And the Father said, I've chosen people for you, in you. And the Holy Spirit said, I'm
going to regenerate them and teach them the things of you. And the
Lord said, I'm going to go down to that earth, that earth we're
going to make. I'm going to go down there to
that sin-cursed world, and I'm going to redeem my people, our
people, right? The Father said, and the Holy
Spirit We redeem our people by the giving of my life. And I'm
gonna do it voluntarily. And the father, what? The father
had a body for him, didn't he? Prepared a body for him. And
he set apart. He set apart from the... Now
he's bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, but he set apart
because he's the sinless one. See, we're born into this world
in sin. He didn't have sin. He was perfect. He was conceived
by the Holy Spirit of God, born of a virgin. My oh my. And he says here, in his high
priestly prayer, remember too, his office, he's speaking here
as a meat eater, as a high priest, and he says, and for their sakes
I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through
the truth. Now, Christ is here saying, I'm setting myself apart. You remember I said that sanctification
or sanctify either means to be made holy, right? Or to be set
apart. Can Christ become more holy than
he is? No. He's already holy, isn't he?
We're gonna look at that later. He's already holy. He's God.
God cannot become more holy than he is. But when you look at this
as he set himself apart, for their sakes I set myself apart,
that they also might be sanctified through the truth. My, oh my,
who's the truth? Christ. He's speaking of himself
here, beloved. Isn't this wonderful? My, oh my. And look at here,
he's in absolute submission to the Father. by these words. And for their sakes, I sanctify
myself. Is he not in full control here? He's in full control, isn't he?
I do this. I sanctify myself. Voluntarily. I set myself apart from my people. That's incredible. And we know
from verse 20, that includes you and I, because look what
it says, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which
shall believe on me through their word. That's you and I, beloved,
2,000 years later. He's praying for us right here.
He's setting himself apart that we might be made holy. And he's unveiling this here
by his prayer. Remember, the end was near for
that which he came here to do, right? He came here to offer
himself up as a sin offering by his perfect, complete, sin-atoning
work to save his people from their sins. And that time is
drawn nigh, isn't it? Now, does he already know what's
gonna happen? He's God, isn't he? And the scripture says God
knows the end from the beginning. He already knows what's going
to happen. As a matter of fact, as you've heard me quote many
times, he said his face like a flint. He's unmoving. I must go to the cross. I must
redeem my people from their sins. I have to. That's why I'm sent
here. And look at these words. He says
here, I sanctify myself. Again, this is the language of
one that is in perfect control, beloved. This isn't sweet baby
Jesus wringing his hands, is it? This isn't him saying, oh,
you need to feel sorry for me. I got to go die now. No, he says,
I am going to do this. He's in full control. This is one who has perfect control
over his own course, his own actions. And he's under no obligation
to place himself in the position of having to utter them. But
these words, in these words, he doesn't have to utter them
because he already knows he's going to do this. This is for
you and I, beloved. For us to see that he was an
absolute submission to the Father's will. He says, I'm going to do
this. Now, what would have happened
if he never done this? None of us would be saved, would we?
We wouldn't be here. Look at this. Brother Dave, Sister Jill, Vicki,
Diane, myself, think of this. Our Lord is telling us here,
I set myself apart for you, that you might be made holy. That's what he's telling us.
Anyone who's listening who's a believer, put your name in
there too. He's in full control. Our Lord did not come to be ministered
to, did he? He didn't come and pop in circumstance,
did he? Now this is the king of the universe.
He didn't come and pop, he was born in a manger. And shepherds
knew about his birth because it was revealed to them. He came to give his life for
us, beloved. And that's what he's telling
us here. I'm setting apart myself for you. And now he's speaking
to the Father, right? And he's saying, I'm setting
myself apart for those people you gave me. Oh, my. And how's he going to
do that? Well, he's going to give his
life, eh? As a ransom. for the souls of his people,
by the shedding of his precious, precious blood. And this is the
very reason why Christ is precious to us, isn't it? Because he willingly
did this. He said, I'm gonna sanctify myself
for them, that they might be made holy. My, what a savior. No wonder he's so precious to
us. The fact that he was set apart for us. And these words
are words of sacrifice, aren't they? And they're brought forth in
such a clear manner. No wonder we say, for he hath
made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we may be made
the righteousness of God in him. We see him saying, I am setting
myself apart, that I might save my people from their sins. And
we know all our sins were taken and imputed to him, weren't they?
And that perfect, spotless righteousness that was his and his alone, right,
by his doing and by his dying, is given to you and I, beloved. And we're his jewels, as I've
mentioned many times. I was thinking about that again
today. We're his diamonds. We're his jewels. Now, think of the value he places
upon us by doing this. See, we don't see ourselves as
his jewels and his diamonds. But think of what his actions
here, how his actions speak volumes. Yeah. The fact that he went to
the cross, the fact that he set himself apart to make us holy,
that he poured the wrath of God in our room and place. His actions,
beloved, scream how much he loves us. We can't even measure this
love. It's depthless, absolutely depthless. And in the profoundest sense,
he sanctified himself. He set himself apart. for all that the Father gave
Him. For our cause, beloved. For our cause. He left the glory
of heaven for our cause. He undertook this mission for
our cause. And it was our interest that
He had in view. We get the benefits, don't we?
He suffers in our room and place, and all the benefits that come
our way. all spiritual blessings in and
through Jesus Christ our Lord. And when he undertook this mission,
the cause was you and I, the objects of his eternal love. And again, note these words,
I sanctify myself. Now these words are not to be
understood of him making himself holy, for he was never a sinner,
never a sinner. So he stood in no need of sanctification
or to be made holy, because he's already holy. And yet he's bone
of our bone and flesh of our flesh. Now on the outside, he
looked like any other man. He was made in our likeness,
and yet without sin. But when people looked upon him,
they just saw him. But oh, inside, remember the
tent? Remember the sanctuary in the
wilderness? It looked like every other tent.
Looked like every other tent, but inside, pure gold, beloved. Pure gold, that's Christ. On
the outside, just looks like an ordinary man. Inside, all
the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily. Oh my. And what did the religious Pharisees
do? They charged him to be a sinner, didn't they? They charged him
to be a sinner. And he was treated as such. But
he was perfectly holy. He was without sin, beloved. Free from sin. Perfectly holy. He was holy and sinless infinitely,
holy is God, the Father, and God, the Holy Spirit. And as
a man, he was holy in his conception. He was holy in his birth. He
was holy in his life. He was holy in his death. He
was holy in his resurrection. And he's holy right now, isn't
he? Seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for
you and I, beloved. So this sanctification here in
verse 19 cannot be to be made holy. It rather means to be separated,
set apart. Set apart, now think of this.
Set apart for his office as mediator. Set apart as the Messiah. Set
apart as the high priest of his people. Set apart as the redeemer
of his people. Set apart as the justifier of
God's people. set apart as the sanctifier of
God's people. My oh my. And he's separated by God. Yet
it also might be attributed to himself as he voluntarily devoted
himself to this work, didn't he? He said, what did he say
when he was a little child at 12 years old? He says, I must
be about my father's business at 12. He wholly, he wholly, voluntarily
devoted himself to the work of the Father. And he cheerfully
accepted it. My. Turn if you would to John
chapter 10. John chapter 10, just a few chapters
over from where we are. My oh my. Look at this in John
chapter 10 verses 32 to 41. John chapter 10. This is so bought
forth right here. what we're talking about, how
he voluntarily devoted himself to the Father's work. He cheerfully
accepted it. John 10, starting in verse 32
and going to verse 41. Jesus answered them, many good
works have I shown you from my Father. For which of these works
do you stone me? Now the Jews just picked up stones,
they were going to stone him. The Jews answered him saying,
for a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, because
thou because that thou being a man makest thyself God. So
they're sitting there, they're saying this. See, they're looking
on the outside, aren't they? They just see a man. They do
not know that they're talking to the very one who led them,
their forefathers, out of the land of Egypt, who was a pillar
of fire at night and a cloud during the day, beloved. They
have no idea that they're talking to the very one who appeared
to Moses in the burning bush, the great I Am. They have no
idea. Now he's gonna twist them like
pretzels, watch this. Jesus answered them, is it not
written in your law, I said, ye are gods? If he called them
gods unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot
be broken. Say ye of him whom the Father
has sanctified, now look at this, now look at this. who the Father
has sanctified, he's made holy and he's set apart, right? Who's
done it? The Father. Father. And sent into the world, thou
blasphemies because I said I am the Son of God. If I do not the
works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though you
believe me not, believe the works that you may know and believe
that the Father is in me and I in him. Look at what he just
said. Therefore they sought again, well, they got married in a wet
hornet. Therefore they sought again to take him, but he escaped
out of their hand. It wasn't his time, was it? It
wasn't his time. And went away beyond Jordan into
the place where John at first baptized, and there he abode.
And many resorted unto him and said, John did no miracle, but
all things that John spoke of this man were true. See, John
was trumpeting that the Messiah was coming. What does this verse
here, this last verse, tell us? Christ is the Messiah. He's the
one John spoke of. People were testifying of that.
And beloved, our Lord Jesus Christ, he sanctified himself. He set
himself apart. You know when he set himself
apart? In eternity. Because He's the Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world, beloved. And that which was planned
and purposed, again, you keep hearing me say that, but that
which was planned and purposed in eternity came to pass in time
and space, didn't it? And here is our Lord. Here's
our Master. Here's our Master. And He, in verse 19 here, we
see Him voluntarily offering Himself as a sacrifice for the
sins of His people. I'll ask you and I'll tell you
what amazing love we see here. I'll tell you, this is amazing
love. This is absolutely amazing love. In this display of these
words, when he says, I sanctify myself, and for their, look at
that, for their sakes, that's you and I, beloved. And we know
that because he mentions us in verse 20. Now he's talking about
disciples there, but verse 20, he mentions you and I, beloved. All right, look at that. Neither
pray I for these alone, being the apostles, but for them also,
which shall believe on me through their word. Christ Jesus, our
Lord, beloved. Now, may we leave through this
place tonight with clicking our heels in joy, because we are
seeing here that Jesus Christ, 2000 years ago, prayed for you
and I. He's saying, I set myself apart for you, beloved. Your objects of my eternal love,
I'm setting myself apart for them. That's what he said there,
didn't he? And for their sakes, for our sakes, that we might
be saved, right? If he hadn't done this, we'd
still be lost. Because we wouldn't be redeemed.
So he set himself apart and went to Calvary's cross and died in
our room and place to save us from our sins. And for their
sakes, I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified
through the truth. And remember who he is. Remember
the Gadarene demoniac? Remember they said he had all
them demons inside him? And they said, we know who thou
art. What did they call him? Thou holy one of God. This is the holy one of God here
saying these words. This is not no mere man. This
is the holy one of God. The one who even the devil believes
and trembles. He knows who he is. The demons
know who he is. They tremble. They tremble. But yet men who were but mere
dust say, well, I don't believe in him. The devils have more
sense than unsaved men. And I can say that because I
was there. My, oh, my. And he's the Holy One of God.
He's the Son of God. He's the Word incarnate. And
it is He, Christ Jesus our Lord, who we are sanctified in. He
is the sacrifice that has all preeminence. Think about it.
All those Old Testament sacrifices could never take away sin, but
they were pointing to Christ. He's the preeminent sacrifice,
isn't He? He's the one who takes away sin.
And beloved, He took away our sins, hallelujah. He took away
our sins by the giving of His life. Oh, what love. Oh, what love. And this is the
reason for the efficacy of his sacrifice. It's so great, beloved.
And the fact that he's the sinless, spotless Passover lamb, he's
the Passover lamb of God. He's the word of God incarnate.
And we see here that he voluntarily says, I'm going to sanctify myself
for them. For these who you've given me.
for these and for all those who believe on them, their word.
And that belief is on Christ alone, right? True God-given
faith has one object and that's Christ alone. And we see our
great king here also in his high priestly office, don't we? He's
in his high priestly office here, beloved. He's the only mediator between
God and man, the only interceder between God and man. Again, the
time of His death is closing. It's coming fast. And the whole
reason He'd come to this earth, the time is drying quickly. The time comes near when He would
offer Himself up as the great sacrifice for sinners. Oh my, and here he is, he says,
and for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also might be
sanctified through the truth. And we clearly see that this
present prayer and intercession were part of his high priestly
office. He was our high priest even while he was on this earth. And he didn't do this for his
sake. He didn't sanctify himself for
his sake. He's already holy. He didn't sanctify himself for
the angels, did he? No, the angels that fell, they're
still in condemnation. No. He didn't do this for all
men either, did he? No. But he did this for his disciples
as distinct from the world and not for his disciples only. But for all that the Father had
given to him, he was sanctified and set apart. Let's read verses
19 to 21. We see here, he's sanctified,
which is set apart as a substitute and surety to die in the ruined
place of his people. Look at what he says here. And
for their sakes, I sanctify myself. Look at that. I still can't get
over that. That's just amazing. That they also might be sanctified
through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone,
But for them also, that's all of us, beloved. For them, look,
he already knows us. He already knows us, beloved.
We're not even born. And for them, also which shall
believe on me through their word. Now, does that not give us hope?
As the gospel is preached and proclaimed and it goes out in
the world? It's not going to return to the Lord void, is it?
No, it's going to accomplish what he wills. And look at this.
What? That they all may be one as thou, Father, art in me. Yeah. And I in thee, that they also
might be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast
sent We are the body of Christ, beloved.
He's the head and we're the body. And note at the latter part of
verse 19 of our text here. It says, and for their sakes,
I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the
truth. So the latter part of this verse says that they might
be sanctified through the truth. We know he's speaking of the
apostles here again in verse 20, speaking of all who will
believe on their word. And we know he's talking about
all the elect of all the ages, right? Even including those who
were before who looked to the Messiah in the Old Testament,
because they're all the elect too of God. But look at this. The one who
is called the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that's the
Lord Jesus Christ, right? One of his titles is the truth,
right? And look what it says here, that
they also might be sanctified through who? The truth. The truth. What's the Lord Jesus Christ?
He's the truth. And that they might be sanctified
through the truth. How are we made holy? through he is called
the truth, the Lord Jesus Christ. We're not sanctified by anything
we do or say or how we act, no. They also might be sanctified
through the truth, that is that they might have all their sins
atoned for, all of them, every single one of them, not one left
behind, that they might be cleansed from all the guilt and filth
of their sins. How? Through Christ and himself and
his sacrifice. Who is the truth? He's the truth,
beloved. Really and truly in opposition
to the legal sacrifices. So the legal sacrifices could
never take away sin. And here's Christ saying, I'm
going to sanctify myself for these you've given me. And they're
going to have all their sins cleansed. And they're going to
be made holy through me. My. All those Old Testament sacrifices
could never take away sin, right? And here's the preeminent sacrifice,
the only one who can take away the sins of God's people. And
his name is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, God incarnate
in the flesh. And only through the Lord Jesus
Christ can sinners be forgiven. And we sinners hear about this
wonderful truth as the Holy Spirit of God regenerates us, right?
We receive this truth then after we're born again, and God gives
us an understanding of the truth. He gives us faith to believe
on Christ, and then he gives us an understanding of the Scriptures,
the truth. And we learn about the good news
of the atonement by the blood and sacrifice of Christ, and
the Holy Spirit seals our conscience, doesn't he? to this fact that
we're washed in the precious blood of Christ. And then what
happens? Well, we have comfort and joy
then, don't we? Because of this precious truth
of all our sins forgiven, the fact that Christ sanctified himself,
he set himself apart that we might be made holy. So Christ
is bringing forth in this verse, the truth that he's setting himself
apart as a sacrifice for our sin. which is well-pleasing and
acceptable to God, right? God will only accept the sacrifice
of Christ, no other sacrifice. We see that pictured in Cain
and Abel, right? Cain bought the sacrifice of
his hands, his own works, and Abel bought the proper sacrifice,
the lamb, which pictured the Lord Jesus Christ. And Abel was
saying, I can't save myself. But this sacrifice pitches my
Messiah, pitches the one who's gonna bleed and die for my sins.
My oh my. And only through Christ again
can sinners be forgiven. There's no other way. No other
way. And he set himself, Christ set
himself apart that we might be made acceptable to God and through
Christ Jesus our Lord, that we might be made holy. Turn if you
would to Ephesians chapter 1. This truth is brought forth in
the book of Ephesians in chapter 1. This precious, precious truth
is brought forth very, very clearly in the book of Ephesians. Ephesians
chapter 1 verses 3 to 7. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, look at this, who had blessed us with
ALL. All spiritual blessings were
in Christ, in heavenly places, in Christ. According as he had chosen us in him. I'll say it, that's pretty clear,
isn't it? God chose us in him, in Christ,
when? Before the foundation of the
world. That we should be, now there's
a purpose to it, right? That we should be holy. Who are we
holy in? Christ and Him alone. And without
blame before Him in love. Who are we? Who are we without
blame before God the Father in love? In Christ Jesus our Lord.
Isn't that wonderful? Isn't that so wonderful? That's
wonderful. It gets even better though. Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
Himself, according to the good pleasure of whose will. His will,
God's will, not mine. Because you know what, our will,
we never would have come to Christ in our natural state. But according
to his will, that's the best news I've heard in a while. Since I heard the good news,
I never heard any more bad news. I like that. Oh, my. Look at
this. To the praise of the glory of
his grace. That's what we looked at on Sunday,
right? Bless the Lord, O my soul. To
the praise and the glory of his grace. Wherein he, God did this. Man doesn't do this. This is
something God's done. Wherein he hath made us accepted
in who? The beloved. Who's the beloved?
That's Christ. in whom all we have redemption
through his blood the given of his life and look at this the
forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace riches amen freedom brother oh what
freedom Do you know that the Father sanctified us in divine
election, and the Son sanctified us by his sacrifice, and the
Holy Spirit sanctified us in regeneration, in calling and
in belief of the truth? Remember what he is offering. Christ is
offering up himself. The high priest is offering up
himself. And think of this, when he was
on Calvary's cross, he's the high priest, he's the offering,
he's the altar, he's the sacrifice, and it's his blood that redeems
us from our sins. One commentator said, this was
his mission from the womb to the tomb. to save his people
from their sins. And beloved at his death, the
Passover lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, think of this, he was
roasted in the fire of God's wrath. Remember they were to
roast up the whole thing? He was roasted in the fire of
God's wrath. Why? That we might be partakers
of his holiness, that we might be set apart, that we might be
made holy in Christ. By the witch quill, we are sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. So let us leave here tonight,
beloved of God, in awe and wonder that you and I, God's elect sinners
who trust the Lord Jesus Christ, are the special objects of all
that the Lord Jesus Christ came to do. And we can tell here that we were on his mind. With
these words, neither pray I for those alone, but for them also,
which shall believe on me through their word. Bless you and I, beloved. And let us leave here rejoicing
in verse 19, and for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they
also might be sanctified through the truth. The Son of God set
himself apart to be a sin offering, that we might be sanctified,
that we might be made holy by the hearing and believing of
the gospel, by the power of God the Holy Spirit. Do you know
our sanctification is threefold? We who are the born-again, blood-washed
saints of God are sanctified by God the Father in election.
Jude says this, Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of
James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved
in Jesus Christ and called, mercy unto you and peace and love be
multiplied. We who are the born-again, blood-washed
saints of God are sanctified by the Son in redemption, 1 Corinthians
1, verses 1-3. Paul, called to be an apostle
of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sotheus, our brother,
unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are
sanctified in Christ Jesus. My, oh my, called to be saints
with all that in every place, call upon the name of Jesus Christ
our Lord, both theirs and ours. Grace be unto you and peace from
God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. And we who are
the born again blood washed saints of God are sanctified by the
Holy Spirit of God in regeneration. The Holy Spirit of God through
the instrumentality of the word of God, 1 Peter chapter 1 verses
1 to 2. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ
to the strangers scattered throughout Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia,
Asia, and Bithynia. elect according to the foreknowledge
of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace unto you
and peace be multiplied. Again, our sanctification, beloved,
is of the Lord, just as our salvation is of the Lord. It's all Him. It's all Him. Our salvation is
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Glory to his name,
amen and amen.