Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

UNITY

July 12, 2010

Jesus' great priestly prayer of John 17 ends with a call to unity. He prays that God would unite us and that this is our witness to the world.
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"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."
- John 17:22,23 TNIV

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Christians often speak of our witnessing to the world. But Jesus' great prayer defines the nature of that witness--how Christians are united! I wonder how this jibes with a church advertising campaign that says, "Come to our church, not that boring church that you're used to?" Does that sound like the unity of which the Lord of the church prays.

The reality is that there will be no unity unless we put Christ at the center, instead of ourselves. "Then the world will know..." How do we strive on our part to be "one in Christ?"
Joyfully,

Dale Patterson