I Have Given Them Your Word

Tools are important for completing a task.

Some of us less handy people jokingly say, just give me a hammer and some duct tape and I'll be fine. But all in all, we really know that the right tool will help us to accomplish the tasks that are before us. How are we going to do this job God's given us as a church? He has called his people to make disciples. As followers of Christ, we're to be and make authentic followers of Christ and in some ways, this is a test of our genuineness.

This is a test of our authenticity. Are we really following Christ and are we really helping others to follow Christ at home? Genuine followers of Christ make disciples with their kids.

In the workplace, in the gym, in the neighborhood, in your social circles, genuine followers of Christ make followers of Christ. We're going to be in John 17 today and the title of the message is I Have Given Them Your Word. John is a great book like all the other 65 books of the canon of scripture and John gives us a clear picture of who Jesus is. He is writing to make disciples. We get this in his purpose statement in John 20 in verse 30.

Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book, but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in his name. John wrote that we might place our faith in Jesus, that we would become Jesus' followers and that we would experience eternal life and that life that we experience deep down just flows out and becomes a part of how we live and the life that we share with others. Just before John 17, Jesus is teaching his followers about the Holy Spirit who would come. Once Jesus dies and is resurrected, he goes to sit at the right hand of his father and he and his father would send the Holy Spirit who would come and indwell his people and help us to do this job of making disciples.

The Spirit would guide us, teach us, give us the words, comfort us, and convict us. But the night before Jesus was arrested, John 17, he spent time praying. Vintage Jesus praying to his father, instructive for us as he models a life of dependency upon his father. Some call it the Lord's Prayer, others call it the high priestly prayer, but it reveals what's on his heart, what's important to him, what he wants to make sure happens before he leaves and after he leaves earth.

We see very clearly the tool he provides to do his work. The first part of John 17, the first five verses, Jesus prays for himself. Then we get where we're going to focus today, John 17, 6 through 19, where he focuses on the 12, his disciples that he had called, he had spent these three years of ministry with, he had personally instructed. And then of course, in verses 20 through 26, he prays for all they will, all who will follow. His disciples that he has made, they're charged to make more disciples who will make disciples. And so those last verses are more or less Jesus praying for his church that will follow them.

So read with me, John 17, follow along, verses nine through nine, verses six through 19, I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world, yours they were, and you gave them to me and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. And I have given them the words that you gave me and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you and they have believed that you sent me.

I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me for, they are yours. All mine are yours and yours are mine. And I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. And I am coming to you, Holy father, keep them in your name. Once you have given me that they may be one, even as we are one, while I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them. And not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction that the scripture might be fulfilled.

But now I'm coming to you. And these things, I speak in the world that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word and the world has hated them because they're not of this, of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I'm not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth.

Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world. So I have sent them into the world. And for their sake, I consecrate myself that they also may be sanctified in truth. Did you notice as we read through that text, how many times God's words were mentioned?

I have given them your word. And Jesus stresses that in his conversation with his father and in the intercession that he makes on the 12th behalf, he's focusing on God's word. One of the great points in the apostolic ministry is given is the giving of the word.

The early church grew because their foundation was on the word of God. In Acts chapter 2, we see it up front. Just after the Holy Spirit was given on the day of Pentecost, it says that the disciples continued steadfastly in the apostles teaching, the apostles doctrine, and in prayer, breaking of bread, and fellowship. But notice the emphasis on the apostles doctrine. And God blessed their work because they stayed true to the apostles doctrine, the teaching that Jesus had given them. It goes on and says in Acts 2 47, and the Lord added daily, such as were being saved.

God was blessing their work. God was working through the ministry of the word in the early church. And it was a part of that apostolic ministry that we're seeing here in Acts, excuse me, John 17. It's also described over in the book of Ephesians.

Hold your place here. Look over in Ephesians chapter 2 in verse 19. We see the foundation that was given for the church as far as the word of God, the written word of God. Ephesians 2 19 says, so then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but your fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets Christ, Jesus himself being the cornerstone. Look over in Ephesians three, we see the same emphasis verses four and five. When you read this, when you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men and other generations, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the spirit.

Do you see what I'm getting at here? This tool that we have in the Bible, the word of God is what Jesus gave the apostles to pass along to us. We see this emphasized all through the new Testament.

We could look over in second Peter chapter three in verse two and see the same idea of the foundation of the apostles and what God did in that time period to authenticate the message that they would be writing down. Jesus gave them exactly what we needed to do his work. We have now what they needed, the spirit who would come to them. And they had what we needed. He, Jesus gave them the words of God for us so that we could do this work of making disciples.

So let me give you three quick points and then we'll do some application. First, the word is seen. The word is seen. In John 17 verse six, Jesus said, I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. What does it mean for Jesus to manifest the name? The name of God represents who God is, the character of God, the person of God.

Jesus made God known to the people. In the beginning was the word, the logos, the expression of who God is. The second member of the Trinity, God, the son in the beginning was the word.

He's always been with the father. Like the spirit has been with the father. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.

Jesus is God. And so how did God make himself known to us? Well, John 1 14 tells us and the word became flesh. The word became flesh. The theological word that we use for that is incarnation.

I'm going to ask all of our kids and students, if you're taking some notes, write that word down, incarnation, and let's define it. Incarnation is the eternal son of God, without ceasing to be God, took on a fully human nature. He showed us what life in the flesh should look like. He showed us what God is like. And by doing so, he showed us that he was qualified to die for the sins of the world. Fully God, fully man, another good word that we use, the hypostatic union, it sounds supernatural because it is. God himself took on human flesh.

So now we have one being fully God and fully human. He was qualified to die for our sins as a perfect man, as the sinless lamb of God. And he was qualified because he's God himself, though perfectly innocent and righteous for our sake, he made himself to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. The word of God is seen because Jesus is the expression of God, the word of God.

This word of God is perfect without sin. The apostles laid their eyes on him that qualified them to write about him and to be inspired to write about him. They were eyewitnesses and so every book we have in the New Testament has its connection to one of the apostles, the apostolic authority. They were not only eyewitnesses, they were ear witnesses.

They heard everything that he had to say while he was here in that three year period. They were hand witnesses. They touched him and felt his humanity. And John later in the letters writes about that. First John chapter one, that which we've seen, that which we've heard, that which we've touched, him we proclaim to you. He is the word of God. We see the word of God because Jesus made God known. Second point, the word is spoken.

Look in verse 15, excuse me, verse eight of chapter 17. For I have given them the words that you gave me. They have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you and they have believed that you sent me. The key word for that first point, the word is seen as incarnation. The key word for the second point is inspiration. Again, if you want to write this down, it's God led the human writers to write down what he intended. God inspired these words. Jesus told them that he was going to send his spirit who would remind him of everything that he had said and would even show them what is to come. And they would write these words down. It was not only seen as the New Testament was written, but it was told by Jesus himself that that's what would happen. So they did not write down their own thoughts, but God's.

Jesus prepared them for what they would write down and led them in the very writing and now he's preserved it for us today. Is it too difficult for God to do such a thing as this? The God who created the world? Of course not. The God who raises the dead?

Of course not. And Jesus himself authenticates what he said. The I am statements of his divinity, the seven signs that John gives that authenticates that he is the son of God able to act outside of the human realm in a supernatural realm. He is God and this is what he told his followers that he would give them a tool.

The word is spoken. He spoke it to the disciples and they would be inspired by the spirit to write down the very words that he had spoken. So what about all the other so-called holy books?

Isn't that one of those things that our students here in our high schools and colleges? Now how is this any different from the Quran? How's this any different from the Book of Mormon? How's this any different from any of that? Don't all religions have holy books?

And I would say first shouldn't we expect that of the enemy that he would come up with cheap imitations and substitutions? To me that's not casting doubt that the word of God, the Bible, is true. It's confirming that it is true because the enemy, this liar, this deceiver, would love to lead people astray and he comes up with all of these lies and deceptions, false religions, imitating, mimicking, and that's what the enemy does best is try to imitate and lead people astray.

Jesus affirmed the Old Testament said not one dot would be left from an I, not one cross would be left from a T, not one jot, not one tittle. He fulfilled the Old Testament by living it out perfectly and he explained more about God in his very teachings, instructing his followers. So what we have is a book from start to finish that's an autobiography of God. From Genesis, the Revelation, we have a book from the Father about the Son by the Spirit. The Godhead in complete unity and perfect joy gave the people of God a book from God so that we could know him, enjoy him, and glorify him. The apostles received from the word of God the very words of God. We see Jesus, he's known as the word of God. The word of God is a person, but the word of God is also a book as Jesus promised and the Spirit delivered that we would have the very words of God given to the apostles, passed down through the generations as Jesus is perfect.

We have a perfect book because it was given from perfection, Jesus himself. Third point, the word is secure. Not only is it seen in Jesus, it's spoken by Jesus, and it's secure through Jesus.

The word is secure. Our key word for this third point is intercession. Intercession is the ability to bring two parties together. We as human beings are in the middle of a conversation between the eternal Son of God and the eternal Father of God.

They're communing in these first verses and then Jesus begins to make certain requests. He intercedes on our behalf. He brings holy, sinful people to a holy God. He is that mediator, the one and only mediator.

He is the arbiter that Job longed for. Jesus intercedes, that's why we're secure in the family of God. That's why the word of God can be trustworthy and reliable because Jesus gave it.

The word is secure. He bridges the gap between God and man. And do you think the Father hears the Son in these petitions that he lifts up?

Well, I have some good news for you. The Father always hears the Son. What we're going to see in these petitions, Jesus asks and the Father delivers. There's no question that the Father hears and delivers.

I love the example in John 11 when Jesus is confronted with an opportunity that's an impossible opportunity. Lazarus is in the tomb. Will he be raised from the dead? Well, it's all dependent on the prayer of Jesus. Notice in John 11 verse 41, so they took away the stone and Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me.

But I said this on account of the people standing around that they may believe that you sent me. We're secure in the hand of God. We could not be saved if Jesus had not prayed for us.

We could not be secure, sustained. We couldn't persevere in the faith if Jesus had not prayed for us. And the good news gets even better because it's not even just a one-time prayer. Jesus continually prays for us. Hebrews 7 25, he ever lives to make intercession for us. At the right hand of God, we are seated in the heavenlies with the Son of God, Jesus himself.

We're secure. So who is he really praying for in this text? Well, he's praying for his followers. The followers also that his followers were make. He made disciples who would make disciples. Why is he praying for them? Well, we get it in verse 10, all mine are yours and yours are mine and I am glorified in them.

It's for his glory. That's why he's not praying for the world. His followers will go into the world.

They're not of the world. At least yet, some of them may, but he's glorified as his disciples make disciples. So what is he praying for them?

Well, their protection. Notice in verse 11, and I am no longer in the world, but they're in the world and I'm coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you've given me that they may be one, even as we are one. God protects his body, his church, his people. Jesus is praying for his immediate followers, that God would take care of them, that his Father would protect them in his name, that they'll be one and united and that they'll have his joy as you continue reading on in that passage. But he's also praying for their sanctification, that they'll grow in their faith. Notice down in verse 17, sanctify them in the truth.

Your word is truth. Grow them, set them apart, not only protect them, but grow them in the truth of the word, the revealed word, and sanctify them in the redemptive work of Christ. Verse 19, and for their sake I consecrate myself that they also may be sanctified in truth. You will not serve or even be saved without Jesus. We are saved and we serve because of Jesus. It's the gospel of God that saves us. It's the gospel of God that grows us. We never outgrow the gospel. We just grow into the gospel and grow deeper into the gospel and that's sanctification. When we're saved, we're justified.

We're declared innocent before God because our sins have been paid for. But then we began this growth process in the word. Jesus intended for his followers to be set apart for the mission and to be sent to do the mission. They were to make disciples who would make disciples and he gave them the tool, God's word, to do the work.

So let me give you four ways to apply this this morning. I hope this is a foundational message to say, okay, what does this mean then? You've given us some theology, you've given us some doctrine, you've told us the word of God is true and we can count on it.

Well, this is what it should look like in your life now. We, since Jesus has given us his word, we have the truth. It's absolute. You don't have to wonder, is this the word of God?

Is this true? It is. It has stood the test of time under attack and criticism. The word of God still stands today and the people of God are able to live according to the word of God. God has preserved it. It's eternal.

It is secure. We're never going to have going to have the word of God stamped out. No matter what someone may tell you in a university setting, no matter what somebody may tell you from a media outlet, the word of God will stand and last forever.

We have the truth. Secondly, we have the task is to make disciples. Even in this prayer that Jesus was praying specifically for the 12, he's saying, as you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

There's a job to do. There's an assignment that's been given and that task is to make disciples. It started with Jesus. He gave it to the apostles who then gave it to followers for generations to come. Not everyone will stand in a pulpit and preach a sermon to hundreds or thousands or even to millions, but Jesus fully expects every one of his followers to make disciples. It's very clear before he ascended back into heaven, the great commission in Matthew 28, go and make disciples.

We started our homes. Dads, if you're a follower of Christ, what is God called you to do? Make disciples in your own home. Dads, don't entrust that to anybody else. Don't delegate that to anybody else. You are the primary disciple maker.

Moms, you come alongside of dad. You're a primary disciple maker along with dad. You're teaching and you're training your children, children and students. If you have a mom and dad who opens up the word of God in your house, who brings up the word of God in the course of conversations, I know you may feel like you're going to get a lecture in that moment, but thank God that your mom and dad's being obedient to Jesus. They're making disciples. They're bringing the word of God to bear in their homes and they're teaching you what it means to love Jesus, what it means for Jesus to love you, what it means to follow him, what it means to obey him. They're preparing you for much more than just a good job here on earth. They're preparing you much more than just for a good marriage one day. I hope that's true of you, but what I hope is more true of you as a child, as a student, is that they're preparing you for heaven one day.

This life gets by us quickly. And the longer someone puts off a decision to follow Christ, the surrender of following Christ, it's interesting how the world has a way of hardening hearts and the great number of people who become followers of Christ do it in those early years when their hearts are tender, when they're soft, when, when they have that childlike feeling that light faith and oftentimes people, their hearts grow hard. I've seen people up into their 80s say no to Christ saying, I'm not ready yet. You think, how hard can someone's heart be to know that they may not have much more time on earth?

None of us knows how much time we're going to have on earth, but we have a task and we're to be making disciples and it starts at home and it grows into our neighborhoods, into our workplaces and all the places that God takes us. And I love the fact that we have the tool. It's the right tool for this job God's given us. It's the words of God. The results are not dependent on you parents. Your effectiveness as a parent isn't dependent on you.

It's dependent on if you know how to use this tool. God is able to change hearts and he's given us a tool to do heart work with. And it's the word of God. It's not dependent on you.

It's not dependent on you. If you're going to reach your neighborhood or not, are you going to bring the word of God with you and let God do it? Only he does through the word.

We have a tool. God does his work through you, but more importantly, through the power of his word, take up the sword of the spirit. We are in this world for a reason. Jesus didn't save you and then, okay, now I'm going to take you on up into heaven. He has left you here. He left his disciples. He didn't spend that time with them and convince them and help them to come to faith in him and then say, okay, let's all go.

He left them here on earth. They had a purpose, they had a purpose, a mission to make disciples of all the nations. And as we start in our own homes and it begins to grow out, God uses us through the power of his word. You've been given a tool and that tool is what God uses to change lives. I love how Jesus said this in John chapter eight in verse 31. So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, if you abided my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. You see, the truth is tied to God's word and our freedom is tied to God's word.

It's the truth. How are you going to be free? Just doing whatever you want. No, that leads to bondage.

So I don't want to be tied to a book. Isn't that legalism? Well, no, this is what brings us freedom. Christ brings us freedom through the truth of his word. He gives us instructions to live life like he meant for it to be lived. What a joyous thing in life to live like God intended. And when you live like you intend and like you desire and what comes naturally from these wicked hearts of ours is bondage and it does not lead to what is good and eternally it does not lead to what is good when we stand before God. We have a tool.

We have a team as well. As you learn how to use this tool correctly and accurately and invest in learning and growing in the word of God, know that you have a body of believers around you, a team, the church, one body for the one God to do the one task. The oneness of God is modeled for us that we might be one and that we might be one in purpose and mission. As great of a church as Calvary is, it's filled with sinners. But I believe a group of sinners who know the Savior, a group of sinners who are pursuing Christ's likeness and obedience to Christ and the church is where he does his work. You come to the church to be equipped for the work of the ministry. Ephesians 4, 11 and 12, we gather together to be equipped and to be sent. We're a family where we fellowship together in small groups and one-on-one we disciple people. You come to church to find discipleship and mentors and older men speaking into younger men's lives and older women speaking into younger women's lives.

God provides that in the body of Christ. This is a place where that's happening. This is a good place. There's some older men, some of you younger men ought to be lining up at their door. Hey, do you have some time? There are some older women in this church, some of you younger ladies ought to be knocking. Hey, do you have some time? Can we grab some coffee? Because there's some older men and older women who love the Word of God.

They love the Word of God and they will teach you how to study it, how to read it, how to apply it in your home, how to be a godly husband, how to be a godly wife, how to be a godly parent, how to follow Christ in the workplace, how to live out your faith and make disciples who will make disciples. Have you ever picked up your order from a restaurant or a coffee shop and not gotten what you ordered? A couple of weeks ago I went through a drive-through and my normal order on the way to work, cup of coffee, a little bit of cream, a little bit of sugar. I admit I'm weak, I need some doctoring to my coffee. As I drove away, started going down the road, I reached down to the cup and took a sip and it was not what I ordered. And so I looked down on the label and it said caramel macchiato.

Man, that was really good. I wasn't going to dare turn around and take that back and they wouldn't have taken it anyway. I'd already, you know, drunk out of it. I don't think I could do that too many times, that wouldn't be too good, that much sugar, but that morning I drove in pretty happy.

That was a really good drink. My relationship with God's been a little bit like that. You know when I signed up, when I threw up the white flag and said, God, I know I'm a sinner. When the Holy Spirit had been working on me, drawing me, convicting me, and I was guilty and I knew the guilt of my sin and I knew what I deserved. I knew I deserved a place called Hell, an eternal separation from God forever. I knew I deserved that and I threw up that white flag because I didn't want to experience and I threw up that white flag because I didn't want to experience that guilt anymore and I didn't want that fear of Hell anymore. I got so much more than that. As I began to grow in my faith, I began to learn what it was like to have a Heavenly Father.

Wow. Being able to talk to Him anytime and to just love Him and to know that He cared about me and loved me. I began to really think more deeply about Jesus. What all He had done for me. Could I believe that the eternal Son of God would take on human flesh, come to Earth, die in my place, what I deserved, to give me the freedom to know God and enjoy Him, to restore me into a relationship with God. And in the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit who would woo me to Himself and not only woo me but then come in to dwell in me and lead me and grow me, sanctify me, give me the fruit of the Spirit.

I got so much more than I signed up for. And the Word of God's a lot like that too, isn't it? I remember coming to faith as an 11 year old boy. And I was told, Rodney, man, you need to start reading your Bible.

Read this book. And I approached it like more of a legalistic, okay, that's my duty now. I'm a follower of Christ. I'm going to read the Bible. And after a while, that duty began to change. The more I learned about God, because this book is about our great and glorious God. This book just unfolds the majesty and the mystery of God, the Father and the Son and the Spirit. And the more I read this book, it began to turn more from duty to delight. As I began to sit under the preaching of the Word, and man, it became real. And the more I began to eat the Word of God myself, I don't want to be false or paint any unreal picture. There are days that even now I read because I know it's the right thing to do. Every day is not a feast, but more and more days are a feast.

You know, it's not what I thought. I thought this duty and I would learn and I would grow, but I had no idea that I would begin to enjoy. And I would begin to love the Word of God, that this tool would actually become a treasure for me. And I could read a lot of verses of scripture, but I've chosen two Psalms this morning to talk about how that duty turns into delight, how that tool is more than just a tool, it's a treasure. Psalm 1, blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight.

Have you got there yet follower of Christ? But his delight is in the law of the Lord. And on his law, he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither and all that he does, he prospers. And again, I could read all of Psalm 119, but I'm not sure you'd want to hear me read all 175 verses. Let me take one paragraph, verses 97 through 103.

Oh, how I love your law. It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the age for I keep your precepts. I hold back my feet from every evil way in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules for you have taught me how sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth. I love the word of God. I don't know, what about you?

Do you love the, I know many of you do. That's one reason you're here at Calvary Church because you love the word of God. And there's a pastor that preaches the word of God and a staff that leads you in the word of God.

But what about you? Do you really love the word of God? I think sometimes people stay babes in Christ and they never get their feet wet.

So I tried that and it didn't work for me. What they mean is that it got harder. They didn't understand some things, or they didn't really have anybody to walk alongside of them and disciple them. Are you staying as a babe in Christ? Some, some maybe you're in a dry time. We had dry times. We ebb and flow and God renew our hunger and our thirst for the word of God.

Maybe that's your prayer today. And then there are those who never have been born again because the carnal man, the worldly man, the man without Christ even does not understand the things of God. Have you been born again? I think one of those evidences of, of new birth is that there's a hunger and thirst like newborn babes.

There's a, a sincere desire for the milk of the word. What sometimes concerns me is that there are people who are around the word for many years and they never place their faith in the person, the word of God, or they never surrender to the teaching of the word of God. Judas, he was one of the 12. He was around the word of God in flesh. He saw God incarnate Jesus. He heard those teachings over the years, but instead of surrendering to the word of God, he went his own way. That concerns me about people who are in the church for years and never, never open up this book. Is there really a relationship with God?

Nothing would please me more than if you had those questions, you would text or email or call or see one of the pastors or elders. God wants you to be sure of your salvation. John said that in another place. First John 5 13, I've written these things to you who believe on the name of the son of God so that you may know you have eternal life. Maybe you've been failing and using it as a tool.

Have you studied or are you ready to use it correctly and accurately? Maybe even in your own home, you've not been faithful to this task. Let me pray for you. Father, I thank you for your word.

You knew what we would need in 2021. You knew we would need these words. The words you gave to the apostles that we would now take to the world around us. I pray for this body of believers that there might be a unity around this word, that there might be joy in your word and that we might take it to this world and let you do the work that only you can do in the hearts and lives of men and women, boys and girls. Help us to be disciples who make disciples who will make disciples because we've taken seriously your love for us and this book, this tool, these words that you have given us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.