The Importance of Being One
Today, Jason DeVries talked about how the church of so many cultures can be united as one. Though we are many cultures, we are all focused on the cross of Jesus. We all share in the similar experience of having the Holy Spirit live in us. During His last supper with the disciples, Jesus prayed,
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
One in this prayer comes from the Greek hen which refers to essence or nature, relationship or culture. We are one, not because of external features but because we are saved by grace through faith. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God". Eph 2:8 The purpose of this unity is to show the world that God is one. By showing that we are unified despite our diversity, we show the world that God is love.
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
One in this prayer comes from the Greek hen which refers to essence or nature, relationship or culture. We are one, not because of external features but because we are saved by grace through faith. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God". Eph 2:8 The purpose of this unity is to show the world that God is one. By showing that we are unified despite our diversity, we show the world that God is love.
Labels: "Cross Culture"
posted by Jewels @ 1:55 PM
1 Comments:
sI appreciated the way cross culture was defined by John 17 today. Thanks Jason for helping us see Jesus' prayer in context then and now.
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