What Jesus Desires
John 17:10-11,20-23
2-20-02
This morning we want to talk about - What Jesus Desires as Reflected in John 17.
We are prone to focus is on what we desire and how we can receive what we want and need from the Lord. That’s not wrong. God tells us to delight ourselves in Him and He will give us the desires of our heart (Ps 37). But today we direct our attention to what Jesus desires.
This Whole Chapter= Jesus prayer right before Arrested and went to Cross. Follow with me as we read verses 10-11 and 20-23. There are many things that Jesus could have prayed at this critical time: strength for the ordeal, the support of Disciples,etc.
But the Desire that dominated his prayer = we, his disciples, be ONE as He and the Father are one.
I. That= The GOAL see in our text: Unity
Last week I was with a number of pastors from various denominations for a Prayer Summit- during prayer opened understanding of something in this prayer like never before: The Standard of Unity Jesus Desiring
Typically, when we read John 17 we think of the unity Jesus is seeking for us as simply - not wanting us fight- strive –live in conflict over Offenses with each other.
That is True: But what He is desiring for us is so much more than that!
A. Look Closely Jn 17:10: what’s mine is yours- what’s yours is mine: That= Unity from God’s Perspective. I say this reverently but I say it based on what I read in John 17:10 & 11: The Std. Of unity that Jesus is praying for us to have= the unity found in the Trinity ( that is mind boggling to me)
We are awed by the revelation of the Trinity anyway: How can 1=3 and 3=1?
But here is something even more Profound to my understanding= God wants you & me be one as He is with Father. I’m so thankful that Jesus wants that for us. I’m glad that it is His desire that we could participate in that kind of unity.
How many agree- goes way beyond just the Absence of Conflict. It is a total, unreserved SHARING of everything with one another. Listen closely to what Jesus said to the Father in John 17:10 “All I have is yours and all you have is mine…”NIV
That is unity from God’s perspective—a total sharing of everything. That is the Biblical standard of “fellowship” or to use the familiar Greek word: koininia.
We have talked about that word in ourWed. Bible Class: I Jn 1:3
“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. “
Essential underlying meaning of Koininia= Sharing ( all that is mine=yours…).
B. In our society we have a very Different Concept of Sharing. Our concept of koininia is if I have $ 100 and you have a need I give you $ 10 and pray others will give as well. Or my compassion might even cause me to give you $ 50 and I keep $ 50. I think most of us would feel pretty good about ourselves if we did that. As good as that might be that is not the unity that Jesus prayed we would have. In Jn 17:11
He prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one. That unity is described in the verse just prior to that in these terms-verse 10 “All that is mine is yours and all that is yours is mine.”
When our daughters were small we taught them to share. When our 5 year old had two suckers we would say to her now share with your little sister- give her one of the suckers. Of course, she didn’t even want to do that, she wanted both for herself. But when she finally gave one sucker to her little sister and kept one, we felt we had won a major victory. Perhaps we had. But we had taught her a concept of unity, a concept of sharing that is different than the New Testament concept.
C. We have an example of New Testament unity in (Acts 2:42-47 read).
Notice in verse 44 “all believers were together and had everything in common.”
That is the kind of unity Jesus prayed for and it is the kind of unity He desires for His people today.
How did that kind of unity come about? It was Not Imposed upon these disciples Organizationally but was the result of a Dramatic Change of Heart. No man can produce the unity described in Acts 2. Every time people read these verses and try to “make it happen” through organizational effort it is an utter fiasco. This is something that must originate from the Spirit of God. This is something that supernaturally comes when God touches the individual hearts and causes them to make a free will choice like Barnabas did. Look with me as read Acts 4:31-36.
Here is a further description of what was going on. Notice in verse 32 this sharing was totally voluntary. All the individuals made the choice to share – it wasn’t imposed upon them be some leader. It wasn’t a requirement to be part of the group.
That fact is made abundantly clear when we hear the words Peter spoke to Ananias in the next chapter- Acts 5:4 “…Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold wasn’t the money at your disposal?…” Two rhetorical questions. Of course, it belonged to Ananias before he sold it and no one was making him sell it. Of course, the money was still his to do with as he chose after he sold it. In other words, this sharing that was going on in the early church was not demanded- it was something people wanted to do because of what was going on in their hearts.
When I was a young Christian living in Dallas I visited a large Christian commune.
That concept appealed to a lot of people in my generation who had been involved in the Hippie Movement. On the surface, everything seemed prosperous and nice. Hundreds of people lived on this property together. They wanted me to join them. They showed me these verses in Acts. What they were saying seemed to make sense at the time. But in my spirit I discerned a heaviness, a darkness, something didn’t seem right. Because of that I did not become involved. Later the whole thing collapsed and as I recall there was a significant scandal about the finances.
Over the years I’ve watched various groups try to organized communal living and have never seen it work. Why? Because the hearts were not in the same condition as the hearts of these people in Acts 2. The circumstances were different as well.
But we are confronted with something very important in our text: a standard of unity perhaps beyond what we thought was the standard –“…that they may be one as we are one..” John 17:10 “All I have is yours and all you have is mine.” That is the ideal. That is the Goal. That is the level of unity Christ desires in our hearts.
Would anyone agree that we are a long ways from that? Would you also agree that only a supernatural work of God in our hearts will ever get us to that place? Don’t try it in the flesh; it will not work that way. Many have already tried and failed.
D. Ultimately Jesus’ prayer will be fully and completely realized. I Cor. 13:12
“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
NIV
This is what it means to be joint-heirs with Christ. Rom 8:16-17
16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now 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. NIV
“All that is yours is mine and all that is mine is yours.”
Here is the glorious truth about our inheritance in God. To draw from the illustration I used earlier. It’s not that Jesus has two suckers and He gives me one and keeps one. No, we both have two suckers. We both have it all. We all have it together. All that God has becomes mine- all that Jesus has becomes. That’s why the call of God to you and me is never fully realized until all that I have and am becomes His. That’s knoinia, that’s New Testament fellowship. It’s a whole lot more than having a pot luck supper together. It’s a whole lot more that enjoying a conversation about the super bowl. In our glorified state that will be fully realized.
Eph. 4:4-6 lists the basis of our unity. God provides the unity. But in verse 3 of that chapter we are told to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” How many have discovered that keeping the unity of the Spirit does require some effort? There are obstructions to the practical expressing of unity in our lives.
II. The OBSTACLE to the unity Jesus prayed for is our own selfishenss.
A. Man was Created to be God Centered. But that was turned upside down when Adam sinned. The fallen nature we inherited from Adam is a Self Centered nature. When a group picture is taken, what’s the first face you look at to make sure the picture is acceptable. When a new phone book comes out, what number do you check first.—a preoccupation with self.
That’s what Jesus came to deliver us from. He came to do more than to forgive us of our sins, as wonderful as that is. He came to deliver us from our obsession with ourselves. He came to free us from the tyranny of self.
Before we could ever hope to live in unity with others something has to be done about that. Until that matter is dealt with in our lives we will be frustrated about the lack of attention others give us, offended by the lack of appreciation we receive from others. This is where our relational problems originate. Your biggest problem, my biggest problem, is not your spouse; it’s not the church; it’s not your boss. It is the selfishness in our own hearts.
B. We live in a highly individualistic society. The heros in our movies are people like “Dirty Harry” and “Rambo” and others who go it alone and in the end show everybody they’re right. Of course, that’s not what happens in real life, but the perception is a powerful influence. And it is just one of many forces pulling people apart in our culture.
Robert Putman, a Professor at Harvard, wrote a book called Bowling Alone
In it he documents the decline in community life over the last four decades. He got his title from this “trivial yet telling example”: the percentage of adults who belong to a bowling league today is only about ¼ of what it was in the 1960’s. That statistic alone might just be saying something about bowling. But here are other statistics:
The percentage of people who volunteer in a political campaign-stuffing envelopes, making phone calls, going door to door- is today about 1/2 what it was in the late 1960’s. The percentage of active membership in local clubs & organizations, like PTA is 1?2 what it was in the 1970’s. People are visiting one another less frequently, having friends over less frequently. In short, every objective measurement of participatation in community is declining. Why? Some blame TV. Others blame dual career families. There are probably a number of factors involved.
The point is there are forces in our society which are pulling people apart and isolating them and making it more difficult to come together in community. Those forces affect Christians as well as non Christians. (1)
That’s why we must be intentional about being to “one another” what the New Testament tells us to be. Heb 10:24-25
24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching. NIV
How many have discovered that it is easier to walk with Jesus than some of His people? Living in community is not always easy. Sometimes we get our feelings hurt. Sometimes we have to yield our desires and rights for the benefit of others.
Sometimes we hurt others and have to ask for forgiveness and its humbling to have to ask for forgiveness. And sometimes we have to just bear with the weaknesses of others. That’s what community is like.
It’s like the group of porcupines that the famous philosopher, Schopenhauer, once used to illustrate a point. A group of porcupines were marooned in the middle of a frozen field during a terrible blizzard. There was no way they could escape the biting wind. They could not borrow into the frozen ground. As they huddled together to keep warm their sharp quills began to pinch and hurt. The closer they moved together the more the pain increased. Some of the animals could not bear the pain and drew apart to sleep. In the morning those had frozen to death.(2)
There is a temptation to withdraw and isolate. But withdrawal is not the unity Jesus wants for us. That is contrary to His desire for us and is dangerous for our spiritual well being. The solution is not withdrawal.
III. The SOLUTION: Love
“Love covers a multitude of faults.”
“Love bears all things, believes all things, love never fails.”
A. What makes the Unity of the Trinity possible: ( I John 4:16)”God is Love”
Without love it is impossible to dwell together in unity. I Cor. 13:1 “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. “ Listen to the description of love in that chapter:
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails. NIV
God gives us His nature in the new birth. That is the basis of our unity.
B. But for the fruit of that love to manifest in our lives we must open our hearts to the Influence of Holy Spirit on an ongoing basis. It is the Spirit who produces the character that enables us to dwell together in unity. What prepared the early church for the unity they experienced in the early chapters of Acts? Jesus told them to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. There was an obedient response to that directive. Acts 2:1
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
That’s when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them and it was the influence of the Holy Spirit in their hearts that brought them into the unselfish unity that Jesus prayed they would have. After that they stayed full of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:42
42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. NIV
It is our responsibility to obey, to devote ourselves and our time to the right things. But the love that conquerors our selfishness comes from God. Rom 5: 5
“… because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” NIV
C. To live in unity with one another requires a proactive nurturing of relationships with one another- a denial of self (Phil. 2), an emptying of self, a choice to serve others. Gal 5:13
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
Jesus said in John 13:35
35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." NIV
D. All of this has profound implications for evangelism.
Why did Jesus pray for our unity? Was it just for our benefit alone? Look back at our text- John 17:21 “…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.NIV
This is the foundation for effective evangelism in a culture-the unselfish unity of believers, the attraction of New Testament Koinenia in action.
Could it be that selfish ambition and conflict between Christians is undermining our ability to reach the lost in America? Could it be that our message falls on deaf ears because unbelievers see in Christians the same selfish motives they have?
Dieter Zander, the pastor of the first GenX church in America spoke at a conference about reaching people in the age of relativism. He cited a Barna study that asked people to use single words to describe Jesus. They responded, "wise, accepting, compassionate, gracious, humble." Then he asked them to use single words to describe Christians, they said, "critical, exclusive, self righteous, narrow and repressive."
Zander responded to this by saying, "There is a difference between knowing the good news and being the good news. We are the evidence! How we live our lives are the evidence. Everything counts--all the time." (3)
While the social disengagement that is occurring in our society is having negative effects upon us, it is also a great opportunity for evangelism. How do we reach the lost in our culture? Certainly there must be this authenticity of life style behind what we say. But when that is there people see something in us they don’t have.
Alan Perkins put it this way “Although the level of connectedness between people in our society has dropped, their need for connectedness has not.” (1)
Our missionaries in days past have used rice to feed hungry and as opportunity to share the gospel. In America, the rice for evangelism is relationship-people are starving for relationship. When we give them wholesome relationship and authentic community they will hear the good news. The evidence of our lives will compel them to do so.
There is a price to pay for that. Time must be invested in other people. Our egos must crucified and we must be willing to sacrifice our own desires for sake of others.
It means forgiving offenses and asking forgiveness for offenses. It means making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Are you willing to do that? There are things in our hearts that we claim exclusive possession of that must be handed over to God for that to happen. What are you clinging to that they Lord would say “Give me that.” For me this morning He is saying “Richard, your time is not your own. Relinquish possession of that to Me so it can be invested where I want it invested.” For you it might not be time. It might be money. It might be an offense. Would you join with me this morning in giving those things to the LORD?
There is a price to pay; but it’s worth it. It worth it for the sake of those who need to be saved. It’s worth it because IT’S WHAT JESUS DESIRES!.
Notes:
(1) From sermon by Pastor Alan Perkins entitled “Building Community-Encourage One Another”, Westshore Community Church, Westlake, Ohio
(2) From sermon entitled “Created for Community” by Pastor David Swensen of Winthrop Street Baptist Church, www.wsbcfellowship.org. Pastor Swensen also gave the following outstanding illustration of the value of community.
The huge redwood trees in California are amazing. They are the largest living things on earth and the tallest trees in the world. Some of them are 300 feet high and more than 2,500 years old. You would think that trees that large would have a tremendous root system, reaching down hundreds of feet into the earth. But that is not the case. Redwoods have a very shallow root system. The roots of these trees are, however, intertwined. They are tied in with each other; interlocked. Thus, when the storms come and the winds blow the redwoods still stand.
With an interlocking root system they support and sustain each other. They need one another to survive. So do we!
(3) From sermon preached Aug 2001 entitled “From Community to Courthouse (Part 1) by Pastor Adam Cruse.
Richard Tow
Grace Chapel Foursquare Church
Springfield, MO 65810
www.gracechapelchurch.org
