Seventh Sunday of Easter (2025)

Paris Otterbein

*Opening Prayer

*Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 97)

Leader: The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice!

People: The heavens proclaim His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory.

Leader: Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.

People: Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to His holy name!

Leader: Let us worship the Lord in unity and love.

People: Together, we praise the One who makes us one. Amen.

Hymn #8 Praise To The Lord, The Almighty

Scripture Reading

Acts 16:16-34 - Gladys

Acts 16:16–34 NIV

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

Children's Message

Scripture Reading

John 17:20–26 NIV

“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. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Sermon

John chapter 17 is known as the High Priestly Prayer. Outside of teaching His disciples to pray, this is the most extensive prayer we have recorded. Now, it’s interesting to note in the first 5 verses Jesus praying for Himself. From verse 6-19, Jesus is praying for the disciples. And then we come to the verses we’ve heard today. And do you know who Jesus is praying for? He’s praying for us. For you and me. And again, in the overall timeline, Jesus is still with His disciples on Maundy Thursday. Literally hours before His arrest and crucifixion. But He takes time to pray for us. Those who will follow Him because of the disciples’ message.

And what does He pray for? His prayer centers on one powerful theme: the unity of believers. But unity can be a tricky word—often misunderstood or misused. So let’s take a few moments to clear up what Christian unity isn’t before we talk about what it truly is.

Sometimes we confuse unity with other ideas that sound similar but miss the heart of Jesus’ prayer. Let’s explore five common misconceptions—starting with the idea of uniformity. Uniformity is “Thinking everyone must look, think, worship, or behave the same.” But in Romans 12, Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12 Paul emphasizes the various gifts and ministries of the church. In fact, he compares the church to a body. Specifically in 1 Corinthians 12:12, Paul writes, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” So unity does not in this case mean uniformity.

But if unity isn’t about everyone looking or acting the same, some assume it must mean total agreement. In other words, if people are united, there won’t be any disagreement. Now, I think if you watch Kolaya and I you would be able to tell that she and I are united. But if you ask our kids, they will definitely tell you we have had some disagreements. And some disagreements have been louder than others. But at the end of the day, with grace and love, we are still Mr. and Mrs. Horne. We are still family. And the same is true in the church. We will disagree. We will not always hold the same opinions but with grace and love we will always still be the church.

And even if we know disagreement is possible, we sometimes reduce unity to simply being nice—politeness at all costs. Politeness suggests we avoid “hard conversations”. It suggests we don’t have the tough talks. But sometimes we have to speak the truth in love. Sometimes we have to address the errors others believe. It means I can sometimes say things you don’t want, but need to hear. Or you can say to me something I don’t want, but need to hear. And we will still love each other. The apostles Peter and Paul had one of these moments when Peter had been eating with Gentiles until a group of Jews came around and Peter avoided the Gentiles. Galatians 2:11 says about this, “When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.”

But avoiding conflict isn’t the same as being united. In fact, another common misunderstanding is that unity means compromising our core convictions. That we find the lowest common denominator. What is it we can agree on? Jesus prays that we would be united “in Him.”

Closely related is the idea that unity just means tolerance—that we let everyone do their own thing without engaging. But Christian unity runs much deeper. Instead, “Christian unity is deeper than tolerance—it's love that binds us together in Christ, calling us to mutual care, accountability, and holiness.” In Hebrews 10:24–25 we read, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Proverbs 27:17 says “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” And 1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

These misunderstandings can even make us suspicious of diversity. I’ve heard people ask, “Why are there so many kinds of churches?”—as if variety means division. But that’s not necessarily the case. But consider this: why are there so many restaurants, radio stations, or stores? It’s not always a sign of conflict—it can reflect different tastes, contexts, and needs. Likewise, different churches often reflect diverse cultures and expressions of faith, yet we can still be united in Christ."

So far, we’ve spent some time clearing away the misconceptions. Now let’s turn to the heart of the matter: What is the unity Jesus prayed for? True Christian unity is the shared life we have in Jesus Christ—rooted in His love, shaped by His truth, and empowered by His Spirit. Unity is choosing to see each other first and foremost as brothers and sisters in Christ, even when we disagree. It’s the decision to walk in grace, speak with love, and stay connected through the bond of peace. Unity is not the absence of difference; it’s the presence of commitment—commitment to Christ, and to one another.

This kind of unity isn’t something we manufacture; it’s something we receive and practice. It’s the answer to the very prayer Jesus prayed—that we would be one, so that the world might believe. It’s the church of Christ shining the light of Christ into the world so they see Him. And nowhere is that more visible than at the Lord’s table.

As we come to receive communion, we remember that Christ Himself prepared this table. And when we are all together here we are reminded that our unity doesn’t come from always agreeing - it comes from being found in Him. As we share in the bread and the cup we remember that we are one Body, redeemed by one Savior, sustained by one Spirit.”

Sharing of Joys and Concerns

Hymn #435, v. 2 What A Friend We Have In Jesus

Silent Prayer

Pastoral Prayer

Lord's Prayer

Giving of Tithes and Offering

Doxology

Prayer of Dedication

Hymn #282 The Family Of God

*Benediction

As you leave this place, remember: You are the answer to Jesus’ prayer. He prayed that we would be one— not the same, not always in agreement— but united in Him.

So go now, filled with His Spirit, strengthened by His table, and bound together by His love.

Let your life reflect His grace, your words speak His truth, and your unity point the world to Jesus.

Go in peace. Go as one. Amen.

Sanctuary

Vermilion

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

*Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 97)

Leader: The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice!

People: The heavens proclaim His righteousness, and all the peoples see

His glory.

Leader: Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.

People: Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to His holy

name!

Leader: Let us worship the Lord in unity and love.

People: Together, we praise the One who makes us one. Amen.

*Opening Prayer

Hymn #210 Praise To The Lord The Almighty

Scripture Reading

Acts 16:16–34 NIV

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

Scripture Reading

John 17:20–26 NIV

“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. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Sermon

1. John chapter 17 is known as the High Priestly Prayer. Outside of teaching His disciples to pray, this is the most extensive prayer we have recorded. Now, it’s interesting to note in the first 5 verses Jesus praying for Himself. From verse 6-19, Jesus is praying for the disciples. And then we come to the verses we’ve heard today. And do you know who Jesus is praying for? He’s praying for us. For you and me. And again, in the overall timeline, Jesus is still with His disciples on Maundy Thursday. Literally hours before His arrest and crucifixion. But He takes time to pray for us. Those who will follow Him because of the disciples’ message.

2. And what does He pray for? His prayer centers on one powerful theme: the unity of believers. But unity can be a tricky word—often misunderstood or misused. So let’s take a few moments to clear up what Christian unity isn’t before we talk about what it truly is.

a. Sometimes we confuse unity with other ideas that sound similar but miss the heart of Jesus’ prayer. Let’s explore five common misconceptions—starting with the idea of uniformity. Uniformity is “Thinking everyone must look, think, worship, or behave the same.” But in Romans 12, Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12 Paul emphasizes the various gifts and ministries of the church. In fact, he compares the church to a body. Specifically in 1 Corinthians 12:12, Paul writes, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” So unity does not in this case mean uniformity.

b. But if unity isn’t about everyone looking or acting the same, some assume it must mean total agreement. In other words, if people are united, there won’t be any disagreement. Now, I think if you watch Kolaya and I you would be able to tell that she and I are united. But if you ask our kids, they will definitely tell you we have had some disagreements. And some disagreements have been louder than others. But at the end of the day, with grace and love, we are still Mr. and Mrs. Horne. We are still family. And the same is true in the church. We will disagree. We will not always hold the same opinions but with grace and love we will always still be the church.

c. And even if we know disagreement is possible, we sometimes reduce unity to simply being nice—politeness at all costs. Politeness suggests we avoid “hard conversations”. It suggests we don’t have the tough talks. But sometimes we have to speak the truth in love. Sometimes we have to address the errors others believe. It means I can sometimes say things you don’t want, but need to hear. Or you can say to me something I don’t want, but need to hear. And we will still love each other. The apostles Peter and Paul had one of these moments when Peter had been eating with Gentiles until a group of Jews came around and Peter avoided the Gentiles. Galatians 2:11 says about this, “When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.”

d. But avoiding conflict isn’t the same as being united. In fact, another common misunderstanding is that unity means compromising our core convictions. That we find the lowest common denominator. What is it we can agree on? Jesus prays that we would be united “in Him.”

e. Closely related is the idea that unity just means tolerance—that we let everyone do their own thing without engaging. But Christian unity runs much deeper. Instead, “Christian unity is deeper than tolerance—it's love that binds us together in Christ, calling us to mutual care, accountability, and holiness.” In Hebrews 10:24–25 we read, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Proverbs 27:17 says “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” And 1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

f. These misunderstandings can even make us suspicious of diversity. I’ve heard people ask, “Why are there so many kinds of churches?”—as if variety means division. But that’s not necessarily the case. But consider this: why are there so many restaurants, radio stations, or stores? It’s not always a sign of conflict—it can reflect different tastes, contexts, and needs. Likewise, different churches often reflect diverse cultures and expressions of faith, yet we can still be united in Christ."

6. So far, we’ve spent some time clearing away the misconceptions. Now let’s turn to the heart of the matter: What is the unity Jesus prayed for? True Christian unity is the shared life we have in Jesus Christ—rooted in His love, shaped by His truth, and empowered by His Spirit. Unity is choosing to see each other first and foremost as brothers and sisters in Christ, even when we disagree. It’s the decision to walk in grace, speak with love, and stay connected through the bond of peace. Unity is not the absence of difference; it’s the presence of commitment—commitment to Christ, and to one another.

7. This kind of unity isn’t something we manufacture; it’s something we receive and practice. It’s the answer to the very prayer Jesus prayed—that we would be one, so that the world might believe. It’s the church of Christ shining the light of Christ into the world so they see Him. And nowhere is that more visible than at the Lord’s table.

As we come to receive communion, we remember that Christ Himself prepared this table. And when we are all together here we are reminded that our unity doesn’t come from always agreeing - it comes from being found in Him. As we share in the bread and the cup we remember that we are one Body, redeemed by one Savior, sustained by one Spirit.”

Communion

Sharing of Joys and Concerns

Hymn #360, v. 2 What A Friend We Have In Jesus

Silent Prayer

Pastoral Prayer

Lord's Prayer

Giving of Tithes and Offering

Doxology

Prayer of Dedication

Hymn #419 The Family Of God

Benediction

As you leave this place, remember:

You are the answer to Jesus’ prayer.

He prayed that we would be one—

not the same, not always in agreement—

but united in Him.

So go now, filled with His Spirit,

strengthened by His table,

and bound together by His love.

Let your life reflect His grace,

your words speak His truth,

and your unity point the world to Jesus.

Go in peace. Go as one. Amen.

God Be With You