Scripture Reading: John 6:22-40

“On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do, to be doing the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Jesus then said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.’” (John 6:22–40, ESV)

So far the reading of God’s holy, inspired, inerrant, and authoritative word.

Introduction

So we have moved backwards in our series through John’s gospel, haven’t we? We concluded chapter 17 last Sunday, and now we are in chapter 6!

Here’s the reason for it: the elders of Emmaus have for some time been discussing our current approach to the Lord’s Supper and have, in the process of time, with much prayer and consideration given to the Scriptures, decided that the time has come to make some changes. It is our desire to move Emmaus to the weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper and to the use of bread and wine (though grape juice will still be made available for those who desire it).

This is a rather significant change! We as a leadership are aware of it’s significance, and that is why we have moved slowly in bringing it to you. We understand that for some the transition will be difficult. Questions will likely abound. For that reason I will be teaching on the Supper this Sunday and next, seeking to address those questions and concerns. As usual, we pray that you would come to us with your questions and concerns so that we can shepherd in an understanding way.

It has been our custom to observe the Supper on the first Sunday of the month and to use bread and grape juice. Why was this our practice? Well, the simple answer is that we brought it with us from the congregation out of which we were born!

The truth of the matter is that I have for some time felt the need for reform in this area. It was before we planted Emmaus that I began to ask the question, why do we observe the Supper only once a month? And after that, why is it that we use grape juice, instead of wine? I’ve personally studied the issue and have thought much about it. I began to talk with the leadership of Emmaus about this a couple of years ago, and they too have come to believe that we should observe weekly and with wine.

I would like, first of all, to briefly summarize the rationale behind such a move. After that I will move into the body of this sermon which seeks to answer the question, what is the Lord’s Supper? In the sermon next Sunday I will take time to answer the question, how should the Supper be observed? So first, a brief and general explanation. Second, the question, what is the Lord’s Supper? And third, the question, how should it be observed? (which will be addressed in detail next week). 

First, the rationale:

I should start by saying that a simple reading of the New Testament, and a consideration of the practice of the early church, leaves one with the impression that the Lord’s Supper is to be observed weekly using bread and wine. I’ll work to demonstrate this next week. For now I will simply state the principle. Any deviation from this practice should be called into question and explained. The burden of proof is upon those who deviate from this pattern. I found that I could no longer give an adequate answer to the questions, why once a month, and why grape juice? 

Two, the leadership of Emmaus has grown in their conviction that the Lord’s Supper is of great spiritual benefit to the people of God and should not be withheld from the them. In it we feast upon Christ by faith. In it the people of God are nourished and refreshed, called to repentance, and urged to maintain the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. In it the gospel is preached, not with words, but through symbol. Many other benefits could be presented, but the point for now is to ask, why would we withhold such a good thing from God’s people, and especially when the scriptures seem to direct us towards regular observance?

The objection that I most commonly hear to the regular observance of the Supper is that it will grow common to the people of God if we observe it week after week.

I’d like to brief respond to that objection by saying, should we not then apply that principle consistently and only preach and pray and sing once a month too? Actually, if we were to follow that line of thinking one could argue that it would be best to gather for worship only once a month! I think all would agree that the Lord’s Supper is not the only element of our worship that has the potential of growing common to the people of God. Are we not also tempted to approach prayer and preaching and singing in a lifeless and routine way?

Brothers and sisters, the solution to the problem of monotony is not to be found in the alteration of the the frequency of an event, but in the transformation and renewal of the heart. God has prescribed a rhythm for our gathering and worship, and that rhythm is one day in seven. And he has prescribed what is to be done in worship, for “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of [the] bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42, ESV) The truth of the matter is that we would struggle to come with hearts prepared for worship no matter if frequency were once a week or once a month or once a year, due to our sinfulness.

The objection that I most commonly hear concerning the use of wine in the Supper is that it tempts the people of God towards alcoholism. We do want to be sensitive to this issue. Alcoholism is a serious thing. Some of have struggled greatly with it. By no means do we want to minimize the significance of that.

I will say more about this next week, but let me address this objection briefly now.

Notice that we still plan to offer grape juice. I think the middle circle in the communion tray will have grape juice, the outer wine. This is for the young people who have been baptized and who – either by their own decision, or the decision of their parents (perhaps because they are not yet 21) – would prefer to partake using the juice. I think it is best for families to decide where they stand on that. The juice is also for those who, being aware of their own weakness and propensities with alcohol decide that it is best not to touch the stuff. We understand and respect that decision too. We do want to be sensitive to not offend your conscience.

Consider this, though. The Corinthian church struggled with drunkenness in the congregation in association with the observance with the Supper. It was not that some tasted a thimble full of wine and then were prompted to go home and drink to the point of drunkenness – they were getting drunk at church! See for yourself in 1Corinthians 11:21. Now that’s a problem! And what was Paul’s solution? He did not say, let’s use grape juice instead. No, he rebuked the church for their sin and urged repentance. He did not alter the words of Christ. He did not put a bandaid on the issue. Instead he got to the heart of it by urging repentance.

Consider this too. If a person struggles with alcohol, what better way to gain victory over the sin of drunkenness than to partake of a little wine week after week, surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ, confessing the sins of the past, and asking for strength to have victory over the temptations of the future? I would imagine that that process would be healthy for most. For those who’s addiction is more severe, we offer grape juice in an attempt to be sensitive to those challenges.

I suppose some could accuse us of inconsistency here saying, why offer juice at all? I see that. But I would prefer to call it pastoral sensitivity instead. To be clear, I do not fault a pastor who, after assessing his congregation, decides to use juice, or celebrate the Supper less frequently. There are some extreme cases that might necessitate such a move for a time. If I were doing a church plant in a community where alcoholism dominated the culture, I would use grape juice… for a while… until the issue of alcoholism could be addressed. If were doing church planting in a community where the bread and wine were worshiped as if they contained the actual body and blood of Christ, I might consider infrequent observance… for a time… until the issue of idolatry could be addressed.

Brothers and sisters, we do not have anything like that going on in our context. Nothing close to it.  I, therefore, can not make a reasonable case for doing anything except observing the Supper in the way that the scriptures prescribe – weekly, and with bread and wine.

We will answer the question, how should the Supper be observed? next week. Today, the question is, what is the Supper? There is a reason why we are tackling these two questions in this order. Our view of what the Supper is will inevitably have in impact upon how we observe it. And so we begin here: what is the Lord’s Supper?

I have three simple points, and I will need to make them quickly. First of all, the Lord’s Supper is a covenantal meal. Secondly, it is a symbolic meal. And thirdly, it a spiritual meal.

A Covenantal Meal

First of all, recognize that the Lord’s Supper is a covenantal meal. It is a meal which reminds us of the fellowship, or right relationship, or communion that we enjoy with God under the New Covenant, or the Covenant of Grace. We enjoy right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ – his obedient life, death, and resurrection. He is the servant, or mediator, of the New Covenant.  It is through his obedience to God, and his sacrificial death, that we are able to come to God. The observance of the Supper reminds us that we are in covenant with God through faith in Jesus. The meal reminds us of and renews this covenant bond anew and afresh each time we partake.

Think of it. When you eat a meal with someone it indicates that you have a right relationship with them. Sharing a meal is a powerful thing relationally. And it is God who shares this meal with us. We are invited to sit at his table and to sup with him!

We come to God initially through faith in Jesus on the basis of his life, death, and resurrection. Baptism is the sacrament that marks the beginning of the Christian life. But the Lord’s Supper signifies the ongoing, continual, aspect of our walk with God. Baptism marks our entrance into the Covenant – the Lord’s supper signifies our remaining in the Covenant. Some have compared this to marriage, noticing that baptism is like the wedding, whereas the Lord’s Supper is like the anniversary.  Thabiti Anyabwile said it this way: “While baptism represents a kind of ‘I do’ between Christ and his bride, the Supper repeats an ‘I continue’ statement of love from Jesus to the church”.

Notice something about that quote. According to Thabiti, who is speaking to whom in the Supper? He emphasizes that it is Christ speaking to us! And I agree with his assessment! I am not denying that we say something to God and to the world through baptism and the Supper. Certainly that is true! When we receive baptism, and when we receive the Supper, we are indeed identifying with Christ, receiving his mark, and confessing him as Lord. But do not miss this point – the sacraments are a word from God to us. And what does he say to us through the sacraments? Well, the same thing that he says to us in the gospel. When the gospel is preached and the sacraments are administered, the message is the same. It is the same massage that comes to us when the gospel is preached and when the sacraments are observed. The difference is the form. Through preaching the gospel is delivered with words. In the sacraments the gospel is delivered by way of symbol.

When we partake of the Lord’s Supper God reminds of this wonderful news. We are in a right relationship with him, not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus has done for us. He took our sins, and we have received his righteousness. We have been made right with God in the Covenant of Grace.

Meals are significant in the scriptures, aren’t they?

Think of the Passover feast. What was that except a meal which reminded the people of Israel of their relationship with God on the basis of God’s work of redemption in delivering them from bondage in Egypt. When was the Lord’s Supper instituted except in the context of that ancient feast? The bread that Christ gave to his disciples was the unleavened bread of the Passover feast. The cup, was third of four cups in the Passover feast. Just as Passover was a covenantal meal, so too the Lord’s Supper is a covenantal meal which reminds us that we are in a covenant relationship with our God by virtue of his great and final act of redemption, though Jesus Christ.

Think also of the meal which the nobles of Israel ate in the presence of the Lord when the Old Covenant was confirmed with them. In Exodus 24:9-11 we read, “Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up [on Mt. Sinai], and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.” (Exodus 24:9–11, ESV)

This is not a novel concept, then. Throughout the history of redemption God has used the eating of meals to mark or signify the ratification or renewal of a covenant. And so with that in mind listen to words of Christ when he instituted the Supper: “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’” (Matthew 26:26–29, ESV)

Notice two things for now. One, Jesus is clear that the Supper represents the covenant which is made in his blood. When we ask the question, what is the Lord’s Supper? one of the first things that should come to mind is covenant renewal. God has made a covenant, or agreement, with us based upon grace, and upon the virtue of Christ’s shed blood, so that we can be in right relationship with him.  When we partake of the Supper we are remembering and renewing that covenant. Two, notice Christ’s mention of a future meal. The Supper that we enjoy today is but a foreshadowing of a much greater feast that we will enjoy with our Lord when all things are brought to a consummation and made new.

I wish I could say more. For now, see that the Lord’s Supper is a covenantal meal.

A Symbolic Meal

Secondly, recognize that the Lord’s Supper is a symbolic meal. The bread and the wine, and our partaking of it, are filled with symbolism.

Again, so much could be said about this. I will make only three observations.

At the most basic level the bread and wine symbolize the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus. His body was broken for you, his blood shed for the forgiveness of sins. When we partake of the Supper we  “proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26, ESV)

Notice also that we are not merely to look at the bread and wine, but we are to eat it. Eating and drinking nourish the physical body, and this is symbolic of the fact that Christ is our spiritual sustenance. This is what Jesus was getting at when he said in John 6:53, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” He is here calling men and women to faith in him. That is what it means to “eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood”, and the Lord’s Supper is a symbol of that. It is a reminder that our life is found in Christ, and that it is received as we feast on him by faith.

Notice lastly that the Supper is symbolic of our union with one another. We drink from the same cup, metaphorically speaking., and we eat from the same loaf. It is Christ that we are individually partakers of. We are united to him by faith. And being united to him individually means that we are in fact united to one another. “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” (1 Corinthians 10:16–17, ESV)

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic meal. The bread and wine, and our partaking of it, is filled with rich and meaningful symbolism.

A Spiritual Meal 

The third thing to be noticed is that the Lord’s Supper is a spiritual meal.

God has adopted us into his family, and now he feeds us. In the Supper we feed upon Christ, that has already been said. The question is, how so?

There have been three main views as to how it is that we feed upon Christ in the Supper.

One view is that Christ is not really present at all in the Supper, we simply remember him in the memorial. The Reformer Ulrich Zwingli held to this view. Of course it is true that we are to remember Christ in the Supper and to be encouraged by him, but it is our view that there is more to Supper than that.

The Roman Catholics and the Lutherans actually share something in common in their view of the Supper. Both believe that Christ is present in the Supper bodily and substantially. Rome teaches transubstantiation. That is the teaching that when a priest consecrates the elements the bread and wine transform into the actual flesh and blood of Jesus. This we reject as unbiblical and superstitious. Luther rejected this, but taught what is called consubstantiation. This is the view that, while the bread and wine remain bread and wine, the body of Christ is indeed really present with or alongside the bread and wine. The Roman and Lutheran view share this in common, then. When asked, where is Jesus? They look at the sacrament and say, he is here!

Calvin and the Reformed disagreed with Zwingli, Rome, and Luther and insist that we feast upon Christ in the Supper, not by chewing on the actual flesh and blood of Jesus, but by chewing upon him with the mouth of faith. When we eat the sacrament we are only eating bread and wine, but our hearts are indeed lifted up by the Spirit to Christ where he is in heaven. We feast upon him by the Spirit. He nourishes us spiritually. We chew on him flesh and blood, not with our teeth, but with the mouth of faith. This is our view.

Listen to the LBC 30.7. “Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this ordinance, do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually receive, and feed upon Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death; the body and blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally, but spiritually present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses.”

The crucial question is this: where is Jesus? For Rome and Luther the answer is, he is here in the elements. For those of us in the Reformed tradition, when we look at the bread and wine our eyes and hearts are lifted up to heaven where Christ is seated at the Father’s right hand.

Brothers and sisters, when we partake of the Supper it is more than a memorial. It is that, but it is more than that. We feast upon Christ, not according to the flesh, but by the Spirit. We are nourished by him indeed.

Conclusion

Friends, I hope that the news of partaking weekly brings joy to your heart. I hope that you view the Supper in such a way that you say, praise the Lord that we will have opportunity to be renewed in the covenant, meditate upon the symbolism, and feast upon Christ in this spiritual meal, not monthly, but weekly! Praise God for that we will have more of this good thing. That is my hope – that you would respond in this way.

We will be partaking of the Supper next week on the first Sunday of the month as usual. Our plan is to partake again on the second Sunday of March, and every Sunday thereafter. That will be new to us. I pray that you will prayerful full consider these things over the next few week and talk to the elders of Emmaus if you have questions or concerns so that we can work through them together.

May God strengthen his church by the Spirit as we walk with him being nourished by his word and sacrament, to the glory of name. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 133

“A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” (Psalm 133, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 17:20-26

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.  Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:20–26, ESV)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8, ESV)

Introduction

Unity. That is the central theme of this final portion of Christ’s prayer for the people given to him by the Father. His desire is “that they may all be one” (v. 21), indeed, “that they may become perfectly one” (v. 23). Clearly, Christ’s desire is that his people – the ones who were alive when he walked the earth, and the ones who would live in generations to come, who would come to believe in him through the word of his apostles – would be one. Christ’s prayer to the Father is that his people would enjoy unity with one another.

Brothers and sisters, if it was Jesus’ prayer, then it should also be ours. If it was Jesus’ desire, then we too should share in that impulse. Should we not mimic our Savior, praying to the Father for the blessing of unity amongst us? Should we not labor to promote unity amongst ourselves? And when I say “us” and “ourselves”, I have in mind, not just we who are a part of this particular local church, but all who are in Christ. The prayer of Jesus here is not limited to one particular congregation, but it is for all who belong to him by faith. We should share in Christ’s passion and prayer for the unity of his people.

Unity is indeed the central theme of this final portion of Christ’s prayer for the people given to him by the Father. And notice that Christ is specific about the kind of unity that he desires.

Brothers and sisters, there are different kinds of unity.

In order for unity to exist there must be something that unifies – there must be glue. Unity cannot exist apart from a unifying agent. And the unifying agent – the glue – will determine the depth and strength of the bond. And so unity differs in kind depending upon what it is that unifies. And the the thing that unifies will also determine the depth and strength of the bond.

Think of it. Wherever people enjoy unity you will find that there is something that unifies them. Hobbies unify. Political persuasions unify. Nationality unifies. Ideas unify. Family unifies. I suppose at the broadest level humanity is something that unifies us all – we share humanity in common. Wherever you find unity, you will also find a unifying agent – a glue. And it is the glue which determines the strength of the bond.

For example, I enjoy a different kind of unity with my wife than I do with my neighbors. We love our neighbors. We enjoy unity in our neighborhood. We talk with our neighbors. We look out for one another, and do things for one another. It’s really very nice. We truly enjoy unity with our neighbors. And the glue that binds us together is neighborliness. But that is different from the unity I enjoy with my wife.

If you were to ask me, Pastor, how are things with your marriage? And I said, things are wonderful! It’s at least two or three times a week that my wife and I talk.  And you know, the other day I was making breakfast when I noticed that I was out of eggs. I knocked on her door and she gave me a half a dozen eggs! We’re even planning a BBQ in the Spring time! You would be concerned for our marriage if I spoke in that way, wouldn’t you? But why? Did I not just describe to you a relationship at peace? Where is the disharmony? Where is the disunity? Why would you be concerned for us? Is it not because you intuitively recognize that there are indeed different kinds of unity? The unity that exists between neighbors and the unity that exists between a husband and wife are of a different kind. The glue of neighborliness and the glue of matrimony are substantially different. And because the two differ in substance we have different expectations concerning the bond – its charter, depth, and duration.

So what does all of this have to do with Jesus’ prayer?

That Jesus prayed for unity is obvious to all. What is often overlooked, unfortunately, is that Jesus prayed for unity of a particular kind. When we talk about the unity that Christ desires for his people we are to have a particular kind of unity in mind.  First of all, the unity that Christ desires is one that is centered upon him. Jesus Christ is the glue which binds his people together. The person of Christ – his word and work – are the unifying agents. Secondly, this unity is deep and substantial, and not superficial. And thirdly, this unity is eternal, and not temporal.

Let Us Pursue A Unity That Is Bound By Christ’s Word And Work

Brothers and sisters, let us pursue a unity that is bound together by Christ’s word and work.

It is in verse 20 that Christ says, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word…” (John 17:20, ESV) Here the prayer of Jesus shifts in focus from the eleven who stood with Jesus on that dark and gloomy night, to those who would believe upon him in the future through their word. That includes you and me!

In verse 21 we hear Jesus pray for his, “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21, ESV)

It is the words “just as” that I would like to draw your attention to. Jesus prays for our unity and then he specifies as to the kind of unity that he has in mind. We are to be one just as the Father and Son are one. In the greek the word is καθώς. It is a word that is used to mark the similarity that exists between things. It actually appears three times in this passage. In verse 21 it is translated “just as”, but in verses 22 and 23 it is translated “even as”.  Verse 22: “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (John 17:23, ESV)

So much can be said about this. But the point that I wish to make today is that Jesus prayed, not for unity of just any kind, but for the kind of unity that exists between he and the Father. His desire is that we be one just as he and the Father are one.

Notice that this speaks both to the substance, or ground, of our unity, and also to the quality of it. In other words, it answers the question, what is to unify us? and also, to what degree or depth are we to be unified?

Let us first deal with the substance of our unity. What is the glue that is to bind us together? That is the question. To get the answer we must first ask what is the glue that binds Christ and the Father together? What is the basis for their unity? For whatever binds them together ought to also bind us together since Christ’s prayer is that we would be one just as he and the Father are one.   

So what is at the core of Christ’s union with the Father? What is the unifying agent? What is the glue?

Some have insisted that it is the divinity of Christ that is in view here – that it was the divine nature in Christ that made him one with the Father – as if the unity that he spoke of was an ontological unity – the Father is divine and the Son is divine therefore they are unified as one. And though is it true that Christ is divine – that in him there is both the divine nature and a human nature united in one person forever – that does not seem to be what is in view here in Jesus’ prayer. That point is made elsewhere for sure, but it does not seem to be the point here.

Instead, Jesus is praying as Christ or Mediator. He is praying as God’s faithful servant – the Father’s faithful Son – who has accomplished everything that the Father gave him to do. The unity that he refers to here is not the unity of essence that exists between he and the Father (thought that certainly exists), but a unity in purpose – a unity rooted in word and in work.

This theme is massive in John’s gospel. Jesus Christ, who is the eternal Son of God come in the flesh, was obedient to the Father in his words and in his works. I could direct you to John 5:19 and following, for example. Or to John 8:36 and following. I could also direct you John 10:30 and to that famous declaration of Jesus when he said “I and the Father are one.” As the passage unfolds from there it is clear that he his emphasizing his unity with the Father as it pertains to his words and work. But in reality we need not look any further than to the beginning of this prayer to observe this theme. Jesus prayed to the Father in 17:4 saying, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” (John 17:4, ESV) And in verse 8 he prayed, “For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.” (John 17:8, ESV)

This is the thing that Jesus is stressing here. It is the word of God and the work of God which serve as the unifying agent between Jesus the Christ and God the Father.  Jesus is one with the Father in that he is in perfect harmony with him. God’s word is his word. God’s work is his work. I am not denying their ontological unity – their unity by virtue of their shared divinity – but I am saying that that is not what is in view here. Instead the context demands that we see faithfulness to the word of God and the work of God as the glue which binds Jesus the Christ together with the Father.

Recognize that Jesus was faithful to give his people God’s word.

“In the beginning was the Word… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” (John 1:1,14, ESV)

John 8:28:  “So Jesus said to them, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.” (John 8:28, ESV)

In John 12:49 Jesus says, “For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” (John 12:49–50, ESV)

And notice also that Jesus was faithful to do the Fathers work.

In John 5:36 Jesus says, “…For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.” (John 5:36, ESV)

And in John 17:4 he says, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” (John 17:4, ESV)

What am I getting at exactly?

That Jesus prayed for unity is clear. But it is unity of a particular kind that he has in mind. His desire is that we would be one just as he and the Father are one. His oneness with the Father was rooted in his faithfulness to the Father’s word and the Father’s work. That is the glue which binds God the Father and Jesus the Christ together! And it is to be the glue which binds us together too! Christ is what we share in common – union with Christ by faith; belief in and obedience to his word; and devotion to the continuation of his work. He is the vine, we are the branches. We enjoy the union with one another that Christ prayed for only so long as we are bond together in him, in accordance with his word and work.

Let Us Purse A Unity That Is Deep And Substantial, And Not Superficial

Now that we have dealt briefly with the substance or ground of our unity, let us also say a word about the quality of it. If Christ is indeed the thing that binds us together, then we have all that we need to pursue a unity that is deep and substantial, and not superficial.

Clearly Christ’s desire is that we enjoy deep unity with one another. Not only do the words “just as”, or “even as” speak to the substance or ground of our unity with one another, but also to the quality of it. It is safe to say that Jesus Christ and God the Father enjoyed substantial and deep unity. Their unity was indeed perfect unity. Christ lived in perfect harmony with the Father.  Never were they out of step. God’s word was Christ’s word – God’s work, was Christ’s work. Jesus and the Father were one (John 10:30).  And it is our Spirit wrought belief in the word of Christ, and or devotion to the work of Christ which makes a deep and substantial union amongst ourselves possible.

Everyone desires to see unity within the church. I’ve never met a Christian who has said that they were happy about all of the division that exists within Christ’s church. If the division does not grieve our souls then there is something wrong within us. We should strive for unity. We should pray for unity as Christ did. But we should also take care to pursue the right kind of unity, and in the right way.

Here is my concern. It seems that some within the church who are hungry for unity (which is to be commended) have erred in that they have made unity the supreme thing. And because they have made it the supreme thing, they are willing to pursue it at all costs. And having pursued unity at all costs, they have settled for a kind of unity which looks nothing like the unity that Christ petitioned the Father for – it differs in substance and degree.

Brothers and sisters, unity is not the supreme objective of Christ. He did not come for the purpose of bringing unity. Listen to his words in Matthew 10:34:  “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.” (Matthew 10:34–36, ESV)

Jesus brings division. His doctrine divides. His word sets those who are his apart from those who are of the world. His word distinguishes between truth and error. You are either for him or against him.

His mission was to redeem a people for himself. He mission was to reveal truth from above. He came as a light shining in the darkness. These objectives inevitably involve division! If the world were not fallen, living in darkness, and opposed to God, there would be no division at all. But the world is indeed hostile to the things of God, therefore Christ brings division.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus’ objective is not unity per se, but to redeem a people for himself. And it is unity amongst the redeemed for which Christ prays. Those who have made unity the supreme thing have in fact turned Christianity on it’s head. They have made unity the first thing, and truth the second, when in fact truth is to be the first, and then the desire for unity amongst those who have been born of that truth from above.

When we make unity the supreme thing we will inevitably pursue it at all costs. The trend in Evangelicalism today (it has been the trend for a hundred years or more) is to pursue unity by minimizing doctrine. “Let us say as little as possible about Christ – his word, and his work – so as not to offend.” That is the thought! The mantra is, “doctrine divides, but Jesus unites!” And so churches continue to claim belief in Christ while saying as little as they can about him – even neglecting things clearly taught in his word. It is unity at all costs – unity at the expense of truth.

It is no wonder then that the unity which exists within these churches is superficial. Scratch the surface and you will see that under the veneer all manner of division exists.

Friends, this is backwards. It is not that “doctrine divides and Jesus unites”, but that “Jesus divides and his doctrine unites.” He divides in that he has calls his out of the world to belong to himself, having been given to him by the Father from before the foundation of the earth. And he further sanctifies (or sets apart) those who belong to him by his word. He calls us forth by his word, and he sanctifies us by his word. And it is his doctrine – his holy word – which unifies his people together deeply.

It is ironic, isn’t it, that very thing which can bring unity to God’s people – that is the truth of God’s word – is the thing that we neglect in the hopes of facilitating unity?

Listen to Paul as he writes to the Corinthians (a church struggling with division): “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” (1 Corinthians 1:10, ESV)

I am not saying give up on unity. And I am not saying that we are to be happy with division. By no means! We should pray to Christ that we would be one, just as he and the Father are one! And we should work towards it with all that we are. But we should pursue the right kind of unity in the right way.

To pursue unity within the church without concern for sound doctrine is like attempting to join the pieces of a chair together without the use of nails or screws or glue. It will hold together for a little while, but things will get shaky fast, and they will eventually fall to pieces.

There is no depth to our unity apart from Christ – his person, his words, and his work.

Let Us Pursue A Unity That Is Significant For All Eternity

Brothers and sisters, may I exhort you, lastly, to pursue a unity with one another in light of it’s significance for all eternity.

I do wish that I could spend more time on this final point, but a few words will have to do. The union that you have with one another in Christ is eternal. Think about that for a moment. In eternity all other unions will fade away and will pale in comparison to our union with Christ, and to our union with one another.

Look at Christ’s prayer for us in verse 24: “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24, ESV)

Christ’s prayer is that we would be with him in glory. He is here referring to his final and full glory – the glory that he had with the Father before the world was created, and the glory that he returned to after his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the Fathers right hand. That is Christ’s prayer! That those given to him by the Father would be one in the here and now, and one in him for all eternity.

Why then do Christians neglect their bond with one another? Why do we settle for inferior unifying agents, and superficial forms of unity? If this is the bond that lasts forever, should we not cherish it and work to cultivate its depth and quality?

Conclusion

So much more could be said about this beautiful passage – I’ve only scratched the surface, I know. But let me provide a few points of application by way of conclusion.

One, let us pray for unity. Let us pray that the Lord would continue to bless us with unity in this local church, and even deeper unity than we enjoy now. I am pleased with the oneness that we are experiencing, but who’s to say that it cannot grow? And let us pray for unity in Christ’s universal church. I am not interested in unity that is merely organizational (Rome), nor am I interested in unity that is merely cosmetic and superficial (Evangelicalism). But we ought to desire and pray that the Lord would bless his church with real unity. Brothers and sisters, Christ prayed for unity and so should we.

Two, let us work to maintain unity. And it does take work! Just as gravity pulls upon us constantly urging us to lie down, so too sin is a constant threat against the unity of Christ’s church. I “urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1–3, ESV)

Three, let us work towards establishing or regaining unity where it is lacking. If we are praying for it, then we also ought to be ready and willing to work towards it. Again, I will emphasize the need for effort. Just as a marriage is only healthy where there is effort, so too the church is only healthy where there is effort. We must work towards repentance and forgiveness. We must work towards understanding the word of God. We must work towards unity. There are instances where division is inevitable and even necessary. But I would venture to guess that much division exists with the church unnecessarily so due to sin and slothfulness .

Four, I would encourage you here at Emmaus to work towards unity, not by neglecting doctrine, but by immersing yourself in it. Do not compromise on the truth of God’s word for the sake of appeasing the critic. You’ll end up with unity, but not of a deep and Christian kind. It’s better, I think, to hold unwaveringly to the truth of God’s word, with a spirit of humility, and in persistent prayer. See doctrine, not as a problem to be avoided, but as a great blessing to the church and something which in fact fosters Christian unity.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:23–25, ESV)