True Oneness

Text:

John 17:20-23:

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

 

Theme:

True Oneness

 

Introduction:

• The Gospel According to John is the fourth gospel written by the Apostle John. Some believed that it was to fill the gaps left by the first three gospels, but no concrete evidence makes this universally true.  However, it does in a unique and genuine way divulge the depth of the relationship between God and the Son AND the relationship between the believer and the Godhead.
• The Gospel of John, which houses our text, serves as a special closing to the set of Gospels that tell the good news of Jesus Christ.
  • Matthew gives a detailed depiction of the history of Jesus’ life
  • Mark gives Jesus’ life as depicted by Peter’s accounts
  • Luke gives the perspective of Jesus’ life as God’s Son who was a man – the humanity of Jesus
  • However, John gives the perspective of Jesus’ life as the man who was God’s Son – the Divinity of Jesus
    • John sums up his intent in writing the Gospel in John 20:31 when he says, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
• In the 17^th chapter of John, we find Jesus…praying “The Lord’s Prayer” or “The High Priestly Prayer”
  • Not the same are Matthew 6 or Luke 11 when Jesus prayed “The Model Prayer”
    • Matthew & Luke were an example of how to pray è The substance and not the form of prayer!
      • Jesus did not intend for us to use the words, but instead intended for us to understand the required substance!
        • 1) Acknowledge God for who He is
          • Matthew 6:9-10, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
        • 2) Ask God to provide our daily needs
          • Matthew 6:11, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
        • 3) Ask for forgiveness and the ability to forgive
          • Matthew 6:12, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
        • 4) Ask God to lead us and deliver us
          • Matthew 6:13a, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:”
        • 5) Acknowledge God’s sovereignty
          • Matthew 6:13b, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
  • In 17^th Chapter of John, Jesus prays from “His closet” è Jesus is sharing an intimate exchange with His Father.
    • A contemporary definition of prayer definitely applies here!
      • Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire for change.
    • Jesus poured out His soul to God in Prayer
      • John 17:1, “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come….”
        • 1)He prayed for His own oneness with God
        • 2)He prayed for those who do not believe
        • 3)He prayed for those who believe
• However, our text focuses on the primary prayer for the believers à ONENESS
  • Since Jesus prayed this prayer it implies that one can believe and not have ONENESS.
    • ONENESS is NOT…being jealous of another members blessing
    • ONENESS is NOT…begrudging giving and sacrificing for the sake of the Gospel
    • ONENESS is NOT…having to ask God for direction in EVERY situation
    • ONENESS is NOT…believing that hard times are a punishment
    • ONENESS is NOT…trusting the consistency of our traditions more that the inconsistency of God dynamic, omniscient direction and instruction
    • ONENESS is NOT…seeking what we want the way that we want it
    • ONENESS is NOT…found in fear
  • Just believing is not enough. Our belief must lead to a relationship manifested in ONENESS with The Godhead…the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit
    • So, what is TRUE ONENESS??

Body:

• Being ONE with Jesus
  • We must be one with Jesus through SUFFERING
    • It is in God’s Plan à Romans 8:17, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
    • It ain’t easy! à Romans 8:36, “As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
  • The Holy Spirit joins us with Christ through our suffering for Him
    • Ephesians 2:5, “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”
• Being ONE with each other (through the Holy Spirit)
  • TRUE ONENESS is brought by the Holy Spirit à the Active Person of God
    • Literal meaning of the word for Holy Spirit (Greek – pneuma hagion) is “a holy current of air”
      • Pneuma – current of air, figuratively — spirit
      • Hagion – holy
        • In my life, the Holy Spirit is truly “a holy breathe of fresh air” for me in this difficult life of mine!
  • The Holy Spirit is the unifying essence of ONENESS è Acts 2:1, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”
    • Not “ON ONE ACCORD”
      • It is UNREALISTIC to believe that people can always agree
      • Sometimes we must “agree to disagree”
      • Sometimes folks just aren’t going to connect
        • Matthew 10:14, “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.”
    • “WITH ONE ACCORD”
      • The Holy Spirit establishes consistency amongst inconsistent people
        • The Holy Spirit “moves from heart to heart and from breast to breast” connecting us as one
        • Romans 8:11, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
• Being ONE with God
  • We must then be one with God through a DIVINE RELATIONSHIP with Him
    • Our Divine Relationship with Him must be reflected in our lives
    • Galatians 5:25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
• KNOW THAT the Holy Spirit is GIVEN by God
  • 1 à We must first accept Jesus, the Christ, so that we are not of the world any more
    • John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
  • 2 à Once we accept Jesus we are then ELIGIBLE to be given the Holy Spirit
    • John 14:17, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
  • 3 à We must then WAIT on the Holy Spirit!
    • John 15:26, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”
  • 4 à What does the receiving of the Holy Spirit do? è “when the Comforter is come”
    • Gives TRUE ONENESS through its quickening powerà ….BUT ALSO
      • GIVES THE WORD OF GOD à 2Chronicles 24:20, “And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.”
      • LIFTS à Ezekiel 11:1, “Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the LORD’S house….”
      • Gives STRENGTH à For Sampson in Judges 14:19, “And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them….”
      • QUALIFIES à Acts 6:3, “Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.”
      • TEACHES and RETEACHES à John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. “
      • Gives VISION à Stephen in Acts 7:55, “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,”
      • INSPIRES à 2Peter 1:21, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
      • Gives DIRECTION à Acts 8:29, “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.”
      • GIVES LIFE AND LIVING à 2Corinthians 3:6, “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”
      • INTERCEDES à Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
      • REPROVES à John 16:8, “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”
      • SEALS our salvation à Ezekiel 36:27, “And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”

Conclusion:

• Through the Holy Spirit we have TRUE ONENESS!!!
• Greatest With TRUE ONENESS through the Holy Spirit, others will see the DIFFERENCE!!!!
  • BY THE HOLY SPIRIT…….WE ARE!!!
    • Zechariah 4:6, “Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”
  • It is the Holy Spirit!!!! à that makes us!
    • He saved me
    • He made me
    • He lifted me
    • He glorified me
    • He changed me
    • He rearranged me
    • THEN
      • He heals me
      • He forgives me
      • He holds me
      • He encourages me
      • He comforts me
      • He loves me
      • THANK GOD for HIS HOLY SPIRIT to give me TRUE ONENESS!!!!!

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