John 17v20-26 ‘Four Cheers’

John 17v20-26 ‘Four Cheers’

16.05.2010 8am and 10.30am

Back in the bad old days of extreme tension between Catholic and Protestants, a hard-line minister apparently once accidentally advanced the cause of church unity. Three catholic ladies had been praying, and as they prayed they realised that Jesus wanted his Church to be united, and so they decided to go to the local Protestant chapel for one of the services there. They nervously walked up the chapel path, opened the door to the chapel, and as they entered every Protestant eye turned towards them. What would happen? Would they be welcome? Or would their actions be misinterpreted in some way as hostile? The Minister was of the old-school, a bit of a hard-liner, and he frowned at them as they stood at the back with nowhere obvious to sit. But he wanted to get on with the service, and so he asked the Sidesman to get some seats, gruffly saying ‘Three chairs for the Catholic ladies’. Not quite hearing correctly the Sidesman shouted out ‘Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip....’ Unity had accidentally come to Christ’s church!

Today, I also want to focus on three chairs, not necessarily of the hip, hip variety - although if the mood grabs you, feel free! Here are three chairs. Why are they here?

Next Sunday is Pentecost when we think about the coming of God the Holy Spirit into human lives. The following Sunday is Trinity Sunday when we grapple with our realisation that the Gospels have brought to us first God the Father, then God the Son, and then God the Holy Spirit; three Persons and yet One God.

There is a famous painting where this is represented by three chairs, and on the three chairs are sitting three people, signifying the members of the Holy Trinity, Father Son and Holy Spirit. The three are sharing an intimate meal, showing the eternal communion of love that they share. Father, Son and Holy Spirit live an ongoing relationship of sheer love.

But after a while, you realise there is a fourth chair, at the front of the picture, where you, the viewer, is standing. The figures are looking at you, and it dawns on you that you are being invited to join them at the table of love.

There is a seat for you at the table of God’s love! You and I are being invited into the inner relationship of God Himself, Father Son and Holy Spirit.

How incredible! And yet that is what Jesus prays in our Gospel reading.

This reading is about the fourth chair, and an invitation to sit on it.

1. An Invitation into God

Jesus is praying for us, not just the Apostles, v20, My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.

Jesus is praying for us! He revels in the unity that He has with the Father, v21, you are in me, and I am in you. Then he says something amazing: May they (that’s us!) also be in us...

Isn’t that incredible! and if you read the rest of the verses Jesus expresses the same truth in different ways. We are invited to sit on that fourth chair, we are invited into the Godhead.

I always enjoy the moment of being called to dinner. I am nearly always hungry, and so I have been anticipating the call for sometime. And then, ‘Dinners ready!’ I’m there! In some homes a gong is gonged! The family, or friends, gather round the table together.

Today we are invited round God’s table of love. Will you come?

2. An Invitation into Unity

The fourth chair also implies unity for the Church. As we sit on it we join others round the table of love.

Jesus several times prays that we will be one, v21, that all of them may be one.

Not that we create the unity - we are invited to live out the unity Jesus won. We are already united! Now live it out.

It is a scandal when we don’t live it out. When don’t demonstrate our true nature of unified love in Christ.

Usually it is such small worthless things that divide us.

We have a petty resentment because someone said something. So? - Christ died for you both.

We don’t like modern worship music, or traditional hymns.

So? - Christ died for fans of both.

We don’t like a particular style of worship.

So? - Christ died for those who do.

We don’t agree with them about baptism, of all things.

So? - Christ is present in both forms.

We don’t hold the same view about Communion.

So? - Christ is received in both sorts.

We are not in communion.

You are - communion is in Christ, not us.

Where are we not living out the unity God gives in Christ? Live out what sitting on the fourth chair implies. Will you come?

3. An Invitation to the World

The fourth chair is an invitation to the world. The whole world is invited.

Jesus’s prayer is not just for us, but for the world, v21, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Evangelism is not just arguing for what we believe, but the quality of relationships. It is not merely convincing people that God exists, or Jesus’s life and death. But revealing through the depth of our relationships in Church that he is alive in us.

We all have a part to play. Is your relationship with other Christians an attractive sign of God’s love. Do they see you at one with God and others. Attract them to sit on the fourth chair. Will you come?

So as someone stands at the back wondering whether to join; as we stand at the back wondering whether to be united in community love; as we stand at the back wondering if God really loves me that much, we hear the voice ‘Four chairs for Unity!

Unity with God Himself! Unity with One another! Unity with the world!

Four chairs for unity! Hip, hip.......