Jesus – The Keith Church Blog

“The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” – John 17:22-23

These words are from Jesus’ prayer for his disciples on the night before he went to the cross. He’s praying for his disciples then, but he’s also praying for those who will believe in him because of them. In other words, he’s praying for his disciples today, too. He’s praying for us.

How comforting it is to know that Jesus is praying for us just as he was praying for them, as anxious as they must have been on that night, their last time all together with him before the cross. And as anxious as we are today, with news of the decline in church membership in the U.S. below 50% for the first time in Gallup’s eighty years of polling, with news of division in our denomination and the launch of the new Global Methodist Church earlier this month, and with the changes taking place here at Keith Church in this season of pastoral transitions. It’s comforting to know Jesus is praying for us now just as he was praying for his disciples then.

There’s a lot of things Jesus prays for in this prayer, his longest recorded prayer in the Gospels. He prays for our protection as we are sent out into the world just as he was sent into the world. He prays for our sanctification in the truth of his word. He prays for our joy. But ultimately this is Jesus’ prayer for our unity – “that they all may be one” (v. 21).

There are three dimensions to this unity in Christ that I want to explore here briefly: the source of this unity (where it comes from), the substance of this unity (what it is), and the purpose of this unity (what it’s for).

First, what is the source of our unity in Christ? Where does it come from? Jesus’ prayer reveals that the source of our unity as disciples in Christ is the oneness that Jesus shares with the Father. This oneness is depicted beautifully in the prayer’s language of reciprocity and mutuality. “As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us…I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one” (v.21, 23). We can sense the intimacy between them in the intimate language of prayer. Perhaps we, too, feel most at one with God in our own times of prayer.

It’s refreshing to remember that the source of our unity is not in ourselves and who we are and our relationships with others, but in God and who God is and in God’s relationship with us in Christ. The source of our unity in Christ is Christ’s unity with the Father.

Second, what is the substance of this unity? What is it? It’s probably easier to start out by saying what it is not. It’s not uniformity. It’s not everyone looking alike, acting alike, worshiping alike. Just look at the Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have different roles and functions. Their unity is not one of uniformity but of diversity.

Neither is it unanimity. It’s not everyone thinking alike, agreeing on everything. Just look at Jesus’ very first disciples. They were a motley crew. They included a tax collector, someone who worked for the government, but they also included at least one Zealot, a member of a group that sought to overthrow the government, by violent means if necessary. We can well imagine they didn’t agree on everything, or perhaps even much of anything!

The unity for which Jesus prays is a unity in love, a word mentioned five times in the last four verses of this prayer. Especially in the last verse: “I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them” (v. 26).

This love for which Jesus prays for us to be united is so much more than a warm fuzzy feeling. It’s a firm commitment to love those who can be tough for us to love, to love when we may not feel like loving, to love even when that love is not reciprocated.

Before Jesus prayed this prayer, he gave his disciples a “new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

Which lead us to our third question: what is the purpose of our unity in Christ? Jesus emphasizes in his prayer that our unity in him is “so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (v. 21). It is “so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (v. 23). Our unity in Christ is not for unity’s own sake; it’s not even for our sake; it’s for the sake of the as-yet unbelieving world, so that they may come to believe in him. Our oneness in Christ is a vital part of our witness to the world that might draw them to Christ.

Christ called the church to be different from the world. I worry when the ways of the world – its divisiveness, its polarization – finds its way into the world. That doesn’t attract a skeptical, cynical world to Christ; it repels them. After all, if the church is just as divided and divisive as the world, why would anyone in the world want to be a part of it? Jesus is still praying for the unity of the church for the sake of the world, and it’s obviously a prayer that is yet to be fulfilled.

Again, it’s a unity in love. It’s a unity that conservative biblical commentator William Barclay describes as a unity of the heart. He acknowledges that churches will never organize or worship in exactly the same ways or even believe precisely all the same things. What hinders our unity, he writes, is that we love our doctrines, our rituals, and our creeds more than we love one another.

And yet how does the song we sing go? “They’ll know we are Christians by our…” By our what? By our rules? By our politics? By our social media posts? No, “they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

I pray that Jesus’ prayer may be fulfilled in each of your lives, in the life of Keith Church, and in the life of the church in the world. I pray that each one of you are one with the source of our unity in Christ, that you know in your own heart and life the love of God in Christ.

And I pray for a spirit of unity in love at Keith Church, a unity that is neither uniformity (after all, we have two different styles of worship services in two different spaces, and maybe having one pastor will help to reinforce that spirit of unity) nor unanimity. One of the great strengths of Keith Church over the years is its diversity. People here see things from all kinds of different perspectives, and I find that very enriching. I learn new things from people who see things differently than I do. And we don’t have to agree with one another to love one another. A colleague told a story this past week about a woman in her congregation who disagreed with another member of her Sunday school class about some issue. The pastor asked her if that meant she didn’t want to do church with that member anymore, and the woman said, “Heavens no! This is my class, those are my people, and I love them.”

And I pray that this spirit of unity in love may draw more people in the Athens community and all across the world to a saving faith in the love of God through Jesus Christ.

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There’s Something About Baby Yoda

December 16, 2019December 10, 2019 Keith Memorial United Methodist Church

There is a new figure that has captured the hearts of people on social media. He has inspired countless memes and videos; he is all over the internet. This figure is none other than a character that has been deemed “Baby Yoda.” This adorable baby has inspired feelings of warmth and affection. Just looking at his picture makes it impossible not to go, “Awww.”

Warning – Spoilers Ahead!

Last month, the new streaming service Disney + was launched and with it came a number of new Disney content. One of the new shows that has been released is a Star Wars series called The Mandalorian. The show follows a Mandalorian bounty hunter who is looking for work. In the first episode, a well-paying patron known simply as “The Client” gives this Mandalorian bounty hunter a vague target to capture and bring back alive. He is given a tracking device, and the only other information the Mandalorian receives is that the target is 50 years old. At the end of the first episode, we find that the 50 year old target is actually a green baby with big ears – “Baby Yoda.” As the show progresses we learn that not all species in the Star Wars universe age the same way which explains why a baby can also be 50 years old. We also learn that this is not actually the beloved character Yoda as an infant. Instead, this is a different character that is simply of the same species as Yoda. The Mandalorian travels with the child in order to deliver him back to The Client. On the way, Baby Yoda wins the heart of the Mandalorian and our hearts as well. When the Mandalorian becomes injured after fighting off a monstrous creature, the “Baby Yoda” attempts to heal him. He does this even though, at this point, the Mandalorian is still his enemy. When it comes time to hand over the infant to The Client, the Mandalorian changes his mind at the last minute. He then vows to protect the child at all costs.

As I think about this show, I can’t help but think of the story of Christmas. I’m reminded of King Herod who essentially offers a bounty on the baby Jesus. Herod is like The Client who desires to do harm to the child. He is threatened by Jesus and attempts to secure his position as king. The Mandalorian, much like the Wise Men, is tasked with tracking this infant, but in the end he realizes the importance and power of this child. The Mandalorian and the baby go into hiding, and the Mandalorian does everything in his power to keep the baby from harm. This reminds us of how Mary and Joseph traveled to Egypt in order to escape the clutches of King Herod. Although we do not know the fate of Baby Yoda, we do know that Jesus is ultimately victorious.

Jesus comes as this incredible child, and he captures our hearts. Jesus comes as this infant, and he changes the trajectory of our lives. Jesus is not “Baby Yoda.” Jesus is so much more. This Advent season we are invited to enter into the wonder and awe of a baby who is born in a manger. We are invited to prepare our hearts and minds for this Christmas as we welcome the Christ-child. We are invited to continue in this journey as we not only celebrate Christ’s birth, but we also celebrate his life, death, resurrection, and ascension. As we reflect on this season, I’m reminded of the hymn “What Child is this?”

What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.

How incredible, that a little baby would change the world forever. Thanks be to God.

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5 Ways to Love the “Unlovable”

July 8, 2019July 12, 2019 Keith Memorial United Methodist Church

“I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never – I promise – regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst” – Luke 6:35 (MSG).

Most people don’t have a hard time loving the people that look, think, and act like them. It’s easy to love the people who love you back. It can be incredibly hard, however, to love those that society deems as “unlovable.” In this post we will explore 5 ways to love the “unlovable.”

What does it mean to be “unlovable?”

The “unlovable” are people that are especially hard to love. This may be because of something that they have said. This may be because of how they have acted. This may be because of a crime that they have committed. Whatever the reason may be, the unlovable are the people in our lives that we have a hard time loving.

How am I supposed to love Dylan Roof after he killed 9 church members during a prayer service at Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, North Carolina?

How am I supposed to love Nikolas Cruz after he shot and killed 17 students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Lakeland, Florida?

How am I supposed to love Martin Shkreli after he committed fraud, embezzlement, and hiked pharmaceutical drug prices from $13 to $750 per pill?

How am I supposed to love the white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia where James Fields drive his car into a crowd of counter-protesters killed Heather Heyer?

These are obviously extreme examples, but there may be people in your life that you have difficulty connecting with, getting along with, and loving. Take some time and think about the people in your own life that you might have difficulty getting along with or that you might deem as “unlovable.” Keep that person in mind as we explore 5 ways to love the unlovable.

1. Remember that God is Love

First, it is important to remember that all human beings are created in the Imago Deior the “image of God.” God created humankind by breathing life into the dust. 1 John 4:8 says that “God is love.” Furthermore, Jesus calls his followers to love God ANDto love your neighbor as you love yourself (Matthew 22:37). Christians have the opportunity to offer God’s love to the people that nobody else loves. When you come across someone who is difficult to love, it is important to remember that God calls us to the radical and difficult work of loving everyone, including our enemies. We don’t have to agree with everyone or condone evil behavior, but we are invited to share God’s love as we seek to live in peace with God and one another.

2. Prayer

Prayer is a crucial way to offer love to the people that you may have difficulty loving. Prayer is an opportunity for you to speak good things into the life of someone else. It allows you to speak good things in your heart and over time this may change the way you see that person. Make sure you pray for them, but also make sure you pray for yourself. Here is a hint: if you are praying “Lord, please change this person who is always getting on my nerves and make them better” then you are probably doing it wrong. Yes, prayer changes things, but perhaps the thing that needs to change the most is your own attitude.

3. Put Yourself in their Shoes

A great way to gain a deeper understanding of the person you have difficulty loving is by putting yourself in their shoes. Maybe that work associate that always snaps at you is going through a tough divorce? Maybe your neighbor who keeps playing loud music is dealing with an economic crisis? You don’t always know what folks might be going through in their private lives. Try putting yourself in their shoes and giving people the benefit of the doubt. Often times when people act ugly toward you it is because something else is going on in their life at home.

4. Find a Connection

One thing that holds people back from loving an “unlovable” person is that people think they don’t have anything in common – and if you get a democrat and republican together in the same room it may seem that way. But one great way to love someone that is difficult to love is by trying to find a connection with them. It can be anything – even something small! Once you have established some common ground it may be easier for you to communicate with that person. And who knows, you may begin to find more in common than you originally thought.

5. Love from a Distance

If the “unlovable” person is completely resistant to your efforts to reach out in love, then it is okay to remove yourself from the relationship. It is important to keep safe and healthy boundaries. After all, it takes two healthy people to form a healthy friendship. All you can do is reach out, but you cannot make someone equally return that friendship. You can, however, continue to love someone from a distance.

Remember that no one is truly unlovable. It’s not always easy to love people that we disagree with. It’s not always easy to love people who have committed heinous actions against others. You don’t have to condone their behavior, but Jesus says that you do have to love them.

Take some time this week and try out one or two of these recommendations on some of the people you deem as “unlovable.” My hope is that your heart would be filled with more and more love for God and your neighbor.

Tag: Jesus

Jesus’ Prayer for Unity