02/12/2025
THAT THEY MAY BE ONE
TEXT: JOHN 11:11, 21, 22 & 23
17 - _"Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are._
21 - _"that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."_
22 - _"And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:"_
23 - _"I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."_
The life and the teachings of our Lord Jesus has one purpose that they are meant to accomplish within and amidst us – that _"we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;”_ (Ephesians 4:13). When the life of Christ is formed in me, in you and in all, there's a oneness of life, spirit and hope. That's the essence, nothing more, nothing less. Any other thing is an addictive and a distraction.
If we closely consider the scriptures above, we will see that Jesus was making an emphasis (4times in a single chapter coupled with detailed expositions) on the intent of his Kingdom here on earth – your Will be done here on earth as it is in heaven. That we may be one, even as Christ and the Father are one is a serious desire and purpose in the heart of Christ, that he made it a repeated prayer point to the Father.
Becoming one, amidst the diversities and denominationalism amidst the Church today appears to be impossible. This prayers may not, and I think will never, be answered in the way of denominational oneness, but by a unity of knowledge, faith, doctrinal teachings (Christ's), love, life, purpose, vision, pursuits and destination. Even in the days of our Master Jesus Christ, an issue came up in Mark chapter 9, which Jesus had to deal with:
38 - _"Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."_
39 - _"But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me."_
40 - _"For he who is not against us is on our side."_
Can the Church begin to see ourselves in this way?
Can we depart from our self-made 'rhema' and dogmas that we call doctrines, and instead pursue to uphold and practice the doctrines (principal teachings) of the Master?
Can we choose to lay aside those things that divide us, and follow after those things(the love of Christ, his redemptive work, teachings and hope of eternal life) that unite us?
Can we forget that we have different denominational background, and fight this battle together; and _"contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints"_ (Jude 1:3)?
Can we join hands as a Church, not denominations, to pray in defense of the Gospel and of the Body of Christ?
When you can recognize me as your brother; one who has repented and has been saved through the blood of the Lamb, baptised in the Holy Spirit, that's when we can be one. When you can see me as a brother that you can join hands with in prayers, and labour with in soul winning, as join heirs with Christ that will harvested together at the end, that's when we are One regardless of tye denomination where you worship.
That we may be One is seriously burdensome in the heat if the Master. Can we labour to ensure that today?
That's the Church that Christ is coming back to take with him, not C.A.C; not Living Faith; not Deeper Life; not C&S; not Catholic; not RCCG; not CCC, not Baptist; not Anglican.
Shall we join our faith to pray to the Father once again that He make us one even as He and our Saviour are one.
