In the World, Not of The World?
Part 6 and Conclusion
(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.”

NOT EVEN A HINT OF SMOKE!

Do you remember the events surrounding the three Hebrew children in Daniel Chapter 3? Being in the world, not of the world is exactly like that! Let’s look at some obvious parallels between what is going on with Jesus’ Disciples and the Hebrew Children.

In Daniel, the Hebrew Children are God’s servants.
In John, the Disciples are God’s servants.

In Daniel, the world hates the Hebrew Children.
In John, the world hates the Disciples.

In Daniel, Jesus walks with the Hebrew Children.
In John, Jesus walks with the Disciples. (Something more to say on this below)

In Daniel, because of Jesus the Hebrew Children emerge from the fire without a hint smoke.
In John, because of Jesus the Disciples will emerge from the fire without a hint of smoke.

By Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, all of us who believe can be “In the World, but not of the World”. Yeah, sometimes we might have to walk through the fire, but if we put on the whole armor of God as Paul describes in Ephesians 6, we will emerge from the battle without even a hint of smoke.

One might say, well the parallels stop there because we all know most of Jesus’ Disciples were martyred and the Hebrew Children survived. In light of that, let us look at one more parallel. It’s not as obvious and it takes a little while to unfold, but it’s a parallel none the less.

In Daniel, the worldly-wise men run to King Nebuchadnezzar to report that the Hebrew Children are refusing to bow to the image Nebuchadnezzar has made and worship the gods of the Babylonians. King Neb decides to give them one more chance and the story unfolds as follows:

Daniel 3:13-18
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

We need to take particular note of two things the Hebrew Children said in this conversation. Number 1 begins in verse 16 when they respond “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.” Let me restate that by using a line from an old Statler Brothers Song called “The Fourth Man”. “They wouldn’t bend, they wouldn’t bow, and they wouldn’t burn.”

Number 2, verse 18 starts with “But if not…) You see the Hebrew Children were fully ready to lay down their life for Jesus, just as most of the Disciples were and did. Just like Jesus told His Disciples in John 15:13, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Remember, Jesus began all this by preparing His Disciples for the fact that He was about to go away, but that He was not going to leave them comfortless. He promised them another Comforter; a Comforter which would allow them to jump out of the skillet and into the fire as it were. In other words, this other Comforter would allow the Disciples and us to complete His mission of going to all the world and preaching the Gospel. It is this other Comforter that gives us the power to be “IN THE WORLD, BUT NOT OF THE WORLD”. It is this other Comforter that would bring the Disciples and us all through the fire, “WITHOUT EVEN A HINT OF SMOKE.”
John 14:26

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”