The Love That Makes Us One
John 17:1-5, 20-26
Perhaps forty years ago I had an experience that, in my
mind, demonstrates the bond among those who share faith in Jesus Christ. At
least ideally. I was in seminary and living in a suburb of Fort Worth. I had
visited the local Baptist church, and the pastor came to pay me a visit one
evening when a neighbor was there. As we all chatted, my neighbor remarked that
it seemed like the pastor and I were old friends, when in reality we had just
met. Of course, we had more in common than our faith in Jesus Christ. He had
also attended the seminary in Fort Worth. And we were working in the same
denomination. So from the outset we had a lot in common. But my neighbor’s
remark that it seemed like we were old friends even though we had just met has
always stayed with me. I’d like to think that any time Christians come
together, it’s like a reunion of old friends.
Of course, that’s not always the case. There are so many
different approaches to living out the Christian faith that we don’t always
have that much in common. Some Christians are traditional, some are not. Some
are conservative, some are middle of the road, and some are very liberal. And
those differences can make it hard for us to feel connected in any meaningful
way to people who share our faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, some churches don’t
want to be united with those who do things differently, even though they share
the same faith in Jesus Christ. And while most of us may not believe that
“difference” means “heresy,” practically speaking we know that we simply tend
to divide ourselves into groups based on our cultural, political, and social
views. Even when it comes to individual congregations, it’s hard to find a
church where everyone is on the same page.
This situation is not for lack of trying to promote unity (or
even enforce it). Many churches use agreement regarding what they believe to
achieve unity. In fact, they can be pretty heavy-handed in the way they impose
that “agreement.” Some of you may have had the experience I’ve had going to certain
denominations that ask you not to take communion unless you believe just like
they do. Other churches seek unity through organizational uniformity, through a
ladder of authority that works from the top down. Again, depending on those who
are in positions of authority, the situation can be healthy or not. In our
context, we seek unity through what is essentially a policy manual, the Book
of Order. As much as I love being Presbyterian and believe in our tradition,
I would have to say that all these well-intentioned efforts at promoting (or
enforcing) unity have in reality been ventures in missing the point. They
really haven’t succeeded at producing unity in the church at all.
I think part of the problem is that we’re looking in the
wrong direction for unity. We think somehow that we can find it through our own
efforts. But in our Gospel lesson for today, Jesus pointed us toward a very
different source for our unity with one another. Jesus called his disciples to
a unity that’s grounded in the unity of love between the Father and the Son.
Jesus prays, “Father, just as you are in me and I am in you, may they also be
in us” (Jn. 17:21). He says it in several different ways, but basically Jesus
prayed for the disciples, and all those who would believe in the future, “that
they may be one as we are one” (Jn. 17:22-23). Clearly, what creates a real and
lasting unity in the church is the love that unites Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. We know that by experience. Real connection comes from building relationships
and developing mutual trust and respect. And for us to have any real unity, we
first have to have a relationship in which we feel connected to one another.
I think that all may be fairly straightforward. I guess the
question, though, is how we promote the love of God among people like us, who
hold very different opinions about what we deem important in life. How do we
promote the love that unites Father, Son, and Holy Spirit among people like us
who get very attached to our opinions, and who can at times be stubborn about
holding onto differing viewpoints? I think what it takes is a unity that’s
deeper and stronger than anything we can create ourselves. What really makes
the church one is the unity that God creates—the church is the one people of
the one God. It’s the unity that Jesus Christ creates—the church is the one
people of the one Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It’s the unity that the Spirit
of God creates—the church is the one people of the one Holy Spirit. That’s the
unity that makes the church—all people who put their trust in Jesus Christ—live.
I don’t believe this kind of unity is about the absence of
difference. All we have to do to verify that is to look around the room! As
I’ve said before, I believe that one of the signs of the health of any human
community is the ability to disagree agreeably. The bond created among us by
the presence of the love of God in Christ through the Spirit doesn’t eliminate our
differences. What it means is that the differences don’t divide us, they make
us stronger. And I think the way that happens is when we respond to our
differences by practicing acceptance, humility, and patience. These are ties
that bind us together and help us to thrive in the love we share with one
another, the love that originates in God’s love for us.
A lot of people have been asking for a long while the
question of how the church can thrive in these difficult times. I believe that
living out the unity we share in God’s love is one of the most important ways
we can work to enhance the health, the strength, and the vitality of this or
any other church. In our day and time, the church is divided by race, divided
by class, divided by politics, divided by beliefs. In a very real sense, we in
the church reflect the divisions of our society at large. I don’t think that’s
a good thing, but I also don’t think we have any power to change that, because
we’re all human beings. But all these divisions contradict what Jesus said
should be our defining trait: “By this everyone will know that you are my
disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13:35). Because we come from
different perspectives and backgrounds, because we have differing opinions and
viewpoints, the kind of love Jesus commanded us to show one another can be
difficult at times, but I think we have to try.
Even in the best of times, loving others in the way that
Jesus loves us takes all that we have to give. But in a world that seems
increasingly lacking in love, it can be even more of a challenge. I would
suggest that demonstrating the love that makes us one may be the most important
way we can show the world that the church is a place to find new life. Perhaps
the most meaningful way we can work to draw other people into the fellowship of
this congregation is by working on the relationships we have with one another.
When our relationships demonstrate a genuine concern and respect for one
another, a heartfelt care, I think people cannot help but notice, and I think
they’ll be drawn to join us. And they’ll be drawn by the love that makes us
one.
[1] ©
2025 Alan Brehm. A sermon delivered by Rev. Alan Brehm PhD on 6/1/2025 for
Hickman Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE.
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