John 17:23
“I 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.”
Jesus is about to be arrested. He’s prayed for himself, for his disciples and now he begins to pray for those who will come to believe in him after his resurrection through the testimony of the disciples. Essentially he’s praying for us.
His prayer is focused on UNITY. On Relationship. Jesus has experienced such a Unity with the Father such an intimate love with the Father. That He had to share that unity that love and that relationship with us.
He is in us. We are in him.
As he is praying he asks his Father… If we can be brought into Complete Unity. Both with Him in relationship but also with each other!
The purpose of this unity is that the world (the people around us everyday) may see this unity a unity that perhaps doesn’t make sense in the natural.
This un-natural unity is to declare to the world that God Loves Us!
Ephesians 3:10 Paul speaking of God says
“His intent was that now THROUGH THE CHURCH, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.”
Here Paul says that the when the Church is united… Gentiles and Jews, people who in the natural shouldn’t be getting on, when they are living in unity. The wisdom of God, the GLORY of God SHOULD be and WILL be made known to the world.
Essentially the world should be baffled at such love and such unity.
The idea is that a group of believers from different backgrounds and circumstances living in unity and loving one another, SHOULD and WILL convince and declare to the World the love and truth of JESUS!
This in-fact is the purpose of the church.
WOW…
I love the idea of Young Adults joining together at AWAKEN OUR CITY for this reason.
Joining with hundreds of Young Adults from different circumstances and backgrounds as we come together in uniyt is a truly incredible thing. As we worship together, pray together and grow together!
Just maybe this unity, this love that we experience WILL declare to the world the GLORY and LOVE and the TRUTH of JESUS.
See you at Awaken Our City
