Lesson 3: “That They All May Be One” - 3ABN Sabbath School Panel - Q4 2018

the Bible tells us in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God it says to receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls and to be diligent to present yourself approved to God rightly dividing the word of truth join us now for the 3abn Sabbath school panel our study today is oneness in Christ hello I'm John Loma King and I'd like to welcome you to our Sabbath School panel where we are continuing in our third lesson on the wonderful quarterly topic oneness in Christ and I'll tell you in just a moment how to get a copy of this lesson and two how to follow along with us and we have wonderful panelists with us today I'd like to quickly take the time to remind you of who they are because if you've watched our program before I'm sure you've seen them if this is your first time I'll remember this channel where we can study God's Word together I'll give you some more details in just a moment but Molly is good to have you here thank you thank you and whenever I'm near you I get ready I put on fireproof clothing always on fire for the Lord Jill the lady of the world appreciate it very much thank you so much pastor Dinsey he's a multilingual pastor ahead of three being Latino good to have you today it's a pleasure to be here and Shelly I don't know what you have to talk about but you have so many thank you for what you do here at the va bien and hasn't this lesson been a wonderful thing to start here I mean we're just on number three the third one and this this week's study is that they all may be one covering october 13 to 19 if you don't have a copy of the lesson you can go to this following web site abs g dot adventist orj and download a copy that's a BS g dot adventist dot o-r-g and download a copy or you can go to your local seventh-day adventist church and join it in the bible study I'm sure they'll welcome you with open arms and if you don't have a lesson they'll give you one at least we'll do so here and I know that you ask they will make one available to you before we go any further though I'd like to always ask the Lord's blessing to be with us and I don't ask Pastor Dinsey to give us that blessing today sure let's go to the Lord and brand our loving Heavenly Father we want to thank you Lord for this time that we can be together to study your Holy Word we ask you Father to bless us with the Holy Spirit that we may speak the words your children need to hear we pray Lord that as we study together we will be drawn closer to you and closer to one another we pray for your blessing upon all that are watching and listening wherever they may be may your Holy Spirit touch their hearts to understand what they should do about the things they're about to hear in Jesus name Amen thank you so much that they all may be one as I looked over the lesson I'm gonna just begin with our memory text it's in John chapter 17 verse 20 and 21 the memory text the Bible reads as follows I do not pray for these alone but also for those who will be leaving me through their word that they all may be one as you Father are in me and I in you that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that you sent me it's very interesting how the text begins because the Lord gives one of the key elements of one that's right off the bat that is - that is we that he may be in the father and the father may be in him and in some sense we have the obligation when Jesus addresses his concerns we have the obligation as Christians to do everything with the other person in mind remember Jesus all through his ministry he said I did not come to do my own will but the will of the Father that sent me and we've talked about this in some of our prior lessons how unity is interrupted how separation begins to set in that's when we begin to do things with only our self-interest at heart and Jesus never did anything with self-interest but everything he did he did as the father appointed him the the father appointed him the tasks in his condescension as a human as the divine one clothed in human flesh as the human one that sequestered divine flesh it's amazing when do you think about Jesus stepping down himself I like to think of the picture we we have in Thompson Ville right we're 34 and 149 intersects just before we get to that intersection there's a row of power transformers I would consider they are and I have a little shaver at home I shaved with periodically and I thought to myself what would happen if I go right down to that power transformer and plugged in my shaver that requires only 12 volts well I hate to say maybe but not only will my shaver just integrate but I might cease to exist and I think of divinity that way yes this there's so much power in the person of Christ that he he came into human flesh by stepping down his power but he but he remained the Son of God and became the son of man and then he spent three-and-a-half years in this earth training calling and equipping his disciples to do a work and then when you think of his when you think of his pre-existence from eternity and his perfection even not in the slightest way defeating the mission he came here to accomplish and not in thought not in deed not in action and then he comes forth from the tomb saying all authority all power is given unto me in heaven and on earth and then he thinks to himself I've got to leave my church in the hand of these two all guys the sons of thunder Peter whose mouth is in fifth gear in his mind isn't first Thomas who can tell is that the Lord or is it not Judas we know he got filtered out because of his own personal greed but then you have John the youngest one to whom the one whom Jesus loved he was a tender one growing up to be the the cat of the catalyst for the book of Revelation then you look at all the different characters that were there represented in the twelve and I would have thought to myself I am really concerned whether or not there's going to be unity here and so John chapter 17 is the is the is the Creed it is the the buttress of unity I'm looking for a particular word that will come to me midstream and I'll just blurt it out but right now I can't come to the forefront let's look at John 17 verse one to five it's the Armada yes it's the Armada of unity John 17 verse one to five Jesus spoke these words lifted up his eyes to heaven and said father the hour has come glorify your son that your son also may glorify you as you have given him authority over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him and this is eternal life that they may know you the only true God in Jesus Christ whom you have sent I have glorified you on earth I have finished the work that's what I want to say I have finished the work amen I have finished the work which you gave that which you have given me to do and now Oh father glorify me together with yourself and this is powerful with the glory which I had with you before the world was you cannot deny the pre-existence of Christ on that very statement so the concerns Jesus had the lesson the person who constructed the lesson or the committee that put the lesson together categorize them in these different areas the prayer that jesus prayed about concerning his followers were contained in his concern about his betrayal and death now we know that before the cross he had a concern about his betrayal and death and the concern was not that he was going to be betrayed he knew he was that was prefigured in the in the writings of in the writings of the Old Testament prophets the one who I dip my bread the one who is my friend he will betray me that was a prophecy that had to come to pass but he was concerned because the Bible says woe unto the one who betrays me it's better that that person hadn't been born so that betrayal was a concern he had then also his high priestly work that he was going to participate in after he finished his work on earth as the man walking the road to the cross of Calvary then he continued his ministry but in his absence now he has to entrust the word or the work to frail human beings so he prays about his high priestly his high priestly function in the absence of his disciples he's praying not for his function but for them the other one his prayer of consecration for his sacrifice his concern for unity among believers and these are all the concerns that the church had in the New Testament his prayer of consecration on behalf of those who will eventually believe can you imagine Jesus is praying for those who will eventually believe and they haven't even heard the message yet and we've come to discover that some of those even the even the Nicodemus that came to Christ the one that came to the Lord by night Nicodemus mmm-hmm he became an ardent supporter of evangelism in the New Testament he financed some of the evangelistic series he became a person that stood strongly behind the advancement of the gospel but he needed and he counted with Christ first and then Jesus prayed for those that the father will give him and this I want to make clear is not a statement of predestination because people have read that and said okay the father's picking who's to be saved and who's to be lost no because we have all been predestined to be sons and daughters of God can we get an amen amen so the Lord has made every provision for every one of us to be saved and that's what the Emancipation Proclamation is all about it's been set free you just have to accept the Emancipation Proclamation and I heard the story about slaves that had been declared free but because they didn't get it from the person that had them in slavery they just continued working and we have been given the Emancipation Proclamation through the risen Savior amen but what I want to bring out very carefully here and I'd like us to turn now to John 17 verse 3 I think to me if there is if there's a beautiful passage in the Bible in the book of John chapter 17 I would say this to me is one of the central focuses in the in the in the life of Christ because a lot of times we think eternal life is a doctrine eternal life is a person that's right let's look at that John 17 verse 3 Shelly do you have it do you have it which one of you have it and this is eternal life that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent notice is the only true God he wouldn't make that statement unless they were competing gods and he knew that through the New Testament through the through the rise of the Ephesians church the church at Corinth the Church of Philippi the church at Ephesus he knew that they would be contentions and the Apostles contended with more than one false God so he made it clear when you go and proclaim proclaim the only true God and Shelly and in jail I just singled you both out because you know I know you love the book of Romans and the Apostle Paul made it very very clear in the very beginning of the book of Romans I desire to know nothing but twice and him crucified he made it clear this is my mission and then in the book of John this is something that I heard a pastor good friend of ours David - Rick I heard him say this and I was amazed by this and I did my own homework afterwards since what an amazing thing he said there are two words that came out continually in the book of the John know and believe know and believe those words are repeated repetitiously know and believe that you might know and in knowing you might believe and both of those are encased in John 3:16 that you might know and believe but let's look at the gift of eternal life by the way let's look at eternal life first as a gift Ephesians 2 verse 8 for by grace always saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God one of my favorite authors Oswald Chambers said it this way eternal life is not the gift of God it's the gift God and God is the gift he's not just saying here's a gift he says isn't isn't that the proclamation that was given about the coming of Christ call his name Emmanuel meaning God God with us he came to give us God he came to show us the father and so when we come into this one relationship with God we're not only receiving the gift that is eternal life but receiving the person of God the person of God through Jesus Christ who is the one who embraces he turn alive secondly he turned life is an appointment eternal life is an appointment acts 13 verse 48 now when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believe eternal life is in appointment thirdly eternal life is our hope Titus 1:1 Paul a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which which accords with goodness and the truth with the chords with goodness in the verse - in hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie promised before time began so thirdly eternal life is a hope the next one eternal life is in Christ who can find first John 5 verse 11 in 59 seconds first John 5:11 was John 5:11 and this is the testimony that God has given us eternal life and this life is in his son so eternal life is not just to give eternal life is Christ and lastly in our transition eternal life is a promise he turned life is a promise first John chapter 2 verse 25 and this is the promise that he has promised us eternal life and this is the promise that he has promised us eternal life so eternal life is a gift an appointment our hope it is Christ and it is a promise and when you focus on those aspects of your walk with Christ it tends to dissipate the fear that oneness will not exist because oneness and eternal life is all in Christ and amen let me ask you a question now I've got Monday's lesson and it's Jesus prays for his disciples okay what is the disciple Jesus prays for his disciples oh Jesus it's a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ how many of you are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ if you are a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ Jesus is praying for you now our memory text and a scripture that Jill is going to expound on is John 17:20 I'm gonna read it for you before I look into John 17 9 through 19 but let me read this to you I do not pray for these alone Jesus is talking about his disciples that are physically before him at the time he says but also for those who will believe me through their word and I mean let me ask each of you Jill have you believed in the Lord Jesus Christ through these words so you know what this is telling us pastor lo McCain this prayer that jesus prayed for his disciples is for you this prayer is for Jill Shelley this prayer is for you we can listen to this prayer as we read it and realize the Lord Jesus Christ is praying for us now let me ask you this question where is the Lord Jesus Christ right now and that would be Romans 8:34 who is he who condemns it is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen who is even at the right hat the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us do you know what intercession is Jesus is seated at the right hand of the father John Dinsey and he's praying for you he's making intercession for you intercession is where you take the and of Jill Morricone Jesus is taking the hand of Jill Morricone he's reaching over he's taking the hand of God and he's pulling you together that's what an intercessor does that's what Jesus is doing for us right now and here's the prayer that he is praying for each and every one of us I hope you were in John chapter 17 verses 9 through 19 I pray for them Jesus says I do not pray for the world but for those you have given me for they are yours and all mine are yours and yours are mine and I am glorified in them now I know long now I am no longer in the world but these are in the world and I come to you holy Holy Father keep through your name those whom you have given me that they may be one as we are one he's saying Holy Father keep Jill Morricone that she may be one with us even as we are one personalize this because Jesus braved this do you all think if the Lord Jesus Christ prayed this to his father that this prayer is going to be answered you can't imagine it not being answered verse 12 while I was with him in the world I kept them in your name those whom you gave me I have captain none of them is lost except the son of perdition that the scripture may be fulfilled verse 13 but now I come to you and these things I speak in the world that may they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves verse 14 I have given them your word in the world has hated them because they are not of the world just as I am NOT of the world I do not pray that you should take them out of the world but that you should keep them from the devil evil one they are not of the world just as I am NOT of the world sanctify them by your truth your word is true as you sent me into the world I also have sent them into the world and for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also may be sanctified in truth now two things stand out what is he praying for verse 11 it was unity verse 19 our sanctification now what is the definition of unity we've said this a lot that our whole quarterly is about oneness in Christ unity harmony and then he prays for our sanctification the definition of sanctification to set apart as a set for a sacred person or for religious use to consecrate to free from sin to purify so he's praying for us first that we would be in unity James 3:16 for we're in thee and evil seeking exist confusion and every every evil thing exists so what he's saying we've got I pray for their unity that they will be in unity and harmony where that where there is like of unity where there is confusions where there is striving what is there there is every evil work he prays for our unity for our harmony and he prays for our sanctification that we will be set apart for holy service unto God Jesus knew what was ahead for his disciples what happened to every one of his disciples did they have a pleasant evil easy meadow to walk through every one of them am I saying this correctly walk through difficult hard times some even to the point of death and he knows what is ahead for every one of us does anything keep get you pardon me does every anything ever catch God by surprise the enemy of our soul who wants nothing less than to destroy every one of us is walking about as a roaring lion doing what seeking whom he might may devour thus Jesus commits us Jesus commits us to the care of his father for him to protect us while we're in this world there is evil in the world first John 5:19 tells us this we know that we are of God and the whole world lies under the sway of what under the sway of the wicked one but because the world is the place where we live and where we serve God Jesus prays that he says I do not pray that you should take them out of the world but that you should keep them from the evil one why because jesus loves this world Jesus He gave His life you know Jesus didn't just give his life for you and for me Jesus gave his life for the whole world and there is a whole world passed along McCain of men and women precious souls that have never even heard the Gospel message and we are the instruments that are in this world that must be used to bring this Gospel message to those precious souls that Jesus died for He shed his blood for them now we are the instruments in the hand of God to be used to bring the Gospel message to the world and so Jesus is praying for us if Jesus prays for us you know God is hearing him does that not bring you courage doesn't it encourage you to want to go forth and be great and fighting warriors for the kingdom of God because if God be for us who can be against us Jesus is speaking to his disciples I'm going to finish with this scripture John 13 18 through 21 I do not speak concerning all of you I new know whom I have chosen but that the scripture may be fulfilled he eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me now I tell you before it comes that when it does come to pass that you may believe that I am he most assuredly I say to you he who receives whomever I send receives me and he who receives me receives him who sent me when Jesus said these things he was troubled in spirit and testified and said most assuredly I say to you one of you will do what one of you will betray me jesus knew that Satan had the power to wait right into his inner circle and to affect one of his very own he knew that he had that power so if he could do it to someone on the inner circle if Jesus do you not think we need that prayer and we need that protection because Jesus wants to use each and every one of us to bring the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to the whole world that's right thank you so much Molly you know we're going to take a short break to share some very important information with you and then we'll be right back to continue our lesson on Tuesday for those who will believe in me [Music] ever wish you could watch a three-bean sabbath-school panel again or share it on Facebook Instagram or Twitter well you can by visiting 3abn sabes cool panel comm a clean design makes it easy to find the program you're looking for there are also links to the adult Bible study guide so you can follow along sharing is easy just click share and choose your favorite social media cheryline save a life for eternity [Music] welcome back to our Sabbath School panel discussion and Jill is going to pick up on the lesson for those who will believe in me thank you so much Pastor John and Miss Molly what an incredible study I love John chapter 17 Jesus prayer for his disciples Jesus prayer for himself Jesus prayer for the disciples in my portion is Jesus prayer for each one of us now as you mentioned Molly Jesus definitely in the prayer for the disciples that could cover us as where is the Lord that that's the case but in a special way beginning in verse 20 this portion I have is John 17 verses 20 through 26 and this is Jesus prayer for you and I as I like to call it second generation Christians verse 20 I do not pray for these alone but also for those who will believe in me through their word now the word believe is a break off as it were from the word Pistons meaning faith in greek and so jesus saying he's not praying just for the disciples but he's praying for those who will have faith in him who will accept him as Lord and Savior not because they walked with Jesus not because they sat under his tutelage or they witnessed his miracles they're going to have faith they are going to believe and be justified because they heard the gospel through someone else they heard the gospel preached and presented to them they read the Word of God for themselves and they believed as a result so let's look at our passage here John 17 we're gonna pick it up in verse 21 verses 21 through 26 and when I read it here I found 8 principles of unity eight principles for unity now in verse 21 brother Johnny there's actually four principles just in that one verse alone so let's read that verse verse 21 that they all may be one as you Father are in me and I in you that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that you sent me so principle number one our unity as Christians is to be like the unity of God the Father and God the Son and we could add God the Holy Spirit to that list God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Spirit it says that we would be one as you Father are in me and I in you in other words Jesus to say the unity he wants us to have is the unity that the father and Son and Holy Spirit already have they are united in purpose United in mission United in motive United I think most importantly of all in a common love for Humanity Molly you talked about the love that Jesus had reaching out in praying for the disciples praying for you and for I I think about God the Father willingly giving his son we know that verse John 3:16 God so loved the world Y that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him would not perish but have everlasting life the father willingly gave his son but Jesus willingly lay down his life John chapter 10 15 he says I lay down my life for my sheep for the Sheep I lay down my life so they're united in their common love for Humanity so the first principle our unity as Christians is to be like the unity of God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit number two our unity comes from being one with him our unity comes when we partake of the divine nature you see it said there that we are that they are that's you and I may be one as you Father are in me and I in you that they also may be one in us you notice it didn't say we become one separate from God you know we only become one when we come back into unity and right relationship with God it's kind of like the triangle you imagine brother Johnny you're on this side and I'm on this side and if we become more like Jesus what happens eventually we come closer together we always use that analogy in marriage but it works in friendship and it works in relationships and co-workers with other people as well and the father and sons unity comes they are both divine and as you and I become partakers of the divine nature then automatically we come into that unity as well John 1 12 and 13 what does the Bible say as May has received him to them he gave power or the right to become the children of God to those who believe on his name who were born not of blood nor the will of the flesh nor the will of man but of God we become partakers of the divine nature when we are born again we become partakers of the divine nature when we partake of the exceedingly great and precious promises in his word that he has for us that's found in 2nd Peter 1 verse 4 so the third principle of unity were still in the same verse verse 21 is our unity is a witness to the world did you notice in verse 21 it says that the world why are we all united that the world may believe that you sent me our unity as a witness John 13:35 by this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another principle number 4 our unity is never invisible the world either sees biblical unity and love for one another or the world sees envy and strife and confusion and every evil work so the unity or disunity that a church has has never hidden and it's never invisible it's readily apparent to people outside the Christian community whether we are united and loved or not let's read the next verse verse 22 and the glory which you gave me I have given them Jesus as the glory you is in God the father gave me I have given them which is you and I as Christians that they may be one just as we are one so what makes us one did you see that the glory that's right the glory that God gave him and he gives to us that makes us one we know when the Bible glory represents his character Exodus 33 remember Moses said Lord show me your Lorien God caused his virtue his character to pass before Moses so Jesus says that our unity is only possible as you and I possess God's character it's not possible when we don't represent him and we don't possess his character okay the next verse first 23 I am them and you and me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me our unity vindicates God's character and reveals the Father's love why are what it says I am them in you and me why is that all happening that the world may know that you have sent me our unity as Christians vindicates the character of God and it reveals his love number seven our unity occurs because Christ dwells in us by the power of the Holy Spirit did you notice that said I in them and you and me that means when Christ dwells in us the hope of glory what happens then our unity really fully comes to full fruition but Christ has to dwell in us by the power of the Holy Spirit and the last one number eight is found in verse 24 father I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which you have given me for you loved me before the foundation of the world our unity precedes eternal life in other words we don't say I'm gonna wait Pastor John until we get to heaven and then I'm gonna get along with some church members I'm gonna get along with other people the unity has to precede and be before that eternal life ever takes place I want to close with a quote from fourth volume of the testimonies page 17 God is leading out of people to stand in perfect unity upon the platform of eternal truth God designs that his people should all come into the unity of the faith the prayer of Christ just prior to his crucifixion was that his disciples might be one even as he was one with the father that the world might that the father has sent him this most touching and wonderful prayer reaches down through the ages that's to you and I even to our day for his words were neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word how earnestly should the profess followers of Christ seek to answer this prayer in their lives so the eight principles of unity that I get from this passage is that our unity as Christians is to be like the unity of the Father Son and Holy Spirit our unity comes from us being one with him our unity is a witness to the world our unity is never invisible our unity is only made possible if you and I possess God's character and that is a gift all we have to do is reach out and accept and choose him and receive that our unity vindicates God's character it reveals the Father's love it occurs because Christ dwells in us by the power of the Holy Spirit and it happens before eternal life now that lays a great foundation for Wednesday's part of the lesson which is unity among Christians and I want to say this which has been my experience I've had the opportunity to travel to a few places in this world here and there and I have to say that when you come to a seventh-day Adventist Church whether you are in southern Illinois you go to New York you go to South America or you may go to Europe you find I feel I come at home in a seventh-day Adventist Church because there there seems to be a platform of truth that unites us and our our faith in the Lord brings us this this feeling of family that you're among family and so with that in mind I like to come to this setting that Jesus brings us and we need to go to mark chapter 9 verses 38 to 41 first mark chapter 9 verses 38 to 41 it says now John answered him saying teacher we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in your name and we forbade him because he does not follow us I don't know what they did to I mean this is one of the sons of hundred is talking here but Jesus said do not forbid him for no one who works a miracle and my name can soon afterwards speak evil of me verse 44 he who is not against us is on our side for whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name because you belong to Christ assuredly I say to you he will by no means lose his reward so we have here that just because the people are not in our church home church setting and they are they believe the same as believe the same as we do in there but they're not in our same church doesn't mean they're not of Christ so we need to look at this hey what is Jesus trying to say but we have to be united on a platform of truth this is why I said you know the it's a great setting for Wednesday's lesson Jesus says in John chapter 10 and verse 16 let's go to John chapter 10 and verse 16 because Jesus says something here that is of vital importance and I think sister Shelly already has it would you mind reading it for us and other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I'm a spring and they will hear my voice and there will be one flock and one Shepherd amen amen and so we have here that Jesus has sheep that are not of this fold let's say and they will hear his voice and the time will come when there will be unity complete unity among God's children and this is a very interesting thing that Jesus says however we are up on this earth I'd like to bring something out something else to you because we are in church and there's this parable that Jesus says and he says didn't you plant good seed in the field why are there terrorists you know and you may be in church and somebody may be doing something and you said boy I thought that person was what's a Christian but he does or she does something terrible and so there are tares among the wheat that may that Satan may use to bring division in the church body so the church must deal with these things with love and a Redemption redemptive discipline if you want to say if you want to call it that way but there has to be unity among believers because the reason for to have a Christian body is for Christ's will to be fulfilled we've read in John chapter 17 that they may be one as we are one and in Matthew chapter 22 we have the two great principles that unites God's family one love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your mind and also number two love your neighbor as yourself these things God's commandments bring brings God's people together this is a strange thing to me then among some questions and oh no no the Ten Commandments are done away with we don't have to keep those but God's Ten Commandments unites the believers now who wants to be in heaven where people steal from one another imagine in heaven having to lock up stuff I remember a VN sent me on a mission to Puerto Rico and I had to rent an apartment there and because of the robbery that was going on in that place there was this iron gate in front of the door of the apartment I was in a literal gate and it had a lock and I went and then there's the door of the apartment and it had several things to lock and after I placed myself into the first I say I'm in jail in my own apartment and this is the society we live in but in God's kingdom there's not gonna be fear of robbery or so the Ten Commandments unites God's believers by this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another now I want to bring you to something that is kind of something that we're heading to right very soon very soon in Revelation chapter 13 it talks to us beast power and this beast power is said to exercise authority in the world and has power to cause both small and great rich and poor to receive a mark on their forehead or in their hand but these people as pastor Lowe McCain mentioned some in one of the lessons before they're these people unite for the wrong reason and they pastor they want to pass a law the whoever does not get this mark can even be put to death so while we talk about unity among believers it has to be on a platform of truth truth so if you're united for the wrong reason that is not of God's will then you are in serious in a seriously dangerous situation and we bring to you ace a condition that there seemed to be unity among the people when Jesus was on the cross there was unity among those that were below the cross saying crucify him crucify him they were united in what they wanted to do but it was the wrong thing so that's why when we talk about unity among believers it must be on a platform of truth on God's holy word yeah when you talk about Revelation chapter 13 in Revelation chapter 13 we have I like to read just a couple of verses there because we are heading there very very soon Revelation chapter 13 and I will read to you verses 16 until the end he causes all both small and great rich and poor free and slave to receive a mark on their right hand or under in their on their foreheads and then no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name here is wisdom let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast for it is the number of a man his number is 666 so we have here a group of people and a large group of people United for the wrong reasons and they are going to be persecuting Christians it's people and what are God's people going to do shall we unite with that group because hey that's what everyone is believing or shall we be a small group that believes what God's Word says this is why I like to go now to Revelation chapter 14 because there in Revelation 14 it talks about Babylon and is marvelous that God even has people in Babylon and it says in Revelation 18 come out of her my people and this is a message that must be given in three of eNOS giving that message yes so Revelation chapter 14 brings us to this last scripture that I would like to share and this is verse 12 verse 12 says here is the patience of the saints here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus I like to reverse 13 as well then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me write blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now yes as the spirit that they may rest from their labors and their works follow them so while we talk about unity among believers it must be upon the Holy Scriptures a platform of truth that unites us to do that which is God's will and not man's will and not the devil's well because you know we were talking about greed you uses another word Grievous wolves what kind of wolves was it savage savage wolves that are gonna come even from their gonna rise up even among from the believers that are gonna try to sway people you know in the direction opposite to God's Word so we have to trust and believe in a thus saith the Lord and then we can have unit amen amen Thank You Johnny this week's lesson is that they may all be one and I have Thursday's lesson which is one faith shared in love let's look at John 17:3 again we're going to revisit that I love this scripture John 17:3 reads that Jesus is speaking he says this is eternal life oh he's praying to his father and he says that this is eternal life that they may know you father the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent and that word know in the Greek tense it's a continuing action that they should know and keep on knowing you but is this and to know about God this is not cognitive knowledge you know James tells us in James 2:19 that you believe that there is one God good even the demons believe that in Trimble so what this word it's in the Greek it's Genesis KO and it indicates a relationship that keeps on building this is an entering into a personal relationship with God in Christ Jesus and accept accepting him as our Savior it's an intimate thing it's living in fellowship with God where were worshiping well bang and just acknowledging who he is as the only true God and acknowledging that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father I want to quickly give you four ways to know that we know I mean knowing God is eternal life don't you want to know that you know that you know God here's four evidences that you can know that you know that you know God first we will walk in obedience to His commandments first John two three six John says by this we know we know him if we keep his Commandments he who says I know him and does not keep his Commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him but whoever keeps his word truly the love of God is perfected in him by this we know that we are in him how by obedience he who says he abides in him I also to walk just as he walks so Jesus is more than our example though he is the one he's a gift of grace and a in our heart by the power of the Holy Spirit and we are enabled empowered to walk as Jesus walk now keeping God's commandments does not save us please understand we're not trying to say that but when we live in fellowship with him we will want to please him we'll want to obey it's out of loyalty and and out of love and you know Jesus did say John 14:15 if you love me keep my Commandments did he not okay so that's the first way to know that you know God is we're walking in obedience to His commandments the second way is we will be loving first John 4:8 says he who does not love does not know God for god is love so you know I love first Corinthians chapter 13 verses 4:3 it's talking about what love is it's patient kind never envious not jealous not boastful not vainglorious it doesn't display itself haughtily it's not conceited it's not rude it says love God's loving us does not insist in its own rights or its own way it's not self-seeking it's not touchy fretful resentful it takes no account of the evil done to it it pays no attention to a suffered wrong love does not rejoice in injustice or unrighteousness but it rejoices when right and truth prevail it says love bears up under everything so love never fails alright so to know that we know God we keep his Commandments we're loving number three is we've received the Holy Spirit first John 4:13 it says by this we know that we abide in him and him he in us because he has given us of his spirit and in Romans 8:9 Paul says you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if indeed the Spirit of God in you now if anyone does not have the spirit what does that mean he's not his so now the fourth point to know God is to be united to Christ it's more than confessing him as Lord it's it's more than just bearing his name it's accepting and daily practicing his will believing and obeying by the power of His Holy Spirit first John 5 10 through 12 says he who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself he who does not believe God has made him a liar because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of his son this is the testimony that God has given us eternal life and this life is in his son he who has the son has life he who does not have the son does not have life and in 1st John 5 to 3 it says this is how we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his Commandments for this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and His commandments are not burdensome so it's so important to know that you know that you're in God and that's four ways we keep his Commandments we're loving we receive the Holy Spirit and were united with Christ now in John 13:34 and 35 Jesus says I give you a new commandment but wait a minute it's not really new let's look at it John 13:34 and 35 says a new commandment Jesus says I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another by this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another we know what he's really quoting Leviticus 19:18 that says you shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the children of your people but you shall love your neighbor as yourself she saying you gotta love the other so what is new about this commandment I'll tell you what's new Christ is setting himself up as the unparalleled example of how we should love this is not just a little feely touchy thing and when we talk about love you know it is not we're not talking God talks about loving one another this is not romantic love the word eros is not even in the Bible this is that self-sacrificing love it's loving one each one another unconditionally as a brother or a sister in the Lord that we're family and so what weird to do it's an attitude that is revealed in practical actions and this brings us together in unity and it makes us powerful witnesses it keeps the church United would we love like Jesus loves it prevents petty bickering and division and it is the mark of a true disciple I've just got to I'm glad I've got a minute left I have to read this real quickly to you it's a quote from an help Rodriguez's book the universality of the church in the New Testament both excuse me his book is message mission and unity of the church he's quoting Eckhart Mueller and here is he is one of our someday Adventist scholars here's the quote although the seventh-day Adventist Church is a worldwide church with many local churches Adventists do not claim to be Christ's universal Church the universal Church is broader than any denomination it is visible and invisible insofar as it consists of those who believe in Jesus and follow him there's a particular theological issue is heightened if we take into consideration apostasy among Christians address poignantly in the book of Revelation the pure Church of revelation 12 is contrasted with the harlot of revelation 17 Babylon the great city which in turn is contrasted with the bride and the Lamb the holy city or the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21 and 22 in the first century the universal church may have been quite visible it is much more difficult and complex to see for instance during the medieval ages but here's what he says Adventists do not limit the concept of God's true church to their own denomination nor do they automatically extend it to other Christian churches God's true church consists of those individuals who truly believe in him God knows them Adventist on the other hand claim that they are God's special visible in time remnant of Revelation 12:17 and chapters 12 through 14 this remnant has a local as well as a universal character you know when you mention Revelation shell you wrote that's my volcano well thank you all you know that the lesson that they all may be one I'd like to give each one of our panelists an opportunity to summarize and Molly I'll begin with you I think that what would come to my heart is that where Jesus says in John 17 11 11 Holy Father keep through your name those whom you have given me that they may be one even as we are one you know that is not that that is a supernatural unity a unity above what we as mankind could accomplish it is us being one with God the Father and God the Son Thank You Molly Jill and John 17 jesus prayed for us that we would know him that we would love him and that we would reveal him to the world amen Pastor Dan Z I will read it from 2nd Corinthians 14 if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal the land and Shelly the mark of a true disciple is love love means that we will also walk in obedience amen you know friends our time comes to go so quickly we would like to encourage you to join us the next time for our continued study in the oneness that we can find in Christ until we see you again may the Lord bless you and keep you centered on the person of Christ where oneness is possible god bless you [Music] [Music] you

Channel: Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN)

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Keywords: 3ABN, Three Angels Broadcasting Network, yt:quality=high, Oneness In Christ, 3ABN Sabbath School Panel, That They All May Be One, Praying for unity, Unity Among Christians, One Faith Shared in Love, Sabbath School study, Bible study

Id: tN1UwSnzL9c

Length: 58min 0sec (3480 seconds)

Published: Sun Oct 14 2018