I Wonder--How do We as a Church have Unity in a Divided Age?

We want to take a moment and honor those who have served and fought for our freedom.

If you have served in the armed forces or currently serve in the armed forces of our country, would you please stand?

Let’s honor you.

and if you have a friend or family that is either currently serving or has served would you please stand?

let’s pray for you

Thank you

we pray for those currently serving, for protection, strength, to also represent Jesus Christ wherever they go. give them wisdom.

we pray for those who have served—trauma, pain, healing for them.

for those families and friends who have lost loved ones in service, continued healing.

and for

I want to read John 17:20-23.

This is a prayer that Jesus Christ, the Son of God prayed — the longest prayer recorded of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

John 17:20–23 NIV

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

read

This is an incredible prayer all through chapter 17.

Before I comment on it—I am amazed at this prayer. Why?

Because this is right before he is arrested and about to go to the cross, where he would die as a sacrifice for our sins in our place. bearing the judgment of God for our sin. facing incredible pain and agony. Amazing!

and 2nd in this prayer—he prays for US! yes he prayed for himself earlier, and his disciples, and now, He prays for US! If you are here today—it’s b/c Jesus prayed for you.

what does He pray for us?

what is his prayer? (he has about 5 requests of them in this chapter), but in this passage:

He prays that we would be one. (vs. 21)

and vs. 22 (that we would be one)

vs. 23—that we would be brought to complete unity…vs. 23

but did you catch the kind of unity Jesus prayed for us?

What kind of unity is this?

—that we would be one—Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. (vs. 21)

vs. 22— that they may be one as we are one…

—vs. 23—I in them and you in me, so that they may be brought to complete unity.

and when this happens—Jesus says—in vs. 23—the world will know that the Father sent Jesus and that the Father loves the world just as much as the Father love Jesus!

The kind of unity that Jesus prayed for us—is the kind of unity expressed in the very nature and being of God.

Our current series is called “I Wonder...” and somebody asked, I think it may have been one of our students—how are we to understand the Trinity—this idea that God is one—we believe in one God—yet has 3 persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. someone asked “How was God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit all the same thing?”

and the answer is— very carefully—it is mysterious!

b/c we believe in God—God is one as to essence (not multiple gods—one god!)

and yet—3 distinct persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—where the Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father.

and yet where one is, all are.

and if you say we believe in 3 gods—that’s not right.

and if you say the Trinity is like water—where it can be a liquid, or ice, or steam if boiled…but that’s not quite right either—b/c that is saying God exists in these different modes but not at the same time.

How can God be 3 yet 1—and the answer is—I don’t know! but that’s the record of the Bible...

b/c when Jesus was baptized…the Holy Spirit came on him like a dove, and a voice from Heaven said “this is my beloved son...” with whom I am well pleased.

this is meant to blow our minds about God—we can understand him but not fully…because He is God...

and we see in this Trinity—an incredible diversity—and yet incredible unity.

btw—THIS diversity and unity is what our country and world long for amidst such division.

it’s what we long for as a nation.

It’s what we long for as a church.

How do we have unity as a church in time when everything is so divided?

There’s a lot at stake with this question—this unity—b/c verse 23—when we have it—then the world will know that you (Father) sent me (Jesus) and have loved them.

What of unity is this—that God prays for us - what does this look like—(not just abstract)

—tupperware intimacy — almost can’t tell where one begins and the other ends — tupperware intimacy…

Jesus said the Father is in Him,

and He is in the Father.

and we are to be in them so them so that the world may believe that the Father sent Jesus.

This kind of intimacy—is incredible.

(doesn’t mean you don’t have boundaries or distinctions—the Father is not the Son and the HS and so on—but there is incredible unity—one essence).

the Trinity is our model for church unity. the very fact that our God is three yet one—shows us the kind of unity we long for amidst diversity IS POSSIBLE.

our country and world is longing for this—can we all get along—can we all be united yet be so different and diverse? Our country and world does not have an answer--

we have one—look to the Trinity!!

and while our church humanly speaking can’t fix it—Jesus can. and He begins in the local church—as we form a community, a family, a body, under Jesus…

that unity takes on flesh and bones. and the world looks at us and says—I believe the Father sent Jesus, and that the Father loves the world (as we love Jesus)

—it is God centered, Jesus-centered, Holy Spirit-centered--

—there is intimacy...

—there is a focus on the other—Jesus prayed earlier—that God the Father would glorify Him so that your Son may glorify you. (vs. 2) vs. 4 - Jesus says he brought the Father glory on earth by finishing the work the Father gave Hi. vs. 5 — now Father, glorify me...” it’s almost as if there is this spotlight going around—where one member of the Trinity is constantly spotlighting, showcasing

—as we think about the early church in Acts 2 and 4—they had this—generosity, radical generosity—selling land and houses, giving it to one another, radically loving one another… (now they had problems, too, and division—they struggled with it too) but that first early church in the book of Acts—incredible unity.

—truly loving one another (the world will know that you are my disciples if we love one another…) supporting and caring for one another… forgiving each other--

don’t you want to be a community like that????

—now this unity doesn’t mean we don’t challenge or rebuke one another. earlier Jesus prayed that we would be holy and set apart—by saying sanctify us by your truth—your word is truth. it is a unity based on the very Word of God itself—we don’t compromise the good news of Jesus in it...

but when we have this unity—the world starts to believe that the Father sent Jesus to save us. b/c we believe weird things—that God made us. We are sinners. We need rescued. Jesus came 100% man and 100% God.

He lived the life we failed to live

He died the death on the cross for our sins—to forgive us, make us new, so we can start to live in unity.

Why is this challenging?

This may be obvious…

there is a Biblical reason —

there is the Biblical reason why: God created us for incredible unity and intimacy with Him and others—before sin entered the world—this is much easier.

but when Adam and Eve sinned, and said to God—that basically we know best—we are God—not you—it ruptured and broke everything. our unity with God and others is broken.

my relationship with friends, with your spouse, your boss or co-workers, your neighbors—is broken due to the problem of sin—where you and i rebel against god. that rebellion has led to dis-unity.

and throw in the biblical reason of sin with other categories and differences that we naturally have...

and then think about the practical differences...

in January, we talked about the differences in the generations…let’s look at those again

The Traditionalists/Builder (born prior to 1945) (if that is you—would you raise your hand) or say hello on FB (over age of 76) (stand and wave)

Baby Boomers born 1945 - 1965 (ages 56-75)

Gen X — born 1965 - 1980 (41 - 56)

Gen Y or Millennials born 1981 - 1996 (this is me) (ages 25 - 40)

Gen Z or the IGen (born 1996 to 2012) ages 10 - 24

Gen Alpha 2013 - (birth to 9 years old)

each of these are different from a broad perspective…in how they approach work, flexibility, technology, leadership, programming, how they approach the thought of community and unity...

and it can make unity in our church very difficult… “Oh if the old people would just be more accommodating…or open to change...”

“Oh if the young people would just get their act together...”

you throw in more categories—of different backgrounds...

different economic classes

different races or ethnicities...

different political views-which is probably the most divisive category period in our country!

and this thing called unity…is difficult.

the early church while it was united—AT FIRST—struggled with division. in the book of Acts—we see incredibly unity early on.

but by chapter 5 — people are lying in the church to get glory

chapter 6 - there was almost a church split over food distribution to widows

chapter 15 — incredible conflict over how are we really saved—btw—that is worth fighting for—is it by works—or grace—it is by grace—what God has done—that is the conclusion

you and I struggle with unity just every day—in our marriages, in our work relationships...

b/c our hearts are broken by sin--

How to have it--

well the very fact that Jesus prayed for it—shows that we need it, desperately, and we need His power to do it. He has to bring us there.

b/c one theologian said—our hearts are always sizing each other up...

always comparing ourselves to each other...

we do so on looks...

money...

type of job...

kids…are they on the honor roll or not…or sports...

that person must have a better retirement account than I do...

we do this to justify ourselves, to get our sense of self and identity…we always feel like we have to cover up...

and we do this on social media—we compare and look---and either feel good, or often feel bad about ourselves and self-worth.

our hearts are sick by sin—and a constant need to prove ourselves

but this is where the good news of Jesus comes in.

If you believe that you have to earn your salvation in some way by being good enough—before God—then you will always be anxious. Even if you don’t believe in God—this is the default mode for our hearts—always doing enough, always performing, having to do more…to feel that sense of self-worth.

but the good news of Christianity and the Gospel—the good news that Jesus himself was getting ready to accomplish right after this prayer...

is that there a God who loves us, and though we have turned on him and deserve his punishment and perfect justice… (we are His enemies)

He sent His Son on a rescue mission to save us—from the deadly sin that breaks our relationship with God and others, from our wicked hearts that are constantly comparing, scratching, and clawing...

and He did this by living perfectly on our behalf

and by willingly, gladly, joyfully, and also sweating drops of blood—He went to the cross.

it is grace—and if you and I confess our need for Jesus, confess our sin before Jesus, if we believe on Jesus, the Bible says our sins are forgiven; we are given new hearts that aren’t driven by performance—but rest in the grace of Jesus

Jesus says in verse 23—the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. woh!

Does God love you?

Do you believe that? do you know that God loves you just as much as he loves Himself in the Trinity—do you believe that? Gods you fully, all your flaws—and yet loves you--

when you believe in Jesus Christ by faith—your sins are put on Him, his righteousness is put on you—you are loved in the same way that God loves the Son. the rest of our Christian life is knowing that—tupperware intimacy…with Him and others...

when you know God’s love like that DAILY!—you will be able to relate to people in a way that is unifying, not dividing.

our world is divisive.

when we as a church have God’s love for us in Christ at the center—the Gospel—then we are a church that can be unified in an age that is so divisive.

Let’s pray--

let’s express that unity—one big circle—amazing grace...

another way to have unity—eat together. We will eat together in a moment.

We could use some help:

people to tear down sound and music equipment

people to help serve food

Kalabrics—please go see them