In the World, Not of the World?
Part 5
(As part of a series entitled “Out of the Skillet and Into the Fire”)

John 17:16
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

Last week, we promised to get right to the context of John 17:16, and so we will. Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure, plus much more. In John 14:28 and 16:7, Jesus puts it this way, “I go away.” By this, Jesus does not mean He is going from Bethany to Jerusalem and leaving them behind, but rather that He is about to allow Himself to be crucified and die. Now, Jesus has been preparing the disciples for His crucifixion for quite some time. Plus, the Apostle John details for us in John 1 that John the Baptist actually told whoever would listen that Jesus would give His life for sinners.

John 1:29
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

It is important to remember that at least two of John the Baptist’s followers became disciples of Jesus. So, they actually heard about Jesus’ death before they started following Jesus. Now, here is the kicker! They heard about Jesus’ death before His ministry, during Jesus’ 3 ½ year ministry and they actually witnessed His death on the cross. But during these events they did not understand the purpose of Jesus’ death! It was only after Jesus’ resurrection that Jesus’ disciples and others really began to understand God’s full purpose in all these events.

Here is the Biblical proof straight from John that they did not understand what Jesus was doing:

John 12:12-16
12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.
16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

However, the immediate context of verse 17:16 won’t be completely realized by His disciples until the day of Pentecost.

Doctor Luke expounds further upon God’s plan for Jesus’ followers in His Gospel.
Luke 24:49
“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."

Next week, we hope to conclude our exploration of “In the World, Not of the World.”

Since, I have used multiple titles and sub-titles for our exploration of Jesus’ statement recorded by John in what we call John 17:16, plus since our subtitle for the series is entitled (“Out of the Skillet and Into the Fire”)…
I think we will call the concluding part:

NOT EVEN A HINT OF SMOKE!