Picking Up The Torch

Living On-Mission with Christ
Dr. Spencer R. Fusselman

John 17 is more than just a chapter in the Bible; it's a sacred moment frozen in time. It can be called the "High Priestly Prayer," as it is a glimpse into the heart of Jesus as he prays for himself, his disciples, and all believers to come. In this final prayer before the cross, we witness the passing of a torch—a transfer of mission, purpose, and light. As disciples of Christ, we are called to pick up this torch, that is the very light of the glory of God, and carry it forward into a dark and dying world.

The Hour Has Come: A Call to Sacrifice

Jesus says in John 12:24, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." This powerful imagery speaks to a profound truth: something must die for new life to emerge. In laying his life down, Jesus would become the firstborn of eternal life (Colossians 1:15-18), and his lineage—a lineage of faith, hope, and love—would carry on into eternity, just as the one grain of wheat would multiply into thousands for generations to come.  We are now part of that lineage, that family, and ultimately sharers in the mission of Jesus: to glorify the Father in unity on earth.    

But as Jesus passes the torch to us, we must take the first step in picking it up. Like Jesus, our lives, in a profound sense, must "die" to ourselves. This concept isn't merely a suggestion; it's a fundamental requirement for following Christ. Our desires, our comfort, and our agendas, which so often dominate our decisions, must be surrendered if we are to bear fruit for the kingdom of God. This isn't a one-time event of dramatic self-denial, but a daily, often subtle, surrender—a continual laying down of our lives.

Paul speaks to this in Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV): "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."    

This "dying to self" is not about self-destruction but about reorienting our lives toward God's purpose. It's about recognizing that our lives are not our own, but we have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). It involves a willingness to prioritize God's will over our own, even when it's difficult or uncomfortable.    

Only then, when we have yielded our own desires, can we truly embrace our mission as torchbearers. This mission, as Jesus exemplified, is to reveal God’s glory, to make Him known to a world that desperately needs Him.


Our Mission: To Reveal God’s Glory

Jesus's mission was to reveal God's glory. As it was with Jesus, so it is with us. We are called to make God known, to manifest His name to the world. This isn't merely about the transmission of information; it's about embodying the very reality of God in our lives. We are to be living epistles, reflecting the character of Christ to a world that desperately needs to see Him.

John 17:3 (NKJV) provides a crucial foundation for this: "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." Jesus speaks to the fact that eternal life is found in the true knowledge of the Father, and this knowledge transcends mere acquaintance; it involves an intimate and transformative relationship. True knowledge of God involves an intimate relationship. It's more than just knowing about God; it's about knowing God.  This "knowing" fundamentally transforms our lives. It moves us from a superficial understanding to a deep, experiential connection that empowers us to carry the torch of Christ effectively.  

To further emphasize this, consider 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NKJV): "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be 1  reconciled to God." As ambassadors, 2  we don't just represent a distant king; we carry His message, His authority, and His very presence into the world. Our lives, therefore, should be a clear reflection of the One we represent.  


Unity: A Powerful Witness

In John 17:20-21  Jesus prays, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."   This unity isn't merely a suggestion or a desirable outcome; it's absolutely essential to our mission and a powerful testament to the reality of God

Jesus though his prayer here, reveals that the unity we share mirrors the unity between the Father and the Son.  It's not just a social cohesion but a deep, spiritual oneness that demonstrates the very love of God to a watching world.    

However, there are doctrines of men and denominations that don’t matter in the grand scheme of eternity. Yet, we often have entire denominational movements wrapped up in these debates, tragically distracted from their main purpose. That main purpose, which is to preach Christ crucified and the disciple sanctified by the inerrant word of God, rather than the musings of men,

This unity that Jesus prays for cuts through the secondary issues that so often divide us. It calls us to focus on the core of our faith: Christ and Him crucified, and the sanctifying power of God's word. When we prioritize denominational distinctives or human traditions over this core, as the Pharisees did (Mark 7:8-9), we hinder our witness and diminish the power of our testimony.

How do we actually embrace the mission Christ gave us? First, we need to recognize that we are each called to a different aspect of the mission. It can be said that the 'commander's intent' of our Christian Operations Order is to make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Spirit, and the Son. We each have a unique part to play in this grand mission.
Here's how we can embrace that mission:

• Die Daily: Embrace the call to sacrifice. Surrender your own desires and agendas to follow Christ. This is not a one-time event, but a continuous lifestyle.
  • Luke 9:23 (NKJV): Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”  
    
    
• Know God Intimately: Pursue a deep, personal relationship with God. This goes beyond intellectual knowledge to experiential knowledge.
  • John 17:3 (NKJV): "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."    
    
    
• Embrace Unity: Strive for unity with other believers. Put aside differences and work together to advance the gospel.
  • John 17:20-21 (NKJV): "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."  
    
    
• Live Sanctified Lives: Allow the Word of God to shape and purify you.
  • John 17:17 (NKJV): "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."    
    
    
• Proclaim and Demonstrate: Share the gospel in word and deed. Let your life be a living testimony to the love and power of God.
  • 1 John 1:2-3 (NKJV): "The life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ."

1. What does it mean that eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ? (John 17:3)
2. Reflecting on John 12:24, what does Jesus teach about the necessity of sacrifice for new life? How can we apply this to ourselves? 
3. Why does Jesus pray for unity among believers in John 17:20-21? What unity did Jesus have with God before time began?
4. How does our unity (Unity in the Global Body of Christ) reflect God’s nature and Amplify our Testimony?
5. What role does God's Word play in our sanctification process? (John 17:14-19)

Identify one specific way you can be a light in your workplace, school, or community. Make a conscious effort to demonstrate Christ's love through your actions and words, remembering that you carry His torch into dark places.