![]() ![]() ![]() In this respect, we often look very much like the world, blinded by spiritual pride, stones are casts with little or no discernment or compassion. Many of us are unaware that our tongues are a wicked evil full of deadly poison and our words often can set someones life on fire (James 3:8). ![]() Related to this is gossip! We are to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger, but we are often the opposite demonstrating zero control over our inner-pharisee. If you are like me, you can probably think of many others that bother you and even some that we are guilty of as well. Because our theology is a little different, or our worship is a little different, or we don’t use the same version of the bible, or disputes about baptism or spiritual gifts. It is not uncommon to hear opinions and criticisms of believers largely coming from other believers. The reason that I take time to spell this out is because I think that our lack of unity in the church is the biggest obstacle for the church today and often a bad testimony to the watching world. This is also the message that the Holy Spirit gave Paul as he prayed the Ephesians would be rooted and grounded in Love, and to know the breadth and length and heights and depths of the love of God which surpasses all understanding (Ephesians 3:14-19). This is God’s desire for His church, for every believer, to be united in love, putting the needs of our fellow believers ahead of our own needs (Philippians 2:4). The way to this unity, Jesus prayed, would be by sharing in the love that the Father and the Son share, that this divine love would unite us to be one. He simply prayed that we would be one body, one voice, one spirit, in Him, living in unity and caring for one another.Ģ5 “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You and these have known that You sent Me 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them. Are you seeing the magnitude of the importance of Christian unity? Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are One, and that our oneness would be a testimony to onlooking world! Let’s just let that sink in for a bit! We, the church, spend a lot of time and money on programs, buildings, speakers, bands, light shows, and we focus on things like being kid friendly, family oriented, and culturally hip we host conferences on leadership, marriage, overcoming this or that, and yet none of that is what Jesus prayed for. So, the last prayer for Jesus was that people would see our love and unity and believe in the incarnation of the Savior of the world. John 3:16 of course, “God so loved the world that He sent His Son…!” Later on in John 13, He tells us that “everyone would know that we are His disciples, if we have love for one another.” (John 13:35). When we think about the gospel, what verse first comes to mind. This is an incredible prayer! Jesus prays that we would be “one” and that we would be “perfected in unity” so that the world would know that Jesus was sent by God. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Check out the words that Jesus prayed in John 17: To experience growing together, supporting each other, sharing, praying, and doing all the things that we are called to do as believers in order to be a witness to the world. What I just described was a picture of what Jesus prayed for right before the crucifixion. With little in common other than our faith, it did not take long to see the strength of the bonds of Christ and the orchestrating of God, assembling this group for His glory, His purpose and our benefit. The make-up was married, single, parents, students, retired, professionals, and all races from every conceivable economic class. The group included Catholics, Protestants, Anglicans, Baptists and a mix of non-denominational evangelicals. This was unique because this group had come together from a variety of backgrounds. I am not talking about a typical Sunday or Wednesday night where you go to church and see your friends. While this has been an intense time of Bible study, Bible meditation, practicing spiritual discipline, reading and writing, the most compelling thing about this past year was to see the Body of Christ come together in love and unity. Lewis Institute Fellows program, and each month has been jam packed with research, reading assignments, books, articles, videos, discussion groups and a lecture. I have spent that last year in a discipleship program that was like no other I have ever known. But no one can tame the tongue it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. ![]()
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