Rejoicing that God Accomplishes the Impossible – Through Us!

Last Sunday, June 1, the assigned Gospel reading was from Jesus’ High Priestly pray in John 17. The specific Scripture assigned was John 17:20-26. I pointed out to the people of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Chugiak that God’s will, reflected in Jesus’ prayer, can at times seem impossible for US to accomplish. Jesus prayed, “22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 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.” (John 17:22-23) Do you understand what Jesus is praying? He is praying that the whole world may know the saving love of God, in Jesus. And Jesus is praying that the oneness, or unity, of His church will be a means to sharing God’s salvation in Jesus. That is quite a prayer, quite a mission!

As I said on Sunday, reaching the whole world with the Gospel is a large job. It is bigger than any one Christian can accomplish. That is one reason Jesus established His church so that His disciples “. . . will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8) I recently read from a Christian news source that one Bible Translating society still counts 300 people groups without the Scriptures in their native language. The calling of Jesus’ prayer for the world to know God’s love in Jesus can seem impossible.

Nevertheless, perhaps even more astounding, is the method Jesus prays for His disciples to use in reaching the world: their oneness, or unity. All we have to do is look at the New Testament to see disagreements in the early church. There were disagreements between the Jewish believers and Greek believers (Acts 6), disagreements about whether new Christians needed to first become Jewish in order to be Christian (Acts 15). Paul and his fellow evangelist, Barnabas, had a bitter dispute about their mission work. (Acts 15:37-41) There were disagreements between Peter and Paul (Galatians 2:11-13). Paul even writes about hard feelings between some lead women in the church of Philippi (Philippians 4:1-3) And, there are many more instance which show disagreements and division, not oneness, in Christ’s followers. Now, think of the differences in Jesus’ church today! So, what do you think? Jesus prays for the oneness of His followers to lead the world to “ . . . know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” Does that sound improbable, or impossible even?

Sometimes when we face the impossible, or the seeming impossible, we are overwhelmed and just give up. It might seem easy for Jesus’ church, or individual Christian congregations to lower their expectations, or to even give up trying to spread the Gospel. However, this reaction to the huge mission which Jesus gives His church can be a lesson to some problems faced by Jesus’ people. We can learn more about a Biblical, Christ-centered way to look at Jesus’ mission for His Church.

First, and most importantly, when Jesus prays that that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” the weight of this task does not fall primarily on us. Remember who it is that actually saved the world – JESUS! “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17) We aren’t the ones who died and rose. God sent Jesus to accomplish that saving work!

In addition, and this is one reason I write this devotion today, we will learn about the events of Pentecost Day this coming Sunday, June 8. As we listen to God’s Word in Acts 2, as Peter explains how this miraculous and spectacular sending of the Holy Spirit is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel 2, we read these words. 17 "'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, . . . 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' (Acts 2:17, 21) It is the Holy Spirit who prepares people to hear God’s word about Jesus, and Who leads them to faith. In Joel, our Lord teaches that He ‘pours out His Spirit on all people!” The Spirit prepares their hearts to hear about God’s love in Jesus. The Spirit works by God’s Word and Sacraments to bring people to faith. We aren’t the ones who create faith. That is the work of the Holy Spirit!

The bottom line for us Christians today is that the call of God may seem too big or impossible to us. Yet it is not us winning people for eternity. Jesus has forgiven and saved people by His life and death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit is poured out on all people and prepares them to hear about God’s love. The Spirit works faith in their minds and hearts. God simply calls us to faithfully plant and spread the seed of the good news. It is God produces the fruit and brings the growth.

That doesn’t let us off. Jesus died and rose for us so that we live for Him. (2 Corinthians 5:15) We are called to share that good news. And, as people saved by grace through faith, we WANT to spread the gospel. But, the mission and the results belong to God. It is our Lord who accomplishes the impossible. Yet, amazingly and wonderfully, He works through us!