High Priestly Prayer: Christian Unity

This is a monumental day for all of us.

For some this day is one of mixed emotions, joy and sorrow, excitement and nervousness

For some this is a day of fulfillment and an answer to prayer.

For some of you this is the biggest change you’ve experienced at church in 30 years.

Today marks 30 years since the founding of Brookhaven Baptist Church.

For others of you this is the second chapter of the book God has been writing at Exodus Church.

For others this feels like the first chapter of a brand new book.

Whatever emotions you may be experiencing this morning, we can rest in the truth of that we wrestle, rejoice, laugh and cry in union with Jesus.

We will likewise experiencing all these emotions, hopes and dreams, as one church. We are no longer two churches, we are one church united to one Lord.

Pastor Rob jokes how early in these discussions he said no to me three times about Exodus and Brookhaven coming together.

And that is true, yet in each of those conversations I had a settled faith that this could, and should, work.

Its not because we had so much in common

Exodus and Brookhaven had different church cultures

Exodus and Brookhaven had different church government

Exodus and Brookhaven had different demongraphics

In fact, I joked with pastor Rob that if this goes through we could write a book on how to bring two churches who are very different from one another and bring them together.

So my confidence was not in anything about Brookhaven or anything about Exodus, my confidence that this could and should happen is because Jesus prayed 2000 years ago that you and I, your family and my family, Exodus and Brookhaven, would be one.

And when Jesus prays directly for you, you can have confidence in what he prayed.

So this is what we are going to look at this morning, Jesus’ prayer for you and for me.

But before we look at Jesus’ prayer, let us go before him in prayer.

We are going to be in this morning in verses 20-26

Jesus is telling us this morning that he was praying for you

This Chapter is called Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer

It is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus in the bible

And when you read this prayer if feel like you have come to holy ground

Jesus prays this prayer the night before he was crucified.

And in his prayer Jesus prays for three thing

First, he prays for himself, that he would be glorified with the Father with the same glory he had before he came to earth

Second, he prays for his disciples, that they would be unified, sanctified, and sent into the world to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth

Third, he prays for you and he prays for me, he prays for all future believers that they would be one. That they would be unified with one another in the same way Jesus is unified with the Father.

So turn with me if you haven’t already to vv. 20-26

John 17:20–26 ESV

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.”

Christian Unity

John Chapter 47: Prayer for the Church (John 17:20–26)

We have a vivid example of the efficacy of Jesus’ prayers in the New Testament. We’ve already seen how Jesus revealed to the disciples that one of them would betray Him. He then gave a piece of bread to Judas and said, “What you do, do quickly.” At that moment, Satan entered into Judas (13:27). Likewise, Satan wanted to get his hands on Peter. Jesus said to him: “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:31–32). That prompted Peter to declare that he was ready to go with Jesus to prison and death, but Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me” (v. 34). As we know, events unfolded as Jesus said they would. Judas betrayed Him and Peter denied Him. But these two men’s stories have very different endings. Judas proved himself to be the “son of perdition” (John 17:12) and eventually hung himself. Peter came back and became a pillar of the early church. Why? I’m sure there are many reasons, but I think the most significant one is the intercessory prayer of Christ. Jesus had prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail in the face of Satan’s onslaughts, and that prayer was answered.

Jesus Prays That We Would Be One

This is the main thrust of his prayer for both his disciples and all future disciples, that we would be unified with one another, that we would be made one.

Look at...

John 17:20–21 ESV

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.

Jesus’ prayer is for the unity of all believers.

Jesus prays that we would be one in the same way, or just as Jesus and the Father are one

Do you see that in verse 21?

This is a unique unity in the world

As image bearers of God, we have been created to be in unity with one another

We naturally long for community, and we long to be unified with one another.

And this is true of all people, the world seeks to offer us unity and community, trying to convince us that its the real thing, but its only knock off.

Like Rolex watches you buy on the street.

Movie theater community example

A group of people with similar interests

Meeting together for 2 hours

Focused on the same thing

Laughing together

Crying together

Then leaving together

This sounds like great community, right?

But this is the experience of a going to a movie theater.

One of the richest and most powerful companies in the world exists to try and provide unity and community for people

Facebook’s mission statement is, “to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.”

Facebook’s mission statement is, “to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.”

Technology boasts in its ability to bring people together

However, The Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology put out a study that directly links time on Facebook with increased depression and loneliness.

Another study showed that now 30% of all divorce involves facebook

So in an effort to build community and bring the world closer together what we see happening is facebook creating isolation and dividing that which has been brought together.

The world tries and tries to provide that which can only come from God - true unity and community.

The sort of Oneness that Jesus prays for is not normal.

You cannot find it in a social club, you cannot find it among sports fans, you cannot find it in a political party. This sort of oneness and unity is only found in the very person of God.

And Jesus prays that you will experience this oneness, this unity.

But what we see is that this unity and oneness is only found when we are in union God

Look again at vs.21

John 17:21 ESV

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.

Jesus prays that we would all be one, but he also prays how we are to be one.

He wants us to be one, just as the father and the son are one

He uses language that the church fathers called perichoresis

Perichoresis is a big word used to explain how the Father indwells the Son, and the Son indwells the Father.

Jesus makes room for the Father in his life, and the Father makes room for the Son in his life

“You in me and I in you”

And Jesus is praying that you will be unified to God in that same way

As the father makes room for the son, and the Son makes room for the Father

So the trinity, Father, Son and Spirit, makes room for us.

Through Christ we have been brought into this eternal community of dwelling and indwelling.

Now, this might sound very lofty and hard to understand, and you are right.

But lets remember that this is what Jesus is praying is that we will experience this sort of unity with one another.

When we talk about being secure in our salvation it has nothing to do with

Jesus prays that we will be one, just as the father and the son are one.

Jesus prays that we, you and me, will experience with each other what Jesus experiences with the father.

As the Father makes room for the son, and the Son makes room for the Father… So we must make room in our lives for one another.

So we must make room in our lives for one another.

What does this look like practically?

Well, look around, we have two churches that have committed to making room for one another so we might be one.

We are no longer two churches, we are one church unified by the Spirit of God with one another.

We should rejoice because even this morning we are experiencing the answer to Jesus’ prayer.

What we have done here is an expression of what Jesus prayed for you and me 2000 years ago!

However, as the Father and Son continue to dwell in each other, we must continue to make room for one another in our lives. So that we may become perfectly ONE.

Look with me at verse 23

John 17:23 ESV

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.

What does Jesus mean that we would become perfectly one?

The word for perfect comes from the greek word telos - which refers to an end or a goal. It means to finish, to complete, or to bring to its fullness. (Example: The End of Parenting)

Jesus prayer is that what is already true of God’s people, that we are unified in Christ, will become, and continue to become, a reality in our lives.

Church this is our calling, that we will be one, we will be unified.

The beautiful thing we see in the bible is that unity does not look like uniformity.

God has given all of us different backgrounds, different personalities, different gifts, and different traditions.

Yet, there is a telos, an end, a goal, that we are all to be chasing together. And that goal is that we will be formed into the image of Christ, thus being unified with God and each other.

Paul believed that Christian unity is of utmost importance

1 Corinthians 1:10 NET

10 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree together, to end your divisions, and to be united by the same mind and purpose.

Paul echoes this same sentiment in Col 3

Colossians 3:13–14 ESV

13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

As we put on love, as we are bound together in harmony, as we are united by the same mind and purpose, we experience what it is to live in unity with each other and with God.

Which is exactly what Jesus prays for us in !

There is another aspect of unity that goes beyond just the relational harmony and joy. Christ calls us to unity as this advances the mission of God!

Christian unity is God’s means to reach the lost world.

Missional Unity

There are books, classes, trainings, webinars, conferences and so on seeking to determine the best strategy to reach the lost with the gospel.

And Jesus wants his people to be indwelt in the Father and Son in this same way.

But what we see is that this unity and oneness is only found when we are in God

Jesus prays that just as the Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father, that we would also be in God.

The people of God only experience this sort of unity with each other when they are in unity with God

This is what is means to be saved, It means to be incorporated into God’s life.

In the past its been

door to door evangelism

handing out tracks

Christian radio

incarnational living

seeker sensitive churches

Awana, VBS, etc.

Now each of these have their place and have been effective in reaching the lost.

But Jesus gives us the best strategy for evangelism. And that strategy is Christian Unity.

Look again at verse 21

John 17:20 ESV

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,

John 17:21 ESV

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.

When reading the Bible we always want to pay attention when we see a phrase like, “so that” - these are purpose statements

so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Jesus prays that we would be unified with each other and with God “...so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Look also at verse 23

John 17:23 ESV

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.

Again, we see that the purpose statement is that the world may know that Jesus was sent from the father.

And not only that the Father sent the Son, but that the Father loved those who are in him as he loved the son.

Christian unity is the greatest testimony to the power of the gospel.

(say it 2x)

When Christians truly love one another, when we forgive one another, when we bear with one another, when we encourage, serve and uplift one another, when we have true unity with one another the people of the world see it and long for this sort of unity.

People know they are designed for unity, and they also know in their soul they are unable to find it.

They spend their lives looking for that which Christ has given to his church.

And they will never find it outside of the Church, body of Christ.

So when the body of Christ lives according to Jesus’ prayer, the world will see it and long for what we have, which is Christ himself!

We often think that for the world to be attracted to the church, the church has to become more like the world.

many churches seek to create a space that looks and feels more like Starbucks than it does God’s dwelling place.

The bible speaks of the people of God as a city.

This city of God is made up of all believers and is healthy and vibrant when the people live in unity with one another.

And the city of God is never in competition with the city of man, but rather the city of God is to take over the city of man. (We are to make the city of man look more like the city of God)

Lords prayer, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”

When we make earth look more like heaven we are seeing the city of God take over the city of man.

As people experience this alternate city, culture or civilization they will want to depart from the city of man in order to become citizens of God’s city.

When they see the unity of God’s people, they will know who the king of that city is,

they will know that Jesus is the source and provider of everything the they are designed to be and love.

Its only in the city of God, which is the people of God dwelling in God, that you experience:

A joy that cannot be contained

A love that is unconditional and freely given and received

A truth that is that casts out doubt and grief

A peace that passes all understanding

A righteousness that is untainted or defiled

And a glory that will never dissolve, its a satisfaction for all eternity.

And when the people of the world see the people of God living with this sort of unity they will long for Christ

The one who turns

We are an alternate city, a different kingdom, and we are not to try and become like the city of man, rather we are to call men into the city of God.

sorrow into Joy

Anger into love

Grief into Truth

Chaos into peace

fear into righteousness

And isolation into glory

Truly the best evangelism in the world is a church living in unity with one another.

Living your life with confidence that God has made space in himself for you

you will enjoy all the spiritual blessings of being an adopted son or daughter of God

And as you live with the confidence of being in Christ, you then make space in yourself for others.

Where you have real relationships, when your actions directly affect the lives of those you are in union with.

When your spiritual walk is no secret, but you share you pains and joys with those whom you are united with.

When You love one another with the love Christ has for you, the world will know that what they see can only be found in union with the body of Christ. So we bring them in!

And best of all, when we live in unity with one another, God is glorified

When his people love one another, God is glorified!

When Two Churches come together to love one another and reach the lost, God is glorified

And the exciting thing is that when Jesus receives glory, he invites us to experience that glory with him.

look at vs. 24

However that is not true, People are drawn to faith when they see a people who are completely different than them.

This is what it is to be a faithful follower of Jesus

To love one another

Jesus says,

John 13:35 ESV

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 17:24 ESV

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.

Jesus prays that you and I would be brought near to see his glory

The purpose of creation was to form a bride out of humanity, and to bring that bride into the triune communion to be a bride for his eternal son.

You know, we pay big money to sit front row to see the glory of our favorite athletes

Or to see the glory of our favorite band.

We often hear advertisements to win a trip to the Super Bowl, and go out to eat with your favorite player and take a tour of the locker room before the game.

All of this is an effort to fulfill that which is lacking in our restless hearts.

Saints Augustine said in his Confessions, “our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

There is no front row seat, or Super Bowl experience, that can bring rest to the restless heart.

It is only Jesus, he has created room where he is right now, that we might see his glory. For this is what we were created to experience. The glory of God dwelling with, in, and among his people.

This is purpose of creation itself, was for God to form a bride out of humanity, and to bring that bride into the triune communion to be a bride for his eternal son, and share in his glory for all eternity!

Church, this glory is experienced in part today, as we live in unity with one another. As we love and serve one another, as we encourage and rebuke one another, we experience the glory of Christ.

For our unity with each other is only possible when we are in unity with God.

This is Jesus prayer for you and for me

This is Jesus’ prayer for Exodus Church

That we would be perfectly one, that we would be a city within a city, and that the world would look at us and long to know our king, the one who makes us one.

Lets pray.