Let Him Be Seen Through Us

In an age and climate where so much division not only lingers but pollutes our atmospheres in culture it is vital that we turn our focus to scripture. In John 17 Jesus prays boldly and clearly expressing the heart of God for His people. We are reminded that no matter what politics, opinions, or shifting winds may bring what is most important is abiding and knowing the truth: the One True God, Yahweh. May we draw encouragement from John 17 and find unity by returning our hearts to Him.

God sent His Son

God knew even before the sin of Adam and Eve that mankind would need redemption, and He had a plan. Not only did He send His Son as an atonement for our sin, but He sent Jesus so that we may come to know the Father through the Son. John 17:1-5 begins with,

“Jesus spoke these things; and raising His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, so that the Son may glorify You, just as You gave Him authority over all mankind, so that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do. And now You, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world existed.” John 17:1-5

It is through the salvation that Christ offers that we may come to the Father, and it is there that we as human beings may take hold of eternal life. This is a glorious promise that we often gloss over because we have heard it repeated over and over in church but let us not do that today. Let us stand in awe and gratitude at the marvel that it is that not only has Christ bridged the gap between God and man, not only has He atoned for our sin, but then we are offered life beyond the breath of this time here on earth to be with the Father in Heaven for eternity. What a loving, pure, and forgiving Father we have, may we praise Him for this in our hearts daily. We also can see that this was God’s plan for redemption all along, for Jesus was not created after the Fall of mankind as verse five implies. We see that Christ has been in glory with the Father since the world existed, and then in love came to the earth for the redemption of man by becoming a man and dying for us. May we be ever mindful of this selfless love through Christ Jesus.

What is Christ’s is Given By God The Father

It is through Christ that we are given a lens of truth and renewal, it is through the Holy Spirit of God that we are transformed and that we may die to ourselves, die to our flesh, and be truly made new. Verse six exemplifies how a changed heart that has experienced the revelation of Christ is to live,

“I have revealed Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have followed Your word. Now they have come to know that everything which You have given Me is from You.” John 17:6-7

In these verses we also come to recognize that everything that Christ has been given has been given by the Father. In that progression everything we have been given through Christ is then also from the Father, for He and the Father are united as One. This is the Father’s heart, that we may be together with Him in unity, not in division. This unity comes from living in the truth given through God’s Word, not the word of the culture around us or by pressure and popularity the earth proclaims.

Not of this World, Rather Ambassadors

When we are made new through being born again, we can experience living in the truth of God. This will seem immensely countercultural, but it is because we are no longer living by the standards, the whims, and the ever-changing opinions the world operates in. Verse thirteen reminds us that when we are reborn through Christ, we are then therefore vessels of God here on earth. We no longer are citizens of this world, rather ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven,

“But now I am coming to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one.” John 17:13-15

We should not be surprised when we then receive pushback, assault, attack, or mocking jeers at our faith. The world has hated Jesus, and because of that the world will hate us—but we are not of this world. This does not mean that we ought to seclude ourselves from the world, but it does mean that we should stand firm when we have the opportunity to speak. In an age where everyone with a smart phone or computer can have the ability to have a platform, we ought to use such platforms for the Lord to speak truth with His leading. He may lead you to be bold and fierce, or to come with a soft but firm approach, but do not underestimate how He can use you as a conduit of Heaven in this age. You are a child of God, an ambassador of Heaven, and your voice matters.

Let us Shine for Him

How we live will reveal who we belong to by our actions, by our words, and by our lives. Let us come back to the fountain of God over and over again for refreshment, for renewal, and for fresh revelations so that we may continuously be unified in Him. Verse twenty-two shines light in the prayer of Jesus’s heart,

^“The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one;  I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. “Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:22-26

Christ lives in us when we have yielded to Him to be our Lord and Savior. We were first God’s creation and image bearers (Genesis 1:27) but we then are light-bearers in heart of the Holy Spirit as we are reborn through salvation in Christ. This salvation unifies us with the Lord.

In a world of great divide and confusion let us become mindful to stay unified with God. Let us speak truth rooted in the Word of God through scripture and let us not fall prey to the schemes of the enemy. We can do this by staying in the Word, by constantly surrendering ourselves for sanctification, pruning, and refinement, and by walking moment by moment in prayer with God.

Let us not fall into the threats of fear and hide the Light within us under a lampshade (Matthew 5:15), nor silence our voices just because the world disagrees. Ask God to reveal to your own heart where you can glorify Him during this age in time. Above all else ask God how you can unite with Him not just daily, but in every moment to find security, peace, and wisdom. Then take that experience and encourage others, even those who have already been saved, to draw near to God. You were put on this earth for a very specific purpose and timing, and perhaps this is the time for you to shine His Light to draw others into knowing what life and life abundantly really means.

Sources:

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Jhn/Jhn_017.cfm