What does God want?

[A sermon based on John 17:20-26]

What does God want us to do?

Where are we going? What are we trying to achieve? What is his plan for us?

These are difficult questions but ones that get asked all the time.

God can speak to us in many ways: through the Bible, through other people, through the situations we find ourselves in, through a feeling or perhaps even directly through a sudden moment of clarity. Sometimes, however, the direction we're supposed to be taking remains unclear.

As individuals, as congregations and as God's people spread across the whole Earth, Christians regularly pray, "Your will be done." I, for one, frequently add, "whatever that may be, Lord. Go on, give us a hint…"

As it happens, there are a couple of those hints in the passage we read earlier. Jesus prayed for all of us, saying, "Father, may they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me. I gave them the same glory you gave me, so that they may be one, just as you and I are one: I in them and you in me, so that they may be completely one, in order that the world may know that you sent me and that you love them as you love me." John 17:21-23 (GNB)

Basically, in whatever we do, God wants us to show his love to the world by our unity. It's… Er…

Sorry, what was that? Excuse me a minute… I need to go find a Bible... Bear with me... Let's see. John 17:21. "…may they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me..."

Oh…

That's a bit awkward now I think about it.

Let's do an experiment. Imagine taking three church elders and locking them in a room. OK. I should probably emphasise that this is a thought experiment before I get into trouble but, anyway. Lock three elders in a room and ask them a question. It doesn't have to be complicated. Make it something simple such as, "Would you like me to let you out now?"

I can pretty much guarantee that the answers you will get are: Yes, No and Maybe.

It's not just the Church of Scotland. I've lived in various places and it's been the same everywhere. Yes, No and Maybe. Although in certain groups everyone will add 'God willing!' on the end of each answer.

We disagree with each other all the time. Unity seems somewhat unlikely.

But that's what God wants. After all, Jesus prayed, "…may they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me..."

The trouble is, we could set up a hundred inter-denominational committees to discuss issues from the nature of the Trinity, to which biscuits to serve at coffee, and we could lock them away for a decade, but they still wouldn't come up with a list of conclusions we could all be bothered to read, let alone agree to.

We're never going to agree on everything.

That being the case, the question becomes, 'Can we be unified even when we disagree?'

Can we be unified even when we disagree?

The answer is 'Probably not without help.'

Jesus went on to pray. "Father! The world does not know you, but I know you, and my followers know that you sent me. I made you known to them, and I will continue to do so, in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and so that I also may be in them.” John 17:25-26 (GNB)

Through Jesus, God showed himself to us in a way we can begin to understand. Without fire or lightning or splendour, the one who rules with righteousness and justice [Psalm 97] became a person. Through him we are able to witness real love and share in it.

As is often quoted, "Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail." 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 (GNB)

The true strength of love is not shown when everyone agrees. In any family, the true depths of unity and love are revealed when everyone is certain that they're right and everyone else is wrong. Unity is still being able to sit down, nonetheless, and break bread together.

For better or worse, God has given us free will. As such, we're never going to agree on everything. In fact, it would be extremely scary if we did. I mean, let's give it a try with another experiment. I'll say, "It would be scary if we agreed on everything." And you all have to nod and smile and say, "Yes, it would."

OK, ready?

It would be scary if we agreed on everything.

Yes, it would.

Hmm… That really was scary. You wouldn't want that all the time. Nope, we're going to have to try something different.

So what does God want us to do?

Well, first off, we're to stick together. We're to support each other. Teach each other. Cherish each other. Love each other. Even when we can't quite agree on the nature of the Trinity and the only biscuits going are those pink, wafery things.

What does God want us to do?

Secondly, we need to get to know God as well as we can. He's revealed himself to us through his son and continues to do so. The closer we get to God and the more firmly we grasp how much he loves us, the better equipped we will be in finding our way through the decisions of life.

There are many things that can help: prayer, reading the Bible, talking to each other, sitting in silence or staring at a banner while the guy in the pulpit prattles on. God speaks to each of us in different ways at different times. We simply need to make ourselves ready and willing to listen.

Of course, sticking together and knowing God are good general principles for figuring out what God wants us to do but, often in life, a few more details would be great.

Where are we going, Lord? What are we trying to achieve? What is your plan for us?

There have been times in my life where, one way or another, I've had those questions answered in a fashion that, personally, I found unmistakable. More often than not, however, I'm lucky to get a faint inkling telling me that I should work it out for myself. Mostly I get no answer.

Why is that?

I suspect it's because I don't realise what I'm asking.

Where are we going, Lord? It's a dangerous question.

Do we really want to get a reply like Jonah. "You're on the next boat to Nineveh, mate. Like it or lump it."

Life would simply come down to either doing what we were told or taking regular three-day breaks camping out in the belly of a fish. That's not really free will. I don't think that's what we really want.

It's not what God wants either.

I'm delighted when I tell my kids to do their chores and they actually do them without arguing (or, to be honest, without trying to run away and catch a boat in the opposite direction). But I'd rather I didn't have to tell them. I dream of the day that I go to shout 'Chore time!' and discover that the kitchen floor has already been hoovered and the shelves are already free of dust.

I suppose, while I'm at it, I also like to imagine what it would be like if my offspring ran up to me with smiles on their faces and said, "Daddy, we really enjoyed helping you out. We'd like to do more! Let's clean the bathroom together. How does this toilet brush work?"

Well, I can dream…

In the same way, God wants us to think for ourselves. He has a plan for us but he's also delighted to see what we can come up with on our own. He'd rather encourage, support and prod than fax us blueprints. Besides, we'd never be satisfied anyway.

Where are we going, Lord? What are we trying to achieve? What is your plan for us?

These are unending questions. If God told me exactly what to do for every minute of tomorrow, my first question would be, "And what about the day after, Lord?" If he filled me in on that, I'd be straight in asking about next week.

Sometimes we get an inkling of the grand plan. Usually, we're merely given enough to get us through today. Tomorrow has enough troubles of its own.

To sum up:

We have lots of questions. God can speak to us in many ways but doesn't always provide answers that are as full as we'd like. This gives us freedom but can be frustrating.

So what about while we're waiting for more details? What are we to do? What does God want?

Here's a hint:

He wants us to love him and to love each other, so that the world might believe.

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So be it.