WEBVTT 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:01.760 Alright. 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:04.400 We are going to continue our series in John. 00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:08.720 If you have a Bible with you, please open it to John chapter 17. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:10.800 We're in verses 20 through 26. 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:14.960 If you don't have a Bible with you, we will have the text on the screen. 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:34.799 You've heard this, and you know, they attribute that the prayers of their mom or grandma to the intervention of God in their life. 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:38.079 Well, what if you had a pray in Jesus? 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:40.880 What difference would that make in your life? 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:50.880 I bring that up because in our text today, we're gonna say, we're gonna see that 2,000 years ago, before he went to the cross, Jesus prayed for us. 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:56.079 Hear the word of God from John chapter 17, verses 20 through 26. 00:00:56.799 --> 00:01:02.719 He says, I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:15.200 That's us, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:21.920 The glory that you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one, even as we are one. 00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:30.640 I in them, and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them even as you loved me. 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:41.040 Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:47.200 A righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:55.359 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:57.040 Please pray with me. 00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:12.879 God, that we would understand what it is that you're praying for us, that we could lean in to this grace given us by your prayer thousands of years ago, that even now you plead for us. 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:20.479 Be with us now as we look closely at your word. 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:26.479 May it transform what you intend to transform and shape us into a people for your name. 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:27.360 Amen. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:33.840 Uh one time I uh believe it or not did a backpacking trip around Ireland. 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:36.800 I know, me backpacking, um, I did. 00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:44.159 Uh, and one of the places I visited was Northern Ireland, which is, if you didn't know, a different country than Ireland, I know. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:45.439 It's controversial. 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:52.719 Uh one of the places I went was the second largest city there, a place that the very name of it is controversial. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:59.599 Uh, I'll call it just because I have to call it something Derry, although some will insist it is called Londonderry. 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:04.319 Okay, it is it is uh famously the site of Bloody Sunday. 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:09.120 If you know the U2 song Sunday, Bloody Sunday, that's what they're singing about. 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:14.560 And as you can tell, they're very emotional about it because some emotional things happened there. 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:22.000 Now, this was one of the main sites of what's called the troubles in Northern Ireland. 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:28.960 And in fact, there has been uh back in the 17th century, there was a battle fought there. 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:37.120 Catholic invading forces were were trying to get into the Protestant city of Derry, and they shut the doors. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:37.599 Right? 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:44.159 So the Catholics were outside, the Protestants were inside, and interestingly, it's still like that right now. 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:46.000 I I stood on the walls. 00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:49.840 It's one of those old walled cities where you could stand on the walls, they're so wide. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:04:03.280 And when you look down at what's called the Bog Side, uh, which is the Catholic Republican neighborhood, uh, you see signs that are, it says they have a huge sign that's really visible from the walls. 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:05.919 It says, you're now entering free dairy. 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:08.400 And they had murals. 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:12.319 Like I was like, hey, you know, Bloody Sunday was, you know, years and years ago. 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:14.960 Surely they're not, surely it's chill there now. 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:19.519 Well, they had pictures up of the Battle of the Bogside, uh, murals that they had painted. 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:22.000 They're everywhere, right? 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:24.160 You is it up behind me right now? 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:25.519 Yeah, there we go. 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:27.439 That's what you're looking at. 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:29.680 They're not over it, are they? 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:31.920 It's still there currently. 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:48.319 And if you were wondering if it was all on one side, well, inside the city is Protestant, and they have these huge signs that say, you know, we're still under siege, no surrender, and the the curbs are painted red, white, and blue. 00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:49.120 Right? 00:04:49.439 --> 00:04:56.480 So as I stood there, this division was stark and obvious. 00:04:56.720 --> 00:05:04.079 Now the thing is, is uh if you were familiar uh with the troubles, they called the one side Catholic, the other Protestant. 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:07.199 It was a political fight, not a theological one. 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:08.160 But you know what? 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:15.680 There was a lot of sincere Christians on both sides, and their faith in Christ was not bringing them together. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:26.319 In fact, in many ways, the Christian faith was used to turn up the heat on this on this division and antipathy. 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:39.439 I don't know about you, but when I see God's people divided one against the other, it it does, I find it to be the most discouraging thing. 00:05:39.680 --> 00:05:40.000 Right? 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:44.000 Like we all know there's evil and suffering in the world, that's the nature of the fall. 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:52.639 But when people who are both in Christ are at each other like that, it makes it makes us so discouraged. 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:55.920 We just say, can this thing be real? 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:57.279 Right? 00:05:57.519 --> 00:06:01.600 Because the thing is, is right along with sin comes division. 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:08.480 When we look at the Bible, the story of the Bible, when when humanity falls, the first thing we see is what? 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:12.160 That the man and the woman, the first two human beings, divide against each other. 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:13.519 They start blaming each other. 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:15.120 God's like, what did you do? 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:17.519 And the man's like, shoot at it. 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:19.680 And then and then he's like, what did you do? 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:21.920 And the woman's like, the snake did it. 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:26.240 And right, like like the the blame, the blame is going around. 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:43.199 And then, you know, there is this announcement of the consequences that they are going to try and dominate one another, they're gonna be divided against each other, and if that's not enough, uh if that's not driven home enough in that chapter, the very next chapter is Cain and Abel. 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:53.199 Along with sin comes division, it's in its very nature to pit people against one another. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:07:05.839 And when we see it in the church, when we see God's people divided against one another, it is incredibly distressing and discouraging, and perhaps like nothing else, it makes people doubt. 00:07:07.439 --> 00:07:14.800 You know, it's just if if the if the spirit dwells in all these people, why are we so divided? 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:26.319 And it's also it also feels kind of hopeless because, you know, I mean, what's the hope that you could ever unify all the division that exists in the church? 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:34.160 People will point, well, you got all these denominations and all these sub-denominations and all these people who won't even join a denomination. 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:38.160 And like it's all kind of fractured, fractured, fractured. 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:44.399 How do you put together, how do you put back together something that is broken in a million pieces like that? 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:53.279 Jesus prays three times in this short prayer, in this short bit of the prayer. 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:54.319 What does he pray? 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:55.279 Did you notice? 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:59.040 He said that they would be one. 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:06.879 And he's not praying specifically for his current disciples, he prays specifically for his future disciples. 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:08.720 So what's going on? 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:12.560 Did God say no to Jesus' prayer? 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:15.600 Or did he say not yet to Jesus' prayer? 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:19.839 Or, as I'm gonna contend, did he say yes? 00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:22.800 Y'all think I'm crazy. 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:30.560 That in reality, as Jesus prayed, we are one. 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:36.639 I'm gonna try and convince you of this for the next little while here. 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:41.039 First of all, we are one like the Trinity is one. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:45.360 Yes, I said we are one like the Trinity is one. 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:48.000 Look at what he says in verse 21. 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:49.600 He said, What does he pray for us? 00:08:49.759 --> 00:09:02.960 That they may all be one, just as you, Father, and you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:14.000 Okay, so what is he saying that the very pattern of the relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is to be the same as the church's unity. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:14.799 Okay? 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:20.639 And the first thing we see there is that Father, Son, Holy Spirit, the Trinity is distinct. 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:22.720 They are distinct from one another. 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:27.759 Okay, that that is the pattern that in their unity they are not the same. 00:09:29.919 --> 00:09:33.440 The Father did not die on the cross for your sins. 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:37.440 The son did not descend at Pentecost. 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:40.399 Okay, the one true God did in both cases. 00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:41.759 Let the mind boggle. 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:43.279 If it hurts, you're doing it right. 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:43.840 Okay. 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:52.960 But in the unity of God Himself, there is also distinction. 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:57.039 It is not required that that unity means the same. 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:04.159 But also, we see that in that distinction there is unity, that God is united. 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:13.360 When we look at verses 22 and 23, and this is gonna get a little fiddly here, so follow it, follow with me. 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:21.679 He says, the glory that you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one, even as we are one. 00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:31.039 I and them, and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them as you loved me. 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:45.039 Now, you you see that this unity is expressed as not only are the father and son distinct, but that the son is in the father, the father is in the son, right? 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:49.039 And in the same way that we are in God, that is what he says. 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:51.279 I'm that's not me, it's not me, that's Jesus. 00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:53.120 And God is in us. 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:59.279 That type of close unity to where you are, you know, I don't even. 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:02.720 There is a theological term that I'm holding off on using. 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:07.360 But this is not something he's praying will happen. 00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:15.039 He's praying, this is something that already has happened, and how I know is that he uses what's called a perfect verb. 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:19.919 Okay, when we see the glory that you have given me, I have given them. 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:23.919 What the English is expressing there is a Greek perfect verb. 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:29.759 Here's the difference between a simple past tense and a perfect, and this is important, this is where it gets fiddly. 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:30.879 Okay? 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:39.840 If it just says, I gave them your glory, then that would simply mean at some point in the past the glory was given. 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:48.559 I have given the glory means that it was a past event with ongoing consequences, ongoing permanent consequences. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:49.679 That's a perfect. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:52.720 So, for instance, you have been born. 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:58.240 It's something that happened in the past with current ongoing consequences. 00:11:58.320 --> 00:11:59.600 Here you are, all born. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:00.480 Get it? 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:02.559 That's a perfect verb. 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:04.639 It is different from a past tense. 00:12:04.799 --> 00:12:08.480 He's praying in the perfect tense. 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:13.279 That the glory has been given, and what is the result of that glory? 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:15.679 He says that they would be one. 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:16.879 Do you notice? 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:19.440 And this is still fiddly, sorry about that. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:23.679 He says, the glory you have given me, I have given to them that. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:27.120 So that is a that is a result clause. 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:32.799 The result is they may be one even as we are one. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:39.440 Jesus is not hoping for something future at that moment, he is praying something present. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:42.639 So we are one like the Trinity. 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:46.240 We are distinct and united. 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:47.919 Why is this so important? 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:49.840 That we are distinct and united. 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:55.919 It's because a lot of the time what we call division is really just distinction. 00:12:56.639 --> 00:13:03.440 It is not required that that God's children agree on all things for them to be in unity. 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:04.159 Correct? 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:09.440 We don't even have that in this room, much less on planet Earth and throughout history. 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:12.159 There can be distinction. 00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:15.440 The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, right? 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:17.200 They are distinct. 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:23.840 It also doesn't mean that we have to become one giant institutional monolith across the planet. 00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:27.440 That's not required for us to be one. 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:29.200 We are one like the Trinity. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:32.639 We're distinct, yet we are united. 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:40.000 We are in Christ, Christ in us, just like every other believer on planet Earth. 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:42.639 Therefore, unity is a reality. 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:45.759 We are united, we are one like the Trinity. 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:46.960 Think about it like this. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:52.559 Because a lot of us are like, yeah, but I've seen Christians hate each other's guts. 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:54.480 Okay, fair enough. 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:55.919 That is true. 00:13:56.159 --> 00:14:01.120 Let's pretend, and this I hope this is not a self-fulfilling prophecy. 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:12.080 Let's say when my kids get to marrying, one of my kids is gonna marry someone whose dad I don't like and who doesn't like me. 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:16.320 In fact, we don't see eye to eye on anything. 00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:16.879 Okay? 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:19.679 He's meaning he's wrong. 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:26.000 And and he feels the same way about me. 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:33.039 And in fact, we don't get along to the point where we say, I don't care what anyone says, we're not family. 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:35.519 We both say it to each other. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:38.960 I I will never acknowledge you as family. 00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:40.559 But our kids get married. 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:41.919 Are we family? 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:43.840 You better believe it. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:47.279 The the unity is a reality even if we don't acknowledge it. 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:48.879 We are one. 00:14:49.440 --> 00:14:52.559 Now that brings up something uncomfortable for some of us. 00:14:53.919 --> 00:15:01.200 Because you'll say, perhaps, some of you, does that mean I am united to cultural enemies? 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:03.759 And I'm not making, I'm not minimizing this. 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:04.320 Okay? 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:11.679 Like people who from history or on planet earth right now who might hate you by category. 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:15.519 The answer is yes. 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:20.159 There are Hutus, spiritually united with Tutsis. 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:24.639 There are Kurds spiritually united with Turks. 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:29.200 There are Filipinos culturally united with Spanish. 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:33.440 I am spiritually united with anti-Semites. 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:37.919 I will say this also. 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:50.240 That those who entered glory, right, like people back in the day who did not like Jews, would not like this whole situation of me preaching to you at all, they have now repented. 00:15:53.039 --> 00:16:02.480 They are no longer anti-Semites and you know, people who were engaged in the colonial project that that caused such misery in the world. 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:04.080 They have fully repented. 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:05.519 And guess what? 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:10.240 You and I, when we get to glory, are gonna see our blind spots and repent too. 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:16.320 Because, let's remember, the only reason any of us are here is by grace. 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:22.639 And that does mean, yes, we are spiritually united to other sinners. 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:26.399 So what, in what way are we united? 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:28.879 So we're united as the Trinity is united. 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:35.840 We are one as the as the Trinity, but we are also one by God's self-revelation. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:41.679 We see that that in each time Jesus says that they would be one, there's something that causes it. 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:46.960 And we see in verse 22 that that the giving of God's glory is going to cause it. 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:54.799 He says in verse 22, the glory that you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one. 00:16:54.960 --> 00:17:03.200 I and them, you and me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:07.359 So, where do we see God's self-revelation here? 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:09.599 We see it in the word glory. 00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:16.799 When Jesus is saying, You have given your glory to me, glory refers to the manifestation of God's presence. 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:20.799 When God descended on Mount Sinai, it was called his glory. 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:25.039 Okay, when people are saying, show me your glory, it means show me who God is. 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:27.039 Reveal to me God. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:36.240 And so, first off, Jesus is saying his people receive God's self-revelation in him. 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:43.920 Okay, so when we receive Jesus as the revelation of God, we're united by that. 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:52.640 And also, and you guys are gonna think I'm crazy again, maybe this is a little crazy sermon, but I trust, trust me, I didn't come up with this. 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:55.200 This is just what he's saying. 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:58.559 We are God's self-revelation. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:03.519 Is it hot in here? 00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:05.039 No. 00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:07.519 Look at what he says. 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:11.920 She really doesn't like this term. 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:18.480 He says, the glory that you have given me, I have what? 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:24.559 Given to them that they may be one, even as we are one. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:32.079 So just as God manifested his presence in Jesus, so now Jesus gives that same glory, right? 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:33.680 God gave the glory to Jesus. 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:36.319 Jesus gives the glory to us. 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:42.079 We receive God's self-revelation, and we are God's self-revelation. 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:51.440 The world's primary problem, where all other, where all misery flows from, is that we're cut off from God. 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:59.119 It's that the world does not know God, and also left to our own devices, we can't know God. 00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:01.599 We can't. 00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:10.079 You would never if if if take away the whole story of Jesus, take away the whole story of the Bible, take away the Bible itself and everything else. 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:11.680 What do we know about God? 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:13.920 The answer is nothing at all. 00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:20.880 God is unknowable in that sense because He's there's a chasm between us we cannot cross. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:23.279 But God provides the solution. 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:24.720 You know what that is? 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:27.279 His own self-revelation. 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:35.200 Of course, through what he did in the Old Testament, but the high point, the fullness of that is Jesus himself. 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:38.960 God became flesh and dwelt among us. 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:44.640 Jesus is God's self-disclosure, and we receive God's revelation. 00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:53.759 Look, it is anyone who wants to say where is division in the church is going to point to the teaching of the church. 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:56.160 We disagree on all sorts of things. 00:19:56.319 --> 00:19:59.519 That's true, but also it's not. 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:24.640 And every Christian church on planet Earth throughout history holds to that. 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:27.039 So yeah, we're divided at the margins. 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:32.240 We are, there is massive agreement in the center, in the essentials. 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:32.799 Okay? 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:39.440 The Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, the Protestants all subscribe to those statements of faith. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:48.400 So still, to this day, throughout thousands of years, there is a remarkable amount of unity about God's self-revelation. 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:54.000 Now, what about this? 00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:56.319 We are God's self-revelation. 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:58.079 What does that mean? 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:08.559 In uh in Laguna Beach, uh California, nice place if you ever get to go there, um, they have something called the pageant of the masters. 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:09.680 Anyone ever heard of this? 00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:12.319 It's been going on for like 90 some odd years. 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:13.279 It's really cool. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:17.839 I could never afford to go, but I understand a lot of my friends were were in it. 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:19.759 Do you know what the pageant of the masters? 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:20.160 No? 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:21.039 No one's ever heard of this? 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:22.880 Oh, I got to introduce you to something so cool. 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:23.839 Here's what it is. 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:52.559 And obviously these people have time on their hands, but every summer, as part of the arts festival in Laguna, they have the Pageant of the Masters, which is they take great works of art, well-known works of art, and they recreate them on stage with live human beings as a stage performance, and it it kind of grows, and then when they're when they're kind of done getting into place, they have recreated the original. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:54.720 I have a picture here for you of it. 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:59.759 So this is a one of these is a painting by a guy named. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.799 James Tissot. 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:02.160 It's called Too Early. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:03.119 Can you all see it? 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:04.079 It's pretty good. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:04.960 Yeah. 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:06.319 You can kind of see that. 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:09.839 And the other is a photograph of the pageant of the masters. 00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:15.200 I told you they have time on their hands. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:16.400 They really know how to do this. 00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:17.920 They're a hundred years deep on this. 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:18.880 They're good. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:19.759 Okay. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:26.799 So if you look at one, if it's the painting, I don't know which is which, honestly. 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:29.839 You are seeing the painting. 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:38.319 But if you go to the pageant of the masters and you've never seen the painting, right, in one sense, you're not seeing the painting, but in another sense, you are. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:39.279 Right? 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:42.480 It is a faithful and accurate representation. 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:47.680 If you've seen the pageant of the masters, you know the painting, don't you? 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:51.119 Is this making sense as much as it makes sense to me? 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:52.319 Okay, great. 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:53.920 Glad for that. 00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:57.279 We are God's self-revelation. 00:22:57.359 --> 00:22:59.680 We are the body of Christ. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:02.960 We do it imperfectly. 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:05.519 We could be a lot better. 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:16.559 But the way that people have come to the knowledge of God throughout history over the last couple thousand years has always been through the church, primarily. 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:17.920 Okay? 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:23.279 So we are united just as these folks are united, right? 00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:30.559 It takes all of them to make this picture, to represent this picture and recreate it and be it, correct? 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:38.799 In the same way, it takes all of God's people to be God's self-revelation, as Jesus says. 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:44.079 But also, we are united in that we are going somewhere together. 00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:48.000 We are united in, and I've maybe you're starting to learn this word. 00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:50.960 We are one in telos. 00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:52.960 We are one in telos. 00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:54.160 What is telos? 00:23:54.559 --> 00:24:01.680 Telos is your is is a word that wraps together destination and purpose. 00:24:01.920 --> 00:24:02.240 Okay? 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:04.079 Destination and purpose. 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:13.759 It's like if you go to the Broncos, uh, when you're on your way to a Broncos game, I prefer the bike path because you don't have to deal with parking. 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:22.480 So when you're on your way to the Broncos game, there's other people on their way to the Broncos game, and you know because we're all wearing the same ugly orange color. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:26.640 And we're all going there for the same reason. 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:31.599 With the same purpose in mind. 00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:38.640 Because we know that when the no-fly zone knocks down a pass, you have to go incomplete. 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:44.640 And if there's a Raiders fan there, you have to spill their beer and make it look like an accident. 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:46.400 We're all on the same page. 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:47.680 We know we know where we're going. 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:49.519 We know what we're doing when we get there. 00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:50.400 Right? 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:52.640 We are united in this. 00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:59.599 Do you guys feel that same bond when anyone who goes or whatever your your team is that isn't as good? 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:01.839 Right? 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:07.599 You're you're bound, you see though, you see that orange peek out from a jacket, you're like, yes, let's go. 00:25:07.839 --> 00:25:10.319 We are united, we are one in tellos. 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:14.480 So we see here that we have the same destination. 00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:15.759 Look at verse 24. 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:28.079 She says, Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me may be with me where I am to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:29.599 He's pointing to the future. 00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:34.079 He's saying, In glory, all of his people are with him. 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:35.839 We have the same destination. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:37.599 We are one in destination. 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:41.680 And then we are we are one in the growing relationship. 00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:49.200 He says, O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:54.319 So we share the telos of knowing God as our purpose. 00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:57.839 And then we are also loved by the same Savior. 00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:07.440 He says, I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:15.920 And all of this he is placing as, you know, in our in our in in when when redemption is complete. 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:22.160 So we are one in Kaos, the destination, relationship, and the love of the Savior. 00:26:23.359 --> 00:26:26.240 I no one has said this better than C.S. 00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:28.400 Lewis in his essay Wade of Glory. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:32.160 He says this, there are no ordinary people. 00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:34.960 You have never talked to a mere mortal. 00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:38.480 Nations, cultures, arts, civilization, these are mortal. 00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:41.039 Their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. 00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:47.039 But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit. 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:50.319 Immortal horrors are everlasting splendors. 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:52.400 He says it well. 00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:59.680 One of the things, one of the reasons that we are one, is that we are one in Talos. 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:04.799 So we are one. 00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:09.440 We are one like the Trinity. 00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:14.960 We are one by God's self-revelation, and we are one in Talos. 00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:22.079 The thing is, even though that's true, we don't act like it is. 00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:24.640 That's the actual problem. 00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:35.839 When we we hurry away to distance ourselves from other people in Christ, when they sort of fall outside what's culturally okay. 00:27:36.160 --> 00:27:36.640 Right? 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:39.039 We're quick to say they're not like us. 00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:40.400 They're not like us. 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:44.720 That's why there are schisms. 00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:54.000 You know, not just, hey, we have we have separate institutions because we're doing different things, but we don't like each other, so let's not worship together. 00:27:54.240 --> 00:28:04.240 Uh that's why there, you know, like I've heard of many churches splitting or or there being tribalism or or these opposed parties that are always at each other's throats. 00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:05.599 I'm not talking about disagreement. 00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:19.680 Again, this doesn't mean you can't disagree, but when there isn't love, when there is no understanding that these are my fellow family members in Christ, we don't behave like it's true. 00:28:20.960 --> 00:28:41.680 It's kind of like um I recently showed my older kids The Matrix, um, which you know is part of the duty, it's part of the generation-to-generation duty for Gen X to pass on to Gen Z and beyond uh the best stuff, which I mean Matrix is peak. 00:28:42.079 --> 00:28:46.079 And in there's a really key scene in the Matrix when he goes to see the Oracle. 00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:47.599 We've all seen The Matrix, right? 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:49.279 So you remember what's actually going on. 00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:51.759 I won't spoil it for the youngins who haven't seen it yet. 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:54.880 Alright, so he goes to see the Oracle. 00:28:55.599 --> 00:29:06.480 And in the Oracle's kind of front room in this sort of rundown apartment that she lives in, there's this tweaky kid who's dressed as Hare Krishna and has an English accent. 00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:08.880 Which I feel like there's a story there worth telling. 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:11.279 I could see a matrix spin-off for that kid. 00:29:11.359 --> 00:29:12.319 Because what happened? 00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:16.160 How is he in the south side of Chicago wearing that, talking like that? 00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:17.839 And where are his parents? 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:20.559 And what did they do to him? 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:30.000 Um, but anyway, this kid is holding up spoons, and he just looks at it and concentrates, and then you see the spoon bend, right? 00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:37.839 And Keanu walks up and looks at him, and the kid looks back and he he hands him the spoon. 00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:42.880 And he says, Do not try to bend the spoon. 00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:44.559 That's impossible. 00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:46.400 This is dead on, by the way. 00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:47.680 That's impossible. 00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:52.000 Instead, only try to realize the truth. 00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:54.720 And Keanu says, What truth? 00:29:57.920 --> 00:30:01.519 And the kid says, There is no spoon. 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:03.519 Right? 00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:08.079 And it kind of like captures in a nutshell the entire point of his character. 00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:15.119 He he is trying to learn how to live as though the truth is true. 00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:22.079 We need to live like the truth is true. 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:29.039 So do not try to heal all the divisions in the church. 00:30:29.200 --> 00:30:30.880 That would be impossible. 00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:34.640 Instead, only try to realize the truth. 00:30:34.880 --> 00:30:37.119 Now you say, what truth? 00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:39.680 Can you? 00:30:40.880 --> 00:30:41.599 Someone? 00:30:43.440 --> 00:30:44.960 There are no divisions. 00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:46.240 We are one. 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:47.599 Right? 00:30:47.839 --> 00:30:57.039 That despite all appearances, despite our our our refusal to live as though it's true, the truth is the body of Christ is one. 00:30:57.200 --> 00:31:00.240 Just as Jesus prayed all those years ago. 00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:03.759 What would it look like for us to live like the truth is true? 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:08.240 Well, it doesn't mean that we all have to agree on everything, correct? 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:14.559 It doesn't mean that we have to merge every single denomination and everything else into one mega institution. 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:15.839 That is not it. 00:31:16.079 --> 00:31:23.279 Instead, when we find ourselves about to condemn a fellow believer, we pray for them instead. 00:31:23.839 --> 00:31:25.599 They may be in great error. 00:31:25.759 --> 00:31:27.839 They may be doing the wrong thing, granted. 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:31.279