He Kotahi

Jesus Prays for us

Symmetry

Disciples -> Believers -> World

vs 20-21

Father -> Jesus -> Us

vs.25-26

Glory

vs. 22 Jesus gives us the glory that the Father hsa given him

vs 24 Jesus wants us to be with Him so that we can see the glory of the love you have given him since before the world was made

By extension - us

Unity & Love

vs 22-23 “That they may be one as we are one - I in them ans you in me - so that they may be brought to complete unity.”

vs 23 “Then the world will know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Jesus at the centre

He Kotahi - As One

Unity and love run right to the core of our faith.

We are not unified because we’ve got it all figured out - but because God is at work among us.

This is not something we achieve - it is something we receive.

The same goes for love. The love we inhabit is an outflowing of the love that the Father poured out to his first disciples, that he pours out to all eblievers, that he pours out to all of the world through the love of Jesus Christ who gave everything that we might live and share in this great love.

Kupu whakapono

From this land of Aotearoa New Zealand we confess that we believe in and belong to the one true and living God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Love before all love.

We believe in God the Father, sovereign and holy, Creator and nurturer of all, Father of Jesus Christ, sender of the Holy Spirit, and Judge of all the earth.

We believe in God the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, truly human and truly divine, who lived among us full of grace and truth. For our sin he was crucified and by the power of God was raised from death, forgiving us, setting us free and bringing to birth God’s new creation. Now ascended, he calls us to repentance and faith and restores us to God and to one another.

We believe in God the Holy Spirit, the giver of life at work in all creation, who inspired the Scriptures and makes Christ known, who transforms hearts and minds and gathers us into the community of Christ, empowering the Church in worship and in mission.

We belong to this triune God, women and men, young and old, from many nations, in Christ he iwi kotahi tatou,      [we are one people] witnesses to God’s love in word and action, servants of reconciliation, and stewards of creation.

As God’s people, we look forward in hope and joy to the return of Christ, to the new heaven and earth, where evil and death will be no more, justice and peace will flourish, and we shall forever delight in the glory of God.

What does this mean for us?

Australian election, SBC, sovereign citizens - Judges 21 - nadir of human disobedience to God - in those days everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

We have gone astray - there is an instinct that wants to right the ship. to fix things for ourselves. To point out everything that is wrong, and to rail against it.

That’s not what Jesus does.

Instead, he prays for unity and love. Not just for us, but for all. For all who will believe, and by extension for all of the world.

Jesus knew just how messed up our world can be. We don’t havea monopoly on brokenness or sin in the 21st century. But he chose not to react to that sinfulness and brokenness by pulling up every weed and condemning it, but by pouring out his healing and redeeming love. Even when it cost him everything, the love of the Father outreaches even death itself.

We won’t find unity and love by fighting against everything that is wrong in the world. We won’t find unity and love by locking ourselves away and keeping it pure.

We will find that steadiness, symmetry, equilibrium; that unity and love, as we find ourselves in Christ.

As we pray.

Becuase we too are caught up inthat unity and love. to receive and to give. We too have the privilege of praying - one for another - in unity and love.

Let us pray.