Unity
In the life and ministry of Jesus, He prayed many times for the needs of the people.He healed the sick, fed the poor and delivered those bound (eg. the prostitues, tax collectors, demonised, etc.) He commanded the storm to stop and fig tree to stop growing.He even raised the dead by the word of His mouth. He was so authoritative and powerful that nothing could withstand Him.In fact, Jesus didn't need to say long prayers to get things done.
There is, however, one occasion where He did say a long prayer - He prayed for His disciples then and now to be united.
John 17 :20-25
Jesus Prays for All Believers 20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that 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. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world 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.
What are the ways we can be one?
It's only through Christ. The unity that Jesus prayed for was not organisational unity but spiritual one based on Him (Christ) living in us.So long as we acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are one.
John 1:12 says "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."
Because of Christ and in Him, we become God's children and therefore we are a family. Subsequently, we affirm that we are unified as one body in Christ.
The second mentioned of unity in this passage is found in verse 23. Jesus prayed that we may be brought to complete unity to let the world know that God indeed sent Christ..
What was the reason that Jesus prayed that we will be united as one?
The reason is that through unity in the church, the world may know Christ.As Jesus cannot be divided, so also the church cannot be divided. Division is a sickness of mankind.Resentment, hatred, killings and wars stem from division and mankind is sick of them. The world He lived was filled with divisions. Where can we find unity? Jesus says, only in His church and among His disciples.
John 13:34-35 says, " A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Through a concious heart to love one another, the world will take notice of the church and be won over. Therefore, we should not act independently of one another and that in Christ we should have a mutual dependence on and submission to one another.
The third mention of unity in this passage is alluded in verse 26.
Jesus prayed that He had made God the Father known to us in order that God's love may be in us and that Christ may be in us.
Why is it important to emphasize on church unity?
The greatest thing Christ gave to His church is love.
Romans 5:5 says, "God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to us." The love God gave to us is so precious that it requitres Jesus to die in order that we may have it.However, just as it is given , it can also be snatched away - by the devil. Therefore, we must do our best to prevent this from happening. Not only in our lives, but also in the lives of others in church.
The love in us is the testimony that Christ lives in us. God and Christ have done their part by giving us this precious gift. We must do our part now. We should be reminded to be sensitive to yield our rights to one another, seeking the Lord's best (the love of God) for the body (forever).
I hope my sharing above will help each of us grow spiritually.
I will be able to share on other topics as the weeks progress, different core values that we should consider and not miss in our lives.
There is, however, one occasion where He did say a long prayer - He prayed for His disciples then and now to be united.
John 17 :20-25
Jesus Prays for All Believers 20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that 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. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world 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.
What are the ways we can be one?
It's only through Christ. The unity that Jesus prayed for was not organisational unity but spiritual one based on Him (Christ) living in us.So long as we acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are one.
John 1:12 says "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."
Because of Christ and in Him, we become God's children and therefore we are a family. Subsequently, we affirm that we are unified as one body in Christ.
The second mentioned of unity in this passage is found in verse 23. Jesus prayed that we may be brought to complete unity to let the world know that God indeed sent Christ..
What was the reason that Jesus prayed that we will be united as one?
The reason is that through unity in the church, the world may know Christ.As Jesus cannot be divided, so also the church cannot be divided. Division is a sickness of mankind.Resentment, hatred, killings and wars stem from division and mankind is sick of them. The world He lived was filled with divisions. Where can we find unity? Jesus says, only in His church and among His disciples.
John 13:34-35 says, " A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Through a concious heart to love one another, the world will take notice of the church and be won over. Therefore, we should not act independently of one another and that in Christ we should have a mutual dependence on and submission to one another.
The third mention of unity in this passage is alluded in verse 26.
Jesus prayed that He had made God the Father known to us in order that God's love may be in us and that Christ may be in us.
Why is it important to emphasize on church unity?
The greatest thing Christ gave to His church is love.
Romans 5:5 says, "God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to us." The love God gave to us is so precious that it requitres Jesus to die in order that we may have it.However, just as it is given , it can also be snatched away - by the devil. Therefore, we must do our best to prevent this from happening. Not only in our lives, but also in the lives of others in church.
The love in us is the testimony that Christ lives in us. God and Christ have done their part by giving us this precious gift. We must do our part now. We should be reminded to be sensitive to yield our rights to one another, seeking the Lord's best (the love of God) for the body (forever).
I hope my sharing above will help each of us grow spiritually.
I will be able to share on other topics as the weeks progress, different core values that we should consider and not miss in our lives.
posted by -jinwang- at
10:13 PM
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