Sermons on John 17:21-23

John 17:21-23 Interpretation:

Reclaiming Unity: Strengthening Our Church Community (Harvest Fellowship Artesia) interprets John 17:21-23 as a call for unity within the church, emphasizing that the unity among believers serves as a testimony to the world of God's love and the truth of Jesus' mission. The sermon highlights that Jesus' prayer for unity is not just about agreement but about embodying the love and oneness that Jesus shares with the Father. This unity is seen as a powerful witness to the world, demonstrating the reality of God's love and the authenticity of Jesus' mission.

Embracing Intimacy: Unity in the Trinity (Dallas Willard Ministries) interprets John 17:21-23 by emphasizing the deep intimacy and shared experience within the Trinity, which Jesus desires for his followers. The sermon uses the analogy of a mother and child to illustrate the growing intimacy and shared experience that believers are invited into with the Trinity. The sermon also highlights the distinction between Oneness and identity, explaining that the Trinity's unity is not about subordination but about mutual admiration and love, which believers are called to emulate.

Embracing Christian Unity Through Love and Truth (Crazy Love) interprets John 17:21-23 by focusing on the profound unity that Jesus prays for, which is modeled after the unity within the Trinity. The sermon emphasizes that this unity is not superficial but deeply theological, akin to the perfect unity between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The sermon challenges the notion that unity is a simplistic or immature pursuit, arguing instead that it is a deep theological truth that reflects the essence of the Trinity.

Unity in Diversity: God's Kingdom Perspective on Race (Tony Evans) interprets John 17:21-23 by emphasizing the concept of unity as "oneness of purpose" rather than "sameness of being." The sermon uses the analogy of the Olympics, where athletes from diverse backgrounds come together to represent their country, to illustrate how Christians should unite under God's kingdom agenda. The sermon also uses the metaphor of emulsification, comparing the unity of diverse racial groups to the process of making mayonnaise, where eggs act as an emulsifier to bring oil and water together. This analogy highlights the role of the cross as the emulsifier that unites different groups in Christ.

Unity in Christ: Embracing Our Shared Hope (MLJTrust) interprets John 17:21-23 by focusing on the unity of the church as a reflection of the unity within the Holy Trinity. The sermon emphasizes that the unity of the church is not something created by humans but is established by God through the Holy Spirit. The sermon uses the analogy of the human body to describe the organic unity of the church, where different parts work together as one. The sermon also highlights the importance of looking forward to the hope of our calling, rather than dwelling on past divisions, as a means to promote unity.

John 17:21-23 Theological Themes:

Reclaiming Unity: Strengthening Our Church Community (Harvest Fellowship Artesia) presents the theme that unity among believers is a reflection of the divine relationship between Jesus and the Father. The sermon emphasizes that this unity is not just for the sake of harmony but serves a greater purpose of revealing God's love to the world. The unity of believers is portrayed as a living testimony that can attract non-believers to the faith, showing them the love and truth of the Gospel.

Embracing Intimacy: Unity in the Trinity (Dallas Willard Ministries) presents the theme of non-subordination within the Trinity as a model for Christian unity. The sermon suggests that just as there is no subordination within the Trinity due to mutual admiration and love, Christians are called to a similar unity that transcends hierarchical structures.

Embracing Christian Unity Through Love and Truth (Crazy Love) introduces the theme of unity as a reflection of the Trinity's essence. The sermon argues that true Christian unity is not about compromising truth but about embodying the deep, relational unity that exists within the Trinity. This unity is seen as a command from God and a reflection of His nature.

Unity in Diversity: God's Kingdom Perspective on Race (Tony Evans) presents the theme of unity as a critical component of Christian witness and the reflection of God's glory. The sermon emphasizes that racial unity is essential for the advancement of God's kingdom and that divisions hinder the church's mission. The sermon introduces the concept of "one new man" from Ephesians 2, highlighting the transformative power of the cross in creating unity among diverse groups.

Unity in Christ: Embracing Our Shared Hope (MLJTrust) introduces the theme of unity as a reflection of the Holy Trinity. The sermon emphasizes that the unity of the church is a divine creation, not a human effort, and that it mirrors the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The sermon also highlights the eschatological aspect of unity, where the church is being prepared for a future glory and the ultimate establishment of God's kingdom.

John 17:21-23 Historical and Contextual Insights:

Embracing Intimacy: Unity in the Trinity (Dallas Willard Ministries) provides historical context by discussing the cultural understanding of identity and Oneness during biblical times. The sermon explains that misunderstandings about the Trinity often arise from confusing Oneness with identity, which was a common issue in early Christian theological debates.

John 17:21-23 Cross-References in the Bible:

Reclaiming Unity: Strengthening Our Church Community (Harvest Fellowship Artesia) references Ephesians 6:12 to emphasize that the real battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces. This passage is used to support the idea that divisions within the church are not caused by people but by spiritual battles, and that believers should focus on fighting these spiritual battles together rather than against each other. The sermon also references Matthew 18:15-17 to outline the biblical process for resolving conflicts within the church, emphasizing the importance of addressing issues directly and with the goal of reconciliation.

Embracing Intimacy: Unity in the Trinity (Dallas Willard Ministries) references the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19, explaining that being baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is an invitation into the communitarian fellowship of the Trinity. This cross-reference is used to support the idea that believers are called into the same intimate unity that exists within the Trinity.

Embracing Christian Unity Through Love and Truth (Crazy Love) references Ephesians 4, which speaks about being rooted and grounded in love to comprehend the love of God. This passage is used to emphasize that unity is deeply connected to experiencing and embodying God's love, which surpasses mere knowledge.

Unity in Diversity: God's Kingdom Perspective on Race (Tony Evans) references Ephesians 2, where Paul speaks about the unity of Jews and Gentiles through the blood of Christ. The sermon uses this passage to illustrate how the cross acts as an emulsifier, bringing together groups that were previously divided. The sermon also references Revelation 7:9, where people from every nation and tribe are seen in heaven, to emphasize the eternal nature of racial diversity and unity in God's kingdom.

Unity in Christ: Embracing Our Shared Hope (MLJTrust) references Ephesians 4:4-6, where Paul speaks about the unity of the Spirit and the one hope of our calling. The sermon uses this passage to emphasize the divine origin of the church's unity and the importance of focusing on the hope of our calling to maintain unity. The sermon also references Ephesians 1:13-14, where Paul speaks about the Holy Spirit as a seal and earnest of our inheritance, to highlight the eschatological aspect of unity.

John 17:21-23 Christian References outside the Bible:

Reclaiming Unity: Strengthening Our Church Community (Harvest Fellowship Artesia) does not explicitly reference any non-biblical Christian authors or theologians in its discussion of John 17:21-23.

Embracing Intimacy: Unity in the Trinity (Dallas Willard Ministries) explicitly references Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book "Life Together," highlighting Bonhoeffer's insights into Christian community and the safety found in Christ-centered fellowship. The sermon uses Bonhoeffer's work to illustrate the dangers of alienation and the transformative power of unity in Christ.

John 17:21-23 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Reclaiming Unity: Strengthening Our Church Community (Harvest Fellowship Artesia) does not provide any illustrations from secular sources specifically related to John 17:21-23.

Embracing Intimacy: Unity in the Trinity (Dallas Willard Ministries) uses the analogy of a mother and child to illustrate the growing intimacy and shared experience that believers are invited into with the Trinity. This secular analogy helps to convey the depth of relational unity that Jesus prays for in John 17:21-23.

Unity in Diversity: God's Kingdom Perspective on Race (Tony Evans) uses the analogy of the Olympics to illustrate how individuals from diverse backgrounds can unite under a common purpose. The sermon also uses the metaphor of emulsification, specifically the process of making mayonnaise, to explain how the cross unites diverse groups in Christ. Additionally, the sermon uses the illustration of a football team, where players of different races and backgrounds come together under one uniform to achieve a common goal, to emphasize the importance of unity in the church.