John 17:20

I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.

John 17:20

This verse lays out Jesus’ plan of world evangelism.  He taught the disciples His word, who would in turn speak “their word” to the next generation, and so on. What I find interesting in the context are verses 17 and 19.  Verse 17 says, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth,” and verse 19 says, “And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”

While each generation comes to the Lord by first hearing the gospel as passed on by the prior generation, the new generation must then go to the same well as the prior generation as they walk with the Lord. That well is God’s Word and that well is truth (v17). By that well we are to be continually sanctified by God, and by that well we are to be continually filled so that the Word of truth becomes our truth. We are to be so filled that our words saturated with truth flows to the next generation, passing along the gospel torch. May we be encouraged to go to the well daily and often for both the sanctifying work of God in our lives and for a filling of the word so that we can pass on the gospel to others.

Pastor Jeff Mericle