So, just a couple of reminders. Your Bibles are open to John chapter 17. I've been off Facebook for some time now. And I have an account somewhere out there. And I think I have the password still. But it's very inactive. And for me, it was a good, profitable decision to save some time and haven't been on it just for me. That's not for everyone. But I can't say I never peek at Lori's account. And every once in a while, she shows me some things, some features on her Facebook account called This Day in Your History or something like that. And it's where Facebook will feed. into your stream there, your thread, a memory that happened on that day a year ago or five years ago or something like that. And it wasn't too long ago. She showed me one of those pictures. Now, we like to take walks. We like to hike. And we're actually planning on a little hike tomorrow together. And so we've been doing that for a long time. And she showed me one of those history pictures on this day in Facebook. And it took us back to 2014. It was a picture of Lori and me on one of our hikes. This one was in Virginia Beach. at a park that went around a lake, a path that went around a lake, and partly through the woods. One of our favorite places to hike there, and a couple laps of that were several miles, and we did it often. But this picture, I almost didn't recognize the guy in the picture. It was a guy with no gray in his hair, no gray in his beard, and he was a lot thinner than I remember. And he looked happy, and he had a beautiful date. But that was us on one of our hikes way back then. And that's all it took for the memories to come flooding back to us of the fun times we would have there with our family and with each other, hiking there in Virginia Beach on the Eastern Seaboard. Sweet memories flooded in. And that has me thinking about John 17. As we come to John 17 this evening, John 17 may be history, like that hike back in 2014 was history for me and Lori. We look at John 17, we say, well, that's history too. It's history about an occasion that we call the upper room, just hours before our Lord's betrayal and crucifixion. While it's history, At the same time, what we're finding in John 17, that what happened at a historical event is still unfolding in real time for us today. Because in John 17, Jesus is praying for his disciples. And yes, it's a historical event recorded in John 17 where we hear the son talking to the father in front of the disciples. But he hasn't stopped talking this way for us to his father. Yes, this is a historical event, but it's still going on in real time for us today as the father is our high priest right now interceding for you and for me. Even as we think of John 17, as we return to the series tonight, we've covered a lot of what our Lord is praying for us about. What is He talking to the Father when it comes to us? What's on His mind for you when He intercedes for you? and even the history of our study comes flooding back in, the memories of what we've discovered so far, that Jesus is praying for you to understand and cherish the fatherhood of God. We saw that in verse 1, 5, 11, 21, 24, and 25. That's a big one. Jesus is praying for you to understand and to treasure the fatherhood of God, not just as creator, not just as the first person of the Trinity, but in a very intimate relationship, He is our Father. And Jesus wants that to light up in your affections and to be real to you. We saw that He's also praying not just about the fatherhood of God and it being precious to us, but He's praying for you to behold the glory of the Son with vivid detail. We saw that in verses 1 through 5. in two different ways. Number one, the glory of the Son in the crescendo of his work on the cross and how that his death on the cross and his victory over the grave glorified him and in turn glorified the Father through him. There's that aspect of the glory of the sun, but there was a second aspect of the glory of the sun that we see Jesus praying for you to see. And it's the glory in his eternal radiance that he has enjoyed before time began and will for all eternity. He even prays, we're going to see at the end of John 17, for his disciples to eventually be with him where he is so they can see the radiance, the glory he's had since before time began. He's praying for that. He's praying also for your relationship with the Word of the Son. This one took up a lot of space in this prayer in John 17 as well. Why is He so concerned about your time in His Word on a regular basis? It's because of His personal investment in giving you that Word. It's because that His Word is urgently acceptable and it needs to be adhered and trusted It's because His Word is trustworthy in every detail. His Word is the way to sustaining your joy, no matter where you find yourself in life. His Word always has a sanctifying impact. And His Word is something that we not only take in, but we are to take in in order to give out. There's an expected stewardship. So we found out that Jesus is praying. You want to know how He prays for you every day? He wants you in His Word. We also saw that the Son is praying for you to see with fresh eyes the salvation you have of the Father. It's the Father who initiated your salvation. You didn't start it. It's the Father who will not allow your salvation to be lost. He himself is guarding it. And it's just a reality that we get to cherish. And our Lord is praying that we'll see that fresh. constantly, every day. And then in our last study, we saw that the Son is interceding to the Father on your behalf, that you will understand and dwell securely under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We saw that in verse 2. You, Father, gave Him, the Son, authority over all flesh. So, it's been quite a series so far as we look and see what The Son is praying for you. And while all these memories of how he's praying for us come flooding in right now to this moment, we find ourselves asking, what else does he say? How else is he praying for me? For you? And you know, if you have read John 17 a lot, you know we haven't touched one of the main themes so far. This is like an easy one. This one pops out. This is the one that gets, it might get quoted more than the other ones. And I wonder if you know which one that is. Well, yeah, you've looked at the top of the sheet, right? A very familiar phrase, Jack Van Impey of all evangelists and preachers here in our country has preached in this church. And he wrote a book, Heart Disease and the Body of Christ, years ago when I was in high school. And he made much of this phrase from John 17 I want us to look at this evening. It might be the most well-known repeated phrase of the prayer. And it's three words. They be one. They be one. Let me show this to you. In John chapter 17, look at verse Nine, we'll start at verse nine. I ask on their behalf, I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom you have given me, for they are yours. And all things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine. And I have been glorified in them. Now look at verse 11. And I am no longer in the world, and yet they themselves, the disciples, are in the world. And I come to you. Holy Father, watch this, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are. And he'll repeat it again if you drop down to verses 21 through 23. I'll start reading verse 20. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those who also believe in me through their word. That's you. Verse 20 is you. Because we have believed the words of the disciples, the apostles, as preserved in scripture, the word of God. Verse 20 is about us. He's bringing it up to 2024 here. What are you praying? Verse 21, that they may all be one, even 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 sent me. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one, just as we are one. So here's my question as I read this well-known phrase in John 17. And I hope you're asking this question. What kind of unity is Jesus not talking about in this phrase, in this prayer? What kind of unity is he not talking about? I'm pretty sure we can say that he's not talking about labels. He's not talking about denominational labels, association labels, conference labels, church sign labels. He's not talking about uniform t-shirts. He's not talking about unity in all manner of preferences, personal preferences, grace preferences. He's not talking about that. So that leaves the question, what kind of unity is Jesus talking about here? And let me just give you a preview of this. The unity he is talking about here, as we will see in other places of the New Testament as well, is a unity that is required. It's the overflow of the impact of the gospel in the life of a believer. This is not merely a unity that is reserved only for particular local churches. Though it should be evident in a church like Calvary Baptist Church of Ypsilanti. This is a unity that while we should enjoy that and protect it here and pursue it, more on that in a minute. But this is a unity that we sense in God's kindness as we travel on the road and we stop. to get potato chips and gas at a gas station on a long road trip. And we get into a conversation with someone in it, and immediately there's a connect. And it doesn't take but a few moments, and we realize I'm talking to a brother or sister in Christ. It's not just that they're religious. They understand the gospel. And there is a connector. They might go to a different type of church than you. They might have different preferences than you. But when it comes to the gospel, you embrace the same gospel. And there is there a sweetness of fellowship of a shared redeemer. See? It's talking about a gospel unity. It's talking about, listen, a unity where forgiveness is a heavy responsibility and a freeing reality in relationships between you and other gospel people. Forgiveness is huge in this unity. It's a unity that allows local churches that have different ecclesiologies, they have different governments of their church, how it's run. They might have different denominational labels, but as long as they're gospel churches, there's a sweetness and a common mission that you share with them. But it has to be faithfulness to the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. I'll tell you where this also is going to leave a footprint. This kind of unity that Jesus is praying for, it's going to include marriages. You show me a husband and a wife who are both in Christ, this is a unity that must be seen in that home, in that marriage. In talking about homes, this is a unity that must exist between Christians in that home. It's also a unity that needs to be evident out in public, not just in line at Starbucks, but I'm talking about in the public forms of nose-to-nose, face-to-face interactions, but also in public when it comes to being online. It's not uncommon, sadly, in churches like ours that there are believers in that church that are in tears because of what other people in that church post on their social media. And the excuse is, well, it's my social media account. You don't have to read it if it bothers you. That's the spirit. And I just want to go on record tonight and saying, Jesus is praying that that will stop if that's you. There needs to be an other's awareness aspect to you if you are a gospel person. And there are brothers and sisters within reach, not just physically, but digitally. You have a responsibility, as we're going to see, because Jesus is praying for this kind of unity. Hold your finger here in John chapter 17. I'm going to go back and forth just between two passages tonight. this passage, and Ephesians chapter 4, which shouldn't surprise you. This is one of the few, or one of the many, very well-known, I would say, seminal texts on unity of believers. Philippians 2 would be one. John 17 is one. Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12. Yes, we could go to any of those. But there's just something about how Paul puts it in here in Ephesians chapter 4. This is the kind of unity that Jesus is praying for, for you, today. Remember this? In Paul's words, verse 1 of chapter 4, Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, I'm reading from the LSB, that's a little different from the NAS and your ESV. Therefore, I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called. Now, theologically, this is a turning point in the epistle. This is typical for Paul. You know this. He'll give doctrine, and then he'll say, so what? How does that doctrine affect you? And here he is, just like Paul, coming into chapter 4. And he says, I'm going to lay on the imperatives now based on the indicatives of the first three chapters. Based on the truth and the theology of chapters 1 through 3, this is how you've got to be different and stand out. Not just that you must, but you can because of God's grace at work in you. It's like, okay, what's going to be the first thing off the tip of the pen of Paul? I mean, he just gave us some amazing theology about the Gospel and how it brings about our regeneration and how it brings about our forgiveness and how it brings about a community, if you will. So, what's going to be the first evidence of that? Is it going to be an amazing prayer life? Is it going to be an amazing devotional life? What's it going to be? Guess where he starts. The most obvious demonstration that the gospel has infected you, it's invaded you, it's transformed you is this, verse two, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, you bear with one another in love. And you are being diligent to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. He says that's how it shows. That's how it shows. I like what John Piper has written about unity. We're talking here of unity, not uniformity. This is not a call that you have to be a carbon copy of another believer, because honestly, that would be quite painful. Some other believers' preferences that they have in grace would drive you nuts. This is not a call for you to not have unique aspects to you, but it's for you, with your preferences in grace, governed by grace, governed by Christ, you enjoying those and allowing other believers to be different from you. But even though there's not uniformity, there must still be unity. And John Piper writes these words, there is a different kind of unity enjoyed by the joining of diverse counterparts than is enjoyed by joining two things that are just alike. You following him? If we take things that are unalike and bring them together, And they get along in a beautiful way. There's something more beautiful about that than finding two people that like exactly the same things and have the same preferences and bringing them together. It's like, well, we expect that to work. But if you have a husband and a wife who have different personalities, different likes and And the gospel allows them to come together into something beautiful. That's far more exciting. That's what Piper's saying. And so he's going to use a music illustration to that end. Listen to this. When we all sing the same melody line, it is called unison, which means one sound. But when we unite diverse lines of soprano and alto and tenor and bass, we call it harmony, not unison. And everyone who has an ear to hear knows that something deeper in us is touched by great harmony than by mere unison. That's the type of gospel unity that Jesus is praying for on your behalf to his father. So I come now finally to your notes with a question. And the question is this. Why does Jesus pray that you will daily play your part in the unity of believers. Jesus is not praying for you to be passive and to wait for all the Christians around you to get their act together and come up to you and tolerate you and accept you. That's not how the prayers go in here. He's interceding for his disciples to be active in this, to play your part. Romans 12.18 says, as much as it lies with you, be at peace with all men. This is not a call to passivity, it's a call to action. Why is he praying that way for you? And I would like to suggest three answers to that. I'd like these answers to actually address three more questions to get the big answer. The first reason he's interceding that way for you is because of unity's projection. Because of its projection. You say, what does that mean? It means because of how important this is. What your unity with other believers in Christ is projecting. It's so important. You say, well, what is it projecting? When believers are one in Christ, even against a backdrop of diversity, there's unity. What does that project? And let me just cut to the chase, and we're going to hear Jesus praying for this in several verses. It flows out of the unity of the Trinity. When believers dwell together in unity, in a sweet unity, even though they are different, they have the gospel and Christ in common, they are projecting the beauty of the unity of the Trinity. You say, where is that? I want you to piece this together with me. Chapter 17, look at verse 5. Jesus is saying to his Father, now Father, glorify me together with yourself. with the glory which I had with you before the world was." Here at the beginning of the prayer we're seeing that the Father and the Son are co-equal. There's a mutual glory because it's one. God is one. And you're going to pick up on that theme again Briefly, in verse 10, all things that are mine, Father, are yours, and yours are mine, and I have been glorified in them. Again, you see the Father and the Son are co-equal within the Trinity. You're going to see it again in verse 21. Start back at verse 20 one more time. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. And now we have a connection with our theme tonight and the unity of the Trinity, that they may be one, even 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 sent me. That's powerful. Look at verse 26, or 25. O righteous Father, although the world has not known you, yet I have known you, and these have known that you sent me, and I have made your name known to them, and will make it known so that the love, look at this, with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them. In other words, element of the son, father, and dwelling. You say, where's the Holy Spirit in all this? Well, remember, chapter 17 is part of the upper room discourse, one conversation, if you will, which starts back in John chapter 13. But let me show you just a few connections with the Holy Spirit in this conversation that ends up being continued in prayer between the son and the father. In chapter 14, verse 16, I will ask the Father and He will give you another advocate. Who's giving the advocate? The Holy Spirit? The Father. That He, the Spirit, may be with you forever. The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him or know Him. You know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. It's the Father giving the Spirit, and you see it again down in verse 25 of chapter 14. These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you, but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, here we go again, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. But I want you to hold on to that. Remember, this is one conversation through these chapters. Just go across the page to chapter 15 and look at verse 26. When the advocate comes, now look at the next word, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father. Here he's coming from the Son and the Father. He will bear witness about me. What is this? We have every member of the Trinity involved here. The Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The Father, sends the Spirit, the Son sends the Spirit. All three are said to, in all three manifestations of the one Godhead, indwell the believers. What is this? Well, back in chapter 17, verses 23, primarily verse 23, look. 20 through 23. This is saying that what's so big about our unity Our unity is based on and should be flowing out of the unity that the Trinity enjoys. Now that's a lot of theology. I understand that. But let's get real practical here. Think about it. For you not to have a forgiving stance toward a Christian spouse who wronged you, is to shout to other believers and to the world by your bitter spirit that the Trinity, the Godhead, is instable and disunified. See, I would never think those words. Well, that's what the action projects. If there's another believer, perhaps in a church like this, across the room, or in another part of the ministry, it could be a family member, it could be just someone else that you minister with, and you just are doing your best to build your life so that there's no intersection with their life or their presence in the day, that is screaming the instability and disunity of the Godhead. It's projecting that message. We know that message isn't true, but your bitterness is saying that it is. Why is Jesus praying so hard for you and for me to play our part one at a time? With the unity with other believers, it's because of what it projects, the very unity of the Trinity. But there's a second reason the Son is praying for your unity with other believers. Number two is because of its protection. Because of its protection. So what do you mean by that? Well, you might not have a lot up to this point in the sermon and study, you might not have a lot of confidence that this is a possible unity to enjoy in circles like ours or in Baptist churches like this, or in a marriage like yours, or with other members of your family like them. But it's interesting to note here in verses 11 and 12, a very important fact. Look at verse 11 and 12 of 17 again. I am no longer in the world and yet they themselves are in the world and I come to you, Holy Father. Look at the next phrase. Keep them in your name, the name which you have given me, that they may be one even as we are. The father is saying to the son, in this prayer, this inner Trinitarian communication. Father, just as you keep them saved, may the result, the effect of that salvation, of you keeping them secure in you, may that be communicated through their unity, that they may be one as we are. Here's the fact, what do you mean because of its protection? Do you understand that the Trinity, the Trinity is the cohesion between you and other believers? It's not just that your unity projects the unity of the Godhead, but every member of the Godhead is also involved and invested, if you will, in keeping you unified as you are in the Father. It's not just to be a theological reality that you're one in the Father. That theological reality must be shining out from you. And the Trinity is so intent on this that it is indeed that He, the Godhead, is preserving that. You say, to what degree? Well, I mentioned we were going to go back to Ephesians 4. involved and invested every member of the Trinity that we see in the upper room talking about this. We're also going to see coming out of Paul's pen in Ephesians chapter 4. I stopped reading in verse 3 a moment ago, but look at verse 4 and you're going to find every member of the Trinity pressing in on your relationship with other believers because you're in Christ. There is one body and one spirit Just as also you were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, that's Jesus, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. You say, I don't know if I can get along with other believers that are different from me. They like different music than I do, or they part their hair differently. I don't know. They find different things fun than what I find fun. They like different Bible translations than I do. I just don't know. And you know, the whole time that we can get that nitpicky about who we'd seek out in the lobby or sit by in the auditorium, the whole time, every member of the Trinity is doing this. And we even hear in John 17, the son sharing his heart with his father, that this unity that keeps believers unified and in the father will also bring these Christians together practically, that they may be one as we are. The Trinity is the cohesion. Where can this kind of division show up in a local church like ours? It can show up based on income level. It can show up based on appearance or presentation. It can show up based on what baggage someone has come out of within their life up to this point. Maybe it's been real dark and yuck. This can show up with lack of privilege. It can show up with drama of a personality. It can show up in a number of ways. Pride, bickering, competition for resources. We could go to James 4. Because of time, I'll stay here in John 17 now. I want you to imagine a giant box up here on stage with me, maybe 20 by 20, I don't know, by 20. And in that box is Calvary Baptist Church, every member, just miniatures. And as you watch the box from your seat, you notice that there's noise coming out of the box. Sometimes there's arguing. Sometimes there's the noise of silent treatments. Sometimes there's pounding, wanting to get out, or you can hear the rustling of wrestling. And sometimes from what you see hitting against the sides of the box from the inside, and what you hear coming from the box, you're like, is there any hope for that box, for that church? Everyone's so different that's in there. Everyone has different goals, different desires, different backgrounds and preferences. Is there any hope? But what the people in the box don't always notice is what's outside of the box. As you watch, the Godhead Himself is keeping everyone in. The Godhead Himself is infusing it with grace and resources, listen, and Himself indwelling them. The Godhead Himself keeps them so that they can be one. Colossians chapter 3 verse 15. You don't need to turn there. I'll just read it to you. You know this verse It says let the peace of Christ rule Are you feeling the weight of that word rule? This is talking to the church here. This isn't talking to the individual Christian saying go contemplate your navel. I This is to the church. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, literally umpire, we could say, in your hearts to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Thankful for what? That you're part of the body with these believers. You're in Christ. You might remember a moment ago when I read Colossians or Ephesians chapter four, I came quickly through the words of a verse that are so heavy in this regard. Verse 3 of Ephesians 4, be diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. You say, why is Jesus praying so much for you today when it comes to the unity of believers? Because, first of all, your unity with other believers projects the unity of the Trinity. but also because every member of the Trinity is working every day to protect what it has secured by saving you and placing you in Christ. Even though you're different, I think we can really argue convincingly that the difference between you and other believers is what makes it beautiful. It's what makes the body beautiful. Well, there's a third reason I believe that Jesus is praying so hard for you to play your part in unity with other believers. Whether it's someone in church, or your believing spouse, or other adults in your life and work and home, he's praying for you. Why? Number three, because of its production. Because of its production. You see, it does have an end game. There is something that we hope happens. There is something that's by design of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, the Godhead, that they intend to accomplish through your unity with your spouse, with other believers within your reach at any point. What is it to produce? What is the goal? And here's the answer to that. See, this one's easy to see. The answer to this one is hard to miss. This one is impossible to ignore. I want to direct your attention one more time to verses 21 to 23. That they may be one, even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you. That they may also be in us. Okay, we got that part. We've covered that part tonight. But look at the next phrase. This is the end game. so that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me, I've given them, that they may be one just as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they, listen to this wording, that they may be perfected in unity. And here's another, so that. The world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you have loved me. You see, what's the end game here? The salvation of souls and the spread of the gospel to the nations. You see, if we all dress alike, and look alike, and smell alike, and talk alike, and everything's in unison, that's nice. But when the world sees that there's a strange unity between believers where it shouldn't work, across cultures, across language barriers, across preferences, There's a strange unity that just doesn't make sense to the world, to the cancel culture, to the hashtag culture, where if I don't like you or I can charge your words with any meaning I want, I will cancel you. You are erased from me. I've clicked off you. And it happened, whether you realize it or not. That's our culture. But they look at you, where you should be canceling each other, and you're not. And there's a drawing towards each other. There's something that brings you together that doesn't require you be the exact same. What is that? That unity projects the fact that the Father sent the Son to give life to the world. You have the so that's. It's so clear. That's why it's worth the work to humble yourself and work on your marriage. So that your kids will know the father sent the son out of love. That's why it's important with other adults with others in the church, with those in other churches and cultures, that there be a unity so that people will say, there's no other explanation, there's no way this can be working except God has done this. He has brought together people that should be at clawing each other's eyes out. And yet they're embracing each other, saying brother, sister. That's the Great Commission. You understand that your unity with other believers is an exhibit of the Great Commission message. Jesus says, all authority has been given to me in heaven and earth, go therefore and make disciples. Make disciples of the nations, teaching them all things whatsoever I've commanded you. Being baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that's unity. And I'm with you all the days, even to the end of the age. As you know, three of our members today succeeded in running the Detroit Marathon. All three made it across the finish line, and had a good time, and pictures are kind of cool, and they'll be hungry for three weeks now. And Verity Hibbets, and my daughter Alicia, and my son-in-law Andy. But they all had to go down to Detroit in person. You had to do this in person yesterday. All 26,000 people participating. You say, why do they have to go in person on Saturday if the race isn't until Sunday? Because you have to pick up your packet in person. You can't just send someone and say, pick that up for me. You have to show up there because you are going to be crossing over into Canada and coming back, and it just gets a little complicated. And so you have to get your, I don't know what you call it, the number tag with chips in it and whatever so people can track you, all that. You have to come in person to get that. But the organizers are smart in that they know that 26,000 people are coming to Detroit on Saturday to get their stuff for the race on Sunday. And so all the sponsors and the vendors are ready for a crowd of 26,000 on Saturday as well. And the sponsors have purchased the opportunity to set up booths and give away lots of freebies to all these thousands and to provide free samples of things, of their products and services. And yeah, that's cool marketing. They call it an exhibition. An exhibition before the race. I think of the unity that Jesus is praying for us, for you, to play an active part in. This is an exhibition. It brings a wondering world. It brings the nations and our neighborhoods to come and gaze and say, is this real? And they poke at it, and they shove it, and they can't break our unity and our ownership of each other and our love for each other. That is an exhibit of the Great Commission. Puritan Thomas Manton wrote it this way, divisions in the church always breed atheism in the world. He's right, but the opposite is true as well. Unity between believers preaches the true Godhead and gospel. The old D.L. Moody, the evangelist, said this, I have never yet known the spirit of God to work where the Lord's people were divided. Yeah. Agreed. You know, I was looking for an illustration for this point in the message to kind of wind things down. I came across an illustration of a German denomination that had to split during World War II and how they were able to come back together after. It was a longer illustration, so I passed on that one. I came to another illustration involving cats, and I just quickly left that one. Several other illustrations on unity. And you know, I just came back, I looked at some Puritan quotes, big surprise there, but I just couldn't get away from Lucy and Linus. Remember this one? From the Peanuts cartoon, where we got some good theology from Schultz. You have Lucy coming into the living room, and she wants to watch TV. And Linus is already there with his blanket watching television. And she comes in shaking her fist at him, saying, give me the remote control now, or I'll make you really regret this. I'm being free. I'm not quoting word for word here, but that's the scene. And Linus is like, why should I listen to you? I was here first. And Lucy says, you see these five fingers? By themselves, they're not much. But when I bring them together like this, they become a force to be reckoned with. Give me the remote." Well, of course, Linus gives her the remote. And then he walks out of the room, and he's looking at his hand. He says, how come you guys can't get organized like that? I love that. I love that. Not to cheapen what our Lord is praying, But if I can borrow those words, he is interceding that we get organized like that, as believers, different. We're not all thumbs. We're not all index fingers. We're not all ring fingers. But when we come together, it's a force, if I can quote the Puritan Lucy, it's a force to be reckoned with. That's what I mean because of its production. Say, well, how do I live this out? Start with your closest neighbor. Start with your closest difficult neighbor. I'm not talking about your cul-de-sac. If you're married, that's your spouse. Or that's your kid. Or your parent. Start there. Say, well, that's... now you're meddling. I'm just saying, I just want you to know that Jesus is interceding for you today about that relationship. For you to play your part, you're not responsible for their part. He's praying for you. Don't start way out at Walmart in a church lobby with the easier relationships and the strangers and think you're doing well. Start at the closest. Jesus calls that your neighbor, and work out from there. That's how Jesus is praying for you tonight. And he'll pray this way for you tomorrow. and the next day, and the next day. He's not only praying for you to see the Father, and to see the glory of the Son, and to be in the Word, and to treasure the salvation you have from Him, and to fully see the freedom of living under His Lordship. He's also praying, just as earnestly, for your part to be played by you in the unity with other believers. You know what, that might actually affect how you and I pray, right? We know he's interceding that way for us. That just might affect how we pray. Because understanding that will force a personal inventory of how we are doing in pursuing that. Or are we working against what he's praying for? Waiting for him to make the first move isn't cooperating with how he's praying. Actually, praying this way not only forces an inventory in how you're doing towards other Christians, but it also creates an exciting anticipation on your part. Because as you, by His grace, pursue others at a gospel-level unity, You know that you're praying for his grace to do so and that he is interceding for the same. I would start looking around the room, stuff's gonna start happening. He'll answer that prayer. You all know the name Johnny Erickson Tada. Pretty much whenever she speaks, we just need to be quiet and listen. And she once wrote these words, believers are never told to become one, We already are one. We're expected to act like it. Yep. Jesus is praying for your unity with other believers, for you to play your part. I couldn't let you get away without a Puritan quote on your notes. This is from Thomas Brooks. He starts out, ah, were their souls fully assured that God had loved them freely, and received them graciously, and justified them perfectly, and pardoned them absolutely, and would glorify them everlastingly, they could not but love where God loves, and own where God owns, and embrace where God embraces, and be one with everyone that is one with Jesus. Brooks is right. So, our goal isn't just to go out and find and just realize we've talked through one more thing that Jesus is praying for us about. This needs to weigh heavy on us. Needs to weigh heavy on us to know he's praying that way, to repent if we've been working against him, and stay there with your high priest in prayer asking for his grace and wisdom and himself to help you obey what he's praying towards. and think the most difficult person in your life as you pray. That's a believer. Would you stand as we close in a word of prayer? Lord Jesus, thank you for allowing us inside the Council of the Trinity again to see the heart of the Godhead, to hear with these disciples hours before your ultimate sacrifice for sinners Your reach and love in those moments. You're praying for us to be one. If we're in you. Not just theologically. And not just practically, but radically. Where it doesn't make sense. Where there is no other explanation but you as working this out and you're redeemed. Call us back to that, Lord. You're praying to that end. Open our eyes. to points of repentance, if needed, not just towards you, but confession towards others, and then an intentional homework assignment given to self to pursue those that we would normally avoid. And may there be joy. May there be joy in knowing that you prayed for this to happen, and it did. so that the world may know, Father, that you sent the Son to redeem us. Take us into this week, Lord, on mission and with joy. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. God bless you, you are dismissed.