John 17:13 I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am
still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy
within them.

 Do you know where these words are from?  These words are part of the
conversation and prayer that Jesus had with his disciples on the night of
Maundy Thursday.  On that night, before they left for the Garden of
Gethsemane, Jesus clearly spoke to his disciples of important things.
The conversation begins with chapter 14 and goes all the way through
chapter 16.  Then in chapter 17 Jesus begins a prayer with and for the
sake of his disciples.  It is known as his "High Priestly" prayer and it
is a prayer where Jesus clearly shows his care and concern not only for
the disciples but for all the believers who would follow Him through
them.  It is a prayer that we would do well to pay attention to.
 For instance, the section of the prayer that we are looking at is a
section titled in our Bibles, "Jesus prays for his disciples."  Clearly
Jesus' concern was for the faith of those who followed him.  He was aware
of the impact the next few days would have on these men, but please don't
miss the fact that this prayer is also for all future disciples as well.
What I find most fascinating is that as Jesus was praying he was also
clearly instructing these men, and all of us, in being disciples.  If you
were to read the prayer, you would find that the first 10 verses are
thanks to God for the faith of these men.  The next verses, our text, are
those verses that speak of keeping and holding that faith or as our text
puts it, having the full measure of joy that is in Jesus.
 That's the phrase that struck me in this section.  Jesus is praying for
"the full measure of my joy within them."  What is this joy?  Do you have
this joy?  Do you show this joy in your life?  Rather interesting
questions aren't they?  Let's then look at what Jesus says under the
theme: THE FULL MEASURE OF JOY.  1st. Joy in His Name.  2nd. Joy in His
Word.  3rd. Joy in His Sanctification.
 It is such an interesting thing to hear Jesus pray in the way that he
does.  Clearly our verses are ones where Jesus is praying for the good of
his disciples.  For instance in verse 11 he says, "Holy Father, protect
them by the power of your name-the name you gave me-so that they may be
one as we are one."  In verse 14 he says, "I have given them your
word..."  Later in verse 17 he says, "Sanctify them by the truth; your
word is truth."  The context of those words is that his disciples be
protected from the evil one.  Finally Jesus says in verse 19, "For them I
sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified."
 What is great to grasp in all of this is that the whole section pivots
around that little phrase we highlighted.  Verse 13 says, "I am coming to
you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that
they may have the full measure of my joy within them."  He speaks clearly
doesn't he?  He says that he says these things to the benefit of his
disciples.  In other words, the name they had been given, the Word they
had been given and indeed even the sanctification they had been given
were all to result in "the full measure of my joy within them."  Do you
see now why I feel this phrase just jumps out at you?
 Jesus is speaking about our having joy.  The word here is so wonderful.
It is a word that means: "a feeling of inner happiness, rejoicing,
gladness, delight."  What I also like about this word is that it is
related to the word for "grace."  I especially like that because I think
that just helps to remind us that our joy is found and made complete in
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  And isn't that just what Jesus is
asking that we have?  His joy is of the grace of God.  His joy is the
purest example of God's graciousness and love.  His joy is given in what
Jesus has done.  No wonder then that his joy is so closely connected to
his name, his word and his sanctification.  His joy is what true faith in
Jesus brings to all who are disciples, that is, believers.
 But to fully grasp this joy we are to have we need to understand how his
name, his Word and his sanctification impact us.  That's what we will do.
 We will see how this joy becomes ours.
 Verse 11 leads us to think on his name.  It says, "Holy Father, protect
them by the power of your name-the name you gave me-so that they may be
one as we are one."  You do have to pay attention to what is said there.
Jesus is speaking of the power of the name that protects souls, the power
of the name of God, the power of the name that Jesus himself carries.
The names of Jesus are awesome.  We've heard them so often though that
perhaps we forget their importance.
 Jesus is Lord.  That means he is the gracious and forgiving power of the
universe.  The name Lord also tells us that he is the master, the ruler,
the teacher and the one to be followed.  When we say that Jesus is Lord
we mean that he is the good and gracious power to whom we owe all
allegiance and obedience.
 Jesus is God.  Here is the name of our Sovereign and almighty Creator.
God is the name that designates that being who is almighty, all knowing,
present everywhere and the last being you would want to mess with.  When
we think of God we should tremble in our boots, have our knees rattle in
fear and our hearts quake at the very mention of his name.  This is the
God who will judge us for all eternity!
 These are the two main names of Jesus, given to him by his Father,
shared with him by his Father.  What God the Father is so is Jesus.  But
do realize that Jesus has also clearly earned these names.  He came to
defeat the power of Satan.  He came and won the greatest victory ever.
He came to be our Savior from sin.
 That would be the other name of Jesus that I would highlight for you:
Savior.  Jesus is the one who rescues us, who delivers from harm and
keeps us safe.  What better name is there for Jesus?  He who purchased
and won us from sin, death and the devil, not with gold or silver but
with his holy precious blood and his innocent suffering and death.  I
tell you when you grasp and understand the names of Jesus there is joy to
be found.  Joy because this name of power is used for us, used for the
very salvation of our souls.
 Then we can turn to the next verses that direct us to think on this joy.
 Verse 14-17 say, "I have given them your word and the world has hated
them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.  My
prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect
them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of
it.  Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."
 I think you can grasp how important these words are.  Not only do these
words reveal how we came to be disciples but they also show how we
continue to be disciples.  It is the Word that makes the difference.  The
Word that Jesus gave.  It is the very Word that Jesus is.  Did I fail to
mention that one of Jesus' names is "The Word".  It is the Word that
conveys the power and majesty of Jesus to us.  It is the Word that
reveals the goodness, love and grace of Jesus.  It is the Word that
guides us into the truth and joy of Jesus.
 Yet isn't it ironic that the Word that does all of these things for us
is also the Word that brings into our lives the very hatred of the world!
 Still, Jesus doesn't want us taken out of the world, he would simply ask
that God the Father through His Word protect us from the Devil.  Did you
get that?  Through the Word we overcome.  Through the Word we know the
truth that sets us free.  Through the Word we leave behind the ways and
mindset of the world.  Through the Word we are brought to see clearly the
gift of eternal life and salvation in Jesus.  Not a salvation we earn or
work for but a salvation given by grace.  A salvation that is sure and
certain because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.  In the Word we are
called to faith.
 That is exactly what Jesus is pointing to in our last verse.  He says,
"For them I sanctify myself, that they to may be truly sanctified."
These words say so much.  In that first portion Jesus is pointing out
that his whole life has been one of holiness just for us.  That's what
the word sanctify means, "to be made holy".  Jesus lived perfectly and
then became the perfect sacrifice for sins.  Jesus would also be raised
from the dead that the whole world should know his power and majesty, his
victory for the souls of men.  Yes, Jesus did sanctify himself just for
you and me.
 The end result of what he did is that we are now truly sanctified.  In
Jesus we are made holy.  In Jesus we have the forgiveness of sin, eternal
life and salvation.  In Jesus we have been called out of unbelief to
faith.  In Jesus our lives are changed and made new.  All of these things
are the things that come to us in the sanctification of Jesus.  All of
these things are the things that cause us to have the joy of Jesus in our
lives.  Complete joy because the victory and sanctification of Jesus for
us is complete.
 Do you have this joy of Jesus?  Do you grasp the marvel that he is and
the wonder of what he has given for us?  I pray that you do.  I pray that
it is Jesus who is at the core of your heart and life.  In Him is our
delight and complete joy.  Amen.