Intro
Grace and peace to you all in the name of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ.
Today’s gospel reflection, which I have entitled “Unity in Love,” is taking a look at what is often referred to as Christ’s High Priestly Prayer.
I hope and pray that you’ll be encouraged by this reading from the Holy Gospel of St. John, chapter 17, verses 20-26 (CSB):
“I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. May they 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 you sent me. I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.
Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s foundation. Righteous Father, the world has not known you. However, I have known you, and they have known that you sent me. I made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love you have loved me with may be in them and I may be in them.”
Praise be to Christ for His life giving words.
Who is Jesus?
In today’s passage, perhaps we can answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” in two primary ways.
First, we get great insight into the essential trinitarian doctrine and we see that Jesus is the Eternal Son. He shares divinity with the Father and has unity with the Father, such pure unity in fact, that though they are unique persons, it can rightly be said that they are one.
Secondly, in an incredible and profound way, we see that Jesus is the great high priest as we get a glimpse of him acting in this role in real time.
Let’s consider for a moment what the role of the priest was in the Old Testament, which was that they served as mediators between God and His people. They interceded to God on behalf of His people, and they also were responsible for making purifying offerings for the sins of the people – intercession and offerings for sin.
As I mentioned, in these verses, we get a window into the priestly ministry of Christ and witness dialogue between Him and the Father. He is interceding on our behalf, mediating, and asking the Father to act according to our benefit.
And this is a role that Jesus continues to hold even to this day. Even right now in this moment, our Risen Lord is seated at the right hand of the Father and he is interceding for us, as Hebrews says
“Therefore, [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:25, CSB)
Glory be to our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Eternal Son of God and our Great High Priest, amen.
How does Jesus encourage us?
Next, as we consider the question, “How does Jesus encourage us?”, I believe we find many words of soul-nourishment.
First, I would just encourage us by pointing out Christ’s words where he says “I am in them”. Dear friend, as I often point us to remember, Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He will never leave nor forsake you. He is in you. Jesus will abide with you.
Second, let us stop for a moment and think about this scene, perhaps this is a ‘selah’ moment like we see in the Psalms. It is explicitly stated in these sacred pages that Jesus is praying for you! I would point out here just as a quick word of caution that we often read ourselves into the pages of the scriptures inappropriately, and we should be careful about this. However, here this is gloriously appropriate. Read, consider, and marvel – my dear friend, Jesus Christ is praying for you.
He’s interceding for us and asking the Father for two paramount requests. He asks that we Christians, Christ’s body, the Church, would have unity. And He’s asking that we would experience union with the Triune God.
And finally, it isn’t as if Christ merely hopes or sends best wishes that we would be made one with each other and with the Triune God. No, it is Christ’s activity that makes this so. He wills for this but not just wills, He actively wills it.
Christ gives us His glory, which is the Holy Spirit, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, it is an ontological change; a change of nature, a raising from deadness to newness of life. Why? So that we can be made one with each other like Jesus is one with the Father, and so that we can be made one with the Triune God in the same way that they are one.
How can we follow Jesus?
As we consider our last question, which is, “How can we follow Jesus?”, I want you to hear me say that evangelization is very important, perhaps I could even call it crucial. People need to hear, with words, that Christ is King, and they must be told that since Christ is King, we now get the wonderful privilege to repent from our sin and to follow Him as Lord. People need to hear this.
St. Paul even writes in Romans 10:14, “How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher?”
St. Paul is also the one who says that evangelism, among other gifts, is a gift that some people have and some don’t. However, even without a gifting or calling, we all can, and should, lovingly share with others that the kingdom of God is at hand.
Now, first of all, I said that because it is true. But more than that, I said it so that my main point would not overshadow my former point, or so that I would not be misunderstood.
I would submit to you, and I believe this is the teaching of the Fathers, that even though it could perhaps seem counterintuitive, the primary way that we testify to the world that Jesus is Lord is not through words, not through our testimonies, but rather, through the evidence of our ontologically transformed lives on display as we love one another with Christian love in Christian unity.
There are so many examples in the scriptures where we are encouraged to love one another and then assured that our love for one another is the primary way that the world will know God. Today’s passage is one of the examples of this. Jesus prays that we would be made one so that the world would know the Father’s love for them.
So in light of this passage, this is how we can follow Jesus – to love one another utterly, completely, fully, recklessly, unshakably, persistently, sacrificially, selflessly, fervently, generously, and joyfully.
And by the way, the call to love one another isn’t isolated to when everything is roses and bubblegum. We persist in loving one another when we don’t like each other. When we have friction. When we don’t see eye to eye. When we are offended. When we are threatened.
When someone asks for something, we give without asking for it back or expecting anything in return. When someone strikes our face, we offer them the other cheek. When someone asks us to go with them 1 mile, we go with them 2.
When we are betrayed, we persist in loving. When we are mocked, we respond with gentleness. When we are persecuted, we bless those who persecute us.
When someone takes our coat, we give them our shirt as well. When someone needs help moving, we give up our entire Saturday. When someone is hungry, we share our meal without hesitation.
When someone speaks ill of us, we pray for their wellbeing. When someone excludes us, we look for ways to include them. When someone doubts us, we remain steadfast in showing them Christ’s love.
My dear friends, this is what it means to follow Jesus and in so doing, this is how we fulfill the law of God.
May God have mercy on us and help us in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen.