Unity: The Witness of the Church

Last week, we talked about three characteristics of Kingdom priority and action to pursue unity in the church. Matthew 6:33 tell us to “Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness…” Jesus defined greatness in direct opposition to the world’s definition (it was explained in Matthew 20:20-28 (and Mark 10:43-44a). Jesus took on weakness to sympathize with us as a High Priest (Hebrews 4:15). Each of those attributes and practices help us relate to one another in love and become a witness to the unbelieving world.

Today, we will study how we handle hardship as a follower of Jesus and how we love our enemies the way Jesus did. Finally, as we close this study on Unity in the Church, we read portions of John 17, often referred to as “The High Priestly Prayer.” In that passage, Jesus wrapped up the mission of the church - Unity! His final words to the Disciples and for His disciples to come… were that they act in unity! “May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.”

First words… and last words… they have a way of revealing importance and priority. “Protos” – the Greek word describing “what comes first.” It’s something for us to not only consider…but live. We, Simpson Creek Baptist Church, should know Jesus’ priority for Unity in the Church… and act on it.

- Priorities - “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness…” - Matt 6:33a

- Greatness - “Whoever is great among you must be your servant…” - Mark 10:43-44

- Weakness/Meekness - “We have a great high priest who sympathizes with us…” - Heb. 4:15

- Hardship - “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross…” - Heb. 12:2

- Enemies - “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...” - Matt. 5:44

Jesus’ prayer for unity – John 17:20-21

This morning, I want to touch on the two remaining characteristics of how the church can pursue, protect, and maintain unity.

The first is Hardship.

While we will end the message in John 17:20-21, Let’s quickly take a look at Hebrews 12:1-2

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

We talked last week about the things that compete for our attention, our priority and, by default, our affection. I want us to focus on one aspect of this passage. “Looking” in Greek, that word is “apophrontes eis.” What’s so significant about that phrase that we translate “looking to Jesus” is it’s exclusive demand for our attention! In fact, the idea is, we turn, fix our gaze, or solely give our attention to Jesus. One commentator said, “It suggest the impossibility of looking in two directions at once.”

Hardship, we know, is a natural occurrence in the human experience. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Thus may our loveliest calms be succeeded by overwhelming storms. A Christian man is seldom long at ease. Our life, like April weather, is made up of sunshine and showers.”

But, what is it that actually allows the church to suffer differently than the world around us. It is simply JOY!

It’t NOT BECAUSE we have some super power that alleviates us from feeling the weight of life’s burdens. On the contrary, we bear them heartily. BUT, We bear them BY FIXING OUR view, OUR GAZE, CASTING OUR EYES, SINGULARLY ON OUR sympathetic, strong, Savior. He who SO fixed His eyes on his destination for accomplishing God’s will. The Cross! AND… knowing the outcome of His suffering, He endured it with JOY!

If we are going to fix our problems with unity… we’ll have to fix (uncontested) our eyes on Jesus so that no one and nothing competes for our attention. Literally, we unable to look in two different directions at the same time!

There is yet another Kingdom action that so turns us into a witness for the world. it is LOVE OF OUR ENEMIES.

Very briefly, there area two instances given in Matthew 5:43-48. I want us to focus on one of them so that we can see how God’s love is different from our natural love for one another.

Matthew 5:43–48 ESV

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The focus of the passage is on the kind of love that God has for his enemies. It is a “perfect” love precisely because it isn’t one that receives anything in return. The previous examples given concerning the Roman soldier and the slap on the face and turning the other cheek - they help illustrate just how deep our love must be. We’re willing to forgo social rights to bear witness to the love of Christ. (More on that this evening at Bible study).

Just to solidify this point that Jesus was showing us what agape love was like compared to a Gentile or worldly love; you know this passage: Romans 5:8-10

Romans 5:8–10 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

BEGINNING OF CLOSING - JUST BEFORE JOHN 17:20-21.

First words and last words… I believe I have used this idea before in a previous message. I like to capture the idea of first words and last words in the phrase primacy and latency.

For mother’s, perhaps some of the most important first words you can recall are that of your child. The first “Momma”, “Dad da”, or whatever it was only you as a mother could discern… those are often remembered, recorded, or even framed or logged on social media. It’a a BIG moment when little Johnny says that first thing.

It’s also a big deal when the last words are delivered. Now, that might be the last word in this life… I have some of those instances. And I’m sure you do as well - I remember my dad’s last 5 words… “I love you too, Son.”

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.

Explain where this passage falls in the text -

Jesus just finished his teaching about going away to the kingdom. The disciples were still a little unawares; though they said they “got it”. Now, Jesus does one last thing for His disciples… He prays for them. In that prayer… He makes one thing abundantly CLEAR!

HE. WANTED. THEM. TO. BE. ONE!

What am I doing to prohibit the unity Jesus prayed for over His church?

Colossians 3 from Number 197 in the Celebration Hymnal...

Pray and dismiss...