Sermon Tone Analysis

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

Christian Unity

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...

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

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.