Okay. Thanks. Well, let's pray. Gracious and Almighty, Lord and King, as we consider your passion this morning, we pray that you grant us reverent hearts and minds that we would be in the right frame of mind, the right attitude to consider these great things that are too deep and too holy for us. We pray that you would grant us the joy of the Holy Spirit as we contemplate the greatness of your sacrifice, the greatness of the riches that you have lavished upon us. We pray, Lord, that you would reveal yourself to us through your word by your Spirit. Be with us, forgive our sins, and may we see Jesus in his name. We pray. Amen. Well, we've we almost finished Jesus high priestly prayer chapter 17 last week. Let's look at the very last part of it. You remember that we had we had said that you really could look at this prayer in John chapter 17 in three parts, three sections, one through five, six through 19 and then 20 to the end of the chapter. And each one of them has, you might say a particular topic that dominates Jesus' prayer. The first one anybody remember? The first section, what the concern Jesus prays for, there is for himself, that's right, that's right, for his own glory. That the father would glorify him with the glory that he had with him before the world was. And outstanding testimony to his own divinity, his pre-existence and his divine glory. And the second part of the prayer really concerned his own disciples. And I think we're right in looking at that in particular as as his apostles. The apostles in fact, perhaps other disciples who were there on earth at the time. But I think the focus is really on his disciples. And then the last this last section has to do with what? That is, what is what is the object of Jesus concern in his prayer and his last all? Okay. Believers, those who would be future, future members of the church, the future make up of the church, let's see how he says it in verse 20. I pray, I do not pray for these only, meaning his own disciples, the end of the apostles, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they and they all be one. So I think we commented upon this just briefly that I think it's a very interesting way for Jesus to refer to future believers or the church of the ages. That is, those who believe in me through their word. There is that link, if you will, between Jesus and us, that link being the word of his disciples of the apostles. I think this is kind of what John is getting at later in first John. Anybody remember how first John begins with a grand allusion to the gospel of John? Remember that, that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have, with our own eyes, have seen our own hands, have touched concerning the the word of life. This also John says, we now proclaim to you, in order that you might have fellowship, now you'd expect fellowship with the Father, but he doesn't say that, in order that you might have fellowship with us, and our fellowship is with the Father and with his son Jesus Christ. The point I'm making there is that John seems there to do the very thing that Jesus is doing here, and that is to interpose a sort of link between us and fellowship with the Father and the Son for us that comes through the apostolic word, through the witness of Jesus' apostles, as we also have fellowship with him through his word of the old covenant through prophets and poets and so forth. But I think that's very significant. Jesus then goes on to pray for other things, prominently, he prays that we would be one, one with the disciples and one with the Father and the Son. Verse 21, that they may all be one, even as thou, father, art in me and I and thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou has sent me. Verse 23, I and them, and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou has sent me and has loved them, even as thou has loved me. This does bring up the very important point that we just have alluded to before, and that is the factor of church unity. We hear so much about church unity these days, rightly so. I think we hear a lot about ecumenism, and there really is, there really is a biblical basis for such a concern, and it comes from Jesus' high priestly prayer and elsewhere. But of course, just think, if in this closing prayer that ended his ministry, if Jesus is praying for unity among his disciples, it's got to be something that we take seriously. Now, of course, we don't need to talk about ecumenism where there's not a common confession, and that's always been one of one of the great foot-dragging points to full ecumenical unity. There has to be a commonality of confession. Jesus says that he's praying for those who will believe in Jesus through the apostles' word. That puts some constraint upon us, as we seek unity with others under the name of Christian, and we're reminded of Acts 2, 42, where on the day of Pentecost, after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the text says that the disciples devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, breaking of bread and to prayers. There has to be a commonality of faith and of confession, and the church has struggled over the years to try to come to grips with just what sort of unity of confession that requires, just to what extent, in what depth of detail, unless we have agreement. Of course, there's another consideration of what unity means, really. Can we have unity and what kind of unity? Can we have, let's say, with our Baptist brothers and sisters, with our independent brothers and sisters, our Methodist and Presbyterian brothers and sisters, and so forth. Well, that's, of course, something we can't go very far into today, but it just wants to make the point that, yes, church unity is a legitimate cause. It is legitimate for the PCA, to have sister church relations with other churches. It's legitimate to find places of unity, where we can stand together as a witness for Christ in this world.
The world has certain right to expect a unity among us. Another of the main things, I think that he prays for us here is found in verse 24. I desire that they also, who now has given me, may be with me, where I am, to behold my glory, which now has given me and my by love for me before the foundation of the world. We talked about this some a couple of weeks ago, when we came to John 14, and Jesus saying that he goes to prepare a place for us. And if you recall, we pointed out the distinctive Christian view of heaven. There are other religions, of course, that have a promise of an afterlife. But what is one of striking points in Christianity is that it is an eternity with Jesus, with Jesus, that they may be with me, where I am, Jesus says, but they may behold my glory. And that hope, and that anticipation is something very precious, and it is something that no other religion has, it sets us apart. We long for fellowship with a person. Of course, God, the Father, the person, God, the Holy Spirit, as a person. But with a man, one of us who took upon himself our flesh and has now glorified that human nature in the presence of the Father. We look forward to fellowship with him.
And of course, we can correlate this to that definition that Jesus himself gave in the first part of the prayer, chapter 17, verse 3, where Jesus himself gives a definition of eternal life. Remember what that is, what he called eternal life? Yes, to know, to know the, the only God, and Jesus Christ, who now has sent. Jesus definition, if you will, of eternal life, to know the Father and to know the Son. We might add through the Holy Spirit.
Chapter 18, when Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples across the kindergarten valley where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now we read of the familiar story of the betrayal and the arrest of Jesus, Jesus with the drawing again to the garden of Gethsemane, a place where he and his disciples were want to go on several occasions. A crowd presently comes out with lanterns, torches, and weapons, as if against a common criminal. If you're reading Tasker's commentary along with us, you'll note you probably noticed that Tasker reminds us of another confrontation in the garden, one long before, in which good and evil met. That time, evil confronted good and evil won. This time, evil confronts good and good winds.
It might have appeared, however, to the observer who was present that evil had once again triumphed. Jesus is taken, but perhaps in that we should know that that was not a triumph of evil, Jesus says as they are departing. Remember, he stops his disciples from fighting Peter, takes out the sword, and cuts off this fellow named Malkus's ear. Jesus says, shall I not drink the cup, which the father has given me? Shall I not drink the cup, which the father has given me? Shall I not be obedient to the father's will? When Adam was in the garden, Adam failed. Adam did not drink the cup, as it were. He did not follow the father's will, but Jesus, though it looks like a defeat, gives us a signal that he is really pursuing the father's will. This is the cup that the father has given him to drink.
Jesus is overcoming his battle with temptation. I mean, imagine what temptation it must have been for Jesus. We know that he underwent temptation. We know from the other gospel accounts that he said near this point that he could have called his father and his father would have given him legions of angels. It must have been that temptation for him to call upon divine aid and not to drink the cup that was presented to him. We know that that was a temptation, and yet Jesus is overcoming that battle, and he is about to drink that cup. Of course, if you read the various gospel accounts, you'll find that they all give a little bit different details. John's in particular, John doesn't simply recapitulate what has been given by the other gospel writers. In fact, he leaves out a lot of that and gives a lot that they leave out. Among those things that they leave out that he gives is this trial, if you will, before Annas or Ananias, as he's elsewhere called. Remember who Ananias was or Annas? I suppose your translations probably have here.
Okay. A high priest was he the present high priest. Okay. Okay. Remember, he's the one, he's the kind of like the granddaddy of all the high priests around. He was high priest for a few years, oh, about 20 years ago, at this time, even more. And he was deposed by the Romans, and one of his sons was put up. In the fact, he had five sons or sons in law who succeeded him as high priest, and Caiaphas here is actually his son-in-law. That I think helps straighten out what could be a confusion here in verse 24 where we've said that, or we've heard that Jesus has been taken to Annas, Ananias's house, and then verse 24, Ananias sends him bound to Caiaphas, oh, excuse me, verse 19, the high priest questioned Jesus. It sounds like he went to Caiaphas, and then now he's with Annas, and he's gonna send him to Caiaphas. Well, I think high priest in verse 19 is a reference to Annas. So what we have here then is he's in the house of Annas, the high priest, the former high priest, the granddaddy of the high priest, before he sends him to his son-in-law, Caiaphas. That's what I think is going on here. So John doesn't actually even record the appearance before Caiaphas. He refers to it, but that's recorded in the other gospels. And so he goes on, he gives us this other occasion, and then goes on to the trial before pilot. Yes, verse 13, that's right, Chris, there's an intimation of sequence. First, they led him to Annas. That's what John says. As if, almost as if we know that we know it's coming up, but first they led him to Annas. Here is where we have this very poignant scene recorded by the other gospels as well. As Jesus is being tried, somebody else, in effect, is being tried to. Peter, who had said he would go with Jesus to death and Jesus burst his bubble at that point and said, no, you will deny me three times. And here, Peter, following Jesus into the courtyard, the other gospel writers tell us that he made it into the courtyard, they don't tell us how. Here John tells us how, of course. And I think it is John himself, who is the one known to the high priest, who allows Peter to get in. In a sense, we've got two trials going on here. One, of course, is the greatest importance. That's Jesus' and one is of lesser importance, but it is very telling. Most of our opportunities to bear witness are not like Jesus's. It may happen to some of us perhaps that our witness will cost us our life some time. Probably not for most of us, most of our witnessing is more like Peters, where the stakes are not death, the stakes are embarrassment. And Peter fails this opportunity where the stakes are embarrassment. And he's not the last one of us to fail. John doesn't record this. It's in Luke's Gospel, where you have the very pointed scene where Jesus is coming out of one of the buildings and looks at Peter, and their eyes meet that point. I can't imagine being Peter at that point, but the whole scene is very pointed. Now Jesus comes before Pilate in verses 28 and following. We have a very long account of this trial before Pilate. It's very expanded compared to the other accounts. You might have noticed the alternation here in these scenes between Jesus out in front of the Praetorian, and then Jesus being brought back into the Praetorian with private or more private audience with Pilate himself. And if you read carefully, you might see that they go, they're first outside, then inside, go back and forth. And we're looking at the first of the scenes here in verse 28 at the end of that verse. Notice the irony, they themselves did not enter the Praetorium so that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. They will not enter the palace, of course, of a Gentile. That would be defiling. And yet here they are defiling themselves with the foulest deed known to mankind. They want to be cleaned for the Passover, but are about to make possible the true Passover, the one that was pointed to in thousands of Passover's before. They want Jesus executed, but at first cannot give a good reason. If this man were not an evil doer, they say in verse 30, we would not have handed him over. In other words, Pilate, just trust us. He's an evil doer. Just trust us. Pilate takes Jesus inside the Praetorian, in verse 33, and now the charge is actually made known. That charge is
treason, treason, or sedition. Essentially, it's a political charge. It's a political charge. It's good to keep in mind. This is the charge that was brought against Jesus. This is the one that got him crucified. That is the charge that he was setting himself up as some kind of rival king. It was an act of rebellion against the Roman government. Are you the king of the Jews? Pilate asks. But Jesus' kingship is not of this world, or else his servants would fight. He is a king born and brought into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth, Jesus says, here's his voice, and then Pilate responds with that question that philosophers loved to quote, what is truth? Now I've sometimes heard people cite this verse as if it were a sort of triumph for Pilate. He stumped Jesus, gave him this, what is truth? Jesus couldn't answer. Nothing could be further from the truth. No pun intended. You remember when Jesus said in chapter 10 that his sheep hear his voice, and they follow him, and he gives them eternal life. Here he says to Pilate, whoever is of the truth, hears my voice, and Pilate says what is truth? What clear sign that Pilate is not of those who hear the truth, who know the truth, not of Jesus' sheep. It is a fact, in fact a very self-condemnatory question. Well, Pilate, of course, can find no crime in him worthy of death, so he brings him outside the Praetorium once again. Remember, he's trying to present this case before the Jews themselves and do something that will be well satisfactory, I suppose, to them all. Verse 38, B, no crime is found in Jesus, so he offers to release Jesus and keeping with his Passover custom. We all know that he had a customer releasing one prisoner at that time. The people refuse crying out for a robber. John tells us that the robber was a robber. Mark 15 tells us that Barabbas was also involved in murder, in an insurrection. Notice again the irony then, as Peter puts it, in Acts chapter 3, talking to crowd and Jerusalem, you denied the holy and righteous one and asked for a murderer to be granted to you and killed the author of life. One who took life, instead of one who gives life, even the author of life. Well, I think that the depths of the mystery are plumbed here, the mystery that we've been seeing throughout the gospel. Remember, right at the very first in the prologue, John, as he does with the whole gospel, sets it up for us. And when he said at that point that he was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not, he came to his own people, received him not, and we come at at that point that that's a preview of the ultimate irony, the ultimate mystery of the gospel. Jesus coming into the world he made and not being received. And here I think we're getting to the depths of that. If you look at this account, we said before that there's an alternation inside, outside, inside, outside. This is sort of the middle of the occurrences here. And I think it really happened that way. But I think there's something also very powerful about that fact. Here is the middle of the account. And Jesus is scourged and mocked. Chapter 19, verses 1 through 3, these short verses, then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him. And the soldiers played at the crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him on purple robe. They came up to him saying, Hail King of the Jews and struck him with their hands. The high king of heaven who could have had legions of angels defending him at his mere word now suffers the pain and degradation of beatings and mockings at the hand of sinners. A crown of thorns he who will soon be wearing a crown of glory, as whose feet saints will lay their victors laurels for all eternity to come. Oh sacred head now wounded with grief and shame weighed down. Now scornfully surrounded with thorns that I know only crowned.
After the shame and degradation he's brought out again once more. Israel's king presented to them by the cynical Roman governor, behold the man. Their response, of course, crucify him. Pilate cannot justify the charge of sedition. How ridiculous it must have looked. This man, a political threat, he's just been beaten and bloodied. He stands before them forlorn, forsaken. This man, a political threat it doesn't make much sense at that point. Now the Jews therefore get to the real nub of the problem. Of course they've trumped up this charge of sedition and that's of course the official charge against Jesus but here we have revealed the real problem for them and that is in verse 7, chapter 19. We have a law, you see pilots having trouble convincing them. So they object, we have a law and by that law he ought to die because he has made himself the son of God. That's the real problem isn't it. Interesting here that John says when Pilate heard these words he was the more afraid and so back into the Praetorium they go for one more private session and then Pilate asked Jesus the pivotal question of the gospel. Remember we've commented on this before. What would you ask Jesus at that point if you were Pilate? Having just been told that this man, being a man makes himself the son of God. He says where are you from? Not who are you or is this charged true or but where are you from? Remember all the confusion we've seen throughout the gospel. The question really is where is Jesus from? Is he from Galilee? Is he from Nazareth? He's from Bethlehem. Should we know where the Messiah is from when he comes and the answer of course is that he's from heaven. He's from God. Now Jesus doesn't tell him does he? Where are you from? He gets no answer from Jesus and this startles as a Stounds Pilate. Don't you know that I have a power to release you or crucify you and Jesus answered you would have no power over me unless it were given you from above and there incidentally is the answer to Pilate's question. Where are you from? Power from above. Catherine, are you going to say something? Who is that? There is some discussion over that. Who is Jesus referring to? He says the one who has handed me over to you has the greater guilt.
A lot of people say Judas. That would certainly fit because of all we've been told about Judas. You know some other people say it's the high priest. The Jewish high priest because he should have been the one to stand in a place of authority given him by God and yet he handed him over. I'm comfortable I guess leaving those options but we have of course there's a lot to remark. There could be a remark upon here. God is a source of course of all authority and as Christians we have to maintain that. It is a very wicked thing for leaders not to acknowledge God and not to act accordingly according to his commandments. Nebuchadnezzar you remember was struck with madness and one of the herds in Acts 10 or 11 I think was struck with death because those leaders failed to acknowledge God and took the glory that to themselves. Saul their accomplishments and their kingdom and their glory as their own and God struck them. We know that it's a very displeasing thing for leaders not to acknowledge the source of their authority and to act in accordance with that. However even when they don't even when they don't it doesn't change the fact does it. Pilate certainly not conscious of the source of his authority and yet Jesus affirms that it's true nonetheless. Pilate's authority is given to him solely as a trust as a gift from a higher power.
Pilate therefore seeks to release Jesus again chapter 19 verses 12 through 16 but the Jews accuse him of sedition. They accuse now Pilate of sedition if he does not follow through and again I think that the poignancy the mystery the incongruity of this whole situation ought to strike us at every point. Here are the Jews servants and worshipers of Yahweh calling the Roman governor to task because he's not a good enough servant of Caesar and saying to him if you don't crucify him you're no friend of Caesar and saying we have no king but Caesar. We have no king but Caesar imagine that. It's back in chapter 8 remember Jesus had had gotten in a a sharp criticism to them and said if the sun sets you free you're you're free indeed and they said they took Umbridge remember what we've never been in slavery to anyone and here they are saying we're we are willing footstools for Caesar we have no king but Caesar all in order to rid themselves of this Jesus and so you know at moment ago we talked about the importance of church unity here in effect we have we have anti-church unity we have we have the unbelieving Jews and the unbelieving Pepegans in unity against the Lord and against his anointed. Psalm 2 why do the heat and rage and the people to imagine the vain thing taking counsel against the Lord and his anointed saying let's break his bonds this under we do not want this man to rule over us the theme running through this whole account we mentioned this while ago to watch for this a major theme is Jesus kingship and the utter incongruity and inconceivability the appalling irony of the scenes portrayed now surrounding this king
and one more attestation to Jesus kingship is given here when Jesus goes bearing his cross to the place called Galgitha you remember the placard that was written above put above the cross the charge against Jesus king of the Jews Jesus Nazareth king of the Jews written in three languages Hebrew, Greek and Latin so that any passerby would be sure to see it and be able to read it and you remember the objection of the chief priest no don't write that don't write king of the Jews say this man said he was king of the Jews and pilots answer what I have written I have written
surely for John this was full of significance again one more unwitting unwitting testimony to the truth much like Caiaphas in an earlier chapter said that this man must die for the people that the whole people not perish of course he met in one way it was true in another way so here with pilot what he has written he has written and I think John wants us to see the significance of that it's true it's true though pilot has no inkling no inkling at all in the way it's true he's mocking of course it's a taunt it's a taunt really it's the Jews here is your king you miserable Jews and the fact is it's true on a cross Jesus charges the beloved disciple with the care of his own mother probably not going to go into this very far but it's a good possibility I think this is the true situation it's a good possibility that John was actually Jesus cousin it makes some sense there the other gospel accounts mentioned that the mother of Zebedee's sons was there at the time of the crucifixion here her name is not given but a woman named called the sister of Jesus mother is mentioned could be that that's the same person many people thought that over the years I think it makes sense of course there's no way to know for sure but the beloved disciple was there and was witnessing these last events then after receiving something to drink he said he just finished and gave up his spirit ah holy Jesus how hast thou offended that man to judge thee hath in hate pretended by foes derided by thy own rejected oh most afflicted who was the guilty who brought this upon thee a last my treason Jesus hath undone thee was I Lord Jesus I was denied thee I crucified thee low the good shepherd for the sheep is offered the slave have sinned the son have suffered for man's atonement while he nothing heated God interceded for me kind Jesus was thy incarnation thy mortal sorrow thy life's operation his side was pierced his legs were not broken because he had already died both these things John says happening fulfillment of the scriptures that not a bone of him should be broken from Psalm 34 and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced from Zechariah 12 first 10
John makes a point of the water in the blood is there is there some kind of symbolic significance here it's hard to say I think so
tasker and others point out that this may not have been let's say a miraculous occurrence there are certain medical explanations evidently I mean I'm not a medical person but evidently there are medical explanations that would show how this could be possible with a person who's already dead and there's some regulation of the blood and so forth and water could come out but the point I think that why John records it I think again certainly we have one of these cases where John points to a detail that has more significance than meets the eye you remember we we referred to this a while ago I think for John has something to do with what Jesus said in John 7 remember that time at the feast of tabernacles and at the time of the water pouring ceremony Jesus said come to me all who thirst and then he went on to say out of him I think he's talking about himself out of him out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water and John says by this he meant the Holy Spirit so what what more striking illustration of that then at the crucifixion see flowing from the Savior's side blood and water blood and water
so I think it probably for John had that kind of significance here is the one from whose heart will flow rivers of living water that will give us to drink water that like the woman at the well we will never have to come and draw again because that water becomes a well in us welling up until eternal life this aspect too has been the subject of poets poets him writers there is one him in particular I have in mind that that mentions the water in the blood and the spiritual significance at least that this him writer thought came from that fact what him am I talking about it's one you all know and in fact I'll start it and we can all sing it rock of ages cleft for me let me hide myself in the let the water and the blood from my rib inside which flowed be of sin the double cure cleanse me from its guilt and power you see the significance of water and blood be of sin the double cure cleanse me from its guilt that's the blood that's the atoning blood shed on our behalf that we might not have to bleed and die but cleanse me also from sin's power and you see that that absolute necessity of Christ's work not only cleansing us from the guilt of sin but from the power what gives us the power having been forgiven to go on and to begin to lead a Christ-like life well it's only that life giving spirit that Jesus has secured for us also on the cross so there I think we're going to stop at least with the the explanation we do have a little bit of time what do you know for questions comments discussion
there's over beginning that much closer to reclorification you go through that you do the obedience and there is that and that hope for us this is the finality in the end good observation observation there is in the Psalms and Jesus Jesus keeps eluding here at the last to certain Psalms and we know of course the you know taken me goes back to the Psalms with the messianic Psalms and here we remember again as Katie pointed out Tasker mentions the Psalms 42 and elsewhere speak about the psalms thirst for God and that that that too must be what what Jesus is eluding to not just as physical thirst but there's a thirst for God as a heart pance for the flowing streams so pance my thirst for the oh god good point yeah
on your back mm-hmm yeah strange yeah yeah I mean the at the first part I think they're referring to in chapter 18 where it was at 31 I was not lawful for us to put any man to death in a sense they're saying you know we're submitting this to you we realize you have the power over us we cannot do this we can't put him to death so we want you to and then at the chapter 19 verse 7 we have a law by that law he ought to die yeah they're going back to to to the Old Testament law about blasphemers and false prophets by that law if he is one of those he ought to die so they're they're there invoking the authority of their law against Pilate although trying to recognize that the Romans haven't given them that power of capital punishment yeah yeah it's like they'll stop it not you know the whatever means will work yeah whatever thing we can come up with we'll try this no that is work we'll try that we'll try something else and finally you know he called himself the Son of God and that gets pilots attention Jim that's good yeah tie in his thirst and his his drinking the putting up of the sponge and the vinegar and it is finished yeah Jesus had said earlier on in his ministry you remember in synoptic hospitals it's recorded that remember when John and James wanted to have the right and left hand seat in his kingdom and he said what are you able to drink the cup that I'm to drink be baptized with a baptism we're with I am baptized but in here I think was already referring they certainly didn't know the full implication of what he was talking about but I believe he did and then in the garden again a reference to the cup let this cup pass from me from me and then excuse me as we read shelling up drink the cup that the father has given me bitter cup of death bitter cup that he must drink to the drugs and suffer yeah very very good
well that's that's a very good point we say a common confession and I think we have to say that that entails a heartfelt confession that entails that entails living by it and Jim's pointed out that there are of course there are of course churches that have a confession very similar to ours perhaps the same one we have with some others yet the that didn't guarantee that the church has not really overthrown that confession in what they've what they've gone on to do and live so it certainly means it has to mean a heartfelt confession has to to mean a real confession if one can confess let's say the Westminster confession and also confess something that's a diametrical opposite it doesn't make much sense and yeah I think the I think the unity that we're talking about is at base a spiritual unity that is that you know we we can have and I'm sure we all have felt this feel a real unity with believers of other denominations other churches maybe quite different churches very churches that officially we would want to distance ourselves from so yeah I think it's it's a spiritual unity that Jesus is speaking of and yet I think that then then we have to ask what what should be the implications of that spiritual unity and I so I think it's a legitimate question should that spiritual unity take institutional expression and yeah I think that's legitimate it may not always work out that way for a number of reasons a number of reasons which might be valid but at least should be on the table I think and Jim might know this maybe some of you that a former professor of mine from Westminster in California advocates that all evangelicals ought to unite in a sort of big mega church Baptist Presbyterians Methodist Lutheran evangelical Lutheran I don't myself go that far but he thinks that to a unite and then evidently start well I don't know start excommunication proceedings the next day or something I don't know I don't know how we do that practically but yet there it's worth putting on the table I think that you know how how can we better express visibly our unity I think that's always something Christians should be concerned about because it's a commandment of Jesus and it is it does present a witness to the world not a witness that the world can have an excuse about it's not something that gives them excuse all you Christians are arguing fighting you can't agree among yourselves why should I join up with you guys no doesn't function that way but it should be a sign to believe or I don't believe as of our love and care for each other so you don't add anything to that Jim I'm just going to say I mean I think you know it's interesting it's really tough and especially when we let's say want to foster other ties to believers and promote a unity and yet there's there's that kind of doctrinal indifference and even antipathy to theology and biblical correct doctrine yeah it's very tough to make the both both statements you know we don't want to we're also told you know not to associate with with those who don't live right or confess the right things John at first John it's it's very clear that a doctrinal confession is absolutely essential particularly about the person in the work of Christ right yeah absolutely so let's take that challenge and investigate what we believe and so we can affirm a hearty confession that we believe it okay we're out of time let's close and prayer our father we do thank you for being among us for blessing your people as you have promised we ask that you would show us ways we can show our unity the unity of the faith and yet not compromise the confession of the truth we ask you give us greater understanding of your sacrifice and your offering our behalf bless us now as we worship you throughout throughout the day and use this name