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“Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
If we as Christians get this right, we can make the most significant impact in the world for the Kingdom of God since the resurrection of Christ.
JOHN 17:20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
This prayer of Jesus is fascinating to me. It covers the focus of the Christian life completely. It contains the will of God for every believer and it contains the strategy for the body of Christ to make an impact in the world, to the point that those in darkness come to the light of Christ. It’s the perfect circle.
Christ is in God and God is in Christ
You are in Christ and Christ is in you
Christ and his father are in you, and you are in the father with Christ
Christians are to be as united with each other as Christ is with the father
Christ shares his glory with all Christians
As we become mature in our love for one another, it will be a magnet that draws people to believe that God sent Jesus for them too
It’s a perfect strategy that is rooted in relationship, and motivated by love. The father and son’s relationship, our relationship with them as individuals, and our relationship with one another.
Encompassed in this circular relationship is encoded the commandments of Christ to love God and love one another. When you know/experience God’s love for you, the only mature response is to recognize that God loves everyone else as much as he loves you.
The fruit of this circle of love is action. Love is not just an emotion, it’s action. Fundamentally love is taking care of orphans and widows, feeding the hungry, and not forgetting those in prison. But it’s also patience with those who push your buttons. It’s a prayer for those who use you. It’s kindness for an angry, offensive person. It’s a soft word to turn away rage. It’s going the extra mile for someone trying to take advantage of you. It’s praying for the sick and believing with them to experience what Jesus paid for. This circular lifestyle of love is not motivated by obligation, it’s the fruit of your relationship with God and your love for others.
Imagine a mill that’s powered by water. As long as the water flows, the wheel keeps spinning, generating the power. The water is God’s love for us. The mill wheel is the body of Christ, collectively responding to the endless supply of God’s love that converts into energy toward the world. An energy that brings life, light, and love.
And the beautiful product is…the world believes that Jesus is for them too!! It’s time for the church to grow up and find common ground rather than pointing the theological finger at one another to delineate who is right and wrong. Love is focused on maturity and revealing God to the world. My prayer for you and myself is that we allow God to shape us into mature unifiers in his body.
I hope you watch this week’s sermon, as usual, I go into more detail on this topic.
Watch this full series: Your Life Is Not Your Own
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