One in Christ

Reading: John 17.20-26
It's a long time since I watched Sesame Street. In one of the games played, four objects were displayed and the song said, "One of these things doesn't belong here. One of these things isn't the same…" Is that still part of the programme?

Bringing things together doesn't make them the same. If they already have some unifying principle, it may or may not be appropriate to bring them together anyway. Commercial mergers don't necessarily express or lead to unity. They are usually an expression of corporate muscle or economic rationalism which may or may not serve the public better. For the moment we Australians may be asking ourselves, Is airline deregulation a good thing? Or are we better off with just a couple of monopolies?

Ecumenism

In the early days of the ecumenical movement, it was taken for granted that Jesus' words in John 17 - "that they all may be one" - call us to the organisational merging of all Christian churches. While some continue to believe that, there has been a major shift. A merger may express unification, but isn't the same as unity. And it isn't the unity about which Jesus was praying.

There were many reasons urged for the Uniting Church in Australia. It made economic sense and would overcome wasteful use of full-time staff and resources. It would create a truly Australian church, better able to fulfil a mission in the Australian community. And, after all, didn't Jesus desire us all to come together into one organisational church?

Now, I'm glad for the Uniting Church and glad to be part of the Burdekin Uniting Church. Yet I sense that much of our rationale has been flawed. We don't make - and haven't made - the church more united by coming together. And in recent times, we have taken up the popular catch-phrase "unity in diversity" and have spent spent more time celebrating our diversity.

One in Christ

Jesus prayed, "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" (v. 21).

The disciples were vying for the greatest spot in the Kingdom. Mark and Luke record that argument (Mk 9.34; Lk. 9.46), and there was still a hint of it in the upper room when Peter confidently claimed that, even if the others fell away, he would never disown Jesus (Mt 36.33; Mk 14.29). What sort of unity could there be among this diverse group with their personal agendas added to Jesus' call to take the good news to the world?

Their unity is to be "in Christ" - a potent phrase used over eighty times in Paul's letters. Jesus compares their relationship "in him" with the relationship between Father and Son in the Godhead. It isn't that the Father and the Son have an agreed agenda, that they are committed to work together towards a set of common goals. No, the Father and the Son are one in essence. Jesus had spoken of himself as the True Vine and believers as branches - receiving his life when they remain "in him", able to bear fruit because they are "in him" (14.1-17).

The unity for which Christ prays can only be found "in him" - as we receive our lives from Christ and acknowledge that our lives centre on Christ. We have made the issues, "Where do you worship? Which is the true church? Shouldn't all the churches get together?…"

At the end of 1987 and beginning of 1988, we had some Long Service Leave which took us as far as Adelaide. During seven weeks we worshipped in churches that were Uniting, charismatic Baptist, high Anglican, independent… - and finished up in St John's Cathedral in Brisbane. Wherever we went, we experienced the unity of God's people in Christ.

The true issue for Christians of all "brands" is whether we are "in Christ" and growing "in Christ." That life starts by trusting in Jesus as Saviour and Lord. It is nurtured through daily Bible reading and prayer, in regular worship and fellowship. When that is the source and centre of our life, Christ in us will be moving out in love, service and witness. There will be all sorts of things we will want to do together with other similarly-motivated Christians. "Brand names" will never be a barrier, because we are one in Christ.

Sanctified by the Truth

Back in v. 17, Jesus prayed that his disciples would be "sanctified by (or in) the truth."

Sanctification is much more than being "made good." It means being set apart for special use, for sacred use - for God's use. That includes, of course, being "made good," but it is far more than that. It is being committed to - and enabled to do - the will of God.

As we live in Christ and Christ lives in us, we will have a passion to grow - it's a sign of life! - and a passion to know.

God has revealed himself - the record is in the Bible - and what he reveals in our experience will be in accord with his scriptural Word. An old prayer asked that we might "read, learn, mark and inwardly digest" the Scriptures. Take every opportunity to grow in understanding of God's truth. Let the Word of truth interpret, nurture and form the sanctifying work of Christ within.

Those who are one in Christ and being sanctified by the truth of God will readily share in fellowship with one another.

We have thought of fellowship as chummyness, mateship, having a bit of fun together… But in the Biblical sense, "fellowship" (koinonia in Greek) is joint participation, sharing in common… In his first letter, John wrote, "We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ" (1 Jn 1.3). We have fellowship because the same Christ lives within us - we are drawing strength from the same vine - and we are being sanctified by his Word of truth.

That the world may believe and know…

Jesus says that this unity we have in him is critically important for his mission in the world. "May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (v. 21b). "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (v.23).

The end result is to be that the world will know and believe that Jesus wasn't just "another bloke" but was the Son sent by the Father and that the Father has a special love for those who believe in the Son.

Isn't that what the church is here for? Isn't that the goal of the Great Commission? Isn't it what the Christian life is meant to show to the people of our community?

We have had a tendency to push the responsibility another step further away from ourselves. That has been the appeal of the ecumenical movement. After all, isn't the real problem with the denominational structures we have inherited? Won't it all be solved by bringing the churches all together? Won't that bring us more "political clout" with governments? Won't it produce the desired impact on nations and communities?

I suspect not! In this country at least, there is a real suspicion of commercial mergers. The merging of the Christian church in Australia would hardly improve our cutting edge.

I believe Australians are looking for truth and integrity. They are suspicious because of abuse that has occurred in church institutions. Already they view the churches as a wealthy corporations that are too heavy at the top. The merging of the church could simply be seen in the light of other corporate mergers. The saying that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" is a broad generalisation, but the church and its agents are not immune from that temptation and tendency.

As we noted earlier, the true issue for Christians of all "brands" is whether we are "in Christ" and growing "in Christ." Those who are one in Christ and being sanctified by the truth of God will readily share in fellowship with one another.

We won't look at other Christians in terms of their denominational or other "tags" but in terms of our oneness with them in Christ. And we will be marked by a passion to be about the commission our Lord has given us. In many ways we are different, but Christ our Lord will coordinate and use our different gifts to bring about his will, to fulfil his purposes.

We have this idea that, if everyone was like me, the churches would be filled. Not so! God in his wisdom knows better! As a church we are a diversity-in-unity. The body, as Paul points out (1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4), is diverse - so that the body can function under the direction of the head, can fulfil the will of the head.

We are one "in Christ". Grow in him. Be sanctified in his Word. Appreciate the other members of his family. So live and love one another that the world at large will recognise that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world sent by the Father, that many will come to trust him themselves and become one with us in Christ.


© Peter J. Blackburn, Home Hill and Ayr Uniting Churches, 27 May 2001
Except where otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the New International Version, © International Bible Society, 1984.

Back to Sermons