What Are We To Do?

John 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

As Jesus continues his prayer to his father, just prior to his death, and just after instituting the Lord’s Supper, he makes this statement about his intentions for the future his followers.

Jesus states to God that HE has sent us .... his followers, into the world! But what are we suppose to do in this world? Why are we here? I want to focus our attentions on two main points today.

First, we are to be IN the world because Jesus sent us into the world. God never intended that we, christians .... his followers, are to hunker down in a compound or bunker and physically separate ourselves from the world. There are many religious groups that have taken the Bible’s warning about the dangers of the world to such an extreme that they have physically removed themselves into communes so they will not be negatively effected by the world.

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Instead, Jesus himself says that we are to be in the world so that we might positively influence the world

Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (15) Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Jesus specifically deals with this concept of hiding away. He said in verse 14 that WE were to be the Light of the WORLD. That is why he sends us out into the world. Then in verse 15, he says, you don’t light a candle, and then cover it up with a basket. That is essentially what we are doing when we escape to a cave to be a hermit. We need to get out into the world and let God be seen in us.

Secondly, What are we to do once we are sent? Jesus gives us the perfect hint in our main text.

John 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world,

We are sent as Jesus was sent. So we should do what he did. So what did Jesus do? That may best be answered by identifying what he didn’t do. He did not make his secular job his identity. Jesus was raised as carpenter, but he spent his time preaching. Jesus did not focus on being rich. So many people in this world would do anything for money, but Jesus thought that serving God was more important. Jesus did not dwell on being popular. From a human standpoint, it seems that that he might have done better had he. But God knows best. We must care more about pleasing God than pleasing man. Jesus certainly didn’t concentrate on pleasing himself. In fact, Jesus about a dozen times in the Gospels, stated that he could not speak and do what he wanted but he could only do and say what God has told him to do.

When we go out into the world, we must demonstrate the love, forgiveness, truth, justice, compassion and benevolence of our Great God. That is what Jesus Did! Jesus fed the hungry, healed the sick and comforted the downtrodden ..... all so he could demonstrate the Greatness of God .... and that is what we should do out in the world!