The Bethany Bullet-Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Read John 17

This section of Scripture is known as, Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer.

One of the most famous Seinfeld episodes has Jerry and George, sitting in the usual booth at the diner, catching someone eavesdropping on their conversation. They quickly decide to tell outlandish, wild and untrue things just to tweak the eavesdropper. Of course, little do they know that she is a reporter and soon everything they have said will be in print.

In His prayer Jesus speaks just loud enough to His Father that those nearby are able to eavesdrop on this conversation. Jesus however knows full well that His prayer will be overheard, recorded and reported for generations to read and re-read. The question is, does Jesus too tweak the “eavesdropper?” After all, He prays that we might be united, joyful and together.

Jesus prays that we might be one. Got to wonder if that is a bit of a put on don’t you? There are hundreds of denominations in the Christian church. In our church body alone we can’t agree on which hymnal is the best. In our congregation alone we are united on whether kneeling or walking through communion is the way to go. Is Jesus putting us on? There are two answers here. The first truth is that Jesus does long for the day when the church is one: one in faith and doctrine. The second truth is that unity does not equal uniformity! Our oneness flows from our faith in Christ and His gift of grace and mercy not that we do the same thing and share the same opinion on all matters. This is not a joke but a blessed truth the church is ONE.

Jesus prays that we might be joyful. That should be simple to accomplish! The Bruins win the Pac-Ten this season, the Halo’s face the D-backs in the World Series, my candidate gets elected and home prices fall to the point that we can pick one up dimes to dollars. That would make anyone happy; unless they are a Trojan fans, root for the Yanks and Dodgers, or are backing a different candidate and already own a home and don’t want to see its value fall any further. Jesus however, isn’t pulling one over on us; He does desire that we are JOYFUL. Happiness is based upon emotion and experience; Joy is based upon conviction and confidence. He prays that we might have the joy that comes from the certainty that we are His and therefore heaven is ours.

Finally, Jesus prays that we all might be together. It would seem that this is the prayer that doesn’t quite fit the pattern. Surely, if He wanted us together He could simply return and make it so. Why the delay? Does He mean what He prays? Perhaps He doesn’t love us quite as much as He claims. Jesus’ delay in returning is not due to a lack of love but an abundance of it. His love for all—for all to come to be united with Him; His church through faith and thus be filled with the joy of conviction and confidence that belongs to the people of God that will one-day result in heavenly togetherness is at the heart of His delay in returning and at the heart of His prayer. He prayed just loud enough for us to listen in, and for us to pray ourselves and through His blessing become part of the answer as well.