"That They All May Be One"
a condensed version of the sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore on Sunday, May 4, 2008 at Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Somonauk, Illinois.

PODCAST of "That They All May Be One"

At the end of this week's Bible reading from John 17:1-11, Jesus asks God to protect the disciples, "so that they may be one, as we are one." 

So what has become of that unity?  Here's what appears to be the church’s idea of unity:

• We disagree about political candidates
• We disagree about the historical Jesus
• We disagree about wedge issues
• We disagree about music styles
• We disagree about worship settings

We disagree . . . we disagree . . . we disagree . . . we disagree.

Today we’re welcoming 10 new members into the life of the church. Each of the students has written their own statement of faith – talking about what they believe about God our creator, Jesus our savior and about the Holy Spirit. They don’t all agree about what they believe – listen to some of their thoughts:

• God is still speaking.
• God never makes mistakes.
• God loves us even when we’ve done wrong – no matter what we do.
• God is neither male nor female.
• It wasn’t an accident creating the Earth.
• God created the world.
• God is loving, generous and inspiring.
• Everyone has a relationship with God in their own way.
• God sends people signs to guide them or to give them comfort.
• God created other worlds and universes and there are others right now and all the different worlds are somehow connected once you’re in Heaven.
• God has given us everything we need and want.
• Jesus wasn’t perfect because humans are never perfect
• Jesus didn’t judge and he welcomed all.
• Jesus taught a better way to live.
• Jesus is 100% man and 100% God.
• When Jesus was here on Earth his mission was to show the people God’s love. He was hated because of this. He was sentenced to death and forced to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.
• Jesus is always with you.
• Jesus cares for me and everyone and he forgives all.
• Jesus is loving, courageous and holy.
• We have a little piece of Jesus in all of us.
• Jesus cares.
• The stories from the Bible about Jesus healing people and walking on water are real.
• Jesus will return to Earth again at some point to help people and remind them of the ways of God. He will be in a different form than he was before. I don’t think it will happen in my lifetime, though.
• Jesus loves everyone and rejected nobody.
• The Holy Spirit gives you a mind to think about the right choice.
• The Holy Spirit guides us on our faith journey.
• The Holy Spirit is living in each an every one of us.
• The Holy Spirit is always watching.
• The Holy Spirit can be motivating.
• The Holy Spirit passes through us when we do good things.
• The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.
• The Holy Spirit protects those who don’t believe in God because they too are Gods creations and God loves them.
• The Holy Spirit keeps us from making bad decisions.
• It’s our choice whether to listen to God or not.
• God is always there for me, but sometimes I do have my doubts.
• I always go back to God though, because I know he was, as and will always be there for me.
• God is trustworthy, patient and is worthy of praise.

I’m sure you agree with some of the thoughts and that you disagree with others. That’s been the way we have operated as followers of Jesus since the beginning of the church.

So what do we agree on?

Jesus gave us two most important rules

• Love God with all that you are
• Love your neighbor as yourself.

And I think there are some others – I’ve mentioned these before too:

• People should have enough to eat.
• People should have places to live.
• People should have access to medical care.
• All people should be treated with the same decency and respect.

Augustine and John Wesley have both been given credit for this bit of sage advice when it comes to Christian unity:

In essentials, unity;
In nonessentials, liberty;
In all things, charity.

I think of that advice when I’m singing the line from Christopher Grundy’s song, T.A.M.B.O.  (that they all may be one) We’ll sing it today after the sermon:

Still when two or three can meet
Respecting their differences, there’s no defeat
For the realm of God has come near

I know that we have wedge issues that make us so angry and make us want to fight with each other. But we can be unified even when we have those disagreements.

We will disagree about abortion and homosexuality and immigration and stem cell research and the minimum wage and the war in iraq and the patriot act and no child left behind.

And we’ll even disagree as to whether issues like those are essential or nonessential. But what a testimony we would offer to the world if, starting in our congregation and then extending to our association and conference and even the entire United Church of Christ that we could love beyond any internal grievances and genuinely extend that love to all.

So here’s a challenge for this week:

• Spend time listening to someone you disagree with about something significant. Don’t try to convince them of their "wrongness" about the issue. Just listen and be genuinely interested.
• After they’ve talked with you about the significant thing. Tell them that you love them no matter that though you disagree about the ‘significant thing.’
• Then invite them to church – if they don’t come here already.

After you’ve done that with one person. Do it with another. . . and another . . . and another. Same process . . . same genuine love.

Same invitation.

We can be a church that shows Christian unity. We don’t have to agree on everything – we just have to be willing to love God and to love each other – that we all may be one.

Close with prayer

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