Jesus' Prayer for the Church

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PRAYER

- That God’s Word be clear in our hearts and minds.

- That I decrease and Jesus increase.

- That we fall deeper in love with Jesus because of an encounter with Him in His Word.

Introduction

Last week we began through a passage of scripture known as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus.

Last week we began through a passage of scripture known as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus. Jesus began His prayer by praying that He be glorified. He next prayed for His disciples. In this final section we see him pray for the church, those who would hear and believe the testimony about Him. Here, in , we find Jesus, on His way to the cross to die on our behalf, on the behalf of sinners, and He stops to pray for us… those He was dying for. Those who were His followers. Let that sink in as we read through what He prayed for us.

You see, sometimes we read passages like this and we try to understand in our mind what was going on, what was being done, and what was being said. But I want you to take it even deeper than that. As we read through this passage and as we dig into what it means, let’s just revel in the fact that this was Jesus’s prayer for our church. Jesus’s prayer for His followers in East Peoria. Yes, everywhere else also but this applies directly to you and to me.

John 17:20–26 CSB

20 “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. 21 May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me. 24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s foundation. 25 Righteous Father, the world has not known you. However, I have known you, and they have known that you sent me. 26 I made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love you have loved me with may be in them and I may be in them.”

I. Jesus prays for the Father to unify the church in Him.

If we were to name a major, overarching theme for this section of the prayer, we would have to say that it’s Jesus praying “may they all be one.” He’s praying for our unity.

that they may be one even as the Father and the Son are one...

It’s 2019 and based on the culture we live in and the and all of the outside voices speaking into our lives, I don’t think we have a clear picture of what unity is. Either that or we just sort of brush by it. We go on with living life the way we live life even though there are deep fissures in our unity with other believers and we write it off as being just how we’re wired or part of our personality or my personal favorite, “no one’s perfect.” It’s true that no one other than Jesus is perfect but it’s not some kind of excuse you can use for not being together with your brothers and sisters in Christ. There is a lot to say about unity and a lot to say about what unity is not. So let’s dive into untangling our understanding of unity.

A. Untangling our Understanding of Unity

Unity is not compromising the truth.

Unity is not achieved by hunting enthusiastically for the lowest common theological denominator, but by common adherence to the apostolic gospel. - D.A. Carson

What Jesus was not asking for here, was not for us to be all unified around our own personal opinions of who God is. He wasn’t suggesting that we should gather ourselves up and unify around who we think God is. That’s not how it’s supposed to work. No, our unity is supposed to be based on who God REALLY is as He was revealed through Jesus’s disciples. We are who Jesus is speaking of in verse 20 when He says:

John 17:20 CSB

20 “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word.

John 17:

We believe because God has revealed Jesus in the Bible. When we heard the truth about Jesus as revealed in the Bible conveyed through the word of His disciples, our unity began. It started there. But our unity continues based on the Word.

1 John 1:3 CSB

3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

We can gather as the children of God, unified around who God has revealed Jesus to be in the Word of God, the Bible. It doesn’t have anything to do with our preferences or our hobbies or our jobs, but the very Word of God unifies us and binds us together.

b. Unity does not mean that we outlaw any diversity or uniqueness.

We like Star Wars at my house… a lot… I don’t know if you’ve seen this but the bad guy soldiers are called stormtroopers, just like back in WW2. Anyway, these guys are all dressed in white and armour and all look the same when in their uniforms. They stand there in a line for inspection, faceless, nameless (numbers for names like TK-421 or FN-2187) and they certainly don’t give their opinions. Some people believe the church should be like this… some kind of platoon of uniform soldiers ready to attack the world. It’s a rigid push for uniformity that often comes from bullies who can’t handle anyone thinking differently than they do. The Spirit has gifted everyone uniquely and we exist in a beautiful diversity as the church. There’s an old quote that you may have heard before that brings this out well.

In essentials, unity. In nonessentials, liberty. In all things, charity.

It’s about being together and not about being the same.

c. Unity is taking part in a shared relationship with Jesus.

About this passage, Carter and Wredburg write,

Unity is taking part in a shared relationship with Jesus.

“The unity Jesus asks for is a unity of relationship. It’s receiving a new identity as one with Christ—being swallowed up in fellowship with God himself, his Son, and his Spirit (vv. 21-23). Christian unity is a result of entering into the deep relationship that exists within the Trinity. Jesus describes the foundational relationship between the Father and the Son (v. 21). The Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father. Next he describes the relationship between believers and the Son (vv. 21,23). The Son is in believers, and believers are in the Son. As a result, believers are in the Father (v. 21).

By virtue of Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection, we enter into a deep, abiding, never-ending relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit. We are brought into relationship with them through faith.

The church’s unity is actually after the model of the trinity. God is triune. One God in three persons. The Father and the son are perfectly unified but there is a distinction as well. We are all different in our gifting, talents, backgrounds, appearance, and what we prefer but Jesus would have us perfectly united in and through Him.

One commentary I studied said that if there was a river of love that has eternally flowed between the members of the Trinity, then we find our unity with one another by immersing ourselves completely in it. We get so close to Jesus we become drenched in his love, with the result that we cannot help but love one another.

When we look to the churches in the New Testament we sometimes see churches that struggle. The church in Philippi was dealing with some conflict and disunity. The apostle Paul wrote the book of Philippians to them. In chapter 2 he addresses their issue:

Philippians 2:2–4 CSB

2 make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

He tells them basically that they shouldn’t be arguing but should be unified. If you continue on in verse 5, he explains a little more about how this is supposed to happen.

Philippians 2:5–11 CSB

5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5 CSB

5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

Philippians

Unity is based in, begins in, and grows out of the love of the Father.

d. Unity is based in, begins in, and grows out of the love of the Father.

What unity based in love accomplishes:

e. What unity based in love accomplishes:

v 23: the world may know that the Father sent the Son and loved them.

As Christians we have a unity of relationship. We are also unified in mission. That’s what the unity of those in Christ is and does. Actually, that unity of relationship spills over from unified body growing deeper in love with God and one another and spills into the unity of mission and when that happens, people hear about Jesus and respond in faith to Him.

B. Evidences of a Unified Church

Wow! Had you ever thought about unity in these ways? Now, let’s look at some evidence that a church is unified. What are the signs of a church that is really together?

a. A shared commitment to Biblical teaching.

Unity will follow out of a commitment to the Bible. The Word of God.

Every member asking “What does the Bible say?” and then obeying it no mater what the cost. - this will cause the church to experience unity. If you neglect the Word of God, you won’t have unity. Gossip, selfishness, disagreement will seep in.

b. A shared understanding of our new identity.

When we trusted in Christ for salvation, at the moment we came to Him in faith, we were grafted onto the true vine. We are from then on found in Him. Everything we need for living life comes to us from our connection to Him. We get our strength from Him, our guidance from Him, our wisdom from Him, our nourishment for spiritual growth from Him. We rely on Him alone for power, strength, and all of these things. We were brought into this new community of brothers and sisters who also find their identity in Christ. We are adopted into the family of God. We are now identified as God’s children and as belonging to God and not strangers to one another. Just as we don’t relate to our families as strangers, so we should not relate to others in our church as strangers. All ages, all ethnicities, all socio-economic levels…

The Bible would actually call us a new creation.

c. A shared desire and active pursuit of sacrificial love.

When you are soaking, immersed in the love of God, in a selfless, sacrificial love, it will absolutely overflow into our other relationships. It has to...

When we are loving others with this kind of love we:

bear one another’s burdens

Galatians 6:1 CSB

1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.

instruct one another

Romans 15:14 CSB

14 My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.

Romans 15 CSB

1 Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. 2 Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself. On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. 4 For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. 5 Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice. 7 Therefore accept one another, just as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers, 9 and so that Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praise to your name. 10 Again it says, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people! 11 And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples praise him! 12 And again, Isaiah says, The root of Jesse will appear, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; the Gentiles will hope in him. 13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 14 My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15 Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points because of the grace given me by God 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the gospel of God. My purpose is that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus regarding what pertains to God. 18 For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me by word and deed for the obedience of the Gentiles, 19 by the power of miraculous signs and wonders, and by the power of God’s Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum. 20 My aim is to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named, so that I will not build on someone else’s foundation, 21 but, as it is written, Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand. 22 That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you. 23 But now I no longer have any work to do in these regions, and I have strongly desired for many years to come to you 24 whenever I travel to Spain. For I hope to see you when I pass through and to be assisted by you for my journey there, once I have first enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Right now I am traveling to Jerusalem to serve the saints, 26 because Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 Yes, they were pleased, and indeed are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual benefits, then they are obligated to minister to them in material needs. 28 So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds to them, I will visit you on the way to Spain. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. 30 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in fervent prayers to God on my behalf. 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 and that, by God’s will, I may come to you with joy and be refreshed together with you. 33 May the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.

forgive one another

Ephesians 4:2 CSB

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

Pray for one another

James 5:16 CSB

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.

James

This past Thursday I had called a church council meeting that was different than our regular meetings. I called it with the specific purpose of discussing the future of Richland Baptist Church and sharing a vision for the kind of church we need to be and some of the things I will be leading us in moving forward. Now, I will be sharing that with our members in a membership meeting down the road sometime but this morning I want to share with you step number one. We MUST be a praying church. I don’t mean over meals or when someone gets sick. Those are good things so don’t get me wrong, but we need to be praying for the spiritual condition of the church, of one another, and of the lost in our community. We need to regain our belief in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit that He changes hearts and calls people to Jesus and we need to fall on our knees and beg him to strip away our hurt, our bitterness, our complacency, and everything that is not of Him and aim us with laser focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ so it will drive us on our mission and we would see God save people and make disciples in East Peoria and to the nations.

Special called council meeting:

submit to one another

Ephesians 5:21 CSB

21 submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

All some people want to do is push back. They don’t just disagree but they constantly want to push back. We are given guidelines for how to relate to one another and while we always will contend for God’s way, we can submit our desire to have our own way.

encourage one another

1 Thessalonians 4:18 CSB

18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

IThessalonians

provoke one another, not to anger, but to love and good works

Hebrews 10:24 CSB

24 And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works,

Not concept but conduct. Unity changes the way you live.

d. A shared discontentment with selfish division.

This is an unwillingness to allow selfish division. We never get to the point where we think we are unified enough. It’s like a goal that is always in front of us.

It’s kind of like humility. When you think you’re finally humble it’s a sure sign that you are not.

A unified church will not be content with allowing people to breed selfish living and divisive behavior. Division is not simple disagreement. Division is when you are breeding your disagreement. Getting people on your side and building your team. And it’s wrong because it’s based in selfish motivations.

It also, instead of sending a message about Jesus to the world that causes them to want to know more, it causes them to be glad they are not part of us. Is your behavior driving people away from the church, the bride of Christ?

Repent and believe the good news. There is hope because Jesus went to the cross in your place. And here He was, just before that, stopping to pray that you would drop your self centeredness at His feet and live in unity with your brothers and sisters. How could you say no to that?

Real unity is God worked and isn’t something that can be worked up. It comes out of hearts devoted completely to Him and one another. True unity is a visible sign to the community that the Father loves us and sent Jesus to earth. It tells them that he loves us with the love reserved for Jesus and that this is why Jesus came.

II. Jesus asks that believers would be reunited with Him.v 24.

-this was his desire… what He wants...

John 17:24 CSB

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s foundation.

that they would see his glory (goodness displayed and enjoyed)

worship Him face to face

We long for heaven.

The local church can be a taste of heaven.

Justin Tucker - Unity with each other and with God may cause the world to believe that the Father sent the Son.

Concluding Prayer and Pleading for Response. Don’t have them come forward.