Question
Complete Unity
John 17:20-26
Key verse 23
“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.”
Read verses 20 and 21. For whom does Jesus also pray? What are his two prayer topics for them? (21) What will the world believe when all believers are in the Father and Jesus? (21b)
Read verses 22 and 23. What has Jesus given them in order to make them one? What does he mean by the glory? (22; Jn 1:14) Why does Jesus pray for complete unity? (23)
Read verses 24-26. What are the two blessings Jesus wanted to share with them? (24) How did Jesus refer to God and why? (25a) What do they know? (25b) Why does Jesus make efforts to make God known to them? (26)
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Message
Complete Unity
John 17:20-26
Key Verse 17:22-23
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—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.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.
Good morning! This morning we would like to think about God’s purpose in sending Jesus, that is, to build complete unity between God and men, and among men.
The Bible begins with the Garden of Eden and ends with the Garden of Eden. Paradise at the outset and paradise in the end. In Genesis we see the paradise. In Revelation we see the paradise. We live in between the two paradises – we live in the world where the paradise is lost. But God sent Jesus to restore what we had lost. God’s kingdom is a planned. It has a design. In his prayer for all believers today Jesus expressed the essence of the design as “complete unity”. So if we secure it, we have the Perfect Garden restore back to us. Now, the complete unity Jesus prayed for comes with seven factors working together. Let us come and think about what they are:
First, prayer
In the passage we see Jesus finishing his life with prayer. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me...” (21) “Father, I want those you have given me to be where I am...” (24) “Righteous Father...” (25)
Jesus saw there is so much brokenness. He was sorrowful for there are so many divisions. He knew why people are divided. They look at the world. They focus on people too much. They do not focus on God the Father. So Jesus prayed.
In fact in order to build the unity among men he began his ministry with prayer. Then he finishes his ministry with prayer. Prayer is a conversation between God the Father and Jesus himself. In the passage Jesus calls God “Father” or “Righteous Father”.
So today here is my challenge for you and for me: each time you see people getting divided, please make a full stop to what you do. Turn around, go to your own place, and start praying. In praying, leave all of your problems especially the problem of division aside. And offer prayers to God the Father. Remember: when you stop praying, division starts. When you start praying, hope arises – the hope to build a perfect unity. So let us all pray for the perfect unity. Then despite all the differences God will start working among us. He will bring about complete unity. And this is the homework for you and for me.
Second, message
Look v. 20. In this passage Jesus prays for all who believe in Jesus through the message of his disciples. Here, the message refers to the message that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in the Son shall not perish but have eternal life. This was and is the message. It is the message the disciples proclaimed. It is the message we are to proclaim.
People are message oriented. God made man in his image. This tells us that unlike animals or plants, we are controlled by the message. Message determines one’s destiny. If you are controlled by a bad message you become bad. If you go with a good message you become good. So we say some people go by life-giving-script, some death-giving-script. As your script is, so will your life’s destiny be.
God knew this. So he sent Jesus the Son. The Son represents the embodiment of the message from God, especially the message of ‘love’, not any love but the true love, the love that seeks the highest good of one you choose to love. God the Father has this love for the world. To convey this love God sent Jesus. The Apostle John spent time with Jesus. Then he read this message. So at the outset he says, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in the Son shall not perish but have eternal life.”
So here is the challenge: What message do you live by? What message system controls you? Is it a life-script or death-script? In my life a lot of bad things happened. I went thorough a lot of abuses. So I am very vulnerable to other people criticizing me. But God had mercy on me. Through John’s gospel message He has been providing me with the message of love, not any love but true love. God also provided me with a wife, a woman of godly love. Despite my many weaknesses, she loves me.
So the message of love builds up the unity. Soon the Spring Conference is coming up. Let us earnestly pray for the messengers. So through their messages all of us would be built up and form a unity of love.
Third, faith
V. 20 reads, “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message...” Here we find the third factor that builds up the family, that is, faith.
Think about the expression ‘those who will believe in me through their message...” The object of faith is ‘Jesus Christ’. The contents of the message are Jesus Christ. So we are to believe in a person called Jesus Christ. So we are called to believe in person not in some abstract philosophical ideas or denominational tenets.
It is possible that you perfectly memorize the Bible verses such as John 3:16, but lack faith in Jesus Christ.
Some people trust in his own might, wits, and wisdom. I used to believe in my own fists. Growing up, I was heavily taught, “Oh, you must take care of yourself, for no one but you will take care of you.” But the more I tried me the more I realize that I am NOT trustworthy. I am so weak. I have so many sin problems. My character flaws are so obvious and yet I do not see them. And I know I am not trustworthy. Yet still on so many occasions I rely on me. But if I relied upon myself, I would end up causing divisions. I cannot be united with God the Father much less with fellow brothers and sisters.
So as much as we pray to be united in the Lord, we must stop looking at us but look to Jesus. We must put trust in Jesus and only then we have the hope of forming a perfect unity among us – the vision for ‘all to be one’ just as the Father is in Jesus and Jesus in the Father.’
Fourth, glory
The next factor that is needed for the unity is glory. This glory is not from us, but from God. Look at vs. 22,23. “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 – so that they may be brought to complete unity...”
There is a lot of confusion about the meaning of glory. But we can get rid of confusion when we think about what it is for. What is it for? It is for the unity. Before Jesus came to this world, God gave this glory to Jesus. Jesus then gave it to us so that we may be brought to complete unity.
So this glory is the means for us to be brought to complete unity. We see this provision occurring again and again in God’s redemptive history. In case of the Israelites, when Solomon completed building the temple, before the worship began God’s glory filled the temple. Then through the leadership of the priesthood, people could come to worship. Then the unity started arising.
In John’s gospel, John states that God put God’s glory in Jesus Christ. So he says in John 1:14 that we have seen the glory of the Son of God, one and only, full of grace and truth.
Later the Apostle Paul states that we are given the glory of the new covenant. Let us open the Bible to 2Co 3:12-18 responsively. Let us note that Jesus gives the glory only to those who believe and receives Him. And Jesus gives this glory that we be united with God and with men. For this reason in speaking of the glory of the new covenant the Apostle Paul talks about the veil that is drawn in the mind of an unbeliever. He says that when one believes in Jesus this veil is lifted, so one can have a direct access to God the Father of glory and vice versa. Then the transformation takes place. You become a man of grace and truth in an increasing measure. So once an enemy of God becomes a child of God, becoming like Jesus Christ, the Son.
So here is the challenge for you: each time you find it difficult to form a unity with your neighbor, ask God for the glory such as grace and truth, the Spirit of love and power, the spirit of self-discipline, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and much more. However, remember that in Jesus you have already received all that are necessary to be at one with God and with your neighbors. So please check what you’ve already received in the Lord, and then ask God for further assistance.
Fifth, fellowship
Now look at v. 23a. “I in them and you in me...” This expression ‘I in them and you in me” is a repeated theme. In v. 21 it reads, “all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you...” In the past the fellowship between God and men and among men was not possible [or in case of the Israelites limited]. But Jesus made this possible.
We are unholy, God is holy. We have a lot of problems like weaknesses, bad habits, character flaws, and sin problems. But, God the Father is Perfect. Jesus the Son is the Perfect Savior who came to make peace between the Holy Father and unholy sinners and among the smelly sinners. So fellowship becomes possible. As long as we stay in the Lord the fellowship continues. Then there is growth coming up. So in 1John 1 the Apostle John says that thanks to Jesus we came to have this fellowship with our Heavenly Father and His Son. In this fellowship of light we confess our sins. We admit our errors and sin problems. We ask God for help. God who is gracious works to resolve all that cause us divisions.
After the John’s gospel, we pray to study 1 John. There we will come to know more about the importance of the fellowship in the Lord. So here is the homework for you and me: read 1 John especially the first chapter especially 1:1-10.
This fellowship is extremely important. It is an ongoing thing. It should not be on again off again thing. It must be constant. Then you and I can grow up.
Sixth, unity
Next step then is complete unity. Let us look at v. 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.”
The word ‘complete’ is truly challenging. But Jesus uses it. In this world it sounds impossible for us to form ‘complete unity’. But God is working towards this goal. So Jesus prays, “they may be brought to complete unity.” The expression ‘brought to’ indicates a process. For example, to buy something like In-and-out Burger, you go to the In-N-Out. You wait in line. Order. Pay for it. Wait for the number to be called. Get the food. Bring the food to your table or car. Then you eat. There is a progress or process for the food to be brought to your stomach!
This unity is called ‘complete’ unity, for God the Father is perfect. Although we are imperfect he will bring us to perfection. For this reason when Jesus came he said, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” In the same way the Apostle Paul said, “Finally brothers, aim for perfection.” So here is the challenge that we overcome Christian mediocrity. We need to go for God’s perfection. As much as Jesus prayed for this, we too must believe and go for it.
Seventh, home-run
Now the final step. Look at v. 24. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”
This is a home-run. In a baseball game there is first base, second, third, and the home base. So if you hit the home run you can go around and come back to the home-base.
In a way, our life’s journey in the Lord is like a baseball game. Jesus came to assist us even to hit the home-run and come back home safe. For us he himself set the example - he hit the home run. He is now at home. He is seated at the right hand of God.
A lot of warriors of faith finished their race. The Apostle John is an example and the Apostle Paul is another.
Speaking of this race the Apostle Paul says, “I have run the race. I finished the race.” Then he says, “It is better to be at home with Jesus than in the body.” In v. 24 Jesus is looking for you and me to run the race, finish the race, and be with there he is, and see his glory. When this happens then we will finally and fully realize the full depth, height, breadth and width of the love God has for us.
In conclusion, let us read vs 25-26. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you[e] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
Jesus is the God of perfection. He is Alpha and Omega. He completes what he begins. And while on earth he “completed” what is to come. As the God in whom the beginning and end exist together, in his prayer for all believers, Jesus offered prayers for the wellbeing of all believers – the wellbeing of their lives while they walk in this world but also in the eternity to come. After finishing this prayer, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley. He went to the cross.
One word: complete unity
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