Read John 17: 13-19. Circle the word(s)that stand out to you. What is the Lord saying to you?
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.
24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you[a] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
Reflections on the Word.
Unity and Diversity. We want to be united, but we don’t want to lose our own individuality. While we want to be true to ourselves, how does our individuality contribute and fit in to unity? Individuality, Self-Identity, and Independence are the mantra and outcry of our society. Are we to adopt these slogans for ourselves?
Jesus said this in His High Priestly Prayer for us, “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” (NIV).
The days of unity and oneness are long gone. Political cooperation for the good of the country is almost unheard of. Denominational and church splits are common as there are roughly 43,000 Christian denominations worldwide. Almost 50% of marriages end in divorce. The message of oneness has nearly evaporated. But wait, what is Jesus’ prayer for His people. Is it different than the world’s message of self-realization to find our own self-identity and live our own dreams?
We have been deceived by Satan to think more of our own individuality in Adam than our identity and oneness in Christ Jesus. It’s not just about us as individuals, but about Christ in us, as He completes us. Our self-identity and our understanding of our self-identity is incomplete without the identity of Christ Jesus.
Our unity and identity in Christ Jesus will cause our family and friends to wonder about this love, peace, and joy that transcends our own nationality or culture. The surrender of our wills to the will of the Father will cause people to pause and wonder about what we believe by and why we believe it.
If our message is about ourselves, then the message of the Gospel and Jesus Christ is overshadowed by ourselves. The world can’t see Jesus in us because all they are hearing is stuff that is about ourselves.
What message are you broadcasting loudly and clearly? Is the message and activity of Christ being muffled by us? Jesus’ prayer is that we be one and that we speak with one voice for Him. Who do you talk about the most with others: Jesus, others, or yourself? Let’s talk about Jesus to others.
-Kingston