Read John 17:6-19

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” — John 17:17

The words of Christ in this chapter of John’s Gospel are some of the last recorded words of Jesus before He would be betrayed, arrested and ultimately crucified. These words, however, were not directed toward His disciples, but toward God the Father — but they were for His disciples.

Jesus begins with a short prayer for Himself (see John 17:1), then for His immediate 12 disciples (see John 17:6), and then even for us who would later believe in Him (see John 17:20). We can imagine the disciple John resting nearby and recording the audible prayer of Christ as His agony toward the cross began.

And it is right here in Christ’s intimate prayer with the Father that we discover His heart’s desire for us, His disciples — that we would be sanctified by the Word of Truth.

The word “sanctify” as Jesus meant it carried the idea of purifying something through the process of intense cleansing and washing. If a vessel was to be used in the Temple of God for worship it needed to go through a meticulous process of washing in order to be considered purified and ready for use. Notice, a vessel was not purified for its own sake, but for the sake of becoming useful in the work of glorifying God.

This is what our Lord longs to see in His disciples — a people purified and ready for use in bringing glory to God. But this can only happened when His people are washed in the water of the Word — the very Word of Truth.

The Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, writes the same:

“[Christ] loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word…” (Ephesians 5:25–26)

If this is the case, which it most certainly is as it proceeds from the infallible mouth of Christ, then there is no greater privilege than to be a people who are being washed in God’s Word and walking in the Truth (see 3 John 4).

May we receive with meekness the implanted Word which saves our souls (see James 1:21) and desire the pure milk of the Word as newborn babes (see 1 Peter 2:2) and allow the Word of Christ to dwell in us richly in all wisdom and understanding (see Colossians 3:16).

When we do this, we not only are filled with the joy of being sanctified by truth, but we can relish in knowing that Christ’s prayer for us 2,000 years ago is being answered even right now.

“The words of the LORD are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times… Your word is very pure; Therefore Your servant loves it.” (Psalm 12:6; 119:140)

‍