Living In Community

Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost

First Sunday after national election

Baptism today of 10-month-old Kyle

Selections from John 17

• Two weeks ago I ran the Hershey Half Marathon with 4,000 other runners, but I ran alone. No complaints, but there’s something better about running with somebody… experience coulda been fuller.

        Jesus coulda lived perfect life in solitude, but he had work to do among people. Intentional interaction was vitally important.

• This prayer of Jesus (in John 17)… Jesus earnestly eagerly desperately desires to be with us, as individuals and as community. It's easy to say “Jesus loves you, Jesus loves me” but different to think on Jesus desperately wants unity… wants us to be with him, wants us to be one with each other.

• In many ways painful awareness of divided nation, seems like it gets a little hotter every election, and I’m not just talking about climate change.

• Perhaps we don’t feel there’s a lot we can do on national level. But we can do things locally.

• Three things from Jesus’ prayer:
1. Humility (Jesus looked up, he is also aware of who he is in relation to the Father, he is not arrogant). 
2. Jesus works. (17:4 I have finished the work you gave me to do, and that glorifies you.) 
3. Jesus prays. Specifically for unity.

• If we seek unity…
1. humility. Know who we are, who we aren’t, and who God is. 
2. work.  Want unity, work with someone. Intentionally interact with someone who is not likeminded (recall Matt 5 don’t just love the lovable). Remember to be humble.
3. pray. Pray with, pray specifically for unity, success. Is it possible with God, amen?

• At the end of the day, it’s better (& glorifying to God) if folks get along, intentionally working together. And we can work towards that. And Jesus is awesome God all over the world, over people of all differences.

• closing song: He Reigns