DESCRIPTION
Jesus prayed that His people would be unified, that we would be known by our love, a culture-defying example of unity in diversity.
It’s the only prayer Jesus prayed that we have the power to answer because He knew that our credibility with those outside of the Church is directly linked to our unity inside the Church.
QUESTIONS
- The church at Antioch was the first local church that modeled the diversity and unity Jesus spoke and prayed for in John 17. While diversity is good, it is also messy. How has the diversity of the modern church created messy situations in our lifetimes?
- At the time Paul wrote his letter to the church at Corinth, the differences between people limited the decency among people. How is the same true today? Explain some of the differences that divide people both inside and outside of the Church.
- How has the lack of unity among the Church repelled those outside of the Church?
- How would most people define a mature Jesus follower? How does that compare to how Jesus and Paul defined it?
- Immaturity breeds incompatibility. Have you ever been guilty of allowing your immaturity to drive others away or stay away from others? How did you realize what you were doing, and what did you do once you realized it?
