ONE!

God made ONE new humanity in Jesus’ Body under one new covenant. This is how God is making His presence known in the world.

God’s presence is IN US.

You are created to enjoy the presence of God – relationship, fellowship, and friendship.

With sin, came guilt and shame and so Adam and Eve hid from the presence of God (Genesis 3:8). This broke God’s purpose of unobstructed relationship with humanity.

Amid humankind’s sin – my sin. God, in His lovingkindness and abundant mercy, chose to be present.

God chose Abraham and his descendants to carry the presence of God on the earth. The grandson of Abraham, Jacob was called Israel and became a great nation. Israel was chosen by God to bring His light to the world (Isaiah 42:6-7).

Moses, who later received God’s covenant with Israel in written form (the Ten Commandments), led the nation of Israel through the wilderness to the promised land. God made a promise to Moses: “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14).

Israel carried God’s presence. That God’s presence was amid the Nation of Israel left little doubt in an onlooking world. There were signs of God’s covenant unique to Israel – circumcision and the sabbath day. Distinctively different than all other nations, Israel’s ceremonial law and practices shaped Israel’s culture and legal and judicial systems in a way that revealed God’s presence and His interaction.

The blessings and judgments of God upon Israel were further evidence of God’s presence and exchange with His people. The nations watched intently learning about the nature and character of God via Israel.

Then Jesus came!

The nature of one (human) becomes the nature of another (divine). A variable “drink of life” for a dying hopeless world.

Emmanual, God is with us! Deity in human flesh.

“And the Word [Jesus] became flesh and dwelt among us…” ~ John 1:14

Jesus – the presence of God walked as a man among men. The fullness of God is displayed in the flesh of Jesus.

Jesus answered His disciple Philip, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father…” (John 14:9).

At Jesus’ final words on the cross, “It is finished.” the veil in the temple separating the holy of holies, was ripped in two indicating the presence of God was no longer confined to Jerusalem’s temple. Jesus became the WAY for humankind everywhere and in every age to access the presence of God.

So, to review: 1) The presence of God was on earth with Adam and Eve in the garden. 2) The presence of God was on earth via Israel and the temple. 3) The presence of God was on earth via Jesus.

But look at this!

Now the presence of God is on the earth IN US! God is no longer with us. He is in us!

“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” ~ Colossians 1:27

He has made His presence known to the world by making us His physical BODY on earth. His Church (Ekklesia).

Continuing our focus on identity from the Book of Ephesians take a look at WHO you are:

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” ~ Ephesians 2:14-18

We are ONE with Jesus’ BODY! Jesus Himself is our PEACE. He does not have one standard for Jews and another for Gentiles. He brought peace between the two by making ONE NEW person (Body of Christ) from both Jews and Gentiles. The hostile dividing wall of the Jewish law was destroyed with Christ’s body on the cross. And the Holy Spirit has introduced us to the Heavenly Father so that we have full admission into His presence. In His kingdom, we never need to fear discrimination. We are all equal valued members of Jesus’ Body!

Jesus’ physical body died to abolish a barrier to God’s presence and in so doing, created a new body that contains His presence. His body is made up of BOTH Jews and Gentiles (all peoples of the earth). In His kingdom, there is no racial distinction.

He made ONE BODY. He brought ONENESS.

Jesus clarifies His purpose of ONENESS in John 17:20-26:

“I [Jesus] do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one…”

And why such ONENESS?

“…and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”

Our ONENESS together (Jews and Gentiles) in Jesus is a revelation to the world of God’s presence IN US! It is evidence that Jesus was legitimate. ONENESS together in Jesus demonstrates to the world that His love for us as His children is equal to His love for His Son, Jesus.

Did you catch that?

God LOVES YOU the same way that God loves Jesus! I have lived so many years questioning the measure of God’s love for me because I connected it with my performance. You are LOVED because you are ONE. And you are ONE because of Jesus’ performance – not yours. Your neighbor in Christ is loved the same way. What if we stopped critiquing and started celebrating one another? I wonder how much more God’s love for humanity would manifest in our world by demonstrating our love for one another in Jesus.

WOW!

What if the world could taste this “smoothie” of relationship?

The ONENESS Jesus described. Jesus, blended with the Father and Holy Spirit; blended with we who believe? ONENESS. The nature of one (human) becomes the nature of another (divine). A variable “drink of life” for a dying hopeless world. The presence of the LIVING GOD manifests in your home, community, country, and all nations!

And YOU, my friend, are a VITAL, IMPORTANT, VALUABLE, CRITICAL member of Jesus’ body. YOU are made ONE in Jesus and with all the saints. YOU contain the presence of God along with the rest of Jesus’ Body. And so you shine His light in this dark world!

I’m reminded of the phrase in the old gospel hymn, “Brighten the corner where you are.” Wherever your nook or cranny in this world, TOGETHER with all the members of Jesus’ body your light – the manifestation of God’s presence – is making a difference!

ONE with Jesus’ Body – that’s WHO you are! Not an outcast, not discriminated against. You are accepted and welcomed! ONE!

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” ~ Galatians 3:26-29

Roxanne (my friend, companion, and wife) captured some beautiful photos of the diverse wildflowers blooming along the trail on our hike up Strawberry Mountain in Eastern Washington. I wanted to share them with you in this inspiration. It was astonishing to notice such a variety of flowers in bloom. Each plant is unique in size, shape, color, and scent. The colorful medley was a variable celebration of life and expression of the Creator! A plethora of plants and flowers on ONE mountain along ONE trail. And together, in that place of ONENESS, manifesting the presence of LIFE! Not so unlike the Body of Christ – diverse, ONE, and bringing the gorgeous presence of God on earth.

“Divine Reciprocity”