Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tue, 27 May 2008 17:52:00 -0500
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (May 28); BP: Jn. 17:20-26; RBTTY: Jn. 10:24-42; II
May 28 “Christ’s Prayer for Us”
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on Me through their word—that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And, the glory which You gave Me I have given them—that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one—and that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them, as You have loved Me.”
John 17:20-23
He wants us to enjoy what He’s always enjoyed.
Oneness with the Father.
It’s interesting in Jesus’ High Priestly prayer, given right before His impending betrayal and arrest, ended with a desire for His disciples (and us) to “be one, even as He and His Father were/are one.”
Shouldn’t this, in-and-of-itself, show us what great importance our Lord places on the unity of believers?
Most assuredly it does.
Therefore, we should not rest until we’ve exhausted every means possible to “live peaceably with all men” (Rom. 12:18). For sure, we’ll always experience “friction” in relationship because of our differences in temperament, personalities, preferences, etc.; however, this is not an excuse to “fan the flames” of such friction until it grows into contentious division. Instead, we should smother the sparks with the oil of grace and “pray for those who revile us, persecute us, despitefully use us and say all manner of evil against us falsely, for His sake” (Mt. 5:11, 44).
This will require us to move beyond another’s denominational lable. . .economic status. . .educational level. . .ethnic background, etc., to see them as someone for whom Christ died. And, it will take His love operating in us for that to happen.
How wonderful to read that Jesus’ prayer wasn’t limited to His followers of that day! He said, “Neither do I pray for these alone (those with Me right now), but for them also who SHALL BELIEVE on Me through their word.” Glory!! That means us, Pilgrim—those who’ve come to Christ because of others’ faithful witness down through the years.
And, in every generation His desire and prayer for us has been the same: “That we might be one as He and the Father are one.” Hallelujah!!
That means we can sit down and have fellowship together even if we disagree on the meaning and method of baptism. . .the Lord’s Supper. . .the ins-and-outs of church membership, etc., so long as we agree on Who Jesus is and what He accomplished for us on the Cross.
The Psalmist David knew the beauty of unity when he wrote “Behold, how good and how pleasant (Heb. ‘na ‘iym’—‘sweet, delightful, fragrant, etc.’) it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps. 133:1). Truly, it’s a glimpse of Heaven and what’s needed if we are to win a lost and dying world to Christ.
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