The Cost of Oneness

Our Lord prayed the 17th chapter of John just after the last supper was celebrated, before crossing the brook of Kidron bloodied by the Passover Lambs that had already begun to be slain. It was the same brook King David crossed when he fled his palace escaping certain death at the hand of his own wayward son. The King of Kings was now crossing Kidron, not fleeing, but coming to Jerusalem and succumbing to the wrath of all of the wayward sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. It was the wrath that we deserved! John 17 is the most beautiful prayer ever uttered and we enter the Holy of Holies when we listen to Christ’s communion with the Father. He prayed, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21). That prayer was answered, however, at the most costly price required. Upon entering the garden the price of our redemption was revealed. When the Lord Jesus saw the cost of our redemption, He was struck with horror and came as close to death as He had ever been while He humbly asked, “...O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). Insight was given to us by John about what this cup means when he wrote, “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone” (Revelation 14:10). The cup of which Christ was speaking was the cup of our damnation, total payment for our sins. Not only would Christ die for our sins, He would have to become me, He would have to become you. The price? Severance of the Holy Godhead. When Christ cried, “I thirst!” the cup was delivered, the Holy Spirit was grieved and quenched by our filthy, wretched sins, which were now being poured upon the Savior. At this moment the Dove of God, the Holy Spirit takes His flight. The Comforter leaves Christ comfortless and tormented. In anguish Christ cried, “My God!” (Matthew 27:46b) and as the final dregs were poured upon the Son, the Father turns His back, completing the total desertion of the Son for our sins and our Lord cries once more, “...My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46c). Imagine it -- God forsaken by God! Why? For us! Because of this vicarious death for us, the Lord’s prayer was answered. All who believe on the Son of God shall be one with Him! You may not have realized this, but you were mentioned in that prayer also: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word” (John 17:20).

The Bible says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Because of the cross we have entered into the immediate family of God. In our earthly families we have immediate and extended families. Our extended families consist of uncles, aunts and cousins, but oh, thank God for the privilege to be in the immediate family with God! Of this truth I am certain for the Scripture says, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6). Through Christ we are in the immediate family of God. In the 19th Century Horatius Bonar penned this truth with these words, “So dear, so very dear to God, More dear I cannot be; The love wherewith He loves the Son, Such is His love to me. “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).

-Pastor Pope