“May they all be one,
as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You.
May they also be one in Us,
so the world may believe You sent Me.”
John 17:21 (HCSB)
Series: Perfected in Unity
“Teamwork makes the dream work!” John C. Maxwell coined this phrase in 2002, and it has flooded mainstream lingo ever since. Whether at work, volunteering in the community, assisting at church, or serving at home, unity helps all achieve a common goal. Success, camaraderie, and expanded vision emerge from these shared experiences with one another.
In this splintered world, where headlines promote what separates us more than what unites us, choosing to band together with others may seem like a daunting challenge. However, we have a perfect example from Jesus as He prayed for those who believe in Him. Let’s look at these words of Jesus:
The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me. (John 17:22-23 NASB).
As Jesus prayed, He acknowledged the union between Father and Son, and asked that all who believe in Him would be “perfected in unity.” The purpose of this relationship is so that the world would know God the Father sent Jesus, His Son, and so the world may know that the Father loves them just as He loves Jesus. Finally, Jesus gives the glory of God to those who believe in Him.
Psalm 133 (NASB) tells us that when people unite, the commanded blessings of God may be experienced:
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, as on Aaron’s beard, the oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for the Lord commanded the blessing there—life forever.
The oil spoken of, running down Aaron’s beard to the edges of his robe, points to the covering and protection we have in Christ. Aaron was the High Priest for the Israelites. Jesus is our High Priest. The anointing represents God’s presence and power in our lives. It is a covering of protection and healing. The dew referred to in this Psalm points to growth, provision, and sustenance.
The blessings of God’s presence, power, protection, healing, provision, and sustenance abound when people are united together in Him. Jesus, our Example, Advocate, Savior, and High Priest, is our great unifier.
For you are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28 NASB).
No matter where we are or what we are doing, we are called to unite with one another to the glory of God so the world knows Jesus is God’s Son and that God loves every single person. There are no divisions in the Kingdom of God. We have one heart. One mind. One vision. One purpose: to be perfected in our unity with each other through Christ, just as the Father is in the Son.
All for one and one for all! Are you living the dream? This is what dreams are made of. This is the teamwork that makes the dream work. Are you in? Team Jesus! Let’s go!
Holding Fast to Hope,
Maryann
Scripture References: John 17:21-23; Psalm 133; Galatians 3:26-28