We receive glory through unity in Christ.

 

Sermon for Easter 6, May 22, 2022

Grace to you and peace from Him who is, who was, and who is coming.  Amen.

John 17:18-23  ¹⁸As you sent me into the world, I also sent them into the world.  ¹⁹I sanctify myself for them, so they also may be sanctified by the truth.  ²⁰“I am praying not only for them, but also for those who believe in me through their message.  ²¹May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I am in you.  May they also be one in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me.  ²²I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one: ²³I in them, and you in me.  May they become completely one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. (EHV)

We receive glory through unity in Christ.

Dear members of the body of Christ,

            Through Moses, the Lord God told the descendants of Abraham, “You shall be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2)  In our Old Testament lesson this morning, God spoke through Jeremiah saying, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you peace, not disaster, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)  Then, right in line with all the Lord had promised, Jesus tells us in our sermon text that We receive glory through unity in Christ.

Our text is taken from what is known as Jesus’ high priestly prayer.  In it, Jesus prays for His disciples and for you and me.  Just as the Father sent Jesus into the world with a mission to save sinners, so Jesus was sending out the twelve hand-picked disciples who would become His apostles of peace.  They would declare to the world all that Jesus has done to reconcile God with sinners.  They would carry Jesus’ message of forgiveness through faith in God’s Son, the Anointed One, who was designated to substitute for the world in punishment and in righteous living.

Jesus prayed to His Father in heaven, “I sanctify myself for them, so they also may be sanctified by the truth.”  To be sanctified is to be set apart for holy service of God Almighty.  Jesus set Himself apart at the will of His Father so that everything He did as a Man was righteous and holy in God’s sight.  Because God both commands and intends that we be holy in His sight, the only way to accomplish that for us sinners is for the sinless Son of God to become Man to live for us the righteousness we need.  You and I couldn’t do it on our own, and if we should assume to do so, our efforts would not only fall far short, so Paul warns those who hope to earn their salvation, “You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law are completely separated from Christ.  You have fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4) 

Striving for salvation through our own efforts only takes us further and further away from God.  Yet, God’s intention is that we be made holy by believing the truth of His Word.  The Word tells us about Jesus.  While the law shows us what holy living is, it also condemns us.  The Gospel, on the other hand, shows us the love of God in what Jesus has done in fulfillment of the law, and how His life and death covers us with the holiness only He could live.  Through the power of that Word of grace, the Holy Spirit implants saving faith in Jesus in our hearts and minds.

Jesus prayed, “I am praying not only for them, but also for those who believe in me through their message.  May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I am in you.”  From the beginning, God intended to return us to His kingdom of grace through faith.  Jesus prayed for that, lived His life for it, and died on a cross to accomplish His goal.  Notice that there is a unity involved in faith.  Through faith in Jesus, we are made part of His body, the holy Church of believers.  This faith, worked in us by the power of the Holy Spirit, unites us with Jesus.  His holiness covers us just as His sacrifice covered our sins. 

Furthermore, there is no room in God’s will for dissension.  To be in disagreement with any part of God’s Word is to put divisions between believers and God.  This is why our fellowship doctrines are so important.  Jesus promised, “If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples.  You will also know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)  As followers of the Savior who rescued us from Satan’s deceptions and the curse of sin, we should want nothing more than to follow our Savior and Shepherd wherever He leads us.  We should gladly hear His message and joyfully follow it.

Oh, but this is where the battle always rises.  Our old sinful flesh also wants to rule.  The devil, likewise, desires to drive a wedge between us and Jesus.  The Lord warned, “The heart is more deceitful than anything.  It is beyond cure.” (Jeremiah 17:9)  However, the serious consequence of following our own desires or will is this: “Cursed is anyone who trusts in mankind, who seeks his strength from human flesh, and who turns his heart away from the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:5) 

All the devious schemes that would put man’s spin on God’s Word can only lead to disaster.  Teachers who don’t take the Scriptures seriously, as the pure message of the Almighty, mark themselves as agents of the old evil foe.  People who insist that our help is necessary to bring salvation to completion only put us further away from our goal.  As Jesus taught His faithful ones in the Revelation, “I give this warning to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book.  And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the Tree of Life and in the Holy City.” (Revelation. 22:18-19)

Our world is full of wandering sheep who follow teachings other than what Scripture has laid down.  However, this is not God’s plan for His people.  God wants all of us united with Himself in perfect holiness forever.  Thus, Jesus prayed, “May they also be one in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me.  I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one: I in them, and you in me.”  

We receive glory through unity in Christ.  The only way we may be united with God is through unity of faith with Jesus Christ who trusted His Father’s Word and will implicitly.  His holiness then covers us.  His righteousness becomes our shield and strength.  More than that, even, through the gift of faith, Jesus gives us the glory that only He and the Father possess by nature.  Therefore, united with Jesus in our baptisms, we are united with both His death and resurrection, and because He lives and no longer will die, so we also will live with Him forever dressed in the glorious splendor of the holiness of our Savior, God’s Son.

Again, we hear Jesus pray, “May they become completely one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”  We all entered this world in the same condition as our parents entered it: lost and condemned creatures who had no knowledge of God’s grace and mercy, nor any desire to serve Him, much less to love the Almighty who made us.  Yet, that is not where God left us. 

Purely out of love we don’t deserve, God came to our rescue.  By the power of His Spirit in Word and Baptism, God put His mark on us, identifying us as His own beloved children.  In Baptism, God washed away our sins and put on each of us the righteousness of Jesus.  Through the Gospel God caused us to hear, the Spirit worked a miracle in our hearts, implanting in us a new living heart of faith as He took our hearts of stone away.

God declared His love for His Son, Jesus, at both Jesus’ baptism and His transfiguration, yet the greatest declaration of God’s love for His Son came at the tomb.  The Son, who gave His life in our place so that we sinners need not face the torments of hell, was raised to live again and never die.  Jesus’ victory over death is an emphatic demonstration to the world that He is true God dwelling in human flesh.  It confirms everything God has taught about His plans to save us. 

When man fell into sin, all hope seemed lost.  Adam and Eve could think of nothing to do but hide from the beloved Creator they had betrayed.  Yet, God didn’t turn His back to them.  Instead, God went purposely looking for those sinners.  He likewise came looking for you and me.  Oh, the words of His call were different.  The Holy One didn’t call out to us, “Where are you?”  Instead, He proclaims to us His love in the message of His book, and that Bible tells us about Jesus and all He has done for us, including praying to His Father on our behalf, “May they become completely one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” 

Unity in trusting in Jesus sends a message to the world that Jesus is both God and our Savior.  As His Gospel unites us in love with God, we become God’s message to the world.  We are His people in whom His likeness is being restored. Admittedly, in this life, we remain under construction.  The corruption of our birth still lingers on us, yet our mortality and corruption are temporary, for the day is coming when united with Jesus through the work of His sanctifying Spirit, we too will rise from the grave in triumph—triumph not of our own will and devising, but the will of God who loves us and gave His Son to save us.  United with Jesus through baptism and faith, we will be raised from the dead holy, immortal, incorruptible, and citizens of God’s heaven where for time everlasting We receive glory through unity in Christ.  Amen.

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace, always, in every way.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  Amen.