John 17:20-26
May 16, 2010
“HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN SOMEONE PRAYS OUT LOUD FOR YOU?”
Something happens inside, something that is difficult to describe. Maybe it is like a warming sensation, or maybe a tingling twitch of the heart. Maybe we can almost feel the invisible hand on our shoulder. It is a humbling sensation, but certainly it is filled with grace. Yes, we are recipients of a special, holy gift, because someone is praying for us out loud. Someone is lifting up our name, our need to God in our presence. And God is not only receiving; God is also sending, sending God’s Spirit down, in, around, and through us. It is a humbling, a wonderful feeling. Someone prays out loud for us. God hears. And God acts.
Yes, it is a wonderful experience when another prays for us, when we can hear the prayer. Have you ever thought, realized that Jesus prayed, prays, for you? Have you ever thought, realized that you are a topic of conversation among the God-head, Father, Son, and Spirit? Oh, you are too insignificant, you say? Oh, you are wondering why in the world anyone heavenly would know enough about you to create a conversation? Oh, you are assuming that whatever it is it must be bad? The kind of good that would bring the Trinity together to discuss you is way above and beyond the good that you do. Is that what you think?
I remember the early days of my ministry when I sat with people and held their hand and prayed for them. I remember those days because it was a fairly new experience for me. Oh, I had prayed thousands of intercessions for people, but not in their presence, not out loud. It was a powerful experience, and I remember holding the other’s hand and almost feeling fingers swell as I prayed, almost as if God was molding us together and with Him, a holy connection. Swollen fingers or not, that is exactly what God does, molds us together and with Him through prayer. How do I know? Because I listen to Jesus’ beautiful prayer in John’s 17th chapter. In that prayer Jesus prays for us … out loud…and that prayer connects us to him while it connects us through him to God, connected all together through the work of the Spirit. Holy Trinity plus…and you and I are the plus.
Jesus prayed…“I ask not only on behalf of these (current disciples), but also on behalf of those (future disciples who will read the original disciples’ words) who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, 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.” Do you see? Do you see how Jesus connects us with each other, and with him, and with God, all through the Spirit? Do you see that you are included, that you are part of this connected circle of believers? Do you see? You are in Christ. Christ is in you.
We see it as a tongue twister, those verses 22 and 23, but they again shout of the connection, the interweaving, the molding of Trinity to us and us to Trinity. “The glory that you have given me,” prays Jesus, “I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
Did you hear? God loves you, loves you, just like he loves Jesus. Did you hear? I thought scholar Belton Joyner Jr. was on to something when he wrote this about the concept of unity, that concept that is such a part of our text and Jesus’ prayer. Jesus prays for unity…that they may be one, Father, as you and I are one.” Joyner writes: “The ultimate unity of the church is not in human maneuvering but in the oneness of God. We find our unity in our common acceptance by Christ.” What makes us one? What unifies us? Our common acceptance by Christ! What connects us, what do we have in common. Christ accepts us. Christ loves each and all of us. What unifies us is not something we do or don’t do. What unifies us is Christ’s acceptance of us.
I know. I know that unity among Christians is not at an all-time high right now. I know that if our mission is to show people Christ by what we say and what we do, we’re not always very good models. I know that there are more and more people who openly say they love Jesus but don’t need the church. Why? Because they are sick and tired of the stories of how Christians treat each other and beyond, because church fights are rotten models of Jesus’ love, because you and I might be more prone to covering our backs than reaching out our arms with the love of Jesus.
Pastor Brian Stoffregen quotes a song written by two old friends of mine, composers Avery and Marsh. With tongue in cheek, they sing “I Can Be A Christian By Myself.” Hum along with me now…
I can be a Christian by myself.
Leave my dusty Bible on the shelf.
I’ll sing a hymn and pray a bit,
God can do the rest of it.
My heart’s the church, my head’s the steeple.
Shut the door and I’m the people.
I can be a Christian by myself.
I’ll break some bread and drink some wine.
Have myself a holy time.
I’ll take the off’ring then I’ll know
Where the money’s gonna go.
So please remember, Lord, when I die,
Give me my own cloud in the sky.
After this life with its labors
Don’t bug me with needy neighbors.”
I also know that millions more people eat and are clothed and receive necessary health care through the Christian community rather than a bunch of individuals. I know that there is comfort for those who grieve. I know that there are those who have sat and who will sit with those encased in worry, fear, loss. I know that Scripture read and interpreted within the body can and does transform hearts. I know there is love being modeled out there. I know there is gentleness being lived in the name of Jesus. I know prayer changes things, because I know that prayer changes people. I know forgiveness has been lived from one to another, showing, gifting amazing grace. I know that when it comes to support, when it comes to caring, when it comes to compassion only one word needs to be said in the church…”help”…and the church is there. I know that the love of Jesus pours from older hearts into the hearts of little ones, because little ones are not just special, they are and will be the church of tomorrow, and for that older heart, the younger heart is a legacy of faith. I know that in most cases a controversial issue will not divide us when there is already love and trust among us. I know that, even though the church is not perfect, even though it’s really easy to become frustrated and think that I could do ministry much easier and better on my own, I also know that that thinking is no where found in Scripture. From Genesis to Revelation it is not about the individual; it is always about the community. I know that Jesus is here, right here in our midst, in our gathering, in the bread and wine of Holy Communion, in and through the Word; Jesus is here.
So Jesus prays. Jesus prays for disciples near and far, disciples present and disciples yet to come. Jesus prays for the same unity among us that exists between Jesus and God. Jesus prays for us … out loud.
What do we have in common? What connects us. We are each and all loved by Jesus Christ. And not one of us is loved any more or any less than another, any more or any less than God loves our Lord.
Jesus concludes the part of his prayer that appears in our text with these words…”(Dear God) I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I …in…them.” Amen
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