Open—C. Hendricks
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John 17.
John 17.
We know this is the blessed Lord praying to the Father.
In verse 20 he says.
Neither pray I for these alone.
But for them also, which shall believe on me through their word.
That they all may be 1.
As thou, Father, art in me, and I am thee.
That they also may be one in US.
That the world may believe.
That thou hast sent me.
The greatest hindrance?
To that being accomplished that the world might believe.
Father that thou hast sent me.
The greatest hindrance is the lack of this oneness.
Among God's people, was his prayer ever answered?
Was his prayer ever answered?
Will it ever be?
Well, the answer to those two questions is yes.
It has been answered.
It will be answered again perfectly.
In Glory.
When we're all gathered together unto him.
Turn to Acts Chapter 2.
Acts Chapter 2.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with 1 accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house.
Where they were sitting.
Notice the 1St.
Mentioned the effect of the coming of the Holy Spirit is to fill the house.
That was literally the place where they were sitting. But I think it speaks of something deeper than that.
The Spirit has taken up his residency in this present day of grace in the House of God.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them, each one individually.
Had this.
This new.
This new thing that God was establishing this.
Assembly.
Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth.
Inhabited, indwelt by the Holy Spirit collectively and each one individually.
This is what characterizes Christianity.
And the cloven tongues.
Saying that this is not to be limited to 1 nation like Judaism was.
But it's for all peoples and languages and tongues and nations.
On the face of the earth.
And they were all filled.
With the Holy Ghost.
And began to speak with other tongues.
As the Spirit gave them utterance.
Everyone heard the wonderful message of God in their own language.
This gift of Thomas used on that day to show that what God is establishing here, especially to show it to Israel.
With other tongues and people of other lips will I speak unto this people.
And this is the coming of the Spirit of God that produced this.
But if you turn to the 4th chapter.
We have something very exceedingly.
Precious.
The testimony was being opposed.
The greatest opponents to it were the Jews.
We'll start at verse 29. We know the account. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings.
And grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.
By stretching forth thine hand to heal.
And that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
And when they had prayed.
The place was shaken.
Where they were assembled together.
And they were all filled.
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With the Holy Ghost.
And they spake the Word of God with boldness. Here you see a company, not just individuals, now filled with the Holy Spirit.
As on the day of Pentecost.
But you see this company?
Praying.
Unitedly, with one heart and one soul.
They were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
And the effect of that is that they spake the word with boldness. When you see someone that is filled with the Holy Ghost, there's boldness.
The fear of man bringeth a snare.
Fear of the Lord gives boldness.
Now notice verse 32.
And the multitude of them that believed.
Were of 1 heart and of one soul.
Neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common.
And with great power.
Gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
And great grace was upon them all.
Neither was there any among them that lacked.
For as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the price of the things that were sold.
Laid them down at the apostles feet.
And distribution was made unto every man, according as he had need.
Well, this was the height. This was the height that was reached in those early days, before any divisions had come in.
But I want to read verse 32 as it is in the new translation.
The multitude and the heart.
And soul.
Of the multitude of them that believed was one.
The Lord's Prayer that they may be 1.
As thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee.
That they also may be one in us that the world may believe.
Thou hast sent me.
The heart and soul of the multitude that believed was one.
The Lord's Prayer was answered literally answered.
Here was a company as a company. Never before, never since has this happened. I don't believe that they were all unitedly filled with the Holy Spirit.
There was a total selflessness. There was a total lack of anyone seeking a place or seeking to be recognized or looked upon as something.
Self was, for the moments at that time, gone.
And the Spirit of God was there to fill the mall with Christ.
And his glories and with great power.
Gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace.
Was upon the mall.
What a height. The very next chapter there was a certain man named Ananias in Sapphira, his wife, and they lied to the Holy Ghost.
They had covetous hearts, and so the blessing, the height that was reached in chapter 4 didn't last very long.
And so it is. That's the history of man.
He cannot contain the blessing very long.
But the Lord's Prayer was answered.
And we're looking on to that day.
When all the Saints none missing them.
Today we have the privilege of being gathered together unto His name.
He's not here, he's on high in the glory.
And he promises in his spiritual sense, to be in our midst.
But in 2nd Thessalonians 1, And this is what we're waiting for, the Rapture, when we'll all be gathered together unto Him, not to His name now.
But to him and that takes place.
There'll be none missing.
We'll all be there.
And again.
This prayer.
Will be manifestly seen.
It will be so as it was here in Acts Four. Well, as we think of this.
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Recently I picked up a book at our brother's house.
And it's on church history.
And I've been reading it.
And it's hard to read without tears flowing as you think of that which Christ died for, to gather together into one the children of God that were scattered abroad. That he died for that that we often think he died for my sins. That's true, and blessedly so. But he died to gather together into one, the children of God.
Again, the effect of his death will be seen in that coming day.
It was seen there in Acts 4.
Acts 4 that they all may be 1.
What would be the effect of that?
Why should the world believe our testimony? Why should it?
We can't get along among ourselves, we Christians.
And the world sees that.
You're hypocrites.
And in many ways, they're telling the truth, are they not? We have failed to walk together.
In Unity.
In Grace.
In Holiness.
And in truth.
Thank God.
There are those of us whose desire is to still do it with all our failure.
Still give him the place that he alone deserves.
And to do it together, What a privilege.
That is.