Amen. Thank you, Treg.
Please take your Bibles and open them up to John chapter 17.
John chapter 17. We're continuing this prayer of Christ in John chapter 17.
And this morning we'll finish up the chapter. I'll read John 17 verses 20 through 26.
And I do ask, as I always do, have your Bibles open.
I want you to see it with your own eyes, hold it in your own hands, in your lap, the Word of God.
As we walk through this passage together.
And when you found it, John 17 verses 20 through 26,
if you would please stand in honor of the reading of the Word of God.
Jesus prays, 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.
This is the word of God.
Let's pray once more.
Father, we thank you for this word.
We thank you for this prayer of Christ,
and we pray, Father,
that it would be answered right here in this church.
God, would you make us one,
even as you are one, Lord.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
You may be seated.
Amen.
What does Jesus want?
That's the question that we've been asking
as we've walked through this prayer here in John chapter 17 together.
We saw that in verses 1 through 5,
he prayed for himself.
Glory.
Father, glorify me in your own presence
with the glory that I had before the world existed.
We saw last week in verses 6 through 19,
he prayed for these 11 men,
these 11 disciples.
So many precious gifts that he prayed for them.
He prayed for their perseverance,
that they might have his joy.
He prayed for their protection.
He prayed for their holiness.
And now, here at the end of this prayer,
in verses 20 through 26,
we see he's praying for all those
who will believe in him
through the word of his disciples.
This is a prayer for the global,
universal church.
It is a prayer for all believers
from this point forward.
This is a prayer for the Apostle Paul,
soon to be Apostle Paul.
This is a prayer for Lois,
and her daughter Eunice,
and her grandson Timothy.
It is a prayer for Ignatius,
and Polycarp,
for Athanasius,
and St. Augustine.
It is a prayer for Martin Luther,
and for John Wesley.
It is a prayer for Amy Carmichael,
and Adoniram Judson,
for Lemuel Haynes,
and for Brother Yoon.
It is a prayer for Pastor Chad Moore,
at Life Park Church,
for John Payne,
at Christ Church PCA.
It is a prayer for me,
and if you believe the gospel,
church,
this is a prayer for you.
What do we learn about what Jesus wants for you
in this prayer?
What does this passage teach us
about what Jesus wants for all of his people?
Well, to answer it in just one word, church,
Jesus wants for his people to experience unity.
To say it another way,
here's the main point of this prayer,
this is the main point of this message,
is that the gospel produces
supernatural unity
in all who believe it.
The gospel produces
supernatural unity
in all who believe it.
And I want us to see this
in two ways this morning.
This will be our outline this morning
if you're following along.
The gospel produces unity
both vertically and horizontally.
Vertically and horizontally.
Jesus wants you to experience unity
both vertically and horizontally.
First,
Jesus wants you
to experience
vertical unity
with God.
Now look with me
starting in verse 20
to our passage again.
Jesus says,
again,
I'm not praying for the whole world.
I have a particular people in mind here.
I'm praying for those
whom the Father has given me
out of the world.
Now I've prayed
for these 11 disciples
and now,
now I'm praying
for all those
who will believe in me
through their words.
See,
Christ is on the road
to the cross.
He is getting ready
to die in the place of sinners.
He's preparing
to rise from the grave.
And then,
He's going to send
His disciples out
to go talk about this.
To go tell everybody
they come in contact with
that there is a Savior
who's come to the world
that any who turn
from their sins
and trust in Him
can be saved.
They will be His witnesses,
we're told in Acts 1.8.
Witnesses of the glory of Christ
in Jerusalem
and in Judea
and in all Samaria.
They will be commissioned,
Matthew 28,
commissioned to go
and make disciples
of all nations,
baptizing them
in the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe
all that I have commanded you.
And Jesus knows
that as these disciples
go out preaching the Word,
scattering seed of the Word,
guess what's going to happen?
Men and women,
boys and girls
from all over the globe,
from Jerusalem
all the way here
to all in all South Carolina,
will hear that message
and believe.
So He prays here
for all those
who will believe in Him
through their Word.
And what does He pray?
What does He pray
for these future believers?
What does He pray for us?
Well, He prays
that they might know
deep, profound,
personal, supernatural unity
with God Himself.
Think about this.
This is what it means
to be a Christian.
You believe the Gospel
and the Gospel creates
supernatural unity
vertically between you and God.
Well, what does this look like?
Think with me
as we walk through this passage
about all that that means
for you, Christian.
To be one with God
means that
in a way that's beyond
our comprehension,
you are in Him
and He is in you.
To be a Christian,
to be united vertically with God
through faith in Christ
means that you are in God
and God is in you.
Look there to verse 21.
Jesus prays for all
who will believe
that just as you, Father,
are in me
and I in you
that they,
these believers,
may be in us.
He says in verse 23,
I in them
and you in me.
What He's praying for
is this deep,
personal unity with God
through faith in Christ.
You know,
being a Christian
is a lot more
than just believing
a few key doctrines,
right?
You believe
a few key doctrines,
you check off the boxes
of what you know
you believe.
There's a depth here
that goes beyond
intellectual acknowledgement
of the truth.
This is personal inclusion
in God Himself.
When you believe
the truth of the gospel,
you are brought
into union with God.
You're not made God,
of course,
that's impossible,
but you are brought
into unity with God,
joined together with Him.
When you trust in Christ
by faith in what He's done,
that the sin
that has separated us
from God
is done away with
and now,
in Christ,
everything that Christ has done,
He's now done
on your behalf.
So we can say,
as we witnessed last week
with Bailey's baptism,
we can say that,
truly,
we have been buried
with Christ in baptism.
His baptism is ours.
His death is ours.
And we've been raised
to walk in newness of life.
His resurrection is ours.
His new life is ours.
His victory is ours
by faith in Christ.
You are included in Him
and He in us.
Church,
this is at the very core
of what it means
to be a Christian.
Now,
I want us to understand this
because this isn't
the only place
that the Bible speaks
about this deep unity
between God
and His people.
John 14, 20,
we saw,
Jesus said,
in that day,
you will know
that I am in my Father
and you in me
and I in you.
You hear this union language?
John 15,
we heard Him say,
abide in me
and I in you.
2 Corinthians 5, 17,
if anyone is in Christ,
He is a new creation.
The old has gone.
Behold,
the new has come
if anyone is in Christ.
Galatians 2, 20,
Paul says,
I've been crucified with Christ,
therefore I no longer live.
Jesus Christ now lives in me.
The life that I live
in the flesh,
I live by faith
in the Son of God
who loved me
and gave Himself for me.
I'm dead and gone.
I died with Christ.
Here I am living
in Christ.
Romans 8, 9-11,
anyone who does not have
the Spirit of God,
Spirit of Christ,
does not belong to Him.
But,
if Christ is in you,
although the body is dead
because of sin,
the Spirit is life
because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of Him
who raised Jesus from the dead
dwells in you,
He who raised Christ Jesus
from the dead
will also give life
to your mortal bodies
through His Spirit
who dwells in you.
Church,
we should marvel
at this.
Amen?
If you have believed
the gospel,
you are now united
to God Himself
in Christ.
He is in you.
You are in Him.
Not only this,
but to be a Christian,
to be united with God,
means that
you have received
the glory
of Christ.
Christ.
You have received
the glory
of Christ.
He tells us,
verse 22,
He says,
the glory that you
have given me,
I have given
them.
You remember last week
from chapter 17,
verse 6,
He says,
I have manifested
your name
to the people
you gave me
out of the world.
This manifestation
of the glorious
name of God
so that
it might be
seen
and enjoyed
and believed
and trusted
and worshipped.
That's what Jesus
came to do.
And how did He do it?
Verse 8,
you remember last week,
For I have given them
the words
that you gave to me.
The words.
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.
He manifested
the glorious
name of God
through words.
And so it is
with us.
God's people
are made God's people.
If you're a Christian,
it's because somewhere
along the way,
somehow,
the glory of Christ
was manifested
to you
through words.
What does Romans 10, 17
tell us?
Faith comes through
hearing
and hearing
through the word.
Word of Christ.
Yes.
The glory of God
and the gospel
of Jesus Christ
was shared
with you
and by God's grace
you heard it
and by God's grace
you were given eyes
to see His glory.
By God's grace
you received it.
You were given
a new heart
to receive it,
to love it,
to trust it.
By God's grace
you believed it.
You received
the glory of God
in the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
So now what does that mean?
Now,
what that means
is that you personally
by faith in Christ
you personally
are now partakers
of His life.
This is eternal life.
That they know you
the only true God
and Jesus Christ
whom you have sent.
You have received
His eternal life
by faith in Christ.
Now,
right now,
we are partakers
of His joy
by faith in the gospel.
These things
I speak in the world
that they may have
my joy fulfilled
in themselves.
Verse 13
Right now,
we are partakers
of His peace
through faith
in Christ.
My peace
I leave with you.
My peace
I give to you.
The list goes on
and on and on.
By faith in the gospel
we are partakers,
enjoyers,
recipients
of the glory
of Christ
right now.
But you know,
as wonderful
as that is,
all of that
is just a small taste
of the glory
that's to come.
Can you believe that?
To be one with God,
to be a Christian
means that
you have the hope
of the glory
of Christ.
Now in part,
but then in full.
Look there
to verse 24.
Verse 24.
He prays,
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.
Did you hear that prayer?
Father,
I pray,
I desire that
they would be
with me
where I am
and that they would
see the fullness
of my glory.
What a hope
that lies ahead of us,
church.
You know,
when I was younger,
to be honest with you,
when I was a kid,
when I would think
about eternity,
when I would think
about what
in the world
heaven would be like,
I would get
my mind going
and eventually
if I thought
long and hard enough,
I would get to a point
where I would be
bored out of my mind.
Right?
Am I the only one?
You think about eternity,
what in the world
am I going to do
with eternity?
What am I going
to fill my days with?
What am I going
to fill my time with?
It sounded boring to me.
Let me tell you something,
church.
Every single joy,
every single treasure,
every single bit
of glory
on this side
of eternity
eventually
will get boring.
Either it will run dry
or you will get tired
of it.
But the glory
of Christ
will never
get boring.
And our enjoyment
of the glory
of Christ
in eternity
will be never ending.
There's more
to enjoy
in His glory
than all eternity
can fill.
We have all
of eternity
to spend
drinking ourselves
full of the glory
of God
and the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
That's what lies
ahead of all
who are united
to Christ
by faith.
The invitation
of the gospel
to our non-believing
friends
is to turn away
from all of these
false,
passing,
fading joys
and come
find true,
lasting life
and joy
in the presence
of Christ
now
and into eternity.
What a gift.
Church,
you know,
gifts like this
we know
are not given
flippantly.
This is a gift
of divine love.
Last one here
on this first point.
Last one.
To be a Christian,
to be made
one with God
is to enter
into
and to be
personally
loved
by God
Himself.
verse 26.
He says,
I made known
to them
your name
and I will
continue to
make it known.
Why?
To what end?
That the love
with which
you loved
me
may be
in them
and I
in
them.
To know
Jesus
by faith
is to
know
personally
know
the love
of God.
To be
a Christian
is to
enter
into
and to
receive
the very
love
that God
the Father
has
for His
own
Son.
Are you not
blown away
by that?
That ought
to drive
us to our
knees
in worship,
church.
To know
that we're
loved
by God.
It makes
sense that
God loves
His own
Son.
He's
perfect.
He's
flawless.
He's
eternal.
He's
God
Himself.
But to
know
that God
loves
sinners
with that
very same
love
ought to
drop us
to our
knees.
But that's
what it
means to
be a
Christian.
We are
loved
by God,
united
to Christ,
adopted
into His
family.
Ephesians
chapter 1.
In love
He
predestined
us for
adoption
to Himself
as sons
through Jesus
Christ,
according to
the purpose
of His
will,
to the
praise of
His
glorious
grace,
with which
He has
blessed
us in
the
beloved.
In
Him,
do you
hear that?
In
Him we
have
redemption
through
His
blood,
the
forgiveness
of our
trespasses
according
to the
riches
of His
grace,
which He
lavished
upon us
in all
wisdom
and insight,
making
known to
us the
mystery of
His
will according
to His
purpose,
which He
set forth
in Christ
as a plan
for the
fullness
of time
to unite
all things
in Him,
things in
heaven,
and things
on earth.
Our union
with God
the Father
is not
just a legal
formality.
Our union
with God
the Father
in Jesus
Christ
is the
realization
of a
divine
plan
of
divine
love.
We are
loved
in the
beloved.
We are
sons
in the
Son.
Church,
this is
what it
means to
be a
Christian.
We are
united
to God
Himself
in
Christ
Jesus.
What a
glorious
gift our
salvation
is.
But sadly,
for many
believers,
this is
where it
ends
for them.
Sadly,
for many
believers,
this
personal,
vertical,
one-on-one
relationship
with God
is where
it ends
for them.
But what I
want us to
see here in
our second
point in
the rest of
this passage
together this
morning,
is that if
you can
believe it,
Jesus wants
even more
than that
for His
people.
The aim
of the
cross of
Christ is
not just
vertical
union with
God,
although that
is primary.
The aim
of the
cross of
Christ is
also
horizontal
unity with
all of
God's
people.
Let me
say that
again.
The aim
of the
cross of
Christ is
not just
your
personal,
individual,
vertical
union with
God.
It's that
that union
would spill
over and
produce
horizontal
unity
amongst
God's
people.
Let's see
this in our
second point
this morning.
Second,
Jesus wants
you to
experience
horizontal
unity
with His
people.
Now,
this is
supernatural,
isn't it?
Right?
It may be
easier for
some of you
to believe
that God
can unite
Himself to
one sinner,
that a
sinner can
be united
to God
Himself
through faith
in Christ.
It may be
easier for
you to
believe that
than that
one sinner
could be
united to
another
sinner
horizontally,
much less
one sinner
to a whole
group of
sinners.
That sounds
almost
impossible.
And I
gotta confess
to you
that often
the way
the church
behaves
and speaks
and acts
makes it seem
like this
prayer just
went up
and hit
the ceiling.
But Jesus
Himself,
He lived,
He died,
He rose,
not just to
make us
one with
God,
but I think
it's clear
in this
passage,
He did
this to
make us
one with
one another.
Perfectly
one.
He prays
for it
here,
it is
clear,
this is
His
desire,
and yet,
church,
you know
this,
don't?
I'm not
telling you
anything you
don't know.
Churches
often struggle
with this
unity thing,
don't we?
This isn't
a new
problem,
by the way.
You read
through your
New Testament,
you'll notice
there has
never been
a church
without issues
here.
This is
why Paul
instructs us,
if you
bite and
devour
one another,
watch out
that you
don't consume
one another,
he tells
the church
in Galatia.
Pursue
what makes
for peace
and mutual
upbuilding,
he tells
the church
in Rome.
Bear with
one another,
he tells
the church
in Colossae.
If one
has a
complaint
against
one another,
forgive
one another,
as the
Lord has
forgiven you,
so you
also must
forgive.
bear with
one another,
again,
he tells
the church
in Ephesus,
be eager
to maintain
the unity,
he commands
the churches,
instructs us,
maintain it,
protect it,
guard it,
work for it,
uphold it,
pursue it,
why?
Because
sinners do
not naturally
drift towards
unity with
one another.
It is
supernaturally
purchased for
the church,
and it
must be
supernaturally
pursued
by the
church.
True
unity
is not
natural.
All of
these commands,
they assume
two things,
don't they?
One,
it assumes
that the
church
will struggle
to experience
unity,
amen?
The church
will struggle,
this will be
difficult,
why else
would he
have to
tell us
to bear
with one
another?
There's
going to
be opportunities
if you
get close
enough to
other
Christians,
if you
rub shoulders
enough with
other
sinners,
there's
going to
be plenty
of
opportunity
to obey
these commands,
to be
patient,
to forgive,
to bear
with one
another,
to pursue
peace,
to love
one another,
but you
know what
it also
assumes?
It assumes
that it's
worth it.
It assumes
that that
hard work
of pursuing
unity in
the church,
this man-to-man
woman-to-woman,
horizontal unity
is worth
the effort.
For Jesus,
it was worth
dying for.
I'd be willing
to bet
most of you
in the room,
if I asked you
to raise your
hands,
and I won't
ask you to
raise your
hands,
if I asked
you to
raise your
hands,
most of you
in the room,
I would be
willing to
bet have
at least
one story,
probably more,
one story
where you
have seen
people in
the church
go after
one another,
and maybe
you have
been personally
harmed and
hurt and
affected by
Christians.
I know I
have.
You can't be
a shepherd
without getting
bit by a few
sheep.
You can't be
a shepherd
without defending
against a few
wolves,
right?
But I
know members,
the church,
this is not
uncommon to
be engaged
in this
disunity
that so
plagues
the church,
and it
makes us
say things
like,
well,
I love
God,
but I
got a
hard time
with his
people,
right?
I love
Jesus,
but I
don't really
like his
people.
I don't
really love
the church,
and I
want you
to know
that if
that is
how you
feel,
it's okay
to acknowledge
that.
It's okay
to acknowledge
the harm
that's come
upon you.
It's okay
to acknowledge
some of the
barriers that
you might have
to this
horizontal unity,
but we
also have
to acknowledge
that if
that's how
we feel,
then our
heart is
out of
alignment
with the
heart of
Christ in
this area.
It's the
work of the
Holy Spirit
to take our
heart and
to make it
align with
the heart
of Christ.
And so if
that's you
where you say,
I just want
me and God,
I don't want
these other
people,
I would
invite you
to pray.
Lord,
would you
change my
heart to
look like
the heart
of Christ
so that I
might know
the unity
you've purchased
for me
on the cross.
Listen again
to what Jesus
prays here,
verse 20.
He said,
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.
Verse 22,
the glory
that you
have given
me,
I have
given to
them.
Why?
That they
may be
one,
even as
we are
one,
I in
them,
and you
in me,
that they
may become
perfectly
one.
How close
do I have
to get to
these people?
I don't
know,
how close
is God
the Son
to God
the Father?
Let's
start there.
Jesus
says,
pursue
that
type
of
perfect
unity
in the
church.
And you
know what
will happen
when the
church
begins to
look like
that?
The world
will see
and the
world will
know that
God
himself
must have
done that
work.
Look at
verse 21.
Look at
verse 21.
He prays
that they
may be
one just
as you
father are
in me
and I
in you
that they
may also
be in
us so
that what
the world
may believe
that you
have sent
me.
Verse 23,
I in
them and
you in
me that
they may
become
perfectly
one.
Why?
So that
the world
may know
that you
sent me
and loved
them even
as you
loved
me.
now I
want to
spend some
time as
we close
asking the
question what
does that
look like
practically for
you, for
us?
Maybe you've
attended church
all your life
and you've
never thought
about church
in this way.
Maybe church
for you has
just been an
event that
you attend
on your
calendar and
you've never
really thought
about this
horizontal
unity that
Christ wants
you to
experience.
I want to
talk about
four applications
here.
I think I'm
going to have
four.
I had like
20 this
week but I'm
trying to trim
it down this
morning for
your sake to
just four.
Okay?
Number one is
to ask
yourself.
I want all
of you to ask
yourself this
question.
Am I
connected with
other Christians
Christians in
such a way
that is only
explainable by
a work of
God?
Am I
connected with
other Christians
in such a way
that is only
explainable by
a work of
God?
Is my
connection to
other believers
unapologetic for
the existence and
the work of
God?
Is my connection
to other
Christians an
easy on-ramp
to conversations
with my
non-believing
friends about
the glory of
God and the
gospel of
Jesus Christ?
Do other
non-believers
in my circle
say and wonder
to see how
they love
one another?
That's a quote
from a man
named Tertullian.
He's not from
around here.
Tertullian.
He was an
early church
theologian in
North Africa
and he wrote
an apologetic
against the
pagans in the
area.
how distinct
the church
ought to be
and he
imagined what
the pagans
might say
as they look
in on the
church and
marveling to
see how they
love one
another while
all of us out
here hate one
another.
To see how
they're willing
to die for
each other while
we're killing
each other out
here.
The love of
the church for
one another ought
to be an
apologetic for
the glory of
God and the
gospel of
Jesus Christ.
one point of
difference between
the love in the
church and those
outside of the
church might be
that you have
deep love for
others who are
not exactly like
you.
Birds of a
feather flock
together.
That's very
natural.
That's very
worldly.
But in the
church,
the world talks
a lot about
diversity.
It talks a lot
about unity.
They have no
clue what they're
talking about.
In the church,
we ought to have
a true picture of
unity in
diversity.
We're not
gathered together
because we all
look alike.
We're not
gathered together
because we're all
the same age,
because we have
all the same
preferences,
because we belong
to the same
socioeconomic class.
We are gathered
together because
we are belonging
to Jesus Christ
as Lord.
We are in
Christ,
vertical unity,
and that unity
spills over to
produce horizontal
unity amongst
every tribe,
tongue,
and nation.
All who are in
Christ by faith
in the gospel.
Application
number two.
Application
number two.
Speak well
of other
Christians.
Speak well
of other
Christians.
Let no
corrupting talk
come out of
your mouths,
but only such
as is good
for building
up as fits
the occasion
that it may
give grace
to those who
hear.
Ephesians 4
19.
Speak well
of other
Christians.
If our unity
is meant to be
an apologetic
for the truth
of the gospel,
what does it
say to the
world when we
tear each other
down with our
speech?
And this
applies both
inside our
own local
church here
as well as
outside towards
all other
Christians.
Speak well
of those who
are brothers
and sisters
in Christ.
Now the early
church,
again,
the early
church had a
saying.
They said,
in essentials
unity,
in non-essentials
diversity,
in all things
charity.
Have you heard
that before?
In essentials
unity,
in non-essentials
diversity,
in all things
charity.
We need to
understand what
the essentials
are that unite
all Christians
across the globe,
what makes us
brothers and
sisters in Christ,
those essential
core tenets of
the faith,
the divinity
of Christ,
the sufficiency
of the scriptures,
the trinity,
salvation in
Christ alone,
by faith alone,
for example.
If you agree
on the essential
doctrines of
Christianity,
the apostles'
creed that
spells it out
for us,
we can disagree
and we will
disagree on
a thousand other
things,
but we are
family,
like it or not.
You are not
my enemy.
We share a
common enemy
and we serve
His cause
when we hit
one another
with friendly
fire.
We need to
understand what
the core
essential doctrines
are of the
faith that unite
all of God's
people and we
need to also
understand and
remember not
everything is a
core issue.
Not everything
is an essential
issue.
Not everything
is worth dividing
over.
There are issues
worth dying for,
there are issues
worth dividing
for,
there are issues
worth deciding
for,
and there are
issues that
don't really
matter at all.
Worth discussing
for.
And the good
news is,
of course,
when we make
it to glory,
all of this
will become
perfectly clear,
we're going to
be perfectly
one,
partially because
all of us
are going to
be corrected
in all the
many ways
we're all
wrong.
But until
we get
there,
we remain
united in the
essentials of
the faith,
but know
that we
won't be
perfectly
united in
every matter
of faith
and practice.
That's why
different churches
exist.
That's not a
bad thing.
What's bad
is when these
different churches
that are brothers
and sisters
attack one
another,
bring shame
upon the
cross of
Christ in
the way that
we hate
one another
and speak
about one
another and
cancel each
other over
some article
written ten
years ago
that we
disagree with.
I'm going
to pick on
my Presbyterian
brothers for
a minute,
but only
because I
hope you
know I
love them
deeply.
In our
theology,
we're about
95% overlap.
Even our
own statement
of faith in
this church,
we have 18
articles in
our statement
of faith.
That's what
our membership
agrees to
believe.
There's only
two of
those 18
that I know
our Presbyterian
brothers would
disagree with.
We are
united.
If they're not
my brothers,
I don't know
who is.
That disclaimer
out there.
We disagree
on who
ought to
be baptized.
Baptists,
we claim
that baptism
is for
believers,
born again,
regenerate
believers,
those who
have professed
faith in
Christ and
who the
church affirms
their faith
in Christ.
We baptize
believers.
Our Presbyterian
brothers believe
baptism is for
believers and
their children.
We disagree
on that issue.
Both of us
have our feet
dug in on
this issue.
We are not
changing each
other's minds.
We love
them.
They love
us.
But I
could not
in good
conscience
become a
member of
a Presbyterian
church on
that issue
so long as
there's a
healthy gospel
preaching
Baptist church
in the area
because that
secondary issue
is so important
to the function
of the church
that I feel
like I have
to be a
member of a
church that
shares my
conviction on
that issue.
But I don't
cast stones in
my Presbyterian
brothers because
we disagree on
this issue.
We agree on
the essentials
of the faith.
This brings us
to third
application here.
Third application.
I know I'm
speaking mostly to
those who are
members of this
church but
third application
is to join
a church.
Join a church
where you align
theologically in
faith and practice
with the elders
and with the
members.
Join a church.
If you want to
experience this
spiritual unity
that Jesus
prays for here
you can wait
until heaven
or you can
get your hands
dirty and
experience it in
part here in the
local church.
Yes we're
spiritually united
with all Christians
everywhere.
Yes we're part of
the universal church
of course.
but that unity
is seen and
experienced most
profoundly in
the local church.
Join a local
church.
Now I want to
make sure you
hear me say
I'm not saying
join this local
church.
And for some
of you this may
not be the right
local church for
you to join and
that's okay.
Again join together
with a church
that preaches
the gospel where
you align
theologically where
you can sink
your roots down
deep and commit
to the unity
of the church.
Ask yourself do
these people believe
what I believe
about God's
word?
Now again
you might say
well I'm a part
of the universal
church.
Why do I need
to join a local
church?
Well that's a bit
like saying I'm a
part of the
military.
Why do I need
a branch?
I'm an NBA
player.
Why do I need
a team?
Let me flesh
that out just
for a moment.
Say you just
turn 18.
You decide to
enlist in the
military and
now you can
say I'm in
the military
but you know
what the next
question is going
to come out
of somebody's
mouth when you
tell them that?
Which branch?
Are you
marines?
Are you army?
Are you navy?
Are you air force?
Sure you're all
connected.
You're all fighting
for the same
cause but there
are specific
groups and you
have to decide
what branch
you're going to
commit to and
then well within
that branch what
division?
What company?
What squad?
Who are you
accountable for?
Who are you
accountable to?
Who's your
general?
Who's your
sergeant?
Nobody in the
military second
guesses this.
Nobody in the
military says well
I belong to the
military I don't
have to belong to
a branch.
I don't need a
sergeant.
I'm fine.
I don't need
anybody looking out
for me.
I don't need to
look out for
anybody else.
The military
understands this but
sadly many
Christians do not.
when you are
enlisted in the
people of God
when you have
believed the
gospel you are
now a part of
the universal
global church.
You are
spiritually united
with all of
God's people but
at the same time
you are not
equally accountable
to all of God's
people.
You can't be.
I am not a
pastor of all of
God's people
everywhere.
When I go to a
coffee shop and I
see ten people with
their Bibles open.
I am not all of
their pastor.
I am your
pastor church.
And you are
members of one
another.
So again not
necessarily this
church but join a
local church.
And when you do
last application
here last
application commit
to a local
church.
Would you
commit to one
another in a
local church?
How often have
you heard me say
that the church
is not primarily
an event that
you attend.
It's a family
that you are
invited to be a
part of.
When you join a
local church, I
hope you understand
it's not like
joining Sam's
Club.
It's not like
joining a local
gym.
You are becoming
a member of a
body.
You are
accountable now to
the other members.
you are integrated
in.
Your gifts are
now serving for
the good of the
body and their
gifts are serving
you as we seek to
build one another
up in Christ.
Join a church where
you can plant
yourself and
commit.
Again it doesn't
have to be here.
Not everyone will
be wanting to join
this particular
church.
That is okay.
But for our
members here,
we have a
covenant that
defines what
membership looks
like for us.
I was looking
at it.
It's hanging
right there in
the lobby as
you walk in,
our church
covenant.
And this spells
out our
horizontal commitments
to one another.
As people ask,
what does it mean
to be a member
of Seaweed Bay?
This is what it
looks like.
I want to, as we
close and prepare to
come to the table
together, remind
ourselves of these
commitments.
Commitment number
one, do you
remember what it
is?
We will pursue
unity.
Working and
praying for the
unity of the
spirit in the
bond of peace.
We will walk
together in
Christian love.
We will regularly
gather together.
We will share
Christ with those
who have not yet
heard.
We will put each
other's needs above
our own.
We will commit
to holiness.
We will follow
God's design for
his church.
We will be
generous with our
time and our
treasure and our
talent.
And if we have
to leave, we will
go join another
church where we
can commit there
in the same way
we have committed
here.
Church, don't you
want to be a part
of a community
like that?
Christ came and
died and rose to
create that sort of
community.
That is what he
wants for the
church.
I will simply ask
as we close.
Are you
experiencing that
unity right now?
Do you know
what it is to
have unity
with God?
Personal union
with God
himself through
faith in Christ.
Do you know
what it is to be
loved by God
himself in the
beloved?
And if so,
do you know
what it is to
love one another
in such a way
that it can only
be explained by
the truth and the
work of God
himself?
Let's pray.
Lord, we thank
you for the
gospel that
brings us into
relationship with
you for all who
believe.
And Father, we
thank you, God,
that you have
brought us into a
community, a
family of
believers.
We thank you for
the unity that
you've blessed
this church with,
Father.
And we pray
against any
obstacles to it.
We pray against
any scheme of
the enemy.
We pray against
any seed of
division that
might be stirring
here.
We pray that
we would be
perfectly one
as Christ has
prayed.
Now as we come
to the table
together, Lord,
remind us again
of all that
Christ has done
on our behalf.
We pray in
Jesus' name.
Amen.