John 17:20-23 - Jesus prays for our unity (Ed Wright)

Now, I think, uh, when we think about our prayers, uh, the sort of things, uh, that you and I might pray for, uh, when we think about what's near the top of our agenda, I think it's often dominated, isn't it, by things like health or wealth or happiness or, or job satisfaction, those around us that we love.

These are all good things.

But what was Jesus' priority? Well, three times we see it in these verses.

Have a look with me.

Verse 20, look with me again, he says, "My prayer is not for them alone.

I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message." Why is he praying? That all of them may be one.

And then verse 22, he prays, "That they may be one as we are one." And again, verse 23, Jesus prays, "So that they," those who will believe in him, "will be brought to complete unity." Do you see that? Three times Jesus prays for our unity.

Uh, back in verse 11, if you were here, uh, back then Jesus prayed for his first disciples to be united, and now that's what Jesus prays for his church.

That's what he prays for us.

But what is Christian unity? A- and why is Christian unity important? Or what difference does Jesus' prayer make, uh, uh, for the way that we live our lives, to the choices that you and I make, to the churches that we might join if we moved away from Danbury? These three questions on the handout are gonna help us think through what was Jesus praying for when he prayed for unity.

Three questions.

What is Christian unity built upon? How does Christian unity happen? And why is Christian unity important? So let's go.