Shepherd, Sheep and Strangers (6)

From journal entry on 8/24/13. Oneness is certainly a theme of Jesus' ministry. He and the Father's unity is the basis for this unity that extends in all directions, to all people. Here is a good example of what Jesus creates and we must fit into. But we do so either reluctantly or energetically. Some fight the idea of unity and do everything to sabotage it. Others are so eager to embrace unity that they bypass Jesus as the door to the sheep pen. They ignore the basis of His unity and when they get through with it, it looks nothing like what Jesus created. They change it. Our job is to accept unity as He created it and "become one flock with one shepherd." Our job is to personally "become" so we can be a part of what He made. Jesus' contribution (among others) to this oneness was to lay down His life for the sheep. Unity was purchased by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28). This unity of Jesus with the Father is rooted in the obedience of the Son to the will of the Father. Conforming to the unchanging God is the only path to real unity. God is not compromising or adjusting to us. This is not a negotiation. This is not countering His terms. He creates unity and invites us to become a part of it. Anything we do short of humbly accepting God's invitation to oneness becomes a means by which this unity is distorted. This is why Jesus on a cross is such an example. He conformed to the Father's will and not to His own. This is the struggle. This is the way unity is designed to be realized on earth.

The realms of unity include 1) personal unity with the Father through Jesus; 2) family unity based on husband/wife unity (mirroring Christ and the church); 3) unity in the body of Christ lived out in local churches as each member struggles together to greater oneness with the Father and as a by-product, greater oneness with all others within the church. If this happens within each local church then these churches will be brought closer to one another and globally the world will see oneness.

This vision for unity is one of the central features of Jesus the Son and God the Father's plan for the kingdom rule. Satan's forces work to divide-to kill, steal and destroy, to scatter sheep (10:12). The opposite of scattering is one flock and one shepherd. Running away from problems, isolating, neglect, ignoring, staying in our sin and anxiety, and not overcoming all (such things) contribute to scattering. Poor leadership also makes it easier for sheep to scatter. But encouragement, healthy teaching, discipling, strong leadership, humble hearts, cooperation, conflict resolution, and the like contribute to unity.