CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

John 17: 20-26

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text for this mornings meditation is our Gospel lesson for today, recorded in St. John, Chapter 17, verses 20 through 26, particularly these words:  Jesus said, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one; I in them and you in me.  May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”  This is our text.

In the name of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear Christian friends.  What does the world see when they look at the Christian Church of today?  Remember when the religion section of the Houston Chronicle came on Saturdays, instead of Fridays – and the comic strips were in the religion section?  But the way church people act sometimes, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised.  Many Christians want prayers in public schools – but then, many more don’t.  Many Episcopalians want women and gay  priests — many don’t.  Many Catholics want the Pope to change age old rules and cannons — but many don’t.  The whole realm of protestantism is divided into liberal and conservative camps, fighting over different issues.  And we Lutherans fit in real nice with everyone else, as we too fight our battles over doctrine, and practice, and procedures.  This Summer, at the Synodical Convention to be held in Houston, we will struggle with restructuring our Synodical way of doing business.  I think it was Will Rodgers who said that he was not a member of organized religion — He was a Methodist.  And he could just as well have said that of the Lutherans, and Baptists, and Catholics and the other denominations as well.  All religions have a bone to pick with each other and even among themselves.

And then the world of non-believers looks at this infighting among Christians and  they wonder why we are so divided among ourselves.

Our text for today, talks not of divisions among Christians, but rather, of unity among Christians.  Jesus said in our text that he wants all Christians to be ONE.  He said, “My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.”  And as Jesus prayed — so it is.  True believers are indeed ONE in Jesus Christ.

Obviously I am not talking about denominational unity.  Because as long as there are different interpretations of what the Bible says, and as long as there are  people who will not accept the words of Scripture, but must use human wisdom to correct God’s message, and as long as there are people who will accept human rules and reason in place of God’s word — we will have different denominations.  And this is as it should be!  Paul warns the early Christians to “beware of those who teach a doctrine different from what they had received from him.”  And to avoid them!

But we confess in our Creed each Sunday that we do believe in “ONE, HOLY, CHRISTIAN, AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH”.  We believe, teach, and confess that there is one fellowship that is made up of all true believers in Jesus Christ, which transcends denominational lines.  For God has promised that His Word would not return void.  And so we say, Where ever the Word of God is taught correctly, and where ever the sacraments are administered rightly, there will exist God’s fellowship of believers in Jesus Christ — the Holy Christian Church.

It is this fellowship of true believers that our text deals with this morning.

So what can we say about this fellowship?  First of all, it is grounded in Jesus Christ.  Our text says, “Father, you are in me and I am in you, that they also may be in us.”

This fellowship of Christians exists because, through faith, Jesus Christ becomes a part of our lives and He lives in us.  And as Christ lives in each believer, we are united by grace through faith in Him.  “The Fellowship of believers” is not something we seek to establish — but rather, is something that already exists — because Jesus Christ is in the heart of every believer.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit as he creates saving faith in each heart — but not just for one individual, Luther said that he “calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it in the one true faith.  That is the true fellowship of Christians.  That is the only true fellowship that exists.

But not only is this fellowship grounded in Jesus Christ, it also POINTS to Jesus Christ.  Our text said twice, “Father, May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Why does the Christian do good works?  The Bible says, “So that men may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  Jesus said that there was one particular thing that would separate his followers from the rest of the word.  He said, “By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples, that you love one another.”

One important way the world will know Jesus Christ, is by watching and viewing those who belong to Jesus Christ.  The non-believing world looks at the followers of Jesus, in order to judge wither or not they want Jesus in their life.

A quote that I kept on my desk for several years read, “The only Bible some people read is you!”  Do they see in you, love — patience — forgiveness — kindness — gentleness — and self-control.  Do they read in your life, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.”?  If the only Bible some people read is you, do they see the joy of sins forgiven, and the joy of forgiving others, or do they see a mean spirit that must get even and strike back at others?  Do they see a smile, or a frown?  Do they see hope, or despair?  Do they receive a cheerful word, or a grouchy grunt?  Remember, “The only Bible some people read is you,” and Christian fellowship points to Christ.

The last point that our text makes about this Christian fellowship is that it GOES to Jesus Christ.  Our text reads, “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”

Last Thursday was Ascension Day; The Day which the Church sets aside to remember our Lord leaving his disciples to go to the Father in Heaven.  As Jesus left, he told the disciples that “he was going to prepare a place for them — that where he was they might be also.”  The whole fellowship of believers in Jesus Christ will be with Him, for all eternity.

The words of the old, but familiar hymn, “I’m but a stranger here, heaven is my home,” is very true for all who are in Christ.  Because God gave his Son into death for us, because Christ died on a cross for us, because the Holy Spirit has called us to faith in Jesus Christ — we know for a fact that we will spend eternity with Jesus Christ in Heaven.  We will behold his glory.  We will eternally praise his name.  God has promised, “He that believes and is baptized, shall be saved.”

Christian fellowship among believers exists.  It is grounded in Jesus Christ, it points to Jesus Christ, and it goes to be with Jesus Christ.  May God the Holy Spirit work that miracle of faith in each and every heart, that throughout the world, this fellowship of believers united in Christ might grow and increase to glory of God’s Holy Name.  Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting.  Amen.