Pastor John,
That is such a good email from Tom (see post 8/16/2024, Reading: The Crucifixion). The last sentence of verse 21 that he copied stunned me:
- “…that they all might be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they may also be one in us, so that the world might believe that you sent me.”
All that Jesus was doing and all that he is doing now is “so that the world might believe that you sent me.” And by him doing so, men would repent and be reconciled to God, and be saved. Jesus truly is the Savior of the world.
Wow.
Jesus’ unity with the Father convicts hearts, and it made the disciples believe, so that they too would find unity with the Father and Son, thereby convicting others. And so forth, through the centuries.
I’m repeating myself, but the disciples’ newfound unity with the Father and Son was convicting the hearts of those looking on (just as Jesus’ unity had done) so that some, the ones God had chosen from the beginning, would come forward and find their own unity with the Father and Son…and so on.
So the disciples being made one with the Father and Son through Spirit, made them fishers of men, the first of their kind (after Jesus), fishing for the hearts that God had ordained in the beginning to be His. And here we are today with the same holy charge, to live and be in Christ so that the world might believe that the Father sent the Son.
Wow, brother John.
When I think of bearing fruit, I see that it truly is so that men can eat and “taste and see that the Lord is good!” If we aren’t bearing fruit – we really are being useless to God, being a reproach in front of men as to who and what he is. That is frightening. But God is wonderful. We just need to soak up the rain, food, and sun(Son) that the Father sends, and we’ll bear much fruit!
Whew!
What a story. What an opportunity for life!
Jerry
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