We Are a United Community of Believers
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We Are a United Community of Believers
We Are a United Community of Believers
John 17:20-26
INTRODUCTION
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.
33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
The unity was astounding.
But even early church struggled to stay united. Acts 5 begins with Ananias and Sapphira lying to the church about money they donated.
By Acts 6 The Hellenists and the Hebrews were fighting over the feeding of the widows.
Before Acts 2 and 4 there was John 17
Jesus knew that as the church diversified, unity would get harder.
Jesus prays for our unity. Our unity is imperative if we are going to accomplish what God wants from us at Del Norte. Diversity and unity!
Paul makes such a big deal of unity because of the diversity.
“Guided by God’s Word, Del Norte Baptist Church is a united community of believers worshiping God, growing in faith, and showing Christ’s love.”
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
21 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.
22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me.
26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
4 Ways We Are United
1- United in Faith (20)
1- United in Faith (20)
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
The church is a community of believers.
Our faith is built upon the word of the Apostles.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
We can always find reasons to divide.
We are united behind Jesus and the mission he has left for us.
We have all put our faith in Jesus.
We were sinners/ now we are Children of God.
We were separated from God/ now we are in the family of God.
We are His disciples.
Disciples are followers of Jesus. Obeying his Word.
2- United in Witness (21-23)
2- United in Witness (21-23)
21 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.
22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
Our unity is a witness to the world.
Goal= as united as the Trinity.
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Miracle= possible because of the Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit unites us supernaturally.
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
Our unity is our greatest witness. - “So the world may believe...
The hope of the lost world rests in the unity of the church.
Unity shows the world God’s glory (22)
22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
Glory is the visible manifestation of who God is.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Unity shows the world God’s love (23)
23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
Our love for each other is proof of God’s love for us.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
3- United in Glory (24)
3- United in Glory (24)
24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
One day we will get to see Jesus’ glory face to face.
Being with Jesus is what makes heaven great.
if you have a greater desire to see a loved one than Jesus, you have a priority problem.
Jesus is not just a ticket to heaven.
If Jesus is your ticket to heaven, you probably don’t have a ticket.
Our life here needs to be about Jesus’ glory and not our own.
We cannot be united if our mission is about ourselves.
We must not unite over Del Norte Baptist Church. If what we do is to bring glory to our church, we do not understand the Gospel.
4- United in Love (25-26)
4- United in Love (25-26)
25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me.
26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Jesus is a love gift given to us.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus’ love is in us.
We are evidence of God’s love.
19 We love because he first loved us.
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
We are how God shows his love to others.
We are his hands and feet.
To know Jesus is to have His love.
Know Jesus- don’t just know about Jesus.
to know Jesus is to make Jesus known.
CONCLUSION
Jesus wants you to know Him because He wants you to know God.
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Being united with Jesus, Be united to a local church, Find community.
We are a united community of believers. Can you make that same profession?
We are a united community of believers. Can you make that same profession?