"They are not of the world, even as I am not of it." - John 17: 16
There is a thought of hope as I read this short statement of Jesus in light of what is to come in the way of the cross. He describes the disciples as not of the world, yet in a little while they will disperse in fear of the world...Peter will deny relationship with Jesus three times and the other disciples will scatter. So even though Jesus says this in His prayer the stark reality is they have some fear of the world around them...they're still attached.
This gives me hope, however, because this is what Jesus is seeing in them. They may desert in a few days, but he sees beyond their actions into their hearts and how they will be forever changed by the resurrection and giving of the Holy Spirit. At some point these 12 (11) guys will be about proclaiming a message of a greater Kingdom. So Jesus sees past the immediate actions of betrayal to the fear of this world to something deeper and something greater.
The second thought in these few words of Jesus is that being not of the world is identifying deeply with Christ. It does not dismiss the importance of being in the world, but it emphasizes it. Creator God makes Himself known through Jesus the Son...a living, breathing, visible, able to touch and hear person. God made himself man in a way so he could communicate his character, holiness, and nature to us. So there is a great emphasis on the importance of being in this world while yet being about something far beyond this world as we know it.
Jesus is praying for deep work in his disciples' hearts that will move them from the fear of the dispersion of the cross and hiding in the upper room to the boldness of the Spirit given to them in the beginnings of Acts. There is a movement and greater understanding among the disciples as Jesus reveals himself in the resurrection and gives His Spirit their call to live out the world of the Kingdom of God in this world of fallen humanity. It is a call to hope that we too can somehow, amidst our attachments and fears if we live something other than those around us, that we too can live in this world yet not be so attached here.
