United We Stand.

This is a familiar phrase to us, especially in these years after the terrorist attacks of 9-11. There is truth in these words, for our country and for our church. The opposite is also true: Divided We Fall.

United We Stand, Divided We Fall. What do these words mean for us today, as we gather to receive new members — confirmands at 8:45 and adults at 11:15?

I am very excited about this year’s confirmation class, and not only because my son Sam is in it. This year’s class has been shaped by our congregation over the course of many years, and youth director Nancy Stevens has pointed out that members of our church should be very proud of the influence they have had on these young people. I’m also pleased by the adults joining our church today, and I am grateful to God for leading them to us as they have searched for a community of faith.

So what are these people finding as they enter Fairfax Presbyterian Church? A community that is united … or divided? United we stand; divided we fall.

In today’s passage from the Gospel of John, Jesus prays for unity, asking that we “may all be one” (John 17:21). It is one of the deepest desires of Jesus that we be united, and one of the greatest failures of the Christian Church is that we have allowed ourselves to become divided — split first into Catholics, Orthodox and Protestant Christians, and then into Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Baptists, and a variety of other denominations.

Baptists are particularly well known for their church splits. I’ve heard it said that Baptists have a unique church growth strategy — they multiply by division.

These divisions are out of line with the intentions of Jesus, since he prayed “that we may all be one.” But what does this unity look like? In this particular passage from John, the message is hard to understand — Jesus offers what you might say is “a prayer of pronouns.” He says, “I in them and you in me, that they may be completely one.” I, them, you, me, they — it’s a prayer of pronouns. I know that this can be confusing.

But let’s focus on one critical point: Jesus wants us to be one, as he and God the Father are one (v. 22). This is not a unity of nationality, age, race, culture, politics, skin color, or even musical preference. This is a unity of purpose — a unity of message, ministry and mission.

The amazing thing about this passage is that it suggests that Jesus wants to break down the distinctions that usually exist between what is divine and what is human. Jesus wants us to be connected with him and with God in a close and intimate relationship. He wants us to share the very same passions and sense of purpose that God and Jesus share. It pulls us closer to the Lord than almost any other passage of Scripture, inviting us into the very presence of God. Jesus says to God, “The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one” (v. 22).

So, what kind of church do you want to be? I’m asking this question of our confirmands and new members, as well as our long-time members. Do you want to be united, or divided? Connected with God and Jesus, or separated from them? It’s your choice, and it’s a choice you have to make each and every day. One thing is clear, however — Jesus wants us to be united. He prays that we “may all be one,” and he wants us to be part of the message, ministry and mission that Jesus and his Father have brought into the world.

Now I could say a lot about unity of message and mission, but I won’t — we have a lot to do this morning. I’ll only stress that the most important thing about this unity is that it is grounded in love. Jesus says that God the Father loved him “before the foundation of the world” (v. 24), and this love is deeper than anything that exists — it is woven into the very fabric of the universe. We can rely on it, we can rest on it, we can depend on it. This is the love that Jesus asks God to show us, the same love that God has showed to Jesus (v. 23). This is a love that Jesus does not want to keep for himself, but wants to share with us (v. 26). Jesus wants to be united with God and with us … in love.

One of the great things about the first Christians was that they attracted outsiders to their church by the quality of their love for one another. It was not their beliefs that won new converts — it was their love. These Christians called each other “saints,” not because they were perfect people, but because they loved Jesus and loved each other, and they showed their love through acts of practical service. “Contribute to the needs of the saints,” wrote Paul to the Romans; “extend hospitality to strangers” (Romans 12:13). They took up a special collection for the church in Jerusalem, describing it as a “ministry to the saints” (2 Corinthians 8:4). Today, as in days gone by, love needs to be more than a word, more than an emotion — it needs to be an act of practical service.

So, what kind of church do you want to be? Jesus prays that we will be a church that is united and loving. He knows the truth of the phrase “united we stand, divided we fall,” and he deeply desires that we will be united in love.

When you come to receive Communion this morning, pray that you will become one with Jesus. When you think about your involvement in the church, ask yourself if your actions are helping to create unity. When you are tempted to criticize a fellow church member or staff person, examine your words and do not speak them unless they are truly loving. When you go to school or work tomorrow, behave in a way that will attract people to Christianity — not through expressions of belief, but through acts of practical service..

If we are united and loving, we can be the kind of people who carry God’s love into the world. Amen.