Fellowship In Christ

John 17
21 That they all may be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.
22 I have given to them the glory and honour which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are one:
23 I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and plainly recognise that You sent Me and that You have loved them even as You have loved Me.

• That they may be ONE! Jesus’ prayer to His Father is that we might be ONE. One people in Christ, One with The Father and One with each other. It is His heart’s cry and His purpose that we might be ONE! Hallelujah! What a blessed Hope! Oh how little we comprehend the love and longing of The Lord toward us! That we might have the invitation and opportunity to be ONE with God! Oh praise The Lord! Hallelujah!
• Jesus does not pray that His people would be in agreement with each other, or united by a cause, but that we would be ONE, a bond far deeper than mere agreement. Jesus here is not praying that His people would all be of one denomination, wearing the same uniform, singing the same songs and standing in agreement with everything that YOU believe! NO! Man, limited in his revelation and understanding, can never produce life that is One with God! The flesh loves to esteem and elevate itself above other ‘lesser’ things. The flesh loves to protect and defend itself, assuming and justifying its own righteousness, and finding pride in attaining standards. No, the body of Christ will never be united by a man’s teaching or tradition. Fellowship is not in academic learning, it is in Christ! Fellowship is not in subscription, it is in Christ! A truth so simple it cuts through all pride of flesh yet the deep mystery of The Gospel!
• It is the person of Jesus Christ ONLY AND ALWAYS! HIS LIFE! HIS SPIRIT! As each individual abides in HIM they are ONE! Abiding in HIS love, HIS humility, HIS loving kindness and tender mercies, HIS preferring of others, HIS lifting others up, HIS servant heart, HIS righteousness… As we each abide in HIM we abide close with each other.

1 John 1
3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
…
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

• It is as we walk in HIS Light that we fellowship. Our fellowship with each other is with The Father and His Son Jesus Christ! As we walk in HIS Light as HE is in The Light it is then that we have fellowship together. It is there that we are ONE! Too often these days men “fellowship” over pet topics rather than Christ. They look for others to walk in agreement with their preferred doctrine rather than to know if they are in Christ and therefore ONE. Man is always seeking to identity himself with this one or that one but fails to simply be identified with Christ alone! In all circumstances, in all trials, in all conflicts, confusions and arguments identify yourself with Christ! May He be identified/seen in us, in our conversation and in our conduct. How does Jesus treat the brother you disregard or despise? Know for sure that if you cannot be ONE with you brother then you cannot be ONE with Christ!
• Consider sitting at The Lord’s communion table, enjoying the incredible wonder and blessing of His voice and presence and His sweet fellowship. Now imagine the brother that you are careful to separate yourself from enters the room, is lovingly welcomed, embraced and joins you at the Father’s table. Oh, give that some thought. What complaint will you give to the all knowing Father? What will your conversation be then?
• We will always find that we disagree on interpretations, revelations and understandings, but those things are not where we unite! Jesus is that Light! He is The Way, The Truth and The Life! Whatever your doctrine or theology or understanding of eschatology… get to Jesus! Abide in HIM! Long for HIM, hunger and thirst for HIM, yield and surrender to HIM. In Him WE ALL live and move and have our being! Our joining together as ONE body is only as we are IN HIM!

1 Thessalonians 4
9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.

• God’s Spirit within His people is teaching them to love. Can we consider ourselves good students? Can we acknowledge and confess the divisions in our own hearts and seek The Lord to free us from such pride and selfishness? We can be so quick to spot lack and disappointment in others and not see them with the heart of Christ.
• Oh may we learn what The Lord is teaching us. May our hearts be as His heart with loving longing for His people, serving with humility and interceding with all His heart and soul that we might be ONE!

For I care not what church you belong to,
If on Calvary’s ground you will stand,
And if you love The Lord just like I do,
Then brother please give me your hand.