Unity : Showing His Glory
When Pastor Henry asked us to talk to someone we didn't know very well and find 3 things in common, I was surprised to find out the first 3 things that came out of my mouth were things we had in common! Now this isn't very likely - we are all so unique - but it does show that different things unify us. One thing that every single person on this planet has in common is that we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory. The thing that unifies us as believers is that we believe that Jesus is the only way to God.Pastor Henry read to us from John 17 - this is the prayer that Jesus prayed for His disciples and even for us! In this prayer, Jesus prays that they (and we) may be one even as He and the Father are one. He then explains how He and God are one - they are one in their love for the world and they are united in proclaiming God as the source of life. He wants us to be united so that we can show His glory.
How can we promote unity within God's family? As we are all different parts of One Body, I think we need to encourage each other in our various roles and help where we can so that our relationship with God can be strong. In verse 11, Jesus puts it like this:
11 For I'm no longer going to be visible in the world; They'll continue in the world While I return to you. Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life That you conferred as a gift through me, So they can be one heart and mind. (The Message)
This topic of unity is so huge I can't cover it all! I haven't even mentioned love or work or fellowship or the Cross, so I need help here...
posted by Jewels @ 5:01 PM
2 Comments:
I am excited about the small groups that are starting because they can be a way to begin to practice John 17. In a small group we can learn to love each other, serve with each other, pray with each other and reach out together to our world around us. I think small groups can be a "handle" on John 17, an exciting way to glorify God.
You know, you and I have quite a lot in common :) -- as you've said it, unity across the globe.
What's amazing is that our God is the Triune One, one God of Three in unity. It's implication is huge on us, that we too require to live in unity, as one body of Christ. But we tend to divide ourselves so. "You and you are Calvinist, I'm Arminian", "you are Methodist, I am Catholic", it is sad.
John 12:21 The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind-- Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, So they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.
We need to one because God is one, and the world needs to see us in unity in order to believe that God is one. We are not really doing a very good job, eh?
The key is that we need to be "in God". When we are all "in God", then we will relate better with each other.
Anyway, I should visit here more often :) Thanks for posting all this.
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