Unity

Unity – John 17: 20 - 26

Intro: The text for this message is a prayer offered to God by Jesus on behalf of his followers. The title of today’s message is “Unity.” So, my question is this, “what does unity look like?” --- Let me give you a little help --- Jesus does not call for doctrinal unity, organizational unity or political unity.

I. VSS 20 – 21 “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.”

A “that all of them may be ONE” The word used here is the GK word HEN (é?). It refers to a prime number. A prime number is any number that can only be divided evenly by itself or the number one.

B Because a prime number can only be divided evenly by itself or the number 1, it is a unique way of implying unity.

C I don’t believe Jesus was naïve enough to believe people in His church are going to agree on how many candles to put on the communion table, whether the cross should be wooden or metal or whether to use Styrofoam, paper, plastic, or ceramic dishes. I don’t think Jesus is hoping everyone will have the same opinion or belief on every issue.

II. Jesus prays for nothing less than ONENESS for believers. What exactly does that mean? How can we show unity, oneness without agreeing?

A There are those in our society any maybe even within our own family that want nothing to do with church because they see divisiveness and disunity among the followers of Christ Jesus within His church where there should be unity.

B The problem is this, unity does not mean sameness. Can you imagine how boring our world would look if everyone and everything look and acted the same.

C Unity or oneness is respecting diversity within the body of Christ. Each person feeling that she has a place that is not simply tolerated; but is essential to the well-being of the whole body.

III. Perfect oneness or unity is coming together, overcoming our differences, finding common ground and common goals in the name of Christ Jesus and working together to achieve them.

A There is only one thing that makes that possible. Jesus mentions what it will take to have unity in diversity. In verses 20 through 26 Jesus names “LOVE” as the key descriptor of the divine relationship.

B Love is the glue that holds the trinity together. It is because God loves humanity that God sent Jesus. It is because Jesus loves his followers that the Holy Spirit is sent. It is because of love for humanity that the Spirit remains with us.

C Love is the ingredient Jesus prays will be within his followers. The idea is not to obliterate our differences; but, to see that God’s love is big enough to encompass all of them, so that the world may come to know that same love.

Conclu: Christian unity is a relationship of mutual dependence and trust, such that our primary access to God is by way of one another. It is experiencing the love of God in our relationship with each other. I may not like what you like, or even like you; but, I love you with the same love that God loves me. For the church to live into its full potential, we must not only believe in Christ Jesus; but also, live in the oneness and unity of the love of God for each other.