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“What is it that Christ Himself prayed for?” the preacher asked. “We do not read of Him praying for many specific things… the healing of some folks, for Lazarus to be raised from the dead… But the longest, and most detailed prayer of Christ in the Gospels is His prayer for the unity of His followers in John 17.
“He asked the Father, ‘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.’ (John 17:21) And so we see what He asked for – for all the believers to be one – and we see why He asked for this – so that the world may believe in Him.
“We know that because Christianity is so broken up, so fragmented, the world has every excuse to reject our testimony. The world, which needs to hear our message, to repent of its sin, and to prepare for the soon return of our Lord, is actually being kept from life by the disunity of those who claim to be Christ’s followers. Does that seem like the expression of love to you?”
The people shook their heads. “No,” they said.
The preacher continued, “Then, ought not our highest priority, as a people, be the unification of all believers, so that we may show that love to the world?
“In fact, if there are any who oppose unity, or are even indifferent to it, does this not call into question their connection with the Savior, who has clearly expressed His strong desire for this? Even some who claim to be teachers, who claim to be leaders of God’s flock… among them are many who hold their individual work, their personal efforts, in greater regard than this divinely desired goal.
“Consider a wagon wheel. Look at how it is structured. See that each spoke is separate, individual. No two have the same markings, the same light and dark streaks from the wood of which they are constructed. None are precisely the same shape and size; and yet, they must all be very similar in nature, or else they would not fit in where they are needed.
“And look at how they stand when they are set in place. See how at the rim, where they are furthest from the center, they are far apart. As they get closer to the center, however, they also get closer to one-another. So it is with the believers. As their sanctification progresses, and they learn more about righteousness, they draw closer to the Savior in character. As a direct result of this, without losing any of their individuality, they also draw closer to each other so that, as they attain maturity, as they attain that Christ-like stature, they also experience that unity for which the Master prayed.
“While He was with us, Christ promised, ‘Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.’ (Mat 18:20) He is the great Center of our faith, whether we are assembled as individuals, or whether we are talking about the Churches of the world. ‘And in the midst of the seven candlesticks [was] One like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.’ (Rev 1:13)
“The servants of the Most High, then, by the divine command, show the love of God by drawing closer to Christ, and closer to one-another. In this way the holy desire expressed by Christ is satisfied, and the world will see the love of the Father in sending Him to save them from their sins.”
David.