John 17:20-26 (Union With Christ)

The Shepherd's Church

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Thank you for subscribing to the Shepherds Church podcast. This is our Lord's Day Sermon We pray that as we declare the

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Word of God that you would be encouraged Strengthened in your faith and that you would catch a greater vision of who

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Christ is May you be blessed in the hearing of God's Word and may the Lord be with you

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Good morning, everybody I just want to Start by saying yes, my name is

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Herb Surratt I'm an elder and the director of music at All Saints Church in Lancaster And I bring you greetings from the

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Saints there in Lancaster, Pennsylvania Notice the pronunciation Lancaster Just in case you're there people will give you a lot more credibility if you say

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Lancaster I bring you greetings from there I had the privilege of attending the Boots of Presbytery meetings this week hosted by Pastor Kendall and you all and It was wonderful the work of the church was able to happen in comfort and in beauty

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And so you are all truly a blessing to the Presbytery if you help, so thank you so much

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For that it's a privilege and honor to be able to fill in for Pastor Kendall this morning

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And bring you all the word this sermon was originally part of a sermon series entitled Living the resurrected life and during the series we looked at the lectionary readings from the gospel of st.

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John in light of a Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ it is through this lens that we examine scripture to determine

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How then shall we live? The passage we are looking at this morning comes from the gospel of st.

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John chapter 17 verses 20 through 26 if you have your Bibles turn there and follow along again

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We're looking at the gospel of st. John chapter 17 verses 20 through 26

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As you turn I'll take this time to pray a prayer of illumination Let's pray

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Father God we are indebted to you for revealing your word to us through Scripture Including the work and words of Jesus Christ may the

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Holy Spirit open our eyes to reveal the wonders of your law in Jesus name we pray Amen Here now

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God's Word I Do not ask for these only but also for those who will believe in me through their word

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That they may all be one just as you father are in me and I in you and they also may be in us

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So that the world may believe that you have sent me the glory that you have given me I have given to them that they may be one even as we are one

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I in them and you and me that they may become perfectly one So that the world may know that you sent me and love them even as you loved me

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Father I desire that they also whom you have given me may be with me where I am

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To see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

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Oh Righteous father, even though the world does not know you I know you and these know that you have sent me

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I made known to them your name and I will continue to make it known that the love with which you have loved me

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May be in them and I in them the gospel of Christ Praise be to you.

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Oh Christ The entire chapter of John 17 is a prayer that Christ prays after the

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Last Supper, but before his betrayal It's called the high priestly prayer and it's called the high priestly prayer because of the focus on Christ's role as mediator

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Between God and man in this passage much like in st. John's gospel.

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We see the Trinity at work in Redemption the first five verses of chapter 17 alone

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Provide a treasure trove of the in working of the Trinity to bring about Redemption as we look at the larger chapter we see two major breaks in Jesus's prayer

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The first 19 verses primarily address Christ's work with the

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Apostles while verses 20 through 26 Addresses work extended to the church to come

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It is the focus on the church to come that I will be addressing this morning And there are two overarching themes of verses 20 through 26 of the high priestly prayer the first major theme is the believers union with Christ and The second is the effects this year of this union on the believer so again

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The first major theme is the believers union with Christ and the second is the effects of this union on the believer

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Let's begin by discussing the believers union with Christ Verse 20 of John 17 describes how we believers will be brought to faith

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Believers will be brought to faith through the teaching and preaching of the Apostles That teaching and preaching of the

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Apostles is encapsulated in the Word of God The Word of God is a means of grace that the

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Holy Spirit uses to open the eyes To open eyes to the truth of the gospel and to convict people of their sins

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The Word of God is living and active sharper than any two -edged sword For those whom the

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Father has given Christ the word cuts and brings resurrection unto life and union with Christ This union is modeled after the union the

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Father and Son exemplify in the Trinity in the Trinity We see three persons and one substance the persons of the

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Trinity are co -equal in power and eternality The Trinity is a model for unity as reflecting on the three persons must always be balanced

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With reflecting on the oneness of the Godhead three and one one and three distinct persons one substance

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This is also called the ontological unity of the Trinity, but there's also a unity of the

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Trinity which is worked out in redemptive history This is called the economic

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Trinity the economic Trinity works to bring about man's salvation We see the

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Trinity working together in perfect unity in creation when God says let us make man in our image

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The spirit hovers over the waters and all things were made through him

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Christ and without him Not anything was made that was made God declares all of creation good

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We also see the Trinity working together in Jesus's baptism We see the Trinity working together at the ascension of Christ and the beginning of his rule and reign from heaven

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The Father places Christ on the throne and then sends the Holy Spirit to be a law written on the hearts of believers the

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Holy Spirit convicts and enlightens of the truth of Scripture Here we see the

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Godhead working together Economically to bring about the redemption of man this understanding of the

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Trinity's unity is helpful for us to understand our unity with Christ and just like the

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Trinity's internal unity our internal union with Christ is mystical

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Now don't hear what I'm not saying. This isn't mystical in an Eastern religious sense, but more so the in the

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Incomprehensible sense our union with Christ cannot be fully Explained it is indeed a mystery

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The passage explicitly says that we are united to Christ as he and the Father are one Ontologically Christ is in us in a deeply spiritual way

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He also sends his spirit to seal us. So we are in a spiritual sense one with Christ again

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Please don't hear what I am NOT saying. We are distinct persons Christ is not us and we are not

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Christ however, there is a unity there that is mysterious To help further explain our unity with Christ Let's contemplate the body metaphor that Paul uses to describe the church in Ephesians 4

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Christ is the head and we are the body Economically, we are individual parts of the body gifted to bring the body glory in various ways

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We are not all hands or feet But we need all the parts working together

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Just as the Trinity does to bring the purposes of God to bear which is chiefly the growth of the body

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This is for both Material and immaterial growth as Christ moves forward with his dominion over the world.

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It is our privilege To be united and used by Christ in this manner

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It is also a description of our unity with Christ as our federal head We have moved from Adam as our covenant head to Christ in him have our sins in him

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We have our sins imputed and forgiven through his atoning work on the cross We are united to him in his work being applied to us.

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It was done on our Behalf The unity we experience in Christ saturates our weekly covenant renewal

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Worship, we confess our sins and are reminded that our forgiveness comes from the atoning work of our head

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Jesus Christ We are consecrated or cut by the word during the readings psalms and sermon

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Not only does it cut but it rearranges us This all points to the

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Levitical worship where animals were substitutes for the Israelites in worship The priests cut them and rearranged them on the altar

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The animals as the substitution were also burned and the smoke joined the pillar of fire that followed the

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Israelites This represented the people of God being united to God in the smoke and the fire the

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Israelites followed in the desert These same acts typologically happen during this service

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We are cut and rearranged as we offer ourselves as living sacrifices The smoke of the sacrifices is often described as a pleasing aroma to the

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Lord The prayers of the Saints are linked with the aroma of incense in Revelation 8

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Again, we are sacrifices United with the triune God our worship is a sacrifice of praise

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This entire covenant worship service culminates in the embodiment of our union with Christ when we physically take in When we've

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Sorry, this entire covenant renewal service culminates the embodiment of our union with Christ when we physically take in and eat

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Christ's body and blood This single act in the service destroys materialism and Gnosticism.

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This is the act that transcends man's ability to fully describe our union

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This is the act that brings Christ's Spirit into us through faith Our union is heard seen tasted smelled and touched in the most real and tangible way

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Possible we crush and imbibe Christ's body through faith There is no escaping the transcendent and imminent truth of our union during the sacrament

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It is the highest form of knowing This is our weekly experience and participation in the mystery and blessing of our union with Christ This is how we are united with Christ Now let us move on to the second theme of the effects of our union with Christ which the second theme of This passage which is the effects of our union with Christ how they affect the believer

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The union of Christ with man provides three major effects on the believer according to st

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John so those three effects are number one glory in Christ number two love in Christ And number three a testimony to the world.

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I'll repeat those for you If you're writing them down number one the major effects of being in union with Christ glory in Christ Love in Christ and then a testimony to the world the first effect of unity with Christ glory in Christ is

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Described in verse 23 as Christ describes the glory. He gives to us as coming from the

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Father Christ's glory comes from his union with the Father the Father's glory comes to us through our union with Christ When contemplating what

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Christ meant regarding the glory given to him from the Father and then to us John 7 verses 38 through 39 provides quite a bit of clarity

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Whoever believes in me as the scripture has said out of his heart will flow rivers of living water

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Now this he said about the Spirit whom those who believed in him were to receive

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For as yet the Spirit had not been given because Jesus was not yet glorified

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This passage connects Christ's glorification with the outpouring of the Spirit John 14 16 through 17 also connects the idea of the

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Holy Spirit being sent from the Father through the Son and I ask the

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Father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him

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You know him for he dwells with you and will be in you This passage not only discusses the

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Holy Spirit or helper coming from the Father brings us the Holy Spirit as our glory in Christ Consider the events of the first Pentecost Where the

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Spirit was poured out The disciples went from hiding in locked rooms To boldly declaring the gospel and seeing massive examples of faith and repentance the

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Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to teach with authority in the face of Persecution the

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Holy Spirit emboldened believers to follow Christ to the point of martyrdom Indeed the

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Holy Spirit brought glory to Christ remember his baptism and Exponentially grew the church from extremely humble beginnings to the 2 .6

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billion professing believers today Certainly, these are the greater things that Christ described the

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Apostles accomplishing after his death The glory that is ours from our union with Christ is not abstract

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He is real he is powerful He works in his people and those whom the

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Father has chosen to bring about the growth of the church. That is Christ's body

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He works to bring us to repentance and to forgiveness. He unites us one to another

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He softens hearts that seem to be tougher than steel. He calls as walls to fall

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He brings about the redemption of the world He works as he pleases in the deepest and darkest ends of the earth to bring about Christ's rule and reign this should be encouraging and inspiring

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However, it should also be convicting Dear Saints, how many times have you thought this current generation is wicked beyond hope?

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That person will never change I will never have victory over this sin

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When you hear yourself thinking or saying those things you need to know that you are giving up on the

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Holy Spirit glorifying Christ in and through you a reality of your union

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With Christ is that you have the Holy Spirit The same power that rose

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Christ from the dead is in you Are you killing your sin and experiencing resurrection life?

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Consider those areas where you have resigned to let your sin and its effects rule instead of our risen and reigning

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Lord Jesus Christ Empowered by the Holy Spirit. You must be living a life worthy of your calling in Christ Jesus Expecting his spirit to move in the hearts of his people solely deo gloria

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This is the first effect of our union with Christ glory in Christ The second effect of our union with Christ is love in Christ as described in verse 23 the love the father has for the son is extended to us

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The father's love for the son is one of perfection His love is complete.

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His love is sure His love does not wane his love is not based on Christ's works, but who

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Christ is The same love the father has for the son is extended to us

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We may struggle with the idea of a loving father our earthly fathers may have been distant

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Harsh or even abusive. I want to encourage you dear Saints to take heart

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You can rest assured that your union with Christ brings the perfect love of the father to you

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This should bring you great comfort as you rest and our heavenly father's perfect love

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We must also remember Christ's ultimate example of love His example was the laying down of his life for his friends and obedience to the father

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This is part of God's plan for the son We are joined with Christ therefore we are joined in his death and Resurrection we will continue to experience life death and resurrection as part of the father's love for us through Christ This may be incomprehensible to our modern ears

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However, God's love is manifest in those things which would bring about suffering

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They are brought into our lives not only because of our union with Christ But also for our sanctification to be more and more like Christ consider a cancer diagnosis

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Perhaps you've lost your job. Maybe you're overwhelmed by your children or struggling with infertility

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Whatever the case may be your trial is a manifestation of the love The father that has for you in and through your union with Christ Dear Saints, it is your responsibility in these trials to lean into the love of the father

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As he is bringing you into a fuller resurrected life It is your responsibility to press in and trust

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God It is your responsibility to find comfort in the comforter who has given to us who

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Was given to us from the father through Christ Remember Christ our brother has experienced the penalty for the sin of the world

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We should find solace knowing the glory of his resurrection After the penalty suffered on the cross there was a glorious resurrection and this is also part of our story

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These cycles of deaths and resurrection that the father brings to our lives are out of his love for us these deaths provide an opportunity for the father to show his love for us in new and Deeper ways as we rest in him more and more

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His love is incredible and the opportunity to experience it is something you should not dismiss or waste

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It is with this full understanding of love that we should extend grace to those whom

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God has brought into our lives The love which which with which we have been loved we need to extend to our wives husbands children parents employers employees pastors elders deacons and yes, even civil magistrates

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Love is long -suffering Christ love for you was the father's the father and sons love made

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Manifest we must follow in his footsteps as we contemplate our union with Christ and the love manifested therein

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This is the second effect of our union with Christ love in Christ The third and final result of our unity in Christ is a testimony to the world

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What in the world does that mean? Well, I can't help but consider the passage from Matthew 12 where Christ is accused of casting out demons as Beelzebub Christ declares that a house divided cannot stand

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Even the civ the evil one knows this is true We live in a world where division and deceit are the norm rather than the exception

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We focus on differences much more than similarities It seems like we are moving into a feudalistic or tribalistic period very quickly as a society

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Some of this is natural as we lose any semblance of a national identity rooted in Christ some of this is a reaction against the movement of the hegemony or The spirit of the age as we have seen in the various responses since the death of Charlie Kirk Christians may be tempted to perform purity tests

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And create new borders and boundaries to determine who is really on our side

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Since all believers are united to Christ in his body. We are all united together

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This unity is not exclusive to your family racial background Region you live or church you attend the unity of the body indeed extends the entire body of Christ all those who are in the body are indeed united in Christ The unity should endeavor to be this unity should endeavor to be the example we have in the

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Trinity Our unity should be so Monolithic and long -suffering that it is jarring to the outside world

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Our unity should be a distinguishing marker as the body of Christ as Galatians 328 says there is neither

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Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free There is no male and female for you are all one in Christ Jesus as it relates to unity

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We must consider our unity in the body above our natural distinctions

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But please don't hear again what I am NOT saying. I am NOT saying we live in a flat egalitarian world

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God created us with unique Ontological and economical roles in life.

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We have different ethnic backgrounds. We are employers and employees We are men and women, but these distinctions should all serve to unite us as the body not divide

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Our providential natural roles must always be seeking unity in the body as we live out

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Christ prescribes prescribed covenantal hierarchy Where the rubber really meets the road on this idea is pursuing forgiveness and confronting sin where necessary We need to pray for conviction regarding how we view members of the body.

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We discern this every Lord's Day I'm not sure if you guys do this But at all

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Saints we have a portion of the section right before communion where we extend the peace of Christ And so that the idea of that the idea behind that is to embody first Corinthians 11 that we have unity in the body

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And there's nothing being held against another member in the church So we extend peace to other members of the body signifying and exemplifying the unity we all have in Christ This should not be taken lightly, but as our duty to signify the unity of the body

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Again please don't hear what I'm not saying This isn't a legalistic requirement during the passing of the peace to extend it to everyone in the building.

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It also is an unexclusive venue for seeking peace That can and should be done outside of the worship service if at all possible

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Although external sins between members affects unity Really the more sinister division of the body is one that incurs that occurs internally

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This one is more sinister because it can begin innocently enough a

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Comment is made that causes one to contemplate if there is a sinful Intention a bit of gossip is shared causing you to question sincerity and motivation of the person mentioned you ruminate and assume the worst

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Countless hours are wasted discussing this with your spouse and friends You begin to dread being in a room with that person let alone attend church with them

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Before you know it Bitterness has wormed its way into your heart and mind

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You can feel yourself physically reacting to their presence or even the thought of them

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This dear Saints is not righteousness This is bitterness and disunity

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First Corinthians 13 3 says love is patient Love is kind love is patient and kind love does not envy or boast.

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It is not arrogant or rude It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful

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It does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth Love bears all things believes all things hopes all things endures all things

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You must continually pray for the Holy Spirit to convict you of these sins You must confront them in your own hearts on a daily

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Basis, you must prayerfully ask Lord Who am I harboring bitterness toward Lord?

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Where do I struggle to love the body as the father loves Christ if the world saw your heart?

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Toward other members of the body would they be in all of our unity? Or would they be justified in their sin?

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Remember your union with Christ is one that gives you glory in the Holy Spirit and perfect love

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Just like the father has for the son may your pursuance of the unity of the body be empowered as an example to a watching world to the divinity of Christ and His saving work done for the forgiveness of your sins this is the third and final effect of our unity with Christ a

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Testimony to the world in conclusion John Williamson Nevin the 19th century

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Mercersburg seminary professor after a discussion regarding the unity Believers have with Christ states that the ground of the

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Christian faith Then that to which it owes its origin and character is the unity of Christ with God This is indeed

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What this is indeed Christian Christianity's origin and Character the union of Christ with God extended to us

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We receive the Holy Spirit to bring glory to the Godhead We receive love from the

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Sun and extend it to others. We pursue unity for the sake of an unbelieving world

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May this be so in our households our workplaces our neighborhoods and in this local body in the name of the

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Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen I'll pray for us in response

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Father God your union in the Trinity is indeed a mystery You've revealed enough for us to see the beauty

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Majesty and wonder of the union of substance in three person Father through the

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Holy Spirit convict us each of any sin of disunity Lord God remind us of the forgiveness that comes from Christ's suffering on our behalf

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Help us to extend it to others May our work to reconcile ourselves with the body bring about the blessings of unity in your body and a hope

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For an unbelieving world Lord in your mercy Hear our prayers