"May they be brought into complete unity to let the world know you sent me . . ." (Jn 17:23)
The final prayer of Jesus for his church was unity. It meant so much to him he asked for the same unity he had with the father. We have not paid it much heed. Over two thousand years, the church of Christ has splintered into over 10,000 denominations. This was probably inevitable, but in this prayer Jesus shows us how and why to come together. The purpose of the unity Jesus prayed for was specifically for mission--to let the world know the Son has come. Missions and unity go hand in hand. The task is so big no one ministry or church can do it on their own. Only the complete Body of Christ can match the complexity of the work at hand. Whether you are a businessperson, or a doctor, or just someone who likes to share Jesus with everyone, the Great Commission has a place for us all. As we work together we begin to experience more of God's presence and blessing in our efforts--both individually and collectively. If we love one another as Christ loved us, there is no end to how far we can go for God. The enemy fears this more than anything else. Together with Christ we are unstoppable. We may move faster alone, but we go the farthest and last the longest when we stand together. Today, mission is a global effort. Brothers and sisters from all over the world are linking arms to finish the task of world evangelization. In God's sovereignty he designed it to be this way. We will all cross the finish line together to the sound of millions in heaven cheering us on. There are no denominations in that great cloud of witnesses, just children of God. Until then, we unite around the one factor we hold in common--Christ in us, the hope of glory.
Heavenly Father, strengthen our unity with one heart and purpose to know you and make you known.
#linkedforhim
The final prayer of Jesus for his church was unity. It meant so much to him he asked for the same unity he had with the father. We have not paid it much heed. Over two thousand years, the church of Christ has splintered into over 10,000 denominations. This was probably inevitable, but in this prayer Jesus shows us how and why to come together. The purpose of the unity Jesus prayed for was specifically for mission--to let the world know the Son has come. Missions and unity go hand in hand. The task is so big no one ministry or church can do it on their own. Only the complete Body of Christ can match the complexity of the work at hand. Whether you are a businessperson, or a doctor, or just someone who likes to share Jesus with everyone, the Great Commission has a place for us all. As we work together we begin to experience more of God's presence and blessing in our efforts--both individually and collectively. If we love one another as Christ loved us, there is no end to how far we can go for God. The enemy fears this more than anything else. Together with Christ we are unstoppable. We may move faster alone, but we go the farthest and last the longest when we stand together. Today, mission is a global effort. Brothers and sisters from all over the world are linking arms to finish the task of world evangelization. In God's sovereignty he designed it to be this way. We will all cross the finish line together to the sound of millions in heaven cheering us on. There are no denominations in that great cloud of witnesses, just children of God. Until then, we unite around the one factor we hold in common--Christ in us, the hope of glory.
Heavenly Father, strengthen our unity with one heart and purpose to know you and make you known.
#linkedforhim