Gracious God, open our minds to understanding, teach our hearts to love, and strengthen our wills to carry out the mission of your Word. Amen.
Gospel Reading: John 17:20-24
This morning, I want to invite us to reflect on the meaning of Christian unity—what it looks like, why it matters, and how being one with our fellow believers shapes our life of faith. With so much division in the world right now, I thought it would be a good time to look at what it means to be united and why we should concern ourselves about being as one with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
Here in Canada, there are well over fifty different Christian denominations, and within these are many branches which hold slightly different beliefs. Along with these are smaller groups of believers who are not affiliated with any church. So, in the end there are quite likely close to one hundred groups of Christians, just in Canada who see themselves as being the ones who worship God in the correct way.
And from the beginning of Christianity, when Jesus was still here on earth, there were divisions. Even those twelve disciples couldn’t agree with each other. In Mark’s gospel he tells us, “Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house, he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.” (Mark 9:33-34)
And only a few days later, while they were travelling to Jerusalem for the final time, two of the disciples, James and John, ask Jesus if they can sit next to him in heaven. And once the other disciples hear this, they become enraged. And even on the night of the Last Supper, when Jesus is facing death the next day, the arguing continues. The Apostle Luke writes, “A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest.” (Luke 22:24)
So, it’s no wonder then that Jesus, on that night of the Last Supper, as he was sitting at table with them, prayed that they might be united. He said, “‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.’” It’s interesting to note that three times within that brief prayer, Jesus prays that they all might be as one. That’s how important unity was to him.
What we can learn from this in today’s world is that unity in the Church, being one as the Body of Christ—is essential in God’s Kingdom. When Jesus prayed for unity amongst his disciples, he asked the Father to make them one so that the world would believe that the Father sent him.
And that same wish holds true for us today. When the Church lacks unity, when believers hold on to unforgiveness or negative attitudes, the work of God’s Kingdom is hindered. But when we are united in Christ in our attitudes, our words, and our willingness to work through difficult issues together, God’s Kingdom can grow within us and extend through us to others.
So then, what does true unity look like? Unity in the Church isn’t about merging churches or agreeing on every doctrine. It goes deeper; it is a spiritual unity rooted in God’s own life. Jesus prayed, “As You, Father, are in Me and I am in You, may they also be in Us.” This unity is about relationship, not sameness. It’s the unity of love shared between the Father and the Son and given to us through the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t remove our differences; it makes them holy and meaningful.
In other words, we don’t become one by becoming identical — we become one because we all belong to the same Lord. Think of a choir: many different voices and ranges, but when they follow the same director and sing the same song, they create harmony. The beauty comes from diverse voices united by a common purpose.
But why does this unity matter so much? Jesus said, “‘So that the world may believe that you have sent me.’” This means that getting along with each other within our Christian church family is much more than the way we treat each other, it actually shows the world just who Jesus is. When Christians love one another despite differences in our worship practises, and across denominations, cultures, and personal differences, we bear witness to the reconciling power of the Gospel. In other words, unity is evangelism. When people see a community where forgiveness, patience, and grace prevail, they glimpse the Kingdom of God.
Over the centuries, the Church has splintered into countless groups, each with its own practises, traditions, and sometimes prejudices. We all have our reasons, but the result is that the world often sees a divided witness. When it comes to unity in Christ, this is rule number one: Jesus Christ is the head of the Church, not you or me or anybody else.
What sets the church apart from everyday society isn’t complete agreement on every belief, but the way we dwell together in unity and love. It is not that beliefs are not important, they are. Certainly, it is essential that we agree on the core doctrines of the faith, but some make everything a core doctrine. A 17th century theologian wrote, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity.” It is more important that we, as followers of Jesus, love each other than it is for us all to think exactly alike.
The Bible says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). This was one of the greatest challenges for the Apostle Paul who started churches throughout Asia. Because these churches were made up of people, there were always problems. In fact, almost every letter the Apostle Paul wrote was written to churches because of problems and conflicts they were having. There has never been a perfect church and there never will be.
So, what does this look like in our daily lives? It starts with prayer, praying for unity amongst the churches, reflecting Jesus’ own longing for the unity of his people. It’s expressed through kindness and respect, speaking graciously about other Christians and denominations, and honouring the gifts God has given them.
It takes root in shared service, feeding the hungry, visiting the lonely, and joining hands in Christ’s work. And it deepens as we forgive, because unity cannot flourish where resentment is allowed to linger. Even simple acts, a combined hymn sing, a neighbourhood food drive, or lifting up another congregation in prayer, become small but real ways of helping to answer Jesus’ prayer for his Church.
Jesus then goes on to say, “The glory you have given me I have given to them, so that they may be one as we are one.” It’s a remarkable statement. The very glory of God, the radiant love flowing between the Father and the Son, is entrusted to us. It’s not a reward for getting everything right, but the strength that enables us to love. When followers of Christ live in unity, God’s glory becomes visible in us, and others catch a glimpse that His love is real. One day, that prayer will be fully answered.
Our Sunday afternoon Bible study is on the Book of Revelation. In it, the Disciple John, speaking about the time when Jesus will return in the Second Coming, writes, “After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9) At that time the divisions that now grieve us will melt away in the light of God’s presence.
But until that day, we keep walking toward it, praying, loving, forgiving, and recognizing that Christ’s prayer for unity is still echoing through the ages. Though we are a variety of people, we are people who are also united. We have one Lord. Jesus is Lord. We have one Faith. For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. We have one baptism. We experience God’s grace and we become members of the family of God through baptism.
And our prayers for unity of the Church remind us that this is not our wish but Christ’s. The unity of the Church was born in his heart before it was ever imagined by ours. For when the world sees the Church united in love, then, as Jesus said, “‘the world will know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.’”
Let us Pray:
Gracious God, we thank You for the hope of unity that Christ has planted in our hearts. Strengthen our desire to love one another, to listen with grace, and to work together in Your name. Pour out Your Spirit upon Your Church, that our witness may reflect the love of Christ to a divided world. Lead us in the ways of peace, deepen our fellowship, and make us one, as You are one. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.