The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel, Classic Version, 2015Sample

The Challenge of Unity and Love

In Buchenwald concentration camp, 56,000 people were put to death by a totalitarian regime that saw the Christian faith as a threat to its ideology. One block of cells in the camp was reserved for prisoners who were deemed especially dangerous or notable. Paul Schneider, a Lutheran pastor who was called ‘the preacher of Buchenwald’, was placed in this special block because even from the small window in his cell he loudly proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ – in defiance of the orders of the Gestapo guards.

Otto Neururer, a Catholic priest whose work on behalf of the Jews and other so called ‘undesirables’ had made him a threat to the Nazi warlords, was also put in this block. He too ministered in Jesus’ name to his fellow inmates in the concentration camp until he was crucified upside down.

In Buchenwald these two men, one a Catholic and the other a Protestant, bore witness together to their common Lord – Jesus Christ.

Unity is so powerful. Virtually everybody thinks that unity and love are great ideas. However, in practice, they are extremely difficult to achieve. 

Psalm 68:7-14

1. The people and the land

In this psalm, the people of God reflect on the exodus, wilderness wanderings, Mount Sinai, the settlement, the conquest of Canaan, and the subjugation of the nations. These were some of the high points of their history, and perhaps one of the few times when the people of God were genuinely united.

This passage is all about recognising where that blessing and unity ultimately came from – God. It is a psalm of thanksgiving and praise to God for all the things he has done for them. It celebrates his leadership (v.7), his power and provision (vv.8–9), his ‘bounty’, his justice (v.10) and his victories (vv.11–14).

God had led the people to the promised land. Yet today, in this very same area, the challenge of love and unity is great. The search for peace in the Middle East remains one of the greatest challenges facing our world.

Lord, thank you for your love for your people. Lord, we want to pray for peace and unity in the war-torn countries of the Middle East. Thank you that you are the source and foundation of unity and love.

John 17:6-26

2. The church and the world

The Gospels speak frequently of the prayers of Jesus. But only on rare occasions are we informed at any length of what he prayed for. In this great prayer of Jesus before he goes out to face the cross we see his priorities.

Jesus prays not only for his disciples, but also for those who will believe in the future – that is to say, he prays for the entire church – including you and me (v.20).

First, he prays for your joy. The followers of Jesus are not supposed to be miserable. Jesus prays, ‘that they may have the full measure of my joy within them’ (v.13).

Second, he prays for your protection. Jesus says that he protected his disciples and kept them safe (v.12). Now he prays, ‘protect them from the evil one’ (v.15).

Third, he prays for your sanctification. Jesus prays, ‘Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth’ (v.17). Holiness comes from the truth. The truth is found in God’s word. That is why it is so important to soak yourself in God’s word.

Finally, this prayer is dominated by the theme of unity and love. Jesus prays not only for unity among his disciples (v.11), but also for the church (v.20). He prays for a unity like that which unites the Trinity: ‘that they may be one, as we are one’ (v.11, AMP).

• The motive for unity is the great commission of Jesus
  Jesus prayed for complete unity so that the world may believe (v.23). I don’t think there is any doubt that one of the greatest barriers to belief is disunity in the church. In politics, the moment a political party becomes disunited, it loses popularity. It happens in the secular world, and even more so in the church. When churches fight each other, people lose interest.  

Conversely, when churches do unite it is so attractive. Unity is powerful. Yet it is never easy; it is always a huge challenge.

• The means of unity is the Holy Spirit of Jesus
  Jesus prays that ‘I myself may be in them’ (v.26). This is the most extraordinary truth of the New Testament – that Jesus comes to live in us by the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit lives in all Christians of whatever church or denomination. The Holy Spirit unites us.
• The mark of unity is the love of Jesus
  Jesus prays that ‘the love you have for me may be in them’ (v.26). What higher love can you have than the love that God the Father has for Jesus his Son? Jesus’ prayer for you is that the love you have in your heart for other Christians, for other parts of the body of Christ, should be the same love that God the Father has for Jesus.
• The measure of unity is the visibility of Jesus
  Sometimes people speak about ‘invisible unity’. But Jesus didn’t pray for invisible unity. He didn’t pray that we might be ‘almost united’. He prayed that they may ‘be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me’ (v.23). He wants the church to be completely and visibly united.

Lord, help us to have that same passion to see your church visibly united and the world evangelised. While we wait for that to happen may there be love and unity at every level – in the local church, in the city and in the nation, between different parts of the body of Christ and different denominations. Help us all to work together in love and unity for the evangelisation of the world.

John 17:6-26

3. The friends and rivals

In politics, business or even in church life, two people who are great friends can at the same time end up competing for the same job. How should we handle the tension between our ambitions and our love for one another?

The story of the friendship of David and Jonathan is a remarkable one. They were rivals for the throne. They had every reason to be envious of each other and to hate each other. Yet Jonathan loved David ‘as he loved himself’ (20:17). This is the highest love one person can have for another. It is the type of love that Jesus commanded us to have when he said ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ (Matthew 22:39).

On the other hand, Saul was filled with jealousy. Jealousy has the power to deprive someone temporarily of their senses. When Jonathan points out to his father, Saul, that David has not wronged him and has benefitted him greatly and it would be quite wrong to kill an innocent man like David, Saul says, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death’ (1 Samuel 19:6).

Logic and reasonable argument may convince a person who is filled with jealousy at the time. However, jealousy is so evil and so powerful that once it gets a grip of a person, as it did with Saul, there is no stopping it. As Shakespeare put it in Othello, ‘It is the green-ey’d monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.’

Jealousy starts with comparing ourselves to others – comparing our achievements with those around us. It can be jealousy of those who are very close to us – as it was here between Saul and his own son-in-law.  

Throughout this passage we see David and Jonathan’s love for each other. Jonathan ‘was very fond of David’ (v.1) and he ‘spoke well of David’ (v.4). Jonathan even said to David, ‘Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you’ (20:4.). What a great commitment to make to a friend! Their commitment to each other took the form of a ‘covenant’ (v.16), which included even their descendants (v.42). And Jonathan ‘made David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself’ (vv.16–17).

As a result, Saul’s jealousy flared up into anger: ‘Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan’ (v.30). Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David (v.33) and he ‘got up from the table in fierce anger’ (v.34).

The difference between Saul’s anger and Jonathan’s anger was that Saul’s was unfounded and produced by jealousy. Jonathan’s anger was righteous anger that stemmed from his love for David; ‘He was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David’ (v.34). Anger is not always wrong – but we must examine our motives carefully.

David and Jonathan were not ashamed of showing their affection for each other; ‘Then they kissed each other and wept together’ (v.41). As Westerners we often regard crying as unmanly. They had no shame in crying openly and showing their love for each other. This is a powerful model of friendship, love and unity. Marriage is one of God’s answers to loneliness. Close friendship is another.

It was this love and friendship that enabled Jonathan to be totally loyal, supportive and protective in spite of the fact that he was a rival candidate to the throne.

Lord, help us to be willing and able to love our friends and neighbours as ourselves. May there be close friendships in the church like that of David and Jonathan. May people find the answer to loneliness in the love, affection and unity of church community.

Pippa Adds

1 Samuel 19:1–2

‘Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan was very fond of David and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there.” ’

David was having a tough time. He had been faithfully serving God and Saul his king. Yet whatever he did he couldn’t please his boss (Saul). The only thing David could do was to keep on doing what was right. He didn’t seek revenge or justice. Eventually, God did vindicate him.

Notes:
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.

Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.