Easter 7: Gospel, John 17:11b-19                                            

John 17:11b-19

Holy Ground. We have all heard that phrase and whether or not we think of the Bible specifically when we hear it, we know the subject is one for high attention. I think most of us would think of the Bible upon hearing it and it hearkens back to Moses receiving the Law from the LORD on Sinai so many, many centuries ago.

Moses received a warning from the LORD to remove his sandals. This was no mere conference call, ZOOM gathering or a quarterly visit to the CEO. This was seeing and hearing Yahweh. Well, in the seventeenth of John we walk (or read) on similar territory. We are ushered into the very presence of our Lord as He communes with His Father the night before His crucifixion. Could there be holier ground?

The entire exchange (and yes prayer is an exchange because there is always an active listener) is a feast but there is a repeated phrase to which I want us to pay attention. Verse 14b: “ … they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” And again, verse 16: “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” It is my favorite portion of Jesus’ prayer. What has He done for us? Here’s my answer: Jesus has taken us up into Himself. Philosophy? Trite platitude? Hardly. No, Jesus the Creator of all has truly recreated those who are His and we, by faith, through the mysterious operation of the Holy Spirit are truly changed to be as Jesus is.

Here’s the rub. All the Bible study, all the commentary searching won’t truly bring that to light. And I am completely certain that this side of seeing our Savior “in the flesh,” we cannot know the depth of this truth.  But isn’t it a sublime question to ponder? There are many places in Holy Scripture the Holy Spirit gives us like this one and we spend far too little time just pondering and yes, wondering. To whatever this speaks, verse 18 may give us a glimpse for Jesus in His prayer says, “As You have sent them into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” Sounds a bit like the other passages. Just a bit, perhaps.

So, at least one facet may be that we are like Him to carry out a similar mission. Not to die for the world. He’s completed that task. But, like Jesus, we can and must always put His Father on display. 

To quote an old hymn, “Great things He hath done.” Amen.