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Thursday, February 24, 2005
The other day was the anniversary of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team's victory over the Soviet Union. They made a movie about that time in sports history called "Miracle." What's so interesting to me about it is that I followed hockey in my teen years and was into that Olympic hockey team because they'd played an exhibition game in my hometown two months before the Olympics. I got the goalie's autograph, and I still have the commemorative puck from that night.
In the movie, they showed how this group of college kids and has-beens was struggling during those exhibition games. They were in Europe earlier, to learn the intricacies of hockey as the world played it in order to be better when the Olympics rolled around.
They lost to a team they should've beaten because they were all trying to play on the team for personal reasons. Maybe they were trying to get back in good with their college coach, or they were trying to make the pros, or maybe even grab some quick cash if they could get on a cereal box. They were each playing a team game as individuals. In fact, when the coach would ask them who they played for, they'd yell out the name of their college or professional teams.
The coach picked up on what was going on, and decided to make the team skate extra drills after the game. At various intervals, the coach would ask a player who he played for. The players would respond again with their college or pro team. Finally, one guy figured it out (right before the team was about to pass out from exhaustion). He yelled out, "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!" The coach then ended the punishing practice and told them they could quit for the day.
The team message came across loud and clear...and while I'm sure Hollywood glamorized that moment for us, there's no question the historical team did that very thing, even beating the powerful Russian team (who had only lost a few games in Olympic history) and eventually winning the gold medal. America fell in love with that team...really...all of America did, not just hockey fans.
It's obvious that when people from different backgrounds, even rivals, unite with a common bond, they can accomplish a myriad of great things.
And, it's interesting that when Jesus was praying in John 17, he's already touched on this subject when he prayed for the disciples in verse 11.
Check out vv. 20--26: "I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word..."
Did you catch that? Jesus is praying for all those who come to know Him because of the disciples. That would include us. Christ Himself is praying for us...and what comes up first?
"...that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, they they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that You did send Me. And the glory which You have given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are One; I in them, and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that You did send Me, and did love them, even as you did love me."
Unity comes up first. We're to be unified. He'll be glorified in us, as we show the world that a bunch of rag-tag misfits who used to yell out our own name when asked who we "played for," will now glorify Christ because we belong to Him. In fact, it's kind of like the Trinity Itself. The world will know the Christ is alive because a bunch of people who have no reason to get along, and shouldn't get along, do, not only get along, but also thrive and experience God's love...just like Christ did.
What else does Christ pray for?
"...Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory, which You have given Me; for You did love Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, although the world has not know You, yet I have known You; these have know that You did send Me; and I have made known your name to them, and will make it known, that the love wherewith You did love Me may be in them, and I in them."
He wants the Father to be glorified, and He wants us to know the love the Father has for us. He wants that love to be in us, and Christ wants to live through us.
Wow.
The king of the universe prays for us.
He wants us to be unified.
He wants us to give glory to Him.
This will happen through love, and Him living through us.
The questions are obvious to apply, aren't they? Who are we not unified with that we need to be? Is there some relationship we need to initiate to mend? Are we giving glory to Him by how we live with others? Are we experiencing His love? Are we experiencing what it means to have Him live through us?
Brent 10:08 PM
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