Text: John 17:20-26
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24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
In this the last Sunday in the Easter season we again continue with the Gospel of John as we have for the last few weeks. Let us review what Christ has been telling his disciples.
1. Jesus told them that he would die on the cross and rise on the third day.
2. The sorrow at his death would be replaced with joy at his resurrection.
3. That Jesus would be leaving them again and returning to the Father.
4. But he would send them the Holy Spirit to be their comforter until his promised return.
Unity in love and purpose is God’s desire through the word!
How many of you love family reunions? Seeing relatives, you seldom see, going to the place of your youth, reminiscing of dear loved ones, and longing to see each other more often?
How many of you hate family reunions? Having little in common with those you are related to, annoying family habits that won’t go away, desiring to just get done with it and go home never to do this again?
We’ve probably all been caught up in both circumstances.
In Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John chapter 17 Jesus prays to the Father for his disciples and for all believers and their unity as he prepares to go to the cross.
17 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life,
that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
The unity that Jesus prays for is one not of externals but of internals. It is not the cookie cutter approach that says - this is a successful church because they have lots of people - do what they do. Instead, it is Christ’s church in unity of faith, purpose and love through the word by the working of the Spirit.
In our gospel reading today Jesus’ prayer looks beyond those followers who have been with him to those who will believe 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,
22 … that they may be one even as we are one,
23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one,
The oneness of faith and life is in Christ and the unity that he shares with the Father. Though one God - they are uniquely different and separate yet one in love, will and purpose.
There also is a reason for Christ’s desire for unity.
21 … so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
23 … so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them [Christ’s followers] even as you loved me.
Not that our faith may be a picture of unity but that our faith might proclaim that truth in a world that needs to hear.
This is a perfect text against those who might feel that their faith is private and not to be shared or pushed upon others. You find you are fighting against Jesus will and prayer.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
Those first disciples were being sent with a message for the world. Just as Peter proclaimed in our first reading in Acts 1:
20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
“‘May his camp become desolate,
and let there be no one to dwell in it’;
and
“‘Let another take his office.’
26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
The church today continues in a similar way. Pastors are called to serve congregations. If another call is received and the pastor accepts that call the church prays that by the Holy Spirit, another would take his place or office.
All of this is for the same purpose to proclaim the word and equip the saints so that the world may believe and know.
There is a third part to Jesus’ prayer.
24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am.
Christ’s desire is for the eternal welfare of his followers.
24 … to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
This glory is pictured in our second reading:
22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
This is quite a different scene from the one in Genesis 3 when man was banished and sent out from the Garden of Eden.
Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
In a sense it is why those family reunions can at times be both joyful for some and dreaded by others, because in this life the wages of sin continue to affect every part of life.
Perfect unity of will and purpose in this life still deals with this reality.
But, the banishment for sin is now overcome by the word of truth in the mouths of his disciples. Jesus has died and has been raised and by the Spirit the word of truth takes seed in the hearts of his hearers.
Our gospel reading concludes.
25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known,
And Jesus finishes with another statement of purpose …
26 … [So] that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
The truth of the word that is in you, needs to be heard. By your proclamation those who hear receive the Holy Spirit, believe and are promised the unity in Christ that we have.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
Unity in love and purpose is God’s desire through the word!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
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