Jesus prayed for His disciples that they would experience His joy and live in this world like they belong to Him (sanctified). But, He doesn’t want us to live this life in isolation. He wants us to be a testimony to the world around us. One of the ways we will do that is to live in unity with fellow believers.
Jesus Prayed That We’d Be One, United
Jesus viewed our unity as so important He prayed for believers for generations to come. — “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (Jn. 17:20-21)
The psalmist wrote, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Ps. 133:1) because of its benefits.
1) Believers benefit “as iron sharpens iron” (Prov. 27:17). We build up and encourage one another.
Jesus prayed for a unity that exceeds mere comradeship or conformity with one another. Using His own relationship with God the Father and God the Spirit, He prayed “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you … that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity.” (Jn. 17:21-23) — God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three distinct persons yet one. Thus, the unity He prayed for us to experience is much deeper than outward conformity and agreement. We maintain our diversity but are united at the core of our being because of who we are in Christ. Only this kind of unity will cause us to be devoted to one another in love, honoring one another above ourselves (Rom. 12:10).
2) Unbelievers benefit because it puts us in a better position to fulfill our mission as Christ’s ambassadors, to be a testimony to the world around us.
Think about it: If a diverse group of people can come together as one, loving as He loves, maybe being a Christian has some merit. Perhaps this God is who He says He is. In a world where people are tired of all the bickering, divisiveness, and political maneuvering, to see something real stands out. Thus, we are in a better position to be a testimony to the world around us when we live in unity with fellow believers. — “Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (Jn. 17:23)
Pointing People to the Basis of Unity Requires Confronting Their View of the Trinity
Since Jesus used His own relationship in the Godhead as the standard for unity, it’s important, then for people to grapple with the concept of the Trinity. Jesus prayed, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity.” (Jn. 17:22-23).
We won’t experience the kind of unity that draws others toward our God, if we have an inadequate view of who He is for then we’re following an inadequate standard. Help students gain at least a basic understanding of the Trinity. Also help them realize that there are some things about God, like the Trinity, that are hard to fully understand or explain. If we could understand everything about God, He would cease to be the God of whom there is none greater for He would be no greater than us. Use concepts like the Trinity to fuel faith and awe in a great God.