July 24, 2024 • 12 mins
In this compelling episode, Dr. Andrew Farley, host of The Heartbeat of Faith Podcast explores the profound concept of Christian unity, drawing inspiration from Christ's ultimate prayer for believers. As we delve into the essence of unity, the host reflects on the words of Jesus from John 17:22-23, emphasizing the depth of love and commitment required to attain such oneness. This unity is not simply about agreeing on everything, but it's a journey marked by striving, compromise, and a love that transcends our human limitations.
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Dr. Farley connects the modern-day experience of Christian unity to the early church's example in Jerusalem. He highlights the importance of sharing life, struggles, passions, and meals as unifying factors. He also emphasizes the deeper bond that God's grand plan creates, uniting diverse cultures and communities under the banner of grace.
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For more encouragement in God's grace visit AndrewFarley.org.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Let us pray. Finally, brothers, rejoice, be perfect, be comforted,
be of the same mind, live in peace, and the
God of love and peace will be with you. Second Corinthians,
Chapter thirteen, Verse eleven. Dear Lord, I want to be
(00:22):
part of your plan to bring unity to the body
of Christ. By your spirit within me. May I be
a catalyst toward peace and understanding in my circle of influence.
I will look to you today as my love and compassion,
my strength and guidance in times of struggle. Remind me
to be accepting of others even when we disagree, still
(00:45):
honoring the truth of our shared beliefs. Let me never
forget that, despite our differences, we are your children and
will enjoy the same blessings for eternity because of what
You've done for us. In Jesus name, I pray Amen,
Thank you for praying with me today. Now discover the
(01:06):
profound intricacies of scripture through pray dot COM's podcast The
Heartbeat of Faith with doctor Andrew Farley.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
That was Christ's ultimate prayer for us, that we would
be one as he and the Father are one, and
Jesus's prayer was answered with a resounding yes. That type
of unity with Christ and with each other is exactly
what was achieved for us in the Gospel, and it's
(01:43):
something we could never do on our own.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
The glory which you have given me, I have given
to them that they may be one even as we
are one, I in them and you in me, that
they may be perfected into one, that the world may
know that you sent me and loved them, even as
you loved me John seventeen twenty two to twenty three.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Here Jesus says he has given us his glory, and
he's given us oneness with him, Christ in Us and
Us in Christ. He then says, the Father loves us
as much as he loves Jesus. Wow. Now that's something
to rally around. That's a spiritual truth that will naturally
(02:37):
knit us together as the Church, holy and blameless, the perfect,
spotless bride of Christ. Greetings, I'm doctor Andrew Farley, and
I am so pleased to have you here for this
week's episode of the Heartbeat of Faith podcast. We have
(02:58):
explored the stories of old to discover inspiring images and
concepts that support our walk in Jesus. This week has
been dedicated to relationships we've surveyed marriages in scripture. To
find the true meaning of Christ centered companionship, we took
(03:19):
a look at friendships in the Bible too, and now
we look at unity, our connectedness to Christ and each
other as His church. We've all had different experiences in church.
Some of us have been part of a church community
for years, Others haven't formally fellowshipped with believers in a
(03:42):
long time. Some lead churches, while others have been hurt
by church leaders. There's a wide range of experiences we've
each had. But no matter what your experience with church
has been, one thing is certain. If you're a believer
in Christ, you are a valuable part of Christ Church.
(04:04):
So what does it mean to be a part of
the body of Christ and how can we experience healthy
relationships with other believers. Let's look back to the beginning
of the church, when Jesus ascended and the apostles began
preaching the Gospel. What do we see.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Peter paused for a moment looking at the lost souls
that stood before him. Repent, Repent, and be baptized for
forgiveness and atonement. For your sins are in Jesus and
no longer in the temple. All who are far off
come to Peter's astonishment. Thousands of people came forward to
(04:49):
be prayed for and be baptized. Three thousand souls believed
in the finished work of Jesus that day, and they
devoted themselves to the teaching of the Twelve Disciples the
ruined community and fellowship with one another. Oh came upon
every soul. They shared all that they had with one another.
Day by day, the Lord added to their numbers as
(05:10):
they preached the gospel, broke bread, and met in each
other's homes. Souls were being saved, Revival had begun, and
the world would never be the same.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
The first Church in Jerusalem was united through a shared
awe of Jesus. They enjoyed meals together and met with
one another to worship and deepen their understanding of the Gospel.
These are the same activities that can unify us today.
Sharing life, struggles, passions, and meals beautifully brings us together.
(05:48):
Serving each other, sharing resources and reminding each other of
the truth fosters a loving and encouraging community. But there's
more to Christian unity than meeting together and eating food together.
There's a deep bond that ties us together when we
would not have otherwise even met each other. When Peter
(06:12):
visited Antioch and saw gentiles who had received the Holy Spirit,
he realized God's master plan to bring diverse cultures and
communities together under the banner of his grace.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
The Holy Spirit moved like rushing waves of the Gentiles
that night. Signs and wonders were done among them. Even more,
their whole worldview began to shift and change. They believed
in God for their city and their community. They sought
the gifts of the Spirit and experienced the full weight
of His glory upon them. The whole household of Cornelius
(06:52):
was baptized, and they began to change the community with
their deeds. This was the beginning of a new wave
of God's majesty. It was thousands of years ago that
through the Seed of Abraham all nations would be blessed.
Jesus was that seed. Through him, all nations would be
able to come to God, not just one specific group,
(07:12):
but every culture and nation under the sun. God would
work in and through the Gentiles. As a result, every
nation on earth would know the name of Christ.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
God has always desired that all nations be unified and
blessed through the invitation of the Gospel. In fact, this
is the true meaning of predestination. It was never about
individual selection of certain people to be saved, leaving others
without hope. No. Predestination is really about God's secret plan
(07:53):
now revealed to invite the Gentiles, not just the Jews,
to be a part of his church. This is what
God meant when he said, I'll call a people who
were not my people my people. Those who were far
off the Gentiles and those who were near the Jews
(08:14):
are united together through Christ. Remember that Jesus told us
when the Son of Man was lifted up on the cross,
he would then draw all people unto himself. The scripture
says God wants none to perish and all people to believe.
He wants everyone to come to repentance, and God's love
(08:39):
demonstrated through Jesus is meant to be a unifying force
that binds us together. Just listen to Jesus's prayer to
the Father on our behalf.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
I pray not that you would take them from the world,
but that you would keep them from the evil One.
They are not of the world, even as I am.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Not of the world.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Sanctify them in your truth, Your word is truth. As
you sent me into the world, even so I have
sent them into the world. For their sakes, I sanctify
myself that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
Not for these only do I pray, but for those
(09:29):
also who will believe in me through their word, that
they may all be one, even as You, Father are
in me, and I in you, that they also may
be one in us, that the world may believe that
you sent me. The glory which you have given me.
I have given to them, that they may be one,
(09:51):
even as we are one, I in them, in You
in me, that they may be perfected into one. That
the world, the world may know that you sent me
and loved them, even as you loved me. John seventeen
fifteen through twenty three.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
That was Christ's ultimate prayer for us, that we would
be one as he and the Father are one, and
Jesus's prayer was answered with a resounding yes. That type
of unity with Christ and with each other is exactly
what was achieved for us in the Gospel, and it's
(10:34):
something we could never do on our own. However, that
doesn't mean we don't have disagreements or need to part
ways sometimes a dispute between Paul and Barnabas caused a
rift and they went their separate ways, but in the
end they could still cheer each other on. Being unified
(10:56):
through Jesus is actually a fact, not a feeling. Here's
what I mean. We are the church. It's not that
we should be the church. We are the Church through Jesus.
We do belong to each other. Now, it's just a
matter of recognizing the profound truth of our oneness with
(11:18):
each other and then acting that way. In other words,
God has already laid the groundwork through the Gospel. We're
one with Jesus Christ and one with each other. So
at this point we're simply called to acknowledge our individual
identity in Christ, but also our corporate identity as members
(11:42):
of the Body of Christ. Even more, we can recognize
the new heart and the new nature of those around us,
trusting them. Remember, Love believes all things, and we can
trust God who is at work in them. This is
our spiritual oneness with Jesus and each other in action.
(12:08):
Thank you for listening to today's episode of the Heartbeat
of Faith podcast. Follow the podcast so you can learn
the Bible in this entertaining and inspiring way, and don't
forget to leave a review. Download the Prey dot com app,
and for more encouragement in God's grace, visit Andrewfarley dot org.
(12:30):
That's Andrewfarley dot org.
Let us pray. Finally, brothers, rejoice, be perfect, be comforted,
be of the same mind, live in peace, and the
God of love and peace will be with you. Second Corinthians,
Chapter thirteen, Verse eleven. Dear Lord, I want to be
(00:22):
part of your plan to bring unity to the body
of Christ. By your spirit within me. May I be
a catalyst toward peace and understanding in my circle of influence.
I will look to you today as my love and compassion,
my strength and guidance in times of struggle. Remind me
to be accepting of others even when we disagree, still
(00:45):
honoring the truth of our shared beliefs. Let me never
forget that, despite our differences, we are your children and
will enjoy the same blessings for eternity because of what
You've done for us. In Jesus name, I pray Amen,
Thank you for praying with me today. Now discover the
(01:06):
profound intricacies of scripture through pray dot COM's podcast The
Heartbeat of Faith with doctor Andrew Farley.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
That was Christ's ultimate prayer for us, that we would
be one as he and the Father are one, and
Jesus's prayer was answered with a resounding yes. That type
of unity with Christ and with each other is exactly
what was achieved for us in the Gospel, and it's
(01:43):
something we could never do on our own.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
The glory which you have given me, I have given
to them that they may be one even as we
are one, I in them and you in me, that
they may be perfected into one, that the world may
know that you sent me and loved them, even as
you loved me John seventeen twenty two to twenty three.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Here Jesus says he has given us his glory, and
he's given us oneness with him, Christ in Us and
Us in Christ. He then says, the Father loves us
as much as he loves Jesus. Wow. Now that's something
to rally around. That's a spiritual truth that will naturally
(02:37):
knit us together as the Church, holy and blameless, the perfect,
spotless bride of Christ. Greetings, I'm doctor Andrew Farley, and
I am so pleased to have you here for this
week's episode of the Heartbeat of Faith podcast. We have
(02:58):
explored the stories of old to discover inspiring images and
concepts that support our walk in Jesus. This week has
been dedicated to relationships we've surveyed marriages in scripture. To
find the true meaning of Christ centered companionship, we took
(03:19):
a look at friendships in the Bible too, and now
we look at unity, our connectedness to Christ and each
other as His church. We've all had different experiences in church.
Some of us have been part of a church community
for years, Others haven't formally fellowshipped with believers in a
(03:42):
long time. Some lead churches, while others have been hurt
by church leaders. There's a wide range of experiences we've
each had. But no matter what your experience with church
has been, one thing is certain. If you're a believer
in Christ, you are a valuable part of Christ Church.
(04:04):
So what does it mean to be a part of
the body of Christ and how can we experience healthy
relationships with other believers. Let's look back to the beginning
of the church, when Jesus ascended and the apostles began
preaching the Gospel. What do we see.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Peter paused for a moment looking at the lost souls
that stood before him. Repent, Repent, and be baptized for
forgiveness and atonement. For your sins are in Jesus and
no longer in the temple. All who are far off
come to Peter's astonishment. Thousands of people came forward to
(04:49):
be prayed for and be baptized. Three thousand souls believed
in the finished work of Jesus that day, and they
devoted themselves to the teaching of the Twelve Disciples the
ruined community and fellowship with one another. Oh came upon
every soul. They shared all that they had with one another.
Day by day, the Lord added to their numbers as
(05:10):
they preached the gospel, broke bread, and met in each
other's homes. Souls were being saved, Revival had begun, and
the world would never be the same.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
The first Church in Jerusalem was united through a shared
awe of Jesus. They enjoyed meals together and met with
one another to worship and deepen their understanding of the Gospel.
These are the same activities that can unify us today.
Sharing life, struggles, passions, and meals beautifully brings us together.
(05:48):
Serving each other, sharing resources and reminding each other of
the truth fosters a loving and encouraging community. But there's
more to Christian unity than meeting together and eating food together.
There's a deep bond that ties us together when we
would not have otherwise even met each other. When Peter
(06:12):
visited Antioch and saw gentiles who had received the Holy Spirit,
he realized God's master plan to bring diverse cultures and
communities together under the banner of his grace.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
The Holy Spirit moved like rushing waves of the Gentiles
that night. Signs and wonders were done among them. Even more,
their whole worldview began to shift and change. They believed
in God for their city and their community. They sought
the gifts of the Spirit and experienced the full weight
of His glory upon them. The whole household of Cornelius
(06:52):
was baptized, and they began to change the community with
their deeds. This was the beginning of a new wave
of God's majesty. It was thousands of years ago that
through the Seed of Abraham all nations would be blessed.
Jesus was that seed. Through him, all nations would be
able to come to God, not just one specific group,
(07:12):
but every culture and nation under the sun. God would
work in and through the Gentiles. As a result, every
nation on earth would know the name of Christ.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
God has always desired that all nations be unified and
blessed through the invitation of the Gospel. In fact, this
is the true meaning of predestination. It was never about
individual selection of certain people to be saved, leaving others
without hope. No. Predestination is really about God's secret plan
(07:53):
now revealed to invite the Gentiles, not just the Jews,
to be a part of his church. This is what
God meant when he said, I'll call a people who
were not my people my people. Those who were far
off the Gentiles and those who were near the Jews
(08:14):
are united together through Christ. Remember that Jesus told us
when the Son of Man was lifted up on the cross,
he would then draw all people unto himself. The scripture
says God wants none to perish and all people to believe.
He wants everyone to come to repentance, and God's love
(08:39):
demonstrated through Jesus is meant to be a unifying force
that binds us together. Just listen to Jesus's prayer to
the Father on our behalf.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
I pray not that you would take them from the world,
but that you would keep them from the evil One.
They are not of the world, even as I am.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Not of the world.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Sanctify them in your truth, Your word is truth. As
you sent me into the world, even so I have
sent them into the world. For their sakes, I sanctify
myself that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
Not for these only do I pray, but for those
(09:29):
also who will believe in me through their word, that
they may all be one, even as You, Father are
in me, and I in you, that they also may
be one in us, that the world may believe that
you sent me. The glory which you have given me.
I have given to them, that they may be one,
(09:51):
even as we are one, I in them, in You
in me, that they may be perfected into one. That
the world, the world may know that you sent me
and loved them, even as you loved me. John seventeen
fifteen through twenty three.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
That was Christ's ultimate prayer for us, that we would
be one as he and the Father are one, and
Jesus's prayer was answered with a resounding yes. That type
of unity with Christ and with each other is exactly
what was achieved for us in the Gospel, and it's
(10:34):
something we could never do on our own. However, that
doesn't mean we don't have disagreements or need to part
ways sometimes a dispute between Paul and Barnabas caused a
rift and they went their separate ways, but in the
end they could still cheer each other on. Being unified
(10:56):
through Jesus is actually a fact, not a feeling. Here's
what I mean. We are the church. It's not that
we should be the church. We are the Church through Jesus.
We do belong to each other. Now, it's just a
matter of recognizing the profound truth of our oneness with
(11:18):
each other and then acting that way. In other words,
God has already laid the groundwork through the Gospel. We're
one with Jesus Christ and one with each other. So
at this point we're simply called to acknowledge our individual
identity in Christ, but also our corporate identity as members
(11:42):
of the Body of Christ. Even more, we can recognize
the new heart and the new nature of those around us,
trusting them. Remember, Love believes all things, and we can
trust God who is at work in them. This is
our spiritual oneness with Jesus and each other in action.
(12:08):
Thank you for listening to today's episode of the Heartbeat
of Faith podcast. Follow the podcast so you can learn
the Bible in this entertaining and inspiring way, and don't
forget to leave a review. Download the Prey dot com app,
and for more encouragement in God's grace, visit Andrewfarley dot org.
(12:30):
That's Andrewfarley dot org.
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