The Gospel of John can seem awfully wordy and complex sometimes. Today’s Gospel reading is no different. We have the end of Jesus’ farewell speech to his disciples, which covers four chapters of John. Yes, it seems wordy and complex, but one thing is clear in this passage – Jesus is praying for his disciples, and not just for his disciples, but for us, too. We are the ones who have come to believe in Jesus through the words of his disciples throughout the ages.
Jesus’ prayer is that “they may all be one.” His plea is for a unity that is so deep, and so embedded, that it mirrors the unity and oneness of Jesus and God the Father. At first glance, it may seem that Christians aren’t doing so hot in the unity department. One need only drive a few blocks to see a dozen different denominations, each with our own unique and nuanced beliefs and emphases. It often seems that we Christians have more disagreements with those who also profess to be Christians than we do with those of other religions or no religion. Does this mean that Jesus’ prayer has gone unanswered?
Well, it depends if we think that our unity depends on our actions or beliefs or if it depends on God’s action. If unity in Christ can only take place when all Christians think and believe the same things, then, yes - we’ve failed miserably. But, if unity in Christ is dependent not on us, but rather on God, the one who unites us, then we have certainly not failed, because it’s not up to us!
Through the waters of baptism we are joined to the Body of Christ. This unity comes about by God’s action and God’s grace. Period. On the cross, Jesus draws all people to himself, and unity happens because Christ is at our center. We don’t decide who is in and who is out. We are all in because God has joined us together. Our place at the table is not dependent on anything we have done on our own.
When Jesus prays this prayer, it is in the hearing of his disciples - yes, even Peter who will deny him; yes, even the disciples that run away at the garden and at the cross; yes, those friends who will doubt his resurrection even though he’s talked about it again and again; and yes, even Judas who will betray him with a kiss.
Jesus’ prayer that they may be one is likely not a prayer in spite of those mistakes and choices, but a prayer because of them. Jesus knows that difficulty, pain, and sadness lie ahead - for him, and for the ones he dearly loves. In the face of that, the disciples will need each other. When shame and heartache threaten to divide and scatter them, they will need the binding, uniting love that mirrors the unity and love between Jesus and God the Father.
The same is true for us. We are relational beings by design. We need one another for friendship, support, and care. We need listening ears, shoulders to cry on, dear friends to pull out the confetti and celebrate our hardest-won milestones. Oneness and unity are not some pie-in-the-sky utopia dream, but necessities for our life together here and now.
Yes, unity and oneness are often difficult to attain. Yes, our division seem so stark, with no middle ground in sight. But if this were easy, Jesus wouldn’t need to pray so earnestly that we all may be one.
So, what does this unity look like for people of different ages, backgrounds, interests, political views, beliefs? For one thing, unity is not the same as uniformity. We don’t all have to be exactly the same in order to be united by and in Christ. And, actually, it’s better if we’re not! Instead, our diversity is a strength. We come together with a variety of gifts, interests, and perspectives. We solve problems differently, we relate to one another differently, we bring with us different stories and life experiences. This diversity works together for good, making us stronger and giving us a broader view of who God is and what God is like.
Additionally, our focus is better turned not to purity tests or strict boundaries, but rather to the expansive and welcoming love of God, for it is this love that draws us together. In this prayer, Jesus describes how our unity is a witness of God’s love. He says, “…that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Our oneness reflects the oneness of God. Our unity and our resulting actions show the world how God loves. It is a love that celebrates diversity, a love that lifts up the lowly and hurting, a love that makes space for all people.
Even when we differ in belief or doctrine, we often experience oneness through working together to love and serve one another. We are not the same, but the one who unites us is stronger than anything that might seek to divide us. Looking at our congregation and our community, where have you seen strong examples of unity? In what areas might we seek to more faithfully live out the unity God has established?
One way we’re embodying unity is through our upcoming community Vacation Bible School. Four congregations with different traditions and theology - Trinity, First Baptist, Connellsville Presbyterian, and City Church - are joining together to make God’s name known in our community. Filled with the love with which God has loved us, we are planning and preparing and gathering volunteers so that others may also know the boundless, uniting love of God.
Examples of faithful oneness can also be seen in the way congregations of all kinds are responding to the current changing realities of church attendance and participation. In the midst of feelings of grief and fear, congregations have chosen to focus on exactly what Jesus prays for here - that God’s name may be known, that all people may be one, that the world may be filled with God’s love. This kind of unity requires sacrifice, and often leads us from the familiar and comfortable into newness and difference - but we rejoice that Jesus prays for our unity, that our oneness embodies the love of God, and that God goes with us.
Unity is hard, and messy. It can be uncomfortable. It requires sacrifice. It asks us to consider perspectives and needs other than our own. But even when it feels like our quest for unity and oneness is failing, we trust the presence and action of God. It is Christ who unites us. In the waters of baptism and gathered around the table, we are made one.
Jesus’ prayer is that “they may all be one.” His plea is for a unity that is so deep, and so embedded, that it mirrors the unity and oneness of Jesus and God the Father. At first glance, it may seem that Christians aren’t doing so hot in the unity department. One need only drive a few blocks to see a dozen different denominations, each with our own unique and nuanced beliefs and emphases. It often seems that we Christians have more disagreements with those who also profess to be Christians than we do with those of other religions or no religion. Does this mean that Jesus’ prayer has gone unanswered?
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Well, it depends if we think that our unity depends on our actions or beliefs or if it depends on God’s action. If unity in Christ can only take place when all Christians think and believe the same things, then, yes - we’ve failed miserably. But, if unity in Christ is dependent not on us, but rather on God, the one who unites us, then we have certainly not failed, because it’s not up to us!
Through the waters of baptism we are joined to the Body of Christ. This unity comes about by God’s action and God’s grace. Period. On the cross, Jesus draws all people to himself, and unity happens because Christ is at our center. We don’t decide who is in and who is out. We are all in because God has joined us together. Our place at the table is not dependent on anything we have done on our own.
When Jesus prays this prayer, it is in the hearing of his disciples - yes, even Peter who will deny him; yes, even the disciples that run away at the garden and at the cross; yes, those friends who will doubt his resurrection even though he’s talked about it again and again; and yes, even Judas who will betray him with a kiss.
Jesus’ prayer that they may be one is likely not a prayer in spite of those mistakes and choices, but a prayer because of them. Jesus knows that difficulty, pain, and sadness lie ahead - for him, and for the ones he dearly loves. In the face of that, the disciples will need each other. When shame and heartache threaten to divide and scatter them, they will need the binding, uniting love that mirrors the unity and love between Jesus and God the Father.
The same is true for us. We are relational beings by design. We need one another for friendship, support, and care. We need listening ears, shoulders to cry on, dear friends to pull out the confetti and celebrate our hardest-won milestones. Oneness and unity are not some pie-in-the-sky utopia dream, but necessities for our life together here and now.
Yes, unity and oneness are often difficult to attain. Yes, our division seem so stark, with no middle ground in sight. But if this were easy, Jesus wouldn’t need to pray so earnestly that we all may be one.
So, what does this unity look like for people of different ages, backgrounds, interests, political views, beliefs? For one thing, unity is not the same as uniformity. We don’t all have to be exactly the same in order to be united by and in Christ. And, actually, it’s better if we’re not! Instead, our diversity is a strength. We come together with a variety of gifts, interests, and perspectives. We solve problems differently, we relate to one another differently, we bring with us different stories and life experiences. This diversity works together for good, making us stronger and giving us a broader view of who God is and what God is like.
Additionally, our focus is better turned not to purity tests or strict boundaries, but rather to the expansive and welcoming love of God, for it is this love that draws us together. In this prayer, Jesus describes how our unity is a witness of God’s love. He says, “…that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Our oneness reflects the oneness of God. Our unity and our resulting actions show the world how God loves. It is a love that celebrates diversity, a love that lifts up the lowly and hurting, a love that makes space for all people.
Even when we differ in belief or doctrine, we often experience oneness through working together to love and serve one another. We are not the same, but the one who unites us is stronger than anything that might seek to divide us. Looking at our congregation and our community, where have you seen strong examples of unity? In what areas might we seek to more faithfully live out the unity God has established?
One way we’re embodying unity is through our upcoming community Vacation Bible School. Four congregations with different traditions and theology - Trinity, First Baptist, Connellsville Presbyterian, and City Church - are joining together to make God’s name known in our community. Filled with the love with which God has loved us, we are planning and preparing and gathering volunteers so that others may also know the boundless, uniting love of God.
Examples of faithful oneness can also be seen in the way congregations of all kinds are responding to the current changing realities of church attendance and participation. In the midst of feelings of grief and fear, congregations have chosen to focus on exactly what Jesus prays for here - that God’s name may be known, that all people may be one, that the world may be filled with God’s love. This kind of unity requires sacrifice, and often leads us from the familiar and comfortable into newness and difference - but we rejoice that Jesus prays for our unity, that our oneness embodies the love of God, and that God goes with us.
Unity is hard, and messy. It can be uncomfortable. It requires sacrifice. It asks us to consider perspectives and needs other than our own. But even when it feels like our quest for unity and oneness is failing, we trust the presence and action of God. It is Christ who unites us. In the waters of baptism and gathered around the table, we are made one.
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