The Gospel of John: Come and See Our Preservation in Christ, pt 2

Sunday we’ll continue to examine Jesus’ prayer for our preservation in grace. As he prays that we be kept, he roots his request in our union with him. He has permanently joined us to himself to enable us to experience his relationship with the Father. This union is his glory and it’s now ours by grace.

As he prays for us, he tells the Father what he did to unite us to himself and the results of this union in the world. We belong because Jesus has justified us by faith. Notice that he says, “they have kept your word.” You know the disciples. They are far from faithful. In just a few hours each will “ghost” him and one will deny him multiple times. But remember, Jesus is the true vine, and all who are united to him are “clean.” Jesus has brought us to faith and justified us by grace. The verdict is in: we are righteous by grace through faith.

The result of this grace is a unified community of faith. This unity testifies to the world that God is and has mercifully sent his Son to accomplish our redemption. So often we look for a way to make our beliefs credible to the world with stronger arguments when the greatest evidence is our unity as family. This is not unity at the expense of truth, but unity in the truth as we are sanctified by it. Unity is the fruit of grace; grace is the ministry of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. True unity in the world is only experienced in gospel grace.

Ultimately, the fruit of grace in the church brings glory to Christ which in turn glorifies the Father. Join us Sunday as we consider Christ’s work of grace in our community.