John 17:20-26
"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. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. "Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."
Mary Hinkle Shore connects this prayer with the prayer at Gethsemane (in the synoptics) when the disciples fell asleep. Reading this prayer, I find it hard to criticize the disciples so much.
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It is interesting, that in some of the reading I’ve done on this text, folks have not really addressed the “oneness” thing.
How do you not?
What else could this text be about?
Granted, I don’t understand it.
But that sure seems to be what it is about.
One who seems not to speak about oneness is Mary Hinkle Shore in Workingpreacher writes:
How do you feel when someone prays out loud for you? When I asked a few friends this question, these words surfaced: comforted, vulnerable, grateful, honored, humbled, awkward but appreciative, like someone really cares. Maybe one of the reasons it is so easy to turn John 17 into a "to do" list for the church is that such a list is easier to manage than such an experience as intimate as being the subject of another's prayer. . .
Not bad, eh?
That made me think about the people who won’t let the congregation pray for them, won’t let their weaknesses (or those of family members) be mentioned in the announcements. . .
Still, I have his nagging feeling that the text is about oneness.
What is it about the Gospel of John that sends one off, waxing poetic?
That is, people other than me. . .
Some excerpts from some good comments by William Loader
It was not that Jesus came offering new information. Rather his life is to be seen as an offer of relationship, a hand stretched out from God. 17:23 ensures we do not miss the essential ingredient: the relationship is not any kind of relationship; it is one characterised by love.
. . . Unity is not an extra; it is the essence of what it means to be Christian. The key words like reconciliation, atonement, assume its centrality. Did John imagine uniformity? It is striking that the gospel depicts considerable diversity in responses to Jesus.
. . . Oneness in sharing God’s life as love is a broad and inclusive platform upon which many can stand and which can tolerate great diversity. There is no place for hate, prejudice, writing people off. . . John’s style of theology gives support to a generous theology.
Also not bad. But, I’m not sure what to do with it.
In this prayer, Jesus asks the impossible. Could there be some insight in this very fact? Some insight for preaching? A sort “aim high” thing? I don’t mean that sardonically. I mean to ask whether there is something to the fact that Jesus asks for this which Jesus might well have known would not - could not - be realized this side of glory?
For all my whining about the Gospel of John, I suspect that there is some good stuff to be said from here. . .
any ideas for good direction?
5 comments:
I just thought of another title for an entry on this text:
"There's No I in Team!!"
The entry in this fine blog 3 years ago is better than this year's.
That's because it is by Parsonage Basement.
Titled "The One Campaign"
You can look it up.
http://dolessharm.blogspot.com/2007/05/one-campaign.html
Good conversation following that one too. I liked my comments best. Okay, Parsonage Basement pushes us to see the cross here. . .
we could do worse, couldn't we?
Never Admit Limitations Church
Just the fact that Jesus ws praying for us is a big deal! I wish I was a prayer warrior- more like a prayer pipsqueak! I'm enjoying Carter's book "the Third REformation" on the Holy spirit in the Lutheran history!
seems like love is the key, and a way that love is shown reveals God- pretty awesome!
Joash -
I used to wish I was a prayer warrior.
Couldn't measure up. Poor soldier, I guess.
Continually demoted
I guess I'm a Prayer Stretcher Bearer.
Thinking about it, prayer warrior sounds kinda militaristic.
Yes, there are spiritual battles to fight, but might Jesus show that the way to enter the battle is more cruciform than combative?
Don't worry about being a green beret, just reach out and touch that bier, join the One who chose to take up a cross, rather than a sword.
And pray away. . .
I think I'm going to lead the congregation in singing "we ARe One In The Spirit" - it's a great song that fits with this lesson.
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