Easter 7
Devotional
Water From the Well
Lectionary Devotional For Cycle A
Object:
I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours.
-- John 17:9
Jesus knew that he would soon be leaving his disciples. In preparation for his departure, Jesus prayed for his disciples. He prayed for those whom God had given him. The implication was that there were others whom God had not given to the name of Jesus. The ones given to Jesus were called Christians. Jesus' prayer for Christians was that they "may be one even as we are one." The prayer of Jesus was that Christians might have the same intimate relationship with each other that God had with Jesus. While in the historical sense, there is a differentiation between Jesus and God, at a deeper level, there is an identification. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). If God answered Jesus' prayer, then, even though in a historical sense there were differences between one Christian and another in the church, at a deeper level, we are one. Therefore when we argue with one another, we are arguing with ourselves. If we separate ourselves from or reject another Christian, we are wounding ourselves. We are not permitted the luxury of demonizing those with whom we disagree in the church. If they claim Christ, then they are part of us. It makes a difference in how we debate the issues in the church if we recognize that we are debating with ourselves.
-- John 17:9
Jesus knew that he would soon be leaving his disciples. In preparation for his departure, Jesus prayed for his disciples. He prayed for those whom God had given him. The implication was that there were others whom God had not given to the name of Jesus. The ones given to Jesus were called Christians. Jesus' prayer for Christians was that they "may be one even as we are one." The prayer of Jesus was that Christians might have the same intimate relationship with each other that God had with Jesus. While in the historical sense, there is a differentiation between Jesus and God, at a deeper level, there is an identification. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). If God answered Jesus' prayer, then, even though in a historical sense there were differences between one Christian and another in the church, at a deeper level, we are one. Therefore when we argue with one another, we are arguing with ourselves. If we separate ourselves from or reject another Christian, we are wounding ourselves. We are not permitted the luxury of demonizing those with whom we disagree in the church. If they claim Christ, then they are part of us. It makes a difference in how we debate the issues in the church if we recognize that we are debating with ourselves.
