WHAT DO WE HAVE IN COMMON?

One of the last things Jesus prayed before his crucifixion was that his disciples (and their disciples) would be one.

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:20-21 

Our oneness is the apologetic Jesus says will bring the world to faith. Our unity in diversity reflects the image of God the way oneness in marriage does. When we are one with Jesus, we are one with each other.

“I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”  John 17:23 

This mind blowing invitation into the intimate fellowship of the Trinity is our inheritance. And this unity is not something we need to create. God created it. We must keep it.

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”  Ephesians 4:3 

In order to keep it, we need to understand what it is that we have. That’s what I plan to explore with you in the coming weeks as we study the letter of Paul to the Ephesians. Read through the six short chapters of Ephesians before Sunday and bring a Bible with you. I can’t wait to dig in!