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John 17:21-23 - UNITY: One with Jesus and the Father.

John 17:21-23 (NLT) I pray that they will 
all be one, just as you and I are one - as you 
are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they 
be in us so that the world will believe you 
sent me. 22 I have given them the glory you 
gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I 
am in them and you are in me. May they 
experience such perfect unity that the world will know 
that you sent me and that you love them as much 
as you love me.  

WORD STUDY

   The glory of God is the sum total of all 
that He is, the expression of His character. It 
is the manifestation of all that He is in 
Himself, His marvelous attributes. We have a 
difficult time grasping the concept of Gods glory 
because there is nothing like it on earth. While it 
is true that "The heavens are telling of the 
glory of God" (Psalm 19:1), it is also true that 
sin has put Gods creation into bondage and 
robbed God of glory (Romans 8:18-25). Psalm 19 
makes special mention of the sun as an 
illustration of Gods glory, and perhaps that is the 
closest we can come to finding a picture. Just as 
the rays of the sun cannot be separated from the 
sun itself, so Jesus Christ cannot be separated 
from God, because He is God. 
   The amazing thing is this: Those who have 
trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior possess this 
glory now (John 17:22) and will see Gods glory 
and share it in heaven one day (John 17:24). God 
does not need man or anything else in order to be 
glorious. He is glorious in Himself and eternally 
self-sufficient. Yet in His grace, He deigned to share His 
glory with sinful man! And Jesus Christ was 
willing to lay aside His glory to die so that 
sinners, all of whom have fallen short of Gods 
glory (Romans 3:23), might receive that glory. 
Prayer: Basic Training by Warren W. Wiersbe 

INTRODUCTION

   The mark of a Christian should be love. 
In Matthew 22:37-40, we read that the two 
greatest commandments are to love God and to love our 
neighbor. In John 13:35, Jesus says, "By this everyone 
will know that you are my disciples, if you love 
one another." In John 17:21, Jesus says that if 
we have unity based on love, the world will 
believe that Jesus was sent from God. They will see 
Jesus in his people.  
   This unity goes well beyond a common 
purpose, similar values and an ability to get along. 
It's the same kind of unity experienced by the 
Father and Son: actual oneness in spirit - "just as 
you are in me and I am in you," as Jesus said to 
the Father in verse 21. That kind of union in 
love convinces the world that we are genuinely 
children of God and followers of Jesus. [NIV Once A 
Day Bible re John 17:20-23] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

   I love to make Kitchen Sink soup. 
Its made from whatever veggies I find in the 
refrigerator and some chicken broth. Two things are true 
about it: its always delicious, and it never 
comes out the same.  
   My world as a believer is like that pot 
of soup. Most of the time Im scrambling from 
one errand to another, and I dont always know 
what Jesus has planned for me. Just as unexpected 
ingredients meld together into a delicious meal, I can 
be surprised at the who and what He 
adds into my day. When peace and joy flood those 
unscheduled moments, I stand in awe of His grace.  
   My faith life isnt made up solely of 
church and Bible studies. Though those activities 
add flavor to my time just as veggies build a 
tasty broth, they alone dont define me as a 
Christian. Instead, my trust in Jesus grows stronger as 
I meet the challenges Hes chosen for me.  
   Jesus is with me every minute, helping me 
add spice to the lives of others. He knows what 
ingredients are missing, both in theirs and mine. As I 
reach out in obedience, He nourishes my soul. by 
Heidi Gaul  
   Faith Step: Volunteer to serve at a soup 
kitchen, keeping watch for what and who Jesus adds 
into your time there. Notice how He feeds your 
faith as you act in obedience to Him. [Mornings 
With Jesus 2020 Devotional by Guideposts and 
Zondervan] 

COMMENTARY

   Before I heard the gospel message, the 
love that Christians had for each other won me 
over. I watched them on my high school campus and 
thought, Is this for real, or are they making this 
up? Is this an act? Do these people really love 
each other? 
   After all, I was used to hanging around 
with people that I liked. Certain kids hung 
around certain kids. But as I watched the 
Christians, I realized they were from every kind of 
background imaginable, yet they obviously had something 
in common. 
   When Christians are unified and when they 
love one another, its a powerful witness to a 
lost and divided world. And that is just what 
Jesus wants for us. 
   In Johns gospel we find His prayer for 
us: I pray that they will all be one, just as 
you and I are one"as you are in me, Father, 
and I am in you. And may they be in us so that 
the world will believe you sent me (17:21 
nlt). 
   Now, Im not calling for unity at any 
cost because truth is important. But sometimes 
Christians divide over ridiculous things. Theyll get 
upset over some minor thing, so they decide to 
leave fellowship altogether. 
   It reminds me of a story I heard about a 
man who had been stranded on a desert island. 
When rescuers finally found him, they noticed 
hed built three huts on the island. 
   I built those huts myself, he told 
them. 
   Wow! What is this hut here?
   Thats my house.
   How about this one?
   Thats my church.
   Thats fantastic! And whats the 
third hut? 
   Well, he said, thats the 
church I used to go to. 
   As Christians, we should seek to live in 
unity and love one another as Christ has loved us. 
[Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie] 

   God often speaks of human relationships 
as a part of His mission to redeem a lost world 
(John 13:20; Mt 25:40). One reason He gives for a 
husband and wife to live in unity is so they can 
produce a godly seed, that is, children who 
love and obey God, who can be used in Gods 
mission to bring redemption to a lost world (Mal 
2:14"15). Similarly, the church is the body of Christ. 
A church cannot be on mission with the Father 
in our world if its members are waging war with 
one another (1Co 12:12). There is a crucial 
connection between our relationships with others and 
the salvation of those around us. 
   We might assume that during Jesus 
prayer before His crucifixion, He would have prayed 
that His disciples would have courage, or would 
remain faithful, or would remember what they had 
been taught. Yet He asked that His followers 
would remain united in their love for one another. 
Jesus understood that it is spiritually impossible 
to love God but not love others. 
   A test of your love for God is to examine 
your love for others. Our tendency is to say, 
Heavenly Father, the problem is not between You and 
me. I love You with all my heart. I just dont 
love my brother. And God says, That is an 
impossibility. You cannot love Me without loving the ones 
for whom My Son died (John 13:34"35). Your 
life will not convince those around you of the 
reality of Jesus if you cannot live in unity with 
your fellow Christians. [Experiencing God Day by 
Day by Henry and Richard Blackaby re Joh.17:21] 

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

As you turn your attention to Me, feel the 
Light of My Presence shining upon you. Open your 
mind and heart to receive My heavenly smile of 
approval. Let My gold-tinged Love wash over you and 
soak into the depths of your being. As you are 
increasingly filled with My Being, you experience joyous 
union with Me: I in you, and you in Me. Your 
Joy-in-Me and My Joy-in-you become intertwined and 
inseparable. I suffuse your soul with Joy in My Presence; 
at My right hand there are pleasures 
forevermore. (John 17:20-23; Psa. 16:11) [Jesus Calling 
by Sarah Young] 

TEXT FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC

Jeremiah 32:39 (NIV) I will give them 
singleness of heart and action, so that they will 
always fear me for their own good and the good of 
their children after them. 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

Importance of Choice: 
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]  

Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David 
DeRose, MD, MPH: 
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides: 
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2 

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor: 
https://www.revelationnow.com/ 

Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of 
Adventist World Radio (recent): 
https://bible.awr.org/en/the-signs/ 

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: 
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657