Praying For Unity

This morning I felt like I should read John 17. This chapter is the record of Jesus last words at the Last Supper, where He is praying for His followers, disciples and apostles. I was especially taken by the prayer for unity, that we all might be one. He replete that same basic prayer three times in the last 7 verses.

John 17:20-26 NIV
[20] “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, [21] that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. [22] I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one--- [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.

[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.

[25] “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 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 prayed the same basic phrase in verse 21, 23 and with a slight change again in verse 26 - that we might be in God and God would be in us, with the same type of unity the Godhead experiences. This is an incredible prayer! This is something we could never accomplish through our own efforts to establish unity, but rather must come from God, be established by God, and protected by God.

In bible studies and commentaries, they talk about the significance of something being mentioned three times, and how that adds extreme significance. Here Jesus is praying three times, about unity for the Body of Christ, so its very important because it was mentioned these three times, and also because Jesus prayed it!

Matthew Henry has this to say about these prayers for unity, believing there are three dimensions to this prayer:

1. "That they might all be incorporated in one body. "Father, look upon them all as one, and ratify that great charter by which they are embodied as one church. Though they live in distant places, from one end of heaven to the other, and in several ages, from the beginning to the close of time, and so cannot have any personal acquaintance or correspondence with each other, yet let them be united in me their common head." As Christ died, so he prayed, to gather them all in one, John 11:52,Eph+1:10.

2. That they might all be animated by one Spirit. This is plainly implied in this--that they may be one in us. Union with the Father and Son is obtained and kept up only by the Holy Ghost. He that is joined to the Lord in one spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:17. Let them all be stamped with the same image and superscription, and influenced by the same power.

3. That they might all be knit together in the bond of love and charity, all of one heart. That they all may be one, (1.) In judgment and sentiment; not in every little thing--this is neither possible nor needful, but in the great things of God, and in them, by the virtue of this prayer, they are all agreed--that God's favour is better than life--that sin is the worst of evils, Christ the best of friends--that there is another life after this, and the like. (2.) In disposition and inclination. All that are sanctified have the same divine nature and image; they have all a new heart, and it is one heart. (3.) They are all one in their designs and aims. Every true Christian, as far as he is so, eyes the glory of God as his highest end, and the glory of heaven as his chief good. (4.) They are all one in their desires and prayers; though they differ in words and the manner of expressions, yet, having received the same spirit of adoption, and observing the same rule, they pray for the same things in effect. (5.) All one in love and affection. Every true Christian has that in him which inclines him to love all true Christians as such. That which Christ here prays for is that communion of saints which we profess to believe; the fellowship which all believers have with God, and their intimate union with all the saints in heaven and earth, 1 John 1:3."

I think the final focus is that this is possible, because it is in the Father's heart, He had Jesus pray it, which means it is His will. He plans on causing this unity in the Body of Christ. We should join ourselves to praying the prayer, and look in eager anticipation for the coming day, when this will be our reality! That God will be in us, and we in Him, that we will be joined into the Trinity! That will blow our minds!

Amen, Jesus, we join You in praying this prayer.