Community Part Two

2. The Father and the Son had a unified purpose. In John 5:30, Jesus said, “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” Jesus did not act outside the Father’s will. Long before Jesus came to earth, a plan was set in motion. The Father knew what must be done for the salvation of man, and the Son was sent to do the Father's will. What a mess it would have been if, once Jesus got to earth, he decided to strike out on his own! It’s unthinkable, because we know that the Son and Father were one. In John 5:19, Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” They acted as one because they were one. What one does the other does as well. When we are unified in purpose, our power is limitless. But when we lose sight of the goal or we fail to resolve our differences in opinions, we try to strike out on our own. There is strength in numbers. As a unified body, we have the ability to build each other up, support each other, and fill in for the weaknesses of each other. We are the body of Christ. What would happen if in your own, physical body, one foot decided to go left and the other right? There would be a division that would end painfully, to be sure. Granted, there are times that divisions must happen, but we should make every effort to remember the words of Paul to the Romans, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:18). Live at peace with others. Live with a unified purpose – filling the earth with more worshipers of the one true God.