Introduction
We come now to the
final chapter of this section of John, which focuses on Jesus’
final interaction with his disciples on the night of his arrest. He
began by washing their feet (13). Then he told them that his
departure would bring the Holy Spirit, who would usher them into
greater spiritual reality than they had enjoyed with him (14-16).
Then he told them that the key to appropriating the Holy Spirit is
abiding in (depending on) him (15). And now, just before they go to
Gethsemane, Jesus prays (17).
This is the
longest prayer of Jesus recorded in the gospels. Jesus’ prayer
is wide-ranging and profound—far more than I can cover in one
teaching. It has three main sections, expanding in range like three
concentric circles:
In 17:1-5, Jesus
prays for himself, that his Father will glorify him—demonstrate
his greatness through his death, his resurrection, and his return to
the Father.
In 17:6-19, Jesus
prays for his disciples—that as he sends them out as his
witnesses into a hostile world, the Father will protect them from the
deceptions of the evil one through the truth of his Word.
In 17:20-23, Jesus
prays for a much wider group of people (read). He divides all of
humanity up into two groups—Christians (“those who
believe in me through [my disciples’] word”) and
non-Christians (“the world” - those who do not yet
believe in him).
Specifically, he
prays for non-Christians’ salvation by asking for something for
those who do believe in him. Three times in three verses, he makes
the same request—that Christians may “be one,” or
that we may be “brought to complete unity.” He prays for
us to have this unity, because it provides the most convincing
evidence to non-Christians that he is who he claims to be—the
sole Savior of the world. Our first task is to understand what kind
of unity Jesus is (and is not) asking for.
What kind of unity is
this?
He is not praying
for organizational unity between churches. Although this may
come to our minds first, and though the church has often tried to
achieve organizational unity over the past 20 centuries, there is no
indication in this passage (or any other New Testament passage) that
God prioritizes this kind of unity. In fact, attempts to achieve
this kind of unity have usually done more harm than good.
Rather, Jesus is
praying for a unity that is foundationally spiritual and
ultimately relational.
He speaks of a
spiritual union between Christians rooted in his union with
the Father and our union with him (“I in them and you in me”).
This is what theologians call the “mystical union”
between Jesus and believers. The moment you receive Christ, you are
indwelt with the same Holy Spirit that indwells all other true
Christians, and thus you are united with them on a profound spiritual
level (1 Cor. 12:13).
But he prays
ultimately for a relational unity (based on this spiritual
unity) that is observable (something the “world”
sees and learns from) and that must be developed (“brought
to complete unity”). This relational unity is a loving
“community”—characterized by the same unique love
that Jesus displayed.
Jesus’
parallel command in Jn. 13:34,35 confirms this (read). Just as
Jesus asks one preeminent request in 17:21-23, he gives one
preeminent command in this passage. He wants us to love each another
in the same way that he loves us so that those who don’t
know him will recognize us as his followers, and be drawn by this to
believe in him, too.
Why is this unity so
convincing?
Why is this kind
of unity so convincing and attractive? Consider this quote by John
White: “The church that convinces people that there is a God is
a church that manifests what only a God can do, that is, unite human
beings in love . . . There is nothing that
convinces people (that God exists) or that awakens their craving for
(him) like the discovery of Christian brothers and sisters who love
one another . . . The sight of loving unity among
Christians arrests the non-Christian. It crashes through his
intellect, stirs up his conscience and creates a tumult of longing in
his heart because he was created to enjoy the very thing that you
are demonstrating.
Regardless of what
people believe, they are still created in God’s image (made
like him in key ways). In what ways are we in God’s image? In
many ways—but above all else that we are designed for loving
community. Read Gen. 1:26—why “Us” and “Our?”
Because God is a community of love relationships! Ultimate reality
is not impersonal matter (atheism), not an impersonal oneness
(pantheism), not even a solitary personal God (other monotheisms).
Ultimate reality is a God in community—the three Persons of the
Trinity who always loved one another (see 17:24 >> 17:21a,22b).
When God created humans in his image, then, God created us to be in
loving community with “himselves” and with other humans.
This is why no
amount of sensual experiences or materialistic affluence or worldly
power can ever fill the aching hole in your soul.
This is why, no
matter how skeptical or cynical or turned off to the church you may
be, when you see this kind of community it resonates with you on a
very deep level. It strikes a chord at the very core of your being
and, unless you are hard-hearted, it arouses your curiosity to learn
how to have this.
This truth has two important implications:
If you are here
investigating Christianity, your investigation is incomplete
unless you “taste” Christian community! By all
means, digest the teaching and ask your questions. But don’t
stop there. Hang out after the meeting with the people who brought
you and their home group friends. Go to their home group meeting,
where you can see and feel this community. Ask them about how this
kind of community has changed their relational lives (marriage;
parenting; friendships; etc.).
The American
church will continue to be spiritually impotent in its witness for
Christ until it builds real community! BUMPER STICKERS and SLICK
MARKETING campaigns are a pathetic substitute. KNOCK-OUT WORSHIP
SERVICES and INTELLECTUAL ARGUMENTS are inadequate. No wonder that
for all of the above, the American church is stagnant in size and
impotent in transforming influence!
How do you get this
unity?
How do you get this kind of unity? It must be
possible for everyone one of us to have this, because Jesus prayed
for and God answers every one of his prayers. Other New Testament
passages explain three key steps (in order) you need to take in order
to get this kind of unity.
The first thing
you need to do is forge your own personal, spiritual union with
Jesus. Remember, this is a community that works only as each
member loves the other members with the same kind of love that Jesus
loves us with (Jn. 13:34). So before you can get this kind of
unity with other Christians, you first have to receive this love
directly from Jesus. You have to admit to Jesus that you need his
sacrificial, forgiving love—and you have to invite him come
into your heart (Rev. 3:20).
The second thing
you need to do is replace “going to church” with
“being in fellowship.” I hate the phrase “going
to church” because it implies that the church is a building,
when the Bible says the church is the people who know Christ. You
can’t “go to church”—you are the church! But
you can “be the church” without “being in
fellowship.”
“Fellowship”
means sharing something in common, being partners. John says, “We
proclaim (Jesus) to you . . . so that you also may
have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and
with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). To be “in
fellowship” with other Christians means regularly sharing your
common relationship with Christ with other Christians, partnering to
walk with Christ together. According to the New Testament, this
entails lots of face-to-face interaction with other Christians:
discussing what you are learning from his Word, sharing how he is
changing your life, talking to Christ together, challenging each
other to stay faithful to Christ, working together to serve others
(both outreach and edification), showing appropriate affection toward
one another, etc.
In other words,
this kind of unity takes time. If you want real Christian community,
you have to make this kind of relating a key time priority in your
life. You can’t have “drive-through” community!
You have to be willing to re-arrange your other priorities in order
to “be in fellowship.” If you do this, illegitimate
priorities will have to diminish (e.g., ENTERTAINMENT). But you will
find that this priority will enable you to be much more productive in
your other legitimate priorities (e.g., FAMILY; JOB).
The best way to
get in fellowship is to join a home group. Home groups are like
healthy, growing families. Older Christians help younger Christians,
but everybody helps everybody—and new “children”
are constantly being added until it’s time to form two new home
groups and do the same thing all over again! Christian community
flourishes in home groups in a way that can never happen at a meeting
like this. If you know Christ, you should view this meeting as a
complement to your involvement in home group, not a substitute
for it.
Once you are “in
fellowship,” you need to allow God to change your character
so you can preserve and perfect this unity. Consider this
passage (read Eph. 4:1-3). You can hear Paul echoing Jesus is
Jn. 17 as he reminds us of the importance of unity as we seek to
represent Christ before a watching world. He is utterly realistic
about the difficulty of maintaining this kind of unity between
sinful, fallen people—so he reminds us of the character
qualities needed to do this.
I need to
regularly ask God for the humility to realize that I am here
to serve (not just be served). When I have conflict with another
brother or sister, I need this humility see my own part in the
conflict. And when I see my part, I need humility to apologize for
it and ask forgiveness.
Gentleness
(“meekness”) is not weakness; it is strength under
control to handle something that is precious.
I need to regularly ask God for this gentleness to help my brother
when he is in the wrong, rather than just hammering him with truth
(Gal. 6:2).
I need to
regularly ask God for patience and forbearance (and
forgiveness) when my brothers and sisters hurt me or disappoint me or
don’t change as quickly as I would like. It isn’t as
difficult to extend this to others when I remember how much God
extends this to me!
Footnotes
Copyright 2004 Gary DeLashmutt