Jesus’ Prayer For Unity

John 17:20-26

Principles of Unity

•

God Created Us As One In Christ

Gal 3:26-28

– For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 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

.

Principles of Unity

•

God Created Us As One In Christ

Eph 2:14-16

– For

He has made both one

Himself is our peace, who … so as

to create in Himself one new man

from the two, thus making peace, 16 &

that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross

, thereby putting to death the enmity [hostility].

Principles of Unity

• •

God Created Us As One In Christ

We Are Striving To Be One In Christ

Eph 4:1-3

– I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness & gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3

endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace

.

Principles of Unity

• •

God Created Us As One In Christ

We Are Striving To Be One In Christ

John 17:23

– I in them, & You in Me;

that they may be made perfect

[

to complete, accomplish, fulfill

]

in one

, & that the world may know that You have sent Me, & have loved them as You have loved Me.

Basis of Unity

•

God’s Word – given to us

John 17:20

– I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through

their

[

apostles

’]

word

….

Basis of Unity

•

God’s Word – given to us

John 17:20

– I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through

their

[

apostles

’]

word

….

John 17:8

– For

I have given to them the words which You have given Me

; & they have received them, & have known surely that I came forth from You; & they have believed that You sent Me.

Basis of Unity

•

God’s Word – given to us

John 17:20

– I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through

their

[

apostles

’]

word

….

John 17:14

–

I have given them Your word

; & the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

Basis of Unity

•

God’s Word – given to us

John 17:20

– I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through

their

[

apostles

’]

word

….

John 17:17, 19

–

Sanctify them by Your truth

.

Your word is truth

…19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

Basis of Unity

• •

God’s Word – given to us

God’s Character – seen in us

John 17:22

– And

the glory

[

the expression of His character

]

which You gave Me I have given them

, that they may be one just as We are one:

Basis of Unity

• •

God’s Word – given to us

God’s Character – seen in us

John 17:26

– And I have declared to them

Your name

[

person, character

], & will declare it, that the

LOVE

with which You loved Me may be in them, & I in them." (see Jn 13:35 )

Basis of Unity

• • •

God’s Word – given to us God’s Character – seen in us

God’s Purpose – leading us

John 17:21, 23

– that they all may be

one, as You, Father, are in Me, & I in You

; that they also may be

one in Us

… 23

I in them, & You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one

...

“one” – in purpose

Purpose of Unity

•

So The World Can See His Salvation

John 17:23

– I in them, & You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, &

that the world may know that You have sent Me

, & have loved them as You have loved Me.

Purpose of Unity

• •

So The World Can See His Salvation

So The Christian Can See His Glory

John 17:24

– Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am,

that they may behold My glory which You have given Me

; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

Salvation belongs to those who strive to fulfill Jesus’ prayer for unity.

Forgiveness of Sin & Eternal Life

In Sin

  Leave the State of Sin: Believe: John 8:24 Repent: Acts 17:30   Confess: Matt 10:32 Baptism: Acts 2:38

In Christ

 Obey Him 1 Peter 1:14 1 John 1:7

Christian

Rom 8:1 “there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…”