The Expectation of A Messiah

What was it that Jesus the Messiah expected from the Father as He prayed for us in John 17?

“That all of them may be one, Father …”  John 17:21

Jesus was very clear in the intent of His prayer. We who believe in Christ through the message of the apostles are “them.” And His prayer to His heavenly Father is that all of “them” may be one.

All?

Yes, all.

That is a phenomenal statement coming from the Messiah. He was actually praying that all of us who are in Christ would be able to stand with one another in total unity. But achieving that level of unity has proven to be untenably difficult, several good and worthwhile efforts, throughout various points in the church’s history, notwithstanding. Our lack of success becomes even clearer when we consider the example the Lord used to illustrate the level of unity He was praying for us to have.

Father, just as you are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us …

Really? Jesus expects us to walk in the same level of unity that He has with the Father!

I don’t know what you feel when you stop to consider the significance of this.

So that the world may believe that you have sent me…

Try to look at this verse as though seeing it for the first time. Pray  for Jesus to show you His heart in thismatter, and ask Him to break down any walls you have built that stand inthe way of the unity He had in mind when He prayed for us to be one.

The Messiah is stating, in no uncertain terms, that when those of us who are in Him are able to stand in unity then (and, one might argue, only then) will the world believe! And the world must believe! This is the reason Christ came to the earth. He gave His all to purchase our salvation. Our Messiah expects us to be one in Christ!

If the world must believe, then we must become one! We must become one “so that the world may believe.”

Let’s learn to Count to One !

#CountToOne