I. INTRODUCTION

A. Just a few hours before His crucifixion, the Lord Jesus prayed for the unity of His disciples, both then and now, in John 17:20-23, saying,

²⁰"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; ²¹that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²²The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; ²³I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

B. Today, all who claim to follow Jesus are far from unified. However, this does not mean that the Lord's prayer has gone unanswered.

1. Thousands of denominations, sects, and cults make claims to the name of Jesus, yet they are divided in teachings, beliefs, and practices.

2. Nevertheless, the unity for which Jesus prayed is still possible and does exist among those who are truly following Jesus. The key to this unity is found in verse 20 of Christ's prayer.

a. Those who believe in Jesus through the word of the apostles will have unity. They will be unified through a common belief in the uniform gospel message of the apostles.

b. The word of the apostles is the word of God's truth, for Jesus prayed for His apostles in verse 17, saying to the Father, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth." Indeed, Jesus gave them the Spirit of truth to guide them (John 16:13-15; Acts 2:1-4).

c. Many believe in a concept of Jesus that was not taught through the word of the apostles. These are divided among the many, countless doctrines of men and can never have unity.

C. If we would have the unity for which our Lord prayed, then we must find it through the sanctifying truth of God's word.

II. LET THERE BE AGREEMENT WITH NO DIVISIONS

A. The first century church at Corinth was exhorted to have complete unity.

1. The church at Corinth had many problems, but the first problem addressed in this letter from Paul was division. Notice the emphatic charge given in 1Corithians 1:10:

Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

2. The divisions at Corinth existed because the members of the church attempted to follow men rather than Christ. Notice 1Corithians 1:11-13:

¹¹For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. ¹²Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." ¹³Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

3. To overcome these divisions, the Corinthians had to cease from following men and devote themselves solely to Jesus Christ.

a. The men whom the Corinthians attempted to follow were given by the Lord to serve them and build them up through the singular message of the gospel as united believers in Christ (1Cor. 3:5-7). However, the Corinthians had begun to choose among these individual men as if they were separate authors of various faiths.

b. In 1Corinthians 3:21-23, notice that the proper order had to be restored in the hearts of the Corinthian Christians for unity to exist among them. Notice this passage:

²¹So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, ²²whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, ²³and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.

B. This exhortation stands for the Lord's church today and always.

1. The word of God still calls upon us to all agree, to have no divisions among us, and to be made complete in the same mind and the same judgment.

2. Nevertheless, men still claim to be Christians while saying, "I am of Luther," and "I am of Calvin," and "I am of Wesley," and even "I am of Campbell."

3. Far be it from any of us to say, "I am of" any man! The question of 1Corinthians 1:13 still remains: Has Christ been divided? Certainly not!

III. THE WORD OF GOD GIVES US THE SAME MIND AND THE SAME JUDGMENT

A. We are all different, so whose mind and whose judgment shall govern us?

1. Is this a matter of "might makes right" so that we should follow whoever has the most power, influence, or money? Certainly not!

2. Should the church have a national convention or central headquarters to decide for all Christians what their same mind and same judgment should be? Neither Jesus nor His apostles ever mentioned such a thing.

3. Do we need a pope to serve as "Christ Vicar" and make the rules for us to follow? No such office existed in the New Testament church.

B. It is the Scriptures that reveal the mind of Christ so that we may all have the same mind and the same judgment through Him.

1. In 1Corinthians 2:10, Paul explained that he and his fellow apostles and inspired men were given the truth of God through the Holy Spirit. As a result, he declared, "We have the mind of Christ" (1Cor. 2:16).

2. These men revealed the mind of Christ to us in their written word. Therefore, each individual can understand the mind of Christ as well as they did.

a. Notice what Paul said about his writings in Ephesians 3:4 -- By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.

b. Notice that again: when you read you can understand. If you do not read, then you cannot understand and cannot have the unity Christ desires. "So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Eph. 5:17).

c. Therefore, let us heed 2Timothy 2:15 -- Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

3. Indeed, it is by means of the Scriptures that God has revealed His mind to us so that we all can read, understand, and unite with the same mind and the same judgment. Consider what the Scripture reveals about itself.

a. 2Timothy 3:16-17 -- ¹⁶All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; ¹⁷so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

b. 2Peter 1:20-21 -- ²⁰But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, ²¹for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

C. Many resist the word of God and follow men, but Christians must preach the word and abide in it.

1. By inspiration, Paul anticipated the departure from the word of God and warned Timothy and us. Notice 2Timothy 4:1-5:

¹I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: ²preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. ³For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, ⁴and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. ⁵But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

2. The time came and now is when men have accumulated teachers in accordance with their own desires. As their desires have differed, they all have divided, and thus there is no unity among many who claim to follow Christ. This is a shame and a sin against the Lord.

3. When we preach and abide by the word, unity will naturally follow. Therefore, let us be "diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3).

IV. CONCLUSION

A. As our Lord was preparing to face death, He thought of His disciples and prayed to His Father for their unity. We are those disciples if we believe in Him through His apostles' word.

B. As His disciples, we should seek to fulfill the Lord's will for us. Therefore, by the word of God, let us agree, let there be no divisions among us, and let us be made complete in the same mind and the same judgment.