And Jesus continued to pray, “For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” (John 17:19)

Now wait a minute – no one was more perfectly sanctified and separated from sin than Jesus! Why did He have to sanctify Himself? He did it for 2 reasons, firstly, He needed to live a perfect life. There had to be at least one perfect Holy life lived by someone in the history of the world so that when you put your trust in Jesus Christ, that perfect life would be credited to your account. It’s as if you lived His life! Aren’t you glad his righteousness is in your account? There is great joy in great doctrine and that’s the great doctrine of imputation! “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
This is how we become the righteousness of God - we have His perfect life credited to us! That’s why Jesus had to sanctify Himself – it was for our sake!

And secondly, He need to be an example for us. Jesus literally shows us what a sanctified life looks like! He said, “For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” (John 17:19). Jesus is praying about that sanctification process that every believer goes through in the practical outworking of Divine Truth in their lives. Sanctification is obedience to God’s Holy will and PERFECT Sanctification is PERFECT obedience to God’s Holy will! Jesus did that! It was His food! “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me!” (John 4:34) It was His plan! “I’ve come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” (John 6:38) It was His pleasure! “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” (John 8:29) That’s why one day the Father thundered from Heaven, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased!” That’s perfect sanctification! That’s our example – on display! That’s where the bar is set for us. That’s the target we’re all to aim at!

Is it hard to hit that target? Yes. Very much so. And that’s why Jesus is praying for us with great big drops of bloody sweat! He’s praying for our purity. He knows we have this remaining flesh to contend with. He know we’re living in a hostile world. He know that the evil one is always lurking nearby. And His prayer directs us into the only place where this sanctification can take place – immersed in the divine Word of God, the inspired Holy Scriptures. “Now sanctify them in Your Truth. Your Word is Truth.” (John 17:17). Welcome to Home Church Langley!