The Church Explained – 5/10/09
Sermon Series: The Church: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Title: The Church Explained
Text: John 17:14-23
Theme: This message will highlight the purpose for which the Church was being born among the Apostles as they are prepared by Jesus to take on the mission which the Father has in mind for the Church.
Introduction: Some psychologists have suggested that there are basically two kinds of people in the world – those that initially tend to say yes and those that initially tend to say no. Which kind of person are you? I am definitely one of those people who tend to say yes, usually before I even have all of the facts before me. Because of this little annoying personality trait I have gotten myself into situations which were quite uncomfortable.
One of the things that amazes me as I read the Gospel record of the men that followed Jesus and came to be known as the disciples is how little of the program they were aware of before they signed on to the whole package. In the passages that talk about the calling of the disciples it looks like Jesus simply invites them to come along. To be a part of this incredible journey that he was on and they dropped what they were doing and said yes.
While it is true that there are several times in the historical narrative that Jesus gives them glimpses of the full mission that He has in mind for them but we really don’t get a lot of information about what He has in mind till almost the end of the story.
Transition: The passage which we read today takes place as Jesus and the Disciples are gathered in the upper room. The Seder meal has already taken place. Jesus has already given them a lesson on real kingdom leadership by washing their feet, the Lord’s Supper has been instituted and Judas has already left to fulfill the mission of treachery which he has been paid for. As we read these chapters of John we can just feel that Jesus has been pouring His heart into the lives of these men that he been preparing for the last two and half years. His time is short and the road ahead is going to be difficult.
This particular section is part of what is commonly referred to as the High Priestly prayer of the Savior. Jesus closes his teaching with this prayer which first focuses on God’s mission and then the continuing mission of the disciples and finally he prays for all of us those who believe on account of their word. The transition in these verses takes place ay verse 20.
If you are the kind that does not mind marking in your Bible I would suggest that you underline or highlight the following comparative conjunction in this passage. It is a translation of the Greek word “kathos” and is usually translated “even as”, “just as”, “any more than” or simply “as”. This conjunction can be found 6 times in the passage that we read from. They are found in verse 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, and 23. And as we trace this word throughout the passage we see that Jesus is declaring that our understanding of our place and our commission is based on His place with God and His commission.
1) Separated from the World
a) This principle is the most often repeated in this passage. We find it in verses 14, 16 and 19 as well.
b) Our first priority
i) As God’s church we have to relearn our place in this world. For most of us our identity is wrapped up in our citizenship. We are Americans we proclaim proudly: the greatest country on earth. While that may be true, once we find our names enrolled on the book of life our first priority is now a citizenship based on our allegiance to the kingdom emanating from God and not the one emanating from Washington D.C.
ii) While this citizenship does not take away from our country of origin, indeed as Christians we should be better citizens, but it does force us acknowledge our priorities. Our primary citizenship also means that every area of our lives is informed by our first allegiance.
c) In and not of this world
i) This was the message consistently preached by Jesus.
(1) Matt. 5:14 – the light of the world a city set on a hill
(2) John 15:18-19, 17:14
ii) Jesus consistently preached that those who believe in Him are no longer a part of this world though they continue to live in it. This tension can leave a difficult place for us to walk. We walk the tightrope of knowing that we have heart ties to the things of this world but that all of them are but temporary apparitions of our eternal life. Without this eternal focus we will never be able to walk the Christian path which is set before us.
2) Commissioned with a message vs. 18
a) Just as Jesus was sent with a mission so are His disciples.
b) So many times we view the Christian walk as something that we have arrived at, this is never the case. The Christian walk is wrapped up in a mission without this missional understanding of our place in this world we will never be able to share in the joy that God has destined for us.
c) This commissioning in the Church is so vital that most of the offices in our organization were named not for title but for vital function that each fulfilled.
i) Apostles are so named because we have transliterated the Greek word which means “one sent with a commission”.
ii) Deacons are another example of an office named for its function. Deacon is another transliteration of the “diakinon” which means servant or minister.
iii) One of the words which describes elders in the NT –“episkopos” in its verb form means to care for and have tender oversight over others.
iv) Prophets are another example of the same mechanics.
d) The Church is not an organization that we arrive at in order to find membership in some kind of civic oddfellows hall, it is the group of people that God has called together to accomplish the most important task in the history of our world.
3) Unified
a) Our unity is not based on something as flippant as how we do Church but instead on the theological fact that Jesus and God the Father are one. Because they are one, we must be one.
b) Does that mean that we have to share in every aspect of worship with our Christian brothers around the world, NO! But it does mean that we have to share in an understanding of common citizenship and purpose.
c) This unity serves a further purpose, other than helping us in our service to one another. The passage goes on to tell us that it is a testament to the rest of the world that they may know that Jesus was sent from God and His mission is wrapped up in God’s love for Him and the world.
d) This passage tells us that we are to be made perfect in unity. The word used here is one which communicates the idea that we are brought along to completion. We are finished when we experience the unity which God has in mind for us.
i) Sanding the final product.
4) Loved By God
a) The incredible truth which the Jewish population had a hard time swallowing was that God was the author of this redemptive mission of incredible sacrifice for one reason – He loves us.
i) Rob Bell’s view of theology – it is all about God.
b) When we base our lives on the understanding that we have a loving, all-powerful creator who went to this length on our behalf it makes a difference.
i) Hate becomes more than an inconvenience it becomes a filthy rag.
ii) Jealousy and bigotry and all of the things that drive the negative aspects of our society become so small and meaningless next to the giant , colossal, manifestation of God’s love for His creation.
