Then The World Will Know

My Utmost For His Highest

‘God reveals in John 17 that His purpose is not just to answer our prayers, but that through prayer we might come to discern His mind. Yet there is one prayer which God must answer, and that is the prayer of Jesus— “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22). Are we as close to Jesus Christ as that?’ CHAMBERS

In Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life, the opening sentence is “It’s not about me!”  We marvel at nature ..some even worship it .. the harmony .. the beauty … it is a wonder … as Christians, we know that God designed it that way .. but we also know that God created us to be in harmony with the rest of His creation .. but more than that, to rule over it … Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (Genesis 1:26)

He created us with the intent that we would fulfill our purpose, the purpose that He gave us.  Well, you know what happened next, we (Adam and Eve) had a better idea .. which was really a lousy idea … And as the song says, “The beat goes on”.  Man is still trying to figure it out on His own.  God reached down through  His Son to restore mankind .. One of the evidences that God uses that Jesus is the Christ and that He is God is unity … Fallen man is prone to division … cultural, economic, racial, moral, religious … everywhere you look there is division among the people.

People unite around causes .. but the commitment is fragile .. they are bound together by their will … which can change depending upon their circumstances … But the unity that Jesus refers to in John 17 is beyond race, culture, economics, religion, or morality.  It is based upon God’s design for mankind … created in God’s image … unity by design not by decision.  Unity based upon our relationships with God the Father, through Jesus the Son, but the bond of the Holy Spirit.

¹⁶ They are not of the world (fallen man), even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.  ²⁰ “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹ that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. ²³ I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

How important is this unity … it is unity that will give testimony to Jesus and the Gospel … This unity means that when Brothers meet the first thing they respond to is not the color of their skin or the country they happened to be born in .. the first time … but the family they were born the second time …

‘For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.’ (Galatians 3:26-29)

‘Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.’ (Colossians 3:9-16)

It is this unity that testifies to the world.  I cannot tell you how many times someone has asked where I come from .. meaning .. ‘I know you are not from the South so where did you come from?’  Even as Christians .. we want to catalogue those we meet .. put them in their proper place in the context of their old nature … The answer is, I came from mom mommies’ tummy … but God knew me before I was formed in her womb … even then He knew my name … and now I have been born again by His Spirit and Faith in Jesus (Romans 10:8,9)  Being in Haiti .. the ethnic and cultural difference stands out … The people don’t have to wait for me to speak, they just have to look.  Is it a barrier to the Gospel? Yes .. it is if those differences keep us from focusing on what unites us.

I would hazard to say that if a Christian is interested in what makes us different, then they are not interested in what binds us together.  And that worldly focus is further proof that unity in Christ is supernatural and when achieved is a witness to the world.

So how do we get there?  You know … don’t you?  “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:18) And ‘[…]  be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.’ (James 1:22)

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)