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Guarded – John 17:6-19
When English settlers came to the new world they brought with them the concept of militias to help with their own defense. Citizens organized themselves into military units. The militia officially came to be known as the National Guard in 1916. We need a guard. Jesus was the disciples’ guard while he was here, but he was going away.
“I have made Your name known to the men You gave me out of the world. They were Yours and You gave them to me and they have kept Your word. They know now that everything you have given me is from You, because I have given them the words You gave me, and they have received them and known truly that I have come from You. And they have believed that You sent me.”
“I am asking You concerning them, not concerning the world, but concerning those You gave to me, because they are Yours. All mine are Yours and Yours are mine, and I have been glorified in them. I’ll no longer be in the world, but they will be in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name You have given me, that they may be one as we are. While I was with them I kept them in the name You have given to me. I guarded them, and not one of them perished, except the son of perishing, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to You, and I’m speaking these things in the world so that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I’ve given them Your word and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world. I’m not asking that you take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is the truth.”
“And just as You have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I have sanctified myself, that they also might be sanctified in the truth.” (John 17:6-19)
Jesus acknowledges these disciples before the Father as those the Father has given him as evidenced by the fact that they have received his word and kept it. They have believed through thick and thin. Jesus is leaving but they will remain in the world and need the Father’s help. Jesus helped them while here but they need protection from the evil one, who was successful in destroying only the son of destruction, Judas Iscariot, who was destined for the role he played as predicted in Scripture (John 13:18 and Psalm 41:9).
The ultimate protection, the ultimate setting apart (sanctification) is found in God’s truth, the message of the gospel that will keep them on the right path and steel them against the enemy’s lies. The Father sent Jesus with this message and he delivered it faithfully. Now Jesus sends us with the same responsibility. As he consecrated himself for the task, so must we.
Discussion Questions
- Have you ever had somebody who acted as your guard? What did that feel like?
- How do you see Jesus guarding the disciples while he was with them?
- Why could Jesus not guard Judas?
- Who is Jesus wanting his disciples to be protected from? What would that look like?
- Jesus dedicated himself to save his disciples and wanted them to be dedicated to the truth and go into the world as he did. Why do you think this was so important to him?
- In what way has Jesus sent you into the world?
About the Author Randall Johnson
A full-time pastor since 1979, Randall originally graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM) in 1979 and from Reformed Theological Seminary (DMin) in 1998. He is married with four grown children and a pile of epic grandchildren.
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