Title John 17:16-17
The new year 2003 has dawned. It has become a tradition to have a sermon on the first Sunday of the new year with the church motto of the year as the title. Last year we lived up to the motto, "Let's act as children of light." However, I came to think that it is absolutely necessary to be sanctified by the truth first in order to be able to act according to that motto. So, we have set the church motto for this year to be “Sanctify you with the truth.” In today's text, "Sanctify them with the truth, your word is truth" is one of the prayers Jesus made for his disciples in prayer to God the Father before he was taken to be crucified. If this was Jesus' earnest wish, we should strive to make it come true, and like Jesus, we should pray earnestly to God to make it happen.
What does it mean to be sanctified? The word “sanctify” means “set apart” or “set apart”. It refers to our dedication to the service of God. And to be “sanctified by the truth” means to devote our lives to conforming to and serving God’s truth as revealed in Jesus Christ. "Sanctify them in the truth" was saying that they, the disciples of Jesus, were not to be worldly. They must be holy people and set apart from the world to serve the Lord. “Sanctify me with the truth, for your word is truth” means that you can be sanctified only through the word of God, which is the truth. To be sanctified means not to be separate from the truth of God. God's word is truth. Therefore, we must not hesitate to accept and act on the Word of God. Sanctification is done in that way.
I said, “Sanctify me with the truth.” What is the truth? The Bible always speaks truth in relation to God. There is no truth that has nothing to do with God. Truth is a characteristic of God and a nature itself. The Old Testament often refers to God as "the God of truth." Psalm 31:5 says, "I put my spirit into thy hand; you have redeemed me, O LORD, God of truth." Isaiah 65:16 says, "Therefore, those who seek a blessing for themselves on earth will seek a blessing from the God of truth." And he who swears on earth will swear by the God of truth, for the former troubles are forgotten, and they are hidden from my eyes." We know the truth only when we know God.
Even in the New Testament, truth is mentioned in close connection with God, especially with Jesus Christ. The New Testament says that the truth of God itself is in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 4:21-24, "If ye have truly heard of him and been taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, then put off the old self, which is corrupt according to the lusts of deceit, and But be renewed in your spirit and put on the new man, which after God was created in righteousness and true holiness."
The truth, which is closely related to Jesus Christ, is a particularly important theme in the Gospel of John. 1:14 says, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." In 1:17, "the law was given through Moses, and grace and truth." came through Jesus Christ.” Jesus himself said that he was the truth: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
Therefore, the true truth must be understood in a close relationship with the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit continues the work of Jesus Christ. For the Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of truth” (14:17), the one who testifies to us of Christ (15:26), and the one who “leads us into all truth” (16:13). Because it is the Holy Spirit who stirs up faith in believers, makes them understand the truth, transforms them with the truth, and creates new people with the truth. 1 John 5:6 says that the Holy Spirit is the truth.
Therefore, I hope that it will be a year in which we do not follow the thoughts of men or the ways of the world, but strive to be with the Holy Spirit and receive his guidance. I want you to have a new year in which you do not follow worldly thoughts or judgments, but follow God's word thoroughly. Do not try to be a follower of anyone, but only be disciples of Jesus Christ. More than anything else, I wish this 2003 to be a year of sanctification for God. Only through the Holy Spirit and the Word can truth be found. To know Jesus Christ and God is the truth and eternal life. Only in this truth can we become holy. We must cast out all lies within us and become sanctified with the truth. Only then can we act like children of light, put on the new man, and truly become one. "Sanctify me in the truth." It is the subject of our prayers for this year and the goal of action.