I love how Jesus cuts through all the pretense and “wisdom” of men and exposes the heart of the matter with powerful simplicity. When confronted by the Pharisees and the scribes, He reduced all the law and the prophets to two incredibly clear and succinct statements (Matthew 22:37–39);
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is much written about the purpose and mission of the Church and I am always looking for ways and metrics to measure the growth of a disciple and the health of a congregation. But Jesus in two startlingly simple statements reminds us that it is not just what we say about ourselves and our faith … what is important is how we are known. Perhaps this is why Jesus’ brother said that faith without works is dead. Jesus said that we should be known to our world as His disciples by two simple but unworldly characteristics. He said that these two things would testify to the authenticity of His claims and the love that God has toward all men.
In my previous post we looked at the first of these startling statements recorded in John 13:34-35 where Jesus said that we will be known by how we as believers love one another. A tall order with few examples to the world today.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
The second of these remarkably stunning statements is found in the Apostle John’s recording of what has become known as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus in John chapter 17. In verses 1-5 Jesus prays for Himself, in verses 6-19 for the disciples with whom he shared His earthly ministry, and then in verses 20-26 Jesus switches the attention of his prayer to all those who would accept and believe the testimony of His disciples and place their faith in Him. It is significant that Jesus in this part of his prayer made no distinction between the disciples who knew Him personally and those disciples who would follow in the ages to come. John 17:20-22
I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one.
Jesus’ earthly ministry was rapidly coming to a close. His disciples would have to carry on His work without Him. His work of preparation and training for His followers was done. It would be up to them to continue His redemptive mission and to likewise make disciples who make disciples. But He didn’t pray for protection, power or victory. In this incredible glimpse into the Trinity Jesus prays for our unity. It’s amazing to think that at that moment, just hours before his arrest and crucifixion, the one who created us and knows us better than ourselves prayed for our unity.
Jesus then goes on to identify the model for that unity, none other than the interpersonal relationship He enjoys within the Godhead – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus pictures this unity among his disciples as analogous to the fullness of His relationship with the Father. Jesus prays that they may be brought to complete unity, sharing richly in both the unity of purpose and the wealth of love that tie the Father and the Son together. Perfect relationship, totally known to one another, secure in a oneness of vision and mission, all bound with love and mutual submission. WOW! That’s barely imaginable with the one person on earth that knows me the best, my wife.
Jesus’ time on earth was done and the age of the Church was on the horizon but the burden of His heart is for our unity. And the prayer goes beyond the disciples hearing it to include all believers throughout the ages (John 17:20-23). He does not just pray for a general spirit of unity or simply an organizational unity, although both of those things would be amazing blessings today. Incredibly, He prays for nothing less than the fullness of the unity He shares and draws upon within the Godhead to be realized within His followers.
He then concludes this portion of the prayer with a stunning association between the unity of His body (the Church) and its witness to the Gospel (His message). Similar to the display of authentic love one for another in John 13:34-35, unity among the believers is to provide a compelling witness to the unbelieving world of the truth of the gospel, the identity of Christ and the love of the Father. Jesus’ declaration, “I in them and you in me,” reveals a cycle of faith leading to unity which leads others to faith. His prayer goes on to reveal the missional purpose for the unity “that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:23).
As a church within the Church may we always protect the bonds of peace, continually seek common ground and purpose, constantly look to forge alliances with missional ministries, always be ready to link arms with other co-laborers in the harvest, encourage and uphold Christ followers throughout the world, and may we never fail to celebrate the advance of the Kingdom and response to the Gospel. May we be known by the love of Christ and the unity of His Spirit … That The World May Know.
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