Unity (2)

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 14

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

UNITY

Peace be with you.

Let’s pray. Father, may your will be done. Jesus, may your word be proclaimed. Spirit, may your work be accomplished in us we pray. Amen.

Lectionary Lesson: Unity [John 14:1-14]

What is Unity

The Purpose of Unity

How Unity is achieved

Introduction

On the Fifth Sunday of Easter we go back to the last supper where Jesus have a long and extensive meal and fellowship with his disciples on the night he is betrayed. We go back because now that we are on this side of the resurrection, we revisit Jesus words so that what we were not at first able to understand, can be understood now that Jesus has achieved his work the Father sent him to do.

Jesus begins a long conversation with his disciples that is meant to instill peace in them before things begin to unravel that very night.

But before we can appreciate what Jesus is about to say, we need to refresh our minds with a little history.

Looking Back.

The Fall in the Garden— Separation.

The Story of Babel—False Unity.

1. The Garden—Separation

Remember when life begin and Adam and Eve where in the Garden, a place that God prepared for both Him his creatures to be together. Then Adam and Even disobeyed God and sin entered into the world effecting everything. The biggest impact sin made was it cause a separation between the relationship between God and his creatures. Because of this sin, God has to send his creatures packing and they were no longer allowed to be with him in the Garden. But God didn’t leave them without hope. He promised he would remedy this separation and they will be together again.

2. Babel—Sinful Unity.

Then we turn a few chapters in human history, and discover that man got bored and impatient. All the people had things in common. They had the same language and words. In this unity they wanted to make a name for themselves (remembers this) and position themselves with God in the Heavens. They were trying to remedy the separation from the Garden and from God. Don’t be misled by this kind of unity. God observed what they were doing and their motive for doing it. It was an evil and sinful motive and yet God says something spectacular. God says that because of their unity nothing will be impossible for them! (Hang on to that will you!!!)

But this kind of unity is not the unity that God embodies nor desires. It is unity in the wrong way and motivated by sinful desires.

So God cause confusion in their languages so they can’t communicate and then disperses them throughout the world. God, as a means to prevent them from accomplishing evil, breaks their unity as a means to prevent them from achieve their sinful motives.

What is important for our purposes this morning is to revisit the issue the world has that needs remedied. The World, because of sin, is separated from God. The world cannot force God’s hand by just making a name for themselves and building for themselves a way to be back in the presence with God. It is this that informs us so we can better appreciate what Jesus says to his disciples during the last supper.

Now back to the Supper…

Looking Forward.

1. In Jesus’ Absence

Jesus begins his dinner conversation by trying to encourage his disciples. Jesus knows how things are going to unfold this night and he tells his disciples not to let their hearts be trouble. Why would their hearts be trouble? Because Jesus is about to be taken from them. He is about to die, and he is returning to his Father in Heaven.

Jesus reveals that his absence from them is intentional. He goes back to the Father, to begin preparing for their arrival where The Father and The Son reside. When he completes this he will return and bring them where he is.

Lesson: The Direction of God’s Presence.

Jesus and God’s word has a direction. We are meant to be where Jesus is. We often ask for Jesus presence to be with us where we are. Because of the Holy Spirit Jesus presence can be felt in our lives, but the Bible leads us to want to be where Jesus is. Jesus wants us to join him where he is. Have you ever prayed that? Instead of asking Jesus to come to you, have you ever ask for Jesus to bring you into His presence? You can invite Jesus into your Home and you do this when you pray privately and read the scriptures. But Jesus equally longs for you to join him where he is. He want to invite you into his home and speak to you with his words and that is what Sunday is all about.

2. The Way to Jesus

But not only does Jesus tell what he will be doing in his absence, but he also gives the disciples directions to the place he is preparing.

Jesus instructs his disciples to follow the way that leads to where he is, the place he is preparing for us. So in his absence we are instruct to go the way of Jesus, to listen to his truth that guides us in the way, and live the life he lives and we will find him along that road and he will lead us home.

3. Home is where the Father is.

Jesus is excited to bring us to the Father. Just the fact that he is preparing place for us so we can join him where he is which is with the Father is a very “son” thing to do.

Lesson: A Boy’s excitement

When I was a little boy, I loved to clean my room and rearrange it every month. I liked change and so I would think of a new layout of my room and arrange it accordingly. I would get so excited with what I had done that I wanted my mom to come check it out. Beau does this, just the other day he created a little office space in his room because he got a new Bible and wanted a place to read it, so he arranged some pillows and blankets, and a stool and called it his office. He was so excited that he wanted to show everyone his office. This is Jesus who is so excited to prepare a place so that we can be with Him and the Father. Because for Jesus Home is where the Father is. Jesus was sent by the father to remedy the separation that our sin caused, so that those who believe in the son, can be back Home with the Father.

4. What Happens when Jesus is back with the Father?!

Jesus then continues his speech to the disciples by talking about the unity between him and The Father. Jesus tells the disciples that since they know him they know the Father. Jesus is the spitting image of his father. Jesus has been speak his father words. Jesus has been doing his Father’s will, through is works. The Father and the Son are one. They are complete unified in all things. To see one is the know the other. Then Jesus reveals something huge. Jesus tells his disciples that if they believe in him and follow in his ways, they will be one with him and the Father and share in their love! Listen to the words of Jesus,

John 14:12- ““Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.”

There is something about the Son and the Father being together that is going to allow us to accomplish even greater things than Jesus did when he was on earth!! That a big deal. Why? Remember those things that I told you to hold onto: How the people at Babel wanted to make a name and place for themselves where God was but that their unity was put in the wrong purpose and direction? Well Jesus is revealing to his disciples that through faith in Him, those things will be accomplished rightly. We have been given the name. The name of Jesus, and anything we ask, according to the will of the Father will be done! We have been give access to the place where the Father is through faith in his Son. Jesus has brought us back to the presence of God. And now that Jesus is back with his Father, as we share unity with them through Jesus, there is nothing we can’t accomplish together!

5. The Attribute of God: Unity

Unity is a mark of The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Which means it is the mark of the Church which is in union with God. Our unity among each other, and our unity with Christ should be visible to the world, and when we live into this unity there is nothing that we cannot accomplish.

From this lesson we need to realize that there is both unity direct in sinful ways, and unity that tethers us to the Godhead. Unity is not meant to accomplish sin but to accomplish the will of God. Unity is not mean to accomplish disception but truth. Unity that bypasses Christ is sinful unity and God would rather have our sinful efforts broken than realized.

So Good new Church! Jesus is with the Father, and we can be where they are by faith in Jesus. And if we live in unity with God and each other, then there is nothing impossible for us.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.