SERMON SUBJECT: BECOMING ONE HEART AND ONE MIND

SERMON TEXT: John 17:20-23

SERMON THESIS: God’s people united together can be effective witnesses for Him.

INTRODUCTION: This week members of both the LRPIC and the LEC, and myself had the opportunity to look at a church facility that was, from what I understand, once a thriving church. Now, however, as far as the church body is concerned, there remains only a small remnant of what once was. A sanctuary that seats sixteen-hundred people sits idle and empty. Praise has been replaced with silence. The preaching of God’s word is no longer heard. This is, indeed, a sad commentary written across the pages of any church. What could have happened, you wonder, that brought about division in the body, and ultimately dispersion of the saints!

It was never Jesus’ intent that a tragedy like this would happen to His body, the church. In fact, to guard against such calamity, in the words of one writer, “He prayed for all the church through all ages. He wanted the expansion of the church to produce a united people.” He goes on to say, “Divisions of the heart among God’s believers are not His will. A united people of God can witness effectively for Him.” When there is division in the body of Christ, the church loses her effectiveness in evangelism.

Therefore, before His physical departure from His disciples, in what is know as the High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prayed to the Father...

“I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me” (John 17:20-23).

Note the phrase, “that all of them may be one” (v. 21). Or as Eugene Peterson paraphrases it in The Message, “The goal is for all of them to become one heart and one mind–Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you.” In his book titled: The Grip of Grace, Max Lucado, writes, “Unity matters to God.”

In writing to the most troubled church in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul exhorted the church on this matter of unity . . .

“Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgement”(I Cor. 1:10).

Disunity among God’s people creates disbelief. A man by the name of Paul Billhemier has written . . .

“The continuous and widespread fragmentation of the church has been the scandal of the ages. It has been Satan’s master strategy. The sin of disunity probably has caused more souls to be lost than all other sins combined.” -from Lucado, p. 163

Yes, my friends, in the words of Max Lucado, “Unity matters to God!” Therefore, since unity of the body is the key for reaching a lost world for Christ, let us look at some ways in the remaining part of this message at ways we can protect, guard, and maintain, unity within the body–Christ’s church, and be one in mind and heart.

First, may I suggest to you, that we are to keep unity within the body . . .

I. BY UNDERGIRDING ONE ANOTHER IN PRAYER - Jesus Himself set the example for us to follow where prayer is concerned. He prayed . . .

“I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine” (John 17:9).

 “I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15).

 “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth” (John 17:17).

Since Jesus prayed for others, how much more are we to pray for one another. The Bible admonishes us to pray for one another...

“Therefore, confess your sins one to another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16).

In Biblical days, ships were often undergirded with cables, as in Acts 27:17 . . .

“And after they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the sea anchor, and so let themselves be driven along” (Acts 27:17).

...to keep the ship from being torn apart by the fierce storms at sea. Our prayers for others serve as supporting cables in undergirding them during the storms of life. On Friday of this past week, I called my missionary friend, Tom Suiter, who along with his wife Barb, are Southern Baptist Missionaries to Vienna, Austria, and had prayer for him. Tom is facing surgery for prostate cancer on Tuesday. Pray for Tom, for in the words of Paul . . .

“...you also joining in helping us through your prayers, that thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf for the favor bestowed upon us through the prayers of many” (2 Cor. 1:11).

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints” (Eph 6:18).

We are not only exhorted to pray for others, it is our Christian obligation to pray for one another. Yes, my friends, we keep unity in the body and remain one in heart and mind when we undergird one another in prayer.

Second, we maintain/keep unity in the body . . .

II. BY LOVING ONE ANOTHER UNCONDITIONALLY - It was a man by the name of Aristides who was sent out on a mission by Emperor Hadrian. His mission was to spy on Christians and bring back a report. The message he brought back has been repeated down through the ages. What was his message? “Behold! How they love one another.”

When we love others unconditionally, this is what the observer will say of us. In his book, Home Again, Chuck Swindoll, tells this story...

Sometimes we forget who the real enemy is. He tells the story about Andrew Jackson. Before becoming the 7^th president of the United States, he serve as major general in the Tennessee Militia. It was during the War of 1812 that his troops reached a low point in their morale. They began fighting among themselves. According to historians, Old Hickory mustered the troops and said to them, “Gentlemen! Let’s remember the enemy is over there!”

 Christians sometimes need to remember that “the enemy is over there!” Our brothers and sisters in Christ are not our enemies. Thus by loving one another unconditionally, we are obeying Jesus’ command. Jesus said...

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”(John 13:34-35).

Why, then, is Christian unity so important? UNITY is the key for reaching a lost world for Christ. Did not Jesus say, in His prayer to the Father, “That the world may believe that thou didst send Me?”(v. 21). Unconditional love is demonstrated to a lost world through a unified body. It was our Lord’s prayer that His church “Be perfected in love”(v. 23).

The unity that Jesus prayed for here is more than a union. It is more than uniformity. It goes far beyond unanimity. According to the marginal notes in the NASB this means “into a unit” a team, if you please. A unity of love according to Dr. James Kennedy, “... seeks a visible cooperation in communicating the gospel.” Again, in verse 23, we read...

“I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me” (John 17:23).

We cooperate with one another even when we disagree because, in the words of Paul, “Love ... does not take into account a wrong suffered”(I Cor. 13:15).

This brings me to the final point. We keep unity in the church ...

III. BY EXERCISING UNLIMITED FORGIVENESS TOWARD ONE ANOTHER. It was the Apostle Peter who wrote, “Love covers a multitude of sins.” We need to remember that when Jesus prayed this prayer, He was only a few hours away from horrible death on the cross. From the cross He would pray, “Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing”(Luke 23:44).

 It was Chuck Swindoll who said, “If there’s ever a time to stretch our love for another to the limit, it’s during the end times–it’s now. And what is it that reveals this love? Forgiveness.” We need to forgive others because Jesus has forgiven us. The Bible says ...

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace...” (Eph. 1:7).

“And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22).

Jesus exercised unlimited forgiveness from the cross, and we are to exercise unlimited forgiveness toward others. As someone has said, “No Blame! Only Forgiveness!” Unlimited means 7 times 7 to the 10^th power in keeping with the teaching of Jesus, in Matthew ...

“Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22).

 Forgiveness is the way we keep unity in the body.

CONCLUSION: May I ask you this question, “Are you one in mind and heart with everyone you know? May I ask you another question, “Are you one in mind and heart with Jesus?