< Back

Read: John 17:20-23
Listen: John 17

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:22-23

Jesus invests himself in a group of followers over three years of public ministry. These men witness Jesus teach, heal and even raise people from the dead. As Jesus nears his trial and crucifixion, he gathers his disciples together for prayer and some parting words. Jesus tells them of the single greatest factor that will lead to his reputation being honored among the nations: the unity of his followers. How his disciples treat one another and get along will make a profound impact on how Jesus is perceived around the world.

Part of Jesus’s prayer in the upper room was for “those who will believe” (John 17:20), which includes Christians living today. Jesus’s prayer and focus—even as he neared his death on the cross—was that we as the church would be unified in love and service to one another. Our love for one another is to reflect the extravagant love that the Father, Son and Spirit share among themselves. As God is one, so we are to be one. It is such unity that will shine a bright light on the beauty of Christ in a dark and needy world.

Today: Pray the prayer that Jesus prayed: that we as the church would be one as God is one. Pray that Ada Bible would be a witness to the world of love and unity in Jesus. For a helpful guide on what to pray, read John 17:20-23.