Father, I am so glad that You are in charge and not us! We are impatient and selfish. Even when we are patient and unselfish, there are ulterior motives involved. May we strive to be more like You! Amen.
John 3:3 (<<click here to read the passage)
One of the greatest detriments to the Church is denominationalism. Granted the Church was pretty small when Jesus returned to the Father and left us in charge, but they were one!
Do you remember this portion of Jesus’ prayer when he called out to the Father while in the Garden of Gethsemane? (Keep in mind that the “I” here is Jesus, the “you” is the Father, and the “they” is the disciples – which includes you and me!)

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

“I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. John 17:21-23 NLT

There never ever was supposed to be an “us” and “them” in our relationships with Jesus! There was only to be “one”ness. But within a very short time divisions and factions arose in the Church. It was some time before the universal (catholic) church saw a division in its ranks…but it came. Regardless of the whys, the “one”ness was gone. And we being who we were – and are still today! – we can do nothing about it, at least on a grand scale.
What got my mind rolling this evening was part of the note in my study Bible* concerning verse 3. First the verse,

Jesus answered him [i.e., Nicodemus], “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.” AMP

The note states,
What did Nicodemus know about the Kingdom? From the Bible he knew it would be ruled by God, it would be restored on earth, and it would incorporate God’s people. Jesus revealed to this devout Pharisee that the Kingdom would come to the whole world (3:16), not just the Jews, and that Nicodemus wouldn’t be a part of it unless was personally born again (3:5). This was a revolutionary concept: The Kingdom is personal, not national or ethnic, and its entrance requirements are repentance and spiritual rebirth. (emphasis mine)
We are to be one but our “one”ness is linked not to the groups with whom we associate – the divisions of personal religious preference or race or ethnicity or gender or conservativeness or liberalness. The Kingdom is personal…and its entrance requirements are repentance and spiritual rebirth. No more, no less!
Lord Jesus, enable us to wholeheartedly seek You that we may be in You so that the world will believe that the Father sent You. May we experience such perfect unity that the world will know that the Father sent You and that the Father loves us as much as the Father loves You. “One”ness is a must! Amen.

*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation

Apr 1st, 2021, Thurs, 7:34 pm