TEXT:
John 17:20-23 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those
who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be
one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in
us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given
them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I
in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the
world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved
me.
PRAYER:
Father I ask that your word which I proclaim today will enlighten your
people and bring them to greater unity by your Holy Spirit. Father I
thank you for the privilege of preaching your word and I ask for your
anointing in Jesus name.
INTRODUCTION:
1. Have you ever considered what it would be like if there were perfect
unity in your family - in your church - in your community? Would
everyone dress the same? Have the same haircut? Would they all be in
complete agreement in all things - and hopefully with you? Would
everyone have the same job and do it in exactly the same way? If this
were the case what a dull world this would be and nothing would
get done.
Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary has a lengthy definition for unity
which includes the following:
Unity - A condition of harmony - a totality of related parts - being in
accord.
Accord - To exhibit perfect fitness in a relationship or association -
balanced interrelationship - harmony.
2. Unity is not conformity In 1 Corinthians 12 - Paul teaches about
spiritual gifts - how each of us in the Body of Christ has been created
- unique - different - for a purpose. He then goes on to describe
various parts of the human body and in verses 24 - 27 says, But God has
combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the
parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body,
but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one
part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every
part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of
you is a part of it.
I am a biochemist and spent years of my life studying the human body.
Every cell has a specific purpose. In the book “When the Heavens are
Brass” John Kilpatrick (Brownsville Assembly of God) gives the
following illustration of “healthy” cells, “out of place” cells and
“malignant destroyer” cells.
A healthy cell - has DNA which provides all the instructions it needs,
consumes energy, occupies space, and performs a specific task in
perfect harmony with neighboring cells. These cells function together
to form the brain, heart , liver , kidneys and other useful organs.
They are in unity and in one accord.
Out of place cells - have the same DNA instructions but they have
either missed out on the directions or just ignored them. Like healthy
cells they too consume energy and occupy space, but they don’t seem to
belong anywhere, and they don’t perform any functions or useful work in
the body. These cells gather together to form moles, benign tumors, or
other non-functional structures. They just use up energy and take up
space.
(If you are beginning to feel uncomfortable, you are beginning to see
just how closely this describes much of the Body of Christ)
Finally, there are the “malignant destroyer” cells. Their DNA has been
damaged or altered. These cells consume energy at an elevated rate.
They often occupy too much space since they tend to multiply rapidly
and encroach on nearby cells and organs disrupting their function. The
most dangerous aspect of these cells is that they are greedy,
demanding, unscrupulous, and merciless in their constant drive to
satisfy their raging hunger. If left unchecked they will ultimately
consume their own life and the life of their host.
The healthy cells represent unity - working together in one accord. The
out of place cells represent complacency - satisfaction accompanied by
unawareness.
The malignant destroyer cells represent - disunity and disaccord - with
an objective to get what they want whatever the consequences. Does this
example remind you in any way of your family, your church, your
community, your world?
Henry Ford said, “Coming together is a beginning. Staying together is
progress. Working together is success.”
PROPOSITION:
The blessing of unity in the body of Christ is not merely an option
which God has given us - it is a mandate - a command. It was Jesus’
last prayer for us in John 17: 20-23.
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE:
If you knew you were going to die in the next few days - what would be
your prayer?
TRANSITIONAL SENTENCE:
In only a few hours Jesus would be arrested. A terrible death would
follow. With death breathing down His neck, it was unity in the Body
that occupied the mind of Christ.
MAIN DIVISIONS AND SUBDIVISIONS
I. FOR WHOM DID JESUS PRAY?
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will
believe in me through their message, ...”
a. Jesus prayer was not only for those he knew and walked with - His
disciples and followers - it was also for those who would believe in
Him through their message. Guess who that includes ---YOU and I.
Notice - He was not praying for the world but He was praying for those
“who would believe in Him. Mark 16:16 says, “Whoever believes and is
baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be
condemned”.
b. Believing is a choice we must make if we are to have eternal life -
choose to believe.
TRANSITION:
Jesus prayed for all who believe in Him. I have to believe that He was
convinced that what He prayed for was of the greatest importance. You
know what - it would be my guess that He probably prayed first that the
Father would reveal to Him what it was he was to pray for. What a great
idea!!
II. WHAT DID JESUS PRAY FOR?
a. “...that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I
am in you. May they also be in us...”
b. He prayed that we all be one and then He specified how that was to
be - ...Just as He and the Father are one. We could write books on how
Jesus and the Father are one but for today let’s summarize a few
relevant scriptures: From Eph. 4:1-5:
1. Live a life worthy of the calling you have received - united with
Christ
2. Be completely humble and gentle;
3. Be patient, bearing with one another in love
4. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond
of peace
5. Have one hope; one Lord; one faith; one baptism; one God From 1Pet.
3:8-11
1. Live in harmony with one another
2. Be sympathetic
3. Love as brothers, be compassionate and humble
4. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing
5. Seek peace and pursue it.
From Phil. 2:1-4
1. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit
2. In humility consider others better than yourselves
3. Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of
others.
TRANSITION:
Jesus prayed for all who believe in Him. He prayed that we might be one
even as He and the Father are one ... AND ...you know what - he
provided all that we need to achieve the goal. Have you ever considered
that all that we have, all that we are, all that we achieve is not of
ourselves - BUT - all has been given to us by an awesome God. Praise
God - He is sufficient!! We can take credit for nothing.
Zech. 4:6 “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord
Almighty”
III. HOW DID JESUS PREPARE US TO BE ONE?
“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as
we are one...”
a. He gave us the same GLORY that the Father had given Him!
b. What might that “glory” be? Glory is defined in Webster’s as “
Praise, honor or distinction extended by common consent”.
Eph. 1:5 - he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus
Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will
Rom. 8:17 - Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and
co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order
that we may also share in his glory.
John 14:26 - But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will
send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of
everything I have said to you.
c. Through His life, death and resurrection He REDEEMED US, JUSTIFIED
US, SANCTIFIED US, AND GAVE US ETERNAL LIVE. He has made us a legal
part of His family. We are sons and daughters of the most high God -
and joint heirs with Christ Jesus.
d. He has provided all that we need to be in unity we need to
believe it - apprehend it claim it and declare that it is
ours by faith.
TRANSITION:
Jesus prayed for all who believe in Him. He prayed that we might be one
even as He and the Father are one. He gave us His glory. Finally, He
had a purpose for His prayer. Oh - consider the purpose. What an impact
it could have on your family, on your church, on your community, on our
world!
IV. WHY DID JESUS PRAY THIS PRAYER?
“…May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you
sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me”.
a. He prayed that the world would know that He was sent by the Father
and that the world would know that we are loved by the Father by
our unity.
b. Does that sound to you like - maybe - somehow by our example - by
how we live - by how we relate to our wives, children, family, friends,
business associates, strangers - that we might be His ambassadors, His
witnesses, His living message. ARE YOU!
c. Is it possible that we are the means God has chosen to let the world
know that Jesus was sent by Him to show His love - that all may be
saved and know eternal life.
d. I would like to paraphrase a portion of scripture that Paul wrote to
the Jews in Rome.
Rom. 2:17 "Now you, if you call yourself a follower of Christ; if you
rely on His grace and your inheritance as a son or daughter of the most
high God and brag about your relationship to God; if you know his will
and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the Holy
Spirit; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a
light for those who are in the dark, the salt of the earth, an
instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have the
Holy Spirit and therefore the embodiment of knowledge and truth — you,
then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach
against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not
commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you
rob temples? You who brag about grace, do you dishonor God by being
disobedient? You who call yourselves chosen and set apart are you one
even as Jesus and the Father are one? Do you live in unity with one
another that the world might know that Jesus was sent by the Father? As
it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the unbeliever because
of you.”
Brothers and sisters let us begin now to be in that perfect unity that
Jesus prayed for us. Begin now to fellowship with one another to
care for one another to bear one another’s burdens to study
God’s word together - have a member of the body over for dinner
get to know them mow their lawn when they are on vacation…..
CONCLUSION:
Jesus prayed only hours before His agonizing death on the cross that:
1. We who believe might be one even as He and the Father are one.
2. We may be brought to complete unity to let the world know that He
was sent by the Father and that the Father loves us even as He loved
Jesus.
Consider this day in your heart - if a stranger were to walk into your
home, church, office, or meet you on the street would they say - you
and the Father are one
would they say - see how they love one another
would they say “ I don’t know what they got but I want it”. Are you
different enough to be picked out as a redeemed, justified, sanctified,
child of the most high God. If not - why not.
Ps. 133:0 Psalm 133 A song of ascents. Of David.
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is
like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is
as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD
bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
