Day 10 | Unity Is Not An Optional Strategy

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:20-21
Being hungry for the church is the natural outcome of being hungry for God. Pray to be hungry for the church.
In this scripture, Jesus was a few short hours from his arrest and crucifixion and he alone knew it. His chief concerns were at the surface, expressed in this prayer that John, an eyewitness, recorded in his gospel. Jesus’ top consideration was for his disciples and the church that would be birthed out of the decisions and actions they would be making. These fumbling followers had to accurately communicate the story they had witnessed. Jesus was fully aware that the authentic message would be more about what his disciples would do than it would be about what they would say. It wasn’t just information he’s transferring to them, he was giving them a new life, a new mind, and a new heart. That’s what the world needed to see. Jesus knew, he still knows, that the most convincing argument for his undertaking would be found in the unified heart and mission of his followers and how they would treat one another and the world.
The church is a bizarre animal. Up to that time, the world had never seen anything like it nor would the future improve on what God had in mind when the church was born. The church was to become the foremost, on-the-spot, most visible demonstration of God’s sacrificial love for the world. In joining to Jesus, who was already joined to the Father, the church would find itself connected to both, and inextricably mixed up with all the others who had found their answers in Jesus. They were not to be a loose affiliation, joined by common causes, social interests, or political agendas. They were to be a conglomerate of dissimilar knot heads, divergent in histories, genders, social status, economic backgrounds, ethnicities, nationalities, giftings, and brokenness, but all united by God’s love. What would get the world’s attention was the fact that even though we were so different, we could still love one another enough to live in unity under the common rule of King Jesus.
The simple fact that God could put this many human contradictions in one place, at one time, and expect success stretches credulity to the breaking point, but that is exactly what Jesus was praying for. This was His plan, and he was going to provide the mechanism to accomplish it; love administered by the Holy Spirit.
Unity is not an optional strategy for Christians – it is the will of God. We cannot be in the will of God and be engaging in alienating and hostile conflict with our brothers and sisters. If we are at odds, then we have very possibly gathered around the wrong flagpole and missed God’s true intention. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,” Jesus told his followers, “and all these things will be given to you.” (Matthew 6:33). In the church, unity created by love, is the richest expression of the kingdom of God.
Being hungry for God to the point that we will pursue him with all we’ve got, means that we will quickly slam into the Body of Christ, created and dearly loved by him. We cannot excuse ourselves from the things that God has entangled himself with and dedicated himself to. We will have to be where he is, or life in Christ will never work. God’s people are the agents, sent into this moment with all its confusion and darkness, called to love him, to love one another, to love the world, and even to love our enemies. As awkward as it seems, that is Jesus’ strategy. In the unity of that love, the world can observe its most credible evidence for the goodness of God. At least that’s what Jesus prayed would happen. So, pray with him, pray to be hungry for the church.
Pastor Tom Chism
We look forward to seeing you tonight at the Prayer + Fasting Night at 6:00pm! Please ensure you’re RSVPed here.
Being hungry for the church is the natural outcome of being hungry for God. Pray to be hungry for the church.
In this scripture, Jesus was a few short hours from his arrest and crucifixion and he alone knew it. His chief concerns were at the surface, expressed in this prayer that John, an eyewitness, recorded in his gospel. Jesus’ top consideration was for his disciples and the church that would be birthed out of the decisions and actions they would be making. These fumbling followers had to accurately communicate the story they had witnessed. Jesus was fully aware that the authentic message would be more about what his disciples would do than it would be about what they would say. It wasn’t just information he’s transferring to them, he was giving them a new life, a new mind, and a new heart. That’s what the world needed to see. Jesus knew, he still knows, that the most convincing argument for his undertaking would be found in the unified heart and mission of his followers and how they would treat one another and the world.
The church is a bizarre animal. Up to that time, the world had never seen anything like it nor would the future improve on what God had in mind when the church was born. The church was to become the foremost, on-the-spot, most visible demonstration of God’s sacrificial love for the world. In joining to Jesus, who was already joined to the Father, the church would find itself connected to both, and inextricably mixed up with all the others who had found their answers in Jesus. They were not to be a loose affiliation, joined by common causes, social interests, or political agendas. They were to be a conglomerate of dissimilar knot heads, divergent in histories, genders, social status, economic backgrounds, ethnicities, nationalities, giftings, and brokenness, but all united by God’s love. What would get the world’s attention was the fact that even though we were so different, we could still love one another enough to live in unity under the common rule of King Jesus.
The simple fact that God could put this many human contradictions in one place, at one time, and expect success stretches credulity to the breaking point, but that is exactly what Jesus was praying for. This was His plan, and he was going to provide the mechanism to accomplish it; love administered by the Holy Spirit.
Unity is not an optional strategy for Christians – it is the will of God. We cannot be in the will of God and be engaging in alienating and hostile conflict with our brothers and sisters. If we are at odds, then we have very possibly gathered around the wrong flagpole and missed God’s true intention. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,” Jesus told his followers, “and all these things will be given to you.” (Matthew 6:33). In the church, unity created by love, is the richest expression of the kingdom of God.
Being hungry for God to the point that we will pursue him with all we’ve got, means that we will quickly slam into the Body of Christ, created and dearly loved by him. We cannot excuse ourselves from the things that God has entangled himself with and dedicated himself to. We will have to be where he is, or life in Christ will never work. God’s people are the agents, sent into this moment with all its confusion and darkness, called to love him, to love one another, to love the world, and even to love our enemies. As awkward as it seems, that is Jesus’ strategy. In the unity of that love, the world can observe its most credible evidence for the goodness of God. At least that’s what Jesus prayed would happen. So, pray with him, pray to be hungry for the church.
Pastor Tom Chism
We look forward to seeing you tonight at the Prayer + Fasting Night at 6:00pm! Please ensure you’re RSVPed here.
Posted in 21 Days
Recent
God’s Passion Our Purpose | The Lost | Week 3
September 24th, 2023
Family Resources | Week of September 24
September 24th, 2023
God’s Passion Our Purpose | The Least | Week 2
September 17th, 2023
Family Resources | Week of September 17
September 17th, 2023
God’s Passion Our Purpose | The Little | Week 1
September 10th, 2023
Archive
2023
January
Don’t Waste Your Year | Week of January 1stFasting and Prayer ResourcesWhen You Feel Like You Need A Comeback | Week of January 8thFamily Resources | Week of January 8th21 Days of Prayer & FastingFamily Resources | Week of January 15thHow Is My Appetite? | Hungry | Week 1Day 1 | Hunger Produces ActionDay 2 | Praising God For His MovementDay 3 | Revealing With Dulls My AppetiteDay 4 | Delighting In The LordDay 5 | Constant Access To Living WaterDay 6 | Approaching God Without FearDay 7 | Enlarging Your Capacity For LoveFamily Resources | Week of January 22ndHungry To Love And Be Loved | Hungry | Week 2Day 8 | Contagious CommunityDay 9 | Designed With Desire And Need For CommunityDay 10 | Unity Is Not An Optional StrategyDay 11 | Desiring For Our Neighbor's GoodDay 12 | Community As ProtectionDay 13 | Many AdvisorsHungry To Make A Difference | Hungry | Week 3Family Resources | Week of January 29thDay 14 | Where Do You Take Your Watering Can?Day 15 | Created To Make A DifferenceDay 16 | To Cultivate And Keep It
February
Day 17 | Good WorksDay 18 | A Community Of Civic BenefactionDay 19 | Vision and DirectionDay 20 | Divine PotentialLaws of Attraction | Song of Solomon | Week 1Family Resources | Week of February 5thDay 21 | Koinonia ContributionDating | Song of Solomon | Week of Sunday, February 12thFamily Resources | Week of February 12thSexual Intimacy | Song of Solomon | Week 3Family Resources | Week of February 19thFighting Fair | Song of Solomon | Week 4Family Resources | Week of February 26th
March
Making Love Last | Song of Solomon | Week 5Family Resources | Week of March 5thThe Kingdom: This Is What You Want | Week of March 12thFamily Resources | Week of March 12thJesus Shows Us What Real Love Is | Why Did Jesus Die? | Week 1Family Resources | Week of March 19thJesus Died To Set Us Free | Why Did Jesus Die? | Week 2Family Resources | Week of March 26th
April
Family Resources | Week of April 2ndJesus Died To Take Our Place | Why Did Jesus Die? | Week 3Family Resources | Week of April 9thWhy Did Jesus Die and Rise Again? | Why Did Jesus Die? | Week 4Family Resources | Week of April 16thMercy For Those Who Doubt | Reasonable Doubt | Week OneFamily Resources | Week of April 23rdCan Science and Christianity Coexist? | Reasonable Doubt | Week 2Family Resources | Week of April 30thSometimes I Doubt Because of Christian Hypocrites | Reasonable Doubt | Week 3
May
Emotions, Impossible Questions, and Doubts | Reasonable Doubt | Week 4Family Resources | Week of May 7thGod Loves It | Week of May 14thFamily Resources | Week of May 14thCan Worry Increase Your Life? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 1Family Resources | Week of May 21stHow Can We Be Made Salty Again? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 2Family Resources | Week of May 28th
June
Why Are You Asleep? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 3Family Resources | Week of June 4Do You Want To Be Made Well? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 4Family Resources | Week of June 11Do You Believe I Am Able To Do This? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 5Family Resources | Week of June 18Why Are You So Afraid? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 6Family Resources | Week of June 25
July
Sabbath Keepers | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 7Family Resources | Week of July 2Who Touched Me? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 8Family Resources | Week of July 9How Many Loaves Do You Have? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 9Family Resources | Week of July 16What If I Want John To Live Forever? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 10Family Resources | Week of July 23What Can Anyone Give In Exchange For Their Soul? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 11Family Resources | Week of July 30
August
Family Resources | Week of August 6Expectation Deficit Disorder | Immeasurably More | Week 1Day 1 | Monday, August 7th | Immeasurably More: God-Sized VisionDay 2 | Wednesday, August 9th | Immeasurably More: The ExamenDay 3 | Friday, August 11th | Immeasurably More: KnockImmeasurably More For Your Family | Immeasurably More | Week 2Family Resources | Week of August 13Day 4 | Monday, August 14th | Immeasurably More: Eternal PrioritiesDay 5 | Wednesday, August 16th | The Deep Stillness of MorningDay 6 | Friday, August 18th | Family TraditionsImmeasurably More In Our Church | Immeasurably More | Week 3Family Resources | Week of August 20Day 7 | Monday, August 21st | Pray, Bless, and Do GoodDay 8 | Wednesday, August 23rd | How to Know if You've Really Been to ChurchDay 9 | Friday, August 25th | Praying Big, Bold, Specific PrayersImmeasurably More In Our Friendships | Immeasurably More | Week 4
No Comments