John 17: 18 - 23
Beauty Spots
They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder - but some of us may have to travel a very long way before we find the right eye!!! Most people have something about them which someone would view as beautiful (Eyes, Mouth, Hair, Inner beauty - best of all - good sense of humour, kindness, friendliness, thoughtfulness). The question is, Are we beautiful in the eyes of God? - in the eyes of believers? - in the eyes of the world?
Last week we were looking at what should distinguish us as members of the true church - Joy, Holiness and Truth. This week we look at 3 more such distinguishing marks, or perhaps we should view them as Beauty Spots, Mission, Unity and Love. When we exhibit these, then as the Church we will be beautiful in the eyes of God and our fellow believers, and we will have a drastic influence on the world, even though they may resent us because of the way we live and the things we do.
1. Mission
I can remember very distinctly just after I became a Christian when I was 8. I recall a number of times when I sinned, thinking to myself how much better it would have been for me to die just after I had become a Christian. Somehow, in my mind I had this feeling that I would have had a better spot in Heaven the day I became a Christian, than a week or two later after I had failed the Lord many times. We had been looking at Joy, Holiness and Truth, and we could be forgiven for thinking that we could better show these distinguishing marks when we are in Glory. Then our Joy would be complete, we would be totally sanctified and we would be with the one who is The Truth. However, here we find Christ showing us why we can’t immediately be transported to glory - we have a work to do here for Him, since one of the Beauty Spots for the Church is Mission. The fact is, we still have too much work to do!!
Stuck In - Going Into the World - v18 - "... I also have sent them into the world ..." - Where does Jesus want to send us as Christian missionaries? - Into the world! So often Christians seem to be afraid of our culture today and we separate ourselves from the people of this world. It is possible for someone to be born into a Christian family, to attend church and all its organisations, to keep only Christian friends and eventually to receive a Christian funeral - but they have little or no contact with unbelievers. Now to be in the world does not mean to be like the world, but it surely does mean we get to know non-Christians and befriend them, so that instead of them infecting us with worldliness, we begin to infect them with the Gospel.
Stick Out - Being Different to the World - v19 - "... that they also may be sanctified ..." - It is a mistake for Christians not to go into the world, but an equally serious mistake is to go into the world and be just like the world! We are to be like Christ in the world and we must never forget our mission. Sometimes Christians are like someone trying to sell Weight Watchers when they are massively overweight. They are a poor example of the product they are trying to sell. There is no point telling people Christ can change their lives if there is no change in our lives. How do we stick out? We must exhibit Joy, Holiness & Truth.
Stick at It - Keeping on Going - There is a sense in Jesus prayer where He is praying that God would give the disciples perseverance in their missionary activities. There will be many discouragements along the way, but they must remember it is God’ work they’re involved in, and although they persuade and witness, Salvation is of the Lord. Has He saved you?
2. Unity
One of the greatest criticisms levelled at the church today is that it is not united, but sometimes I wonder if people really know what sort of unity there should be within the church. Is it Organisational Unity they so much desire? In the Middle Ages there was distinct unity in the church but it had lost its way. There is good reason why they were called the Dark Ages - this sort of unity invariably means following heresy. Is the answer then, Conformed Unity? So often what we want to see in Reformed Evangelical community is everyone believing exactly the same as us. Is this really what’s best? Surely the great wealth of the church is its diversity of personality, interests, lifestyles & even methods of Christian work. Surely what is better is a spiritual unity involving orientation & desires, and fundamental theology. This would be a unity like the Trinity where the different members have different functions, yet they are one in ethos and desire.
Spiritually Related - Brothers & Sisters - v21 - "That they all may be one ..." - Jesus constantly refers here to His relationship with His Father, and how the Disciples were given to Him by the Father, and therefore the close relationship He and the Father have with them. This speaks of the family and how we have been adopted. Therefore we are co-heirs with Christ. We therefore shpuld have a close bond with other believers.
Spiritually Similar - Fellowship - The Greek term for fellowship is koinonia, which literally means, "having something in common". As refers to spiritual matters it speaks of those who share a common experience of the Gospel. Many years ago I owned a rather ancient and rusty Mini. The strange thing about Mini ownership was that other Mini drivers regularly flashed their light at you. At first I thought they were showing off that the lights on their Minis were actually working, but then realised, that it was like a little exclusive club, and I was now a member simply because I owned one. Our cars were our common link. Better still the link we have as believers. After all we will be spending eternity with each other.
Spiritually Joined - The Body - This is a wonderful image in Scripture which speaks of diversity, yet equality. There is no part more important than another, yet all are joined together and working together.
How wonderful to be part of this body, this family, that we can go anywhere in the world and meet and have fellowship with a spiritual brother or sister. Perhaps you’re not a member of this family yet, but you could be today by asking the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you for your sins, and trusting in Him for salvation.
3. Love
Words are cheap. It is easy to say we love someone, but it means much more to show them in tangible ways that we mean what we say. God has not only told us of His love, but has shown it to us in the most wonderful ways.
v23 - "... have loved them as You have loved Me." - The Greek word kathos means "just as" or "to the same degree that", and here we see that Jesus says the Father’s love for us is to the same degree as His love for His own Son. That means that His love is not partial. He does not love one of His children more or less than another. He has no favourites, and He loves us with the same love as the Son. Do you know this love?
No Limits - God’s Love is Infinite - If God loves us with the same depth as the Son, what then is the scope of the Father’s love for His Son? The simple answer is that there are no limits to the extent of that love. This is also how we should love God and one another. Do we have such limitless love?
No End - God’s Love is Eternal - God the Father is eternal, God the Son is eternal, and we have never-dying souls, therefore His love will never cease. God does not change, so we do not need to fear Him falling out of love with us. What a comfort this is!!
No Mistake - God’s Love is Perfect - We do not love perfectly. Some people seem to have an ability to fall in love with the wrong sorts, or else they are in love one minute and not the next. However God’s love is not like this - He loves and keeps on loving perfectly. The perfect example of His love is found in John 3:16 - the gift of His Son.
Love always seems to bring security. A husband and wife bring emotional and physical security to each other; a parents give their children security - so it is with the Father and us. He gives us security here and now, as His children, but also for the future as inheritors of Heaven. Have you this security? You can have it through Jesus Christ.
