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On the night before he died, over the meal that would become known as the Last Supper, Jesus offered a heartfelt prayer to God for the people seated around him at the table. "Protect them," he prayed, "so that they may be one." The love of God, the work of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit are all focused on one heavenly hope and goal: that God's people would be unified in a common bond of love and mission.
It is important to note, however, that Christ never thought or expected that being "one" would mean that we are all the same. For example, when Jesus compared the church to a living vine, he knew that each individual leaf would have its own unique design and appearance. He also knew that each branch would stretch out in its own direction, supporting no more and no less than what it could support. But as long as all of those leaves and all of those branches remained connected to a common root... and as long as they shared a common life and a common purpose... the living vine would thrive, grow, and produce good fruit.
As my seminary professor Frances Taylor Gench has written, "[Jesus] does not pray that we might all be the same, but that we might all be one, despite the differences that divide us, because the quality of our life together... is our most convincing witness to the truth and power of the gospel we proclaim." In the eyes of heaven, that is the best thing we can offer to the world.
That is The Power of One.
As we enter into this season of gratitude, appreciation, and care for the living vine of Larchmont Avenue Church, we will be focusing on the power we wield whenever we bring our individual skills, talents, time, and resources together in common cause. We look forward to sharing this journey with you!
Blessings,
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