The Joy of Gospel Unity (Philippians 1:27-2:5), Will DuVal | 9/13/26
“Why is unity so important to JESUS? Consider this: Of all the really important things that Jesus could have prayed for his disciples on their final night together in the Upper Room just before his crucifixion – he could have prayed for protection for them, for courage, for FAITH… – but what did he PRAY? What was the thing he wanted most for them… and for US?
UNITY: “Holy Father, keep them in your name… that they may be ONE, even as we are one” (Jn 17:11). Jesus made it CLEAR, in John 17, this wasn’t just a prayer for the 12 disciples sitting around the table with him that night; he said, ““I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, [who’s THAT, Church? That’s US! All Christians who have BELIEVED in Jesus thanks to the written – and LIVED – testimonies of the apostles; Jesus prayed for US…] 21 that [we] may all be ONE… PERFECTLY one (he prayed)… just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, [he prayed that we would be as UNIFIED as the TRI-une GOD] that they also may be in us, [that’s HOW we do it; we come together as ONE to the extent that we are IN CHRIST; HE is not divided, so neither can His BODY be; that’s the “WHO, WHAT, and HOW” of Christian unity; but here is Jesus’s WHY; John 17:21-] so that the world may believe that you [Father] have sent me.” (17:20-23)”