The Unity of the Church (John 17:20-26)

“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one” (John 17:22).

The building of the tabernacle and the establishment of the priesthood in Israel foreshadowed the Christian church. By studying these passages in the Old Testament, we can learn a great deal about the church in the new dispensation. Therefore, we will take a detour from our studies of Exodus and examine the doctrine of the church in closer detail.

In Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17, He prayed that the church be one. Because the Father and the Son are one, the church is called to reflect that unity. Jesus prayed that the church would remain unified, without fragmentation and division. Now, we know that Christ’s prayers are not frustrated, and yet the church is highly fragmented today, divided over countless issues. Therefore, we must ask ourselves, “What is the church?” Four guidelines for our understanding of the church are that it is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

First, let us consider what it means to be one. There are more than two thousand varieties of Protestant churches in the United States. In the sixteenth century, the schism that broke the church in the Reformation created this kind of fragmentation. The Roman Catholic Church warned the Reformers that putting the Bible into the hands of laymen without the oversight of church authority would open a floodgate of iniquity. The Reformers agreed that this was a risk, but they were willing to take that risk for the sake of upholding the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. But the Reformers themselves were quick to say that this priesthood did not advocate theological mavericks. They insisted that laymen were to remain under the authority of the church and to be instructed by those who were called to be teachers and pastors in the church.

Some try to solve the problem of the fragmentation of the church by calling for ecumenism. But this kind of plurality is a shallow solution because it allows for a wide range of viewpoints to coexist within a single body. This undermines the purity of the church for the sake of unity—something that the Bible does not support. Oneness should not be sought in ecumenism—in unity for unity’s sake—for when we sacrifice doctrine for the sake of unity, we are not acting like the true church of Christ.

Paul insists that the church be of one mind. This goes against the grain of radical ecumenism, which allows for a variety of equal opinions and viewpoints. We are not only called to be unified structurally, but fundamentally. Can there be true unity where there are fundamental differences in doctrine?

The Master Builders (Exodus 35:30-36:1)

“And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship” (Ex. 35:31).

Those whom God has called into His service are filled with the Spirit of God to qualify them for the task. It is not the place of a man devoid of God’s Spirit to be serving in the church. Only those who have been endowed with wisdom and understanding, as well as the necessary skills, should be put in positions of authority. Interest and desire are not enough to be a leader in the church. A person needs to be called by God and to be “filled with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship.” Only when he meets these qualifications can he instruct others with the skills and understanding God has given to him.

The work that Bezalel was called to do was extraordinary, and therefore he was qualified in an extraordinary manner for it. In the same way, the apostles were appointed to be master builders in setting up the Gospel tabernacle, and they were filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding to build the church. Like the master builders in ancient Israel, the apostles were to do all manner of work “according to all that the LORD [had] commanded.” Those who serve the church cannot exercise their gifts in whatever manner they want. They are bound by the commands of God, and are obligated to follow them precisely.

Those who are greatly gifted in the body, those who are capable of directing others, must not think that they are excused to be idle. Many people do a good job of assigning tasks to other people, but are unwilling to do one task themselves. God has called His servants to work, to plow up the fields, and to prepare for the harvest. Serving in the church is a difficult task, and it should never been taken lightly.

Bezalel had been given the power to command and to instruct. Those who have been given much wisdom and knowledge should be willing to communicate these for the benefit of others, and should not covet or monopolize them. It is too easy to hide ourselves away in our studies, accumulating knowledge for its own sake instead of using it to teach others. The church needs strong workers who are filled with the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge, who are willing to work hard even if it means getting their hands dirty, and who are willing to teach others so that the entire church might be edified.

How can you know if the leaders in your church are filled with the Spirit of God? Do they use their gifts in obedience to God’s commands and to instruct others? When your church chooses people to fill leadership positions, what qualifications are taken into consideration? Thank God that He has gifted people to serve in His church.

Motivated by Love (Exodus 35:20-29)

"Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting" (Ex. 35:21a).

Those who came to present offerings to the Lord for the work of the tabernacle were motivated by awakened hearts and willing spirits. They were not compelled by an outside force, but they were motivated from within, from a principle of love toward God and a desire to serve Him. They possessed gratitude in their hearts for the great things He had done for them, and they had faith in His promises of what He would continue to do among them. Matthew Henry comments, “What we give and do for God is acceptable when it comes from a good principle in the heart and spirit.” Whether we are giving financially or using our gifts for His service, we must be compelled by our love for God, by the stirring in our hearts that comes from the Spirit of Christ dwelling within us.

Because the text makes this point so distinctly, it could be assumed that there were those who did not have a willing spirit. There were probably those in Israel who loved their gold more than the Lord and would have served themselves rather than their God. Most likely, there were those who wanted to be called Israelites, who wanted the benefits of being members of the covenant community, but who did not want to give of themselves. The same is too often true in the Christian church. There are those who want to be called Christians but who do nothing for the kingdom of Christ. They like religion as long as it costs them nothing. Such professors of religion do not know the joy of giving, and have no understanding of the love of Christ that moves the heart to show grace to others.

In Israel, both the men and the women gave of their treasures, for both were expected to serve. They gave their bracelets, rings, and ornaments because they preferred the beautifying of the tabernacle over their own adornment. We can learn from this to part with that which is valuable to us and to deny ourselves for the sake of the kingdom. It’s good to keep a loose handle on earthly things, for, as Jesus said, they pass away. Why set your heart on those things that will one day be destroyed? To do so is vanity. Do as Jesus taught: “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Are you too attached to your earthly treasures? Do you lack generosity because you put more value on your things than on the kingdom of Christ? Do you put your treasures before people, your riches before the needs of others? Pray that you will have a wise and generous spirit, one that is motivated by love for the Lord.

Using Our Gifts (Exodus 35:10-19)

“All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all that the LORD has commanded” (Ex. 35:10).

Moses began his instructions to the people on the building of the tabernacle by telling them, “All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all the LORD has commanded.” Each person had been endowed with different gifts, some with wealth for the purchasing of supplies, and some with artistic ability for the construction of the tabernacle itself. Some specialized in working with metals, others with engraving, others with fabrics, others with woods. They were all different, but integral to the whole. Their gifts were not for self-glory, but for God’s glory, to be used according to His commands.

Jesus taught that those who waste the gifts God has given them, the abilities with which they have been endowed and talents they possess, will be judged for their laziness. Our talents are not to be hidden away, but are to be submitted to God for His use. Our Lord made this point clear in His parable of the talents. Those who had put their gifts to good use were blessed, but the one who hid his away was cursed: “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 25:29–30).

Every person in the church has been gifted in a special way by the Lord and is expected to submit that gift to Christ. Not everyone is gifted in the same way or to the same capacity, but we all have something to contribute to the body. If you are learned, and you never use your learning for the benefit of others, then you are hiding your single talent away and dishonoring the Lord. If you have been blessed with wealth, and you refuse to use that wealth for the good of others and to give with a generous spirit, then you are hiding that talent and inviting discipline upon yourself.

Your gifts are not your own; they are given to you by the Father to be used faithfully in your family and in your church, as well as in the work place and the community. Paul teaches us in Romans 12 that we have different gifts according to the grace given us, and that we are to use those gifts in proportion to the faith we have. Whatever your capacity, use your gift faithfully for the edification of the body and for the glory of Christ Jesus our Lord.

Take out a pen and paper. Make a list of your talents and abilities. Write down how you are currently using them in the body of Christ and in your family. If you are not using your gifts in some way, ask yourself why that is.

A Generous Heart (Exodus 35:4-9)

“Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD” (Ex. 35:5a).

Moses repeated the commands concerning the offerings that were to be brought to the Lord. He emphasized that those who brought offerings were to come with a willing heart. God did not impose taxes for the purpose of building the tabernacle. The offerings were to be given freely and with a “cheerful heart.” This is a point that is often lost to us today. Sometimes we give to the church with a reluctant spirit, as if we were being ask to pay a heavy tax. Too often, we look at giving tithes and offerings as a duty instead of a privilege, and our attitude reflects that perspective. This brings dishonor to the Lord, and it brings shame upon the church because it is treated like a worldly institution that needs finances to keep it going.

The offerings that are most acceptable to the Lord are the ones that come from a generous heart. The psalmist says the Lord’s people will be “volunteers in the day of Your power,” willing soldiers in God’s war. Each person should give in proportion “to the way the Lord your God has blessed you” (Deut. 16:17). God does not ask any more of you than you are able to give. Paul, when writing about the “freewill” offerings of his day, wrote, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7 NIV). Again he wrote of this same situation, “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have” (2 Cor. 8:12 NIV).

This principle can be applied not only to the giving of financial gifts, but in the service we render to the church. We are not all given the same abilities, but we are called to use them for God’s glory and for the edification of His people. We should exercise our gifts with joy in our hearts and with a willingness to give back to the Lord some small portion of what He has given to us. In doing this, we should not envy the abilities of others, but we should be satisfied with what we can do, using our own gifts freely and with an eye to excellence. We should never look down on those with “lesser” gifts, but we should honor everyone, whether poor or wealthy. Our ability to give does not matter. What does matter is that we give with a willing and cheerful heart in service to the Lord.

Are you a cheerful giver? Do you give to the Lord with a willing heart, not just financially, but in the exercising of your gifts among the body of believers? Meditate on the verses below. Ask God to give you a willing heart, full of generosity and free from covetousness and pride. Make plans to give back a portion of what God has given you.