Unity

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16

Questions:

Using the call to unity by Jesus in John 17:2-6 and Paul’s encouragement to unity and maturity in Ephesians 3:14-4:16.  Read through and discuss the following scriptures with the questions provided.

Paul prays for with and for the Ephesian Elders - Acts 20:28-30

Is this an admonition towards doctrine or unity? Why?

Given Paul’s writings in chapters 3 & 4 of his letters to the Ephesians after this point, do you think he views one or the other as more important? Why?

Read - Galatians 2:11-13

Paul rebukes Peter in a very public and confrontational way.

Why do you think he doesn’t rebuke Peter in private?

Is he mad at Peter’s heritage?

Is he upset that Peter follows Jewish traditions?

What is Paul’s motivation in rebuking Peter?

Paul, Barnabas, and Mark

Read: Acts 13:13 and then Acts 15:36-41

Imagining yourself in this situation, which response do you think you would have had: Paul’s or Barnabas’? Why?

We don’t get any indication as to why Mark left, or why it made Paul so upset, but we do know that there is eventual reconciliation, not only of Mark’s status as a valued help to the Apostles, but also between him and Paul personally (2 Timothy 4:11).

Knowing that this same Mark is the author of the gospel bearing his name, and was obviously eventually a faithful disciple of Jesus, but also knowing that Paul wasn’t someone who took unity lightly:

How can we think about this story from a doctrinal perspective?

Could both Paul and Barnabas be correct in their treatment of Mark?

If both of them had rejected Mark because of his abandonment would Mark still have been reconciled?

If both had received him and gone together would Mark have abandoned them again?

Is it possible that both Paul’s rejection AND Barnabas’ acceptance were necessary in the life of Mark?

Thinking in these ways, turn to 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 and answer these questions.

We are all parts in Christ’s body (12-13), but we are not all exactly the same or gifted in the same way (14-20), and in fact Paul speaks against members of the body seeking to exclude or look down on others because of those differences (21-27).

Looking at verses 14-20, what sort of heart or attitude does Paul desire for believers coming together as a church body?

What do you think Paul is referencing in verse 26?

What motivations besides our common salvation does Paul believe individual Christian’s should have when coming together as members of a single body? (12:31-13:7)

Main Point: No one is beyond God’s grace and forgiveness.

Questions:

What challenged you or encouraged you from the message this week?

Read John 21:1-19. What do you notice about these verses? What is the setting? Who are the main people? Are there any past events which tie into this section of Scripture? 

Read John 21:1-14. Why do Peter and the other Disciples go back to Galilee? (See Matthew 28:8-10.) After a long night of fishing, what does Jesus suggest that they do? How does this relate to a previous experience between Peter and Jesus? (See Luke 5:1-11.)

John (“the disciple whom Jesus loved”) is the first to recognize Jesus. What is Peter’s reaction to seeing Jesus? How does this fit with the personality of Peter recorded in the Gospels? What does it reveal about Peter’s feelings towards Jesus?

Read John 18:1-26 This is the record of Jesus’ betrayal. What does Peter do? What does Jesus say about Peter’s actions? How many times does Peter deny Jesus? 

Luke’s account adds details to Peter’s third denial. Read Luke 22:60-62. What is Peter’s response to seeing Jesus’ face after he had betrayed him? 

Read John 21:15-17. What is the significance to Jesus asking Peter three times if he loves him? Why is Peter hurt when Jesus asks him a third time? Would you have been able to forgive Peter?

What is Peter told to do because of his love for Jesus? Why is caring for God’ people such an important part of the Christian life? How is our love of God shown in our love for others?

Read John 21:18-19. According to the Church Fathers, Peter was crucified in Rome under to rule of Nero in 64AD. In this section, Jesus describes Peter’s death. How does this knowledge add depth to Jesus’ command to “follow me”? From verse 19, what is the result of Peter’s death? Although Christ does not call many to make this sacrifice, what sacrifices must a Christians make to follow Jesus?

What did you learn about God in these verses? What did you learn about yourself? What is God asking you to understand or to do as a result of what you have learned?

By God’s grace what is one thing you can do to apply what you have learned this week?

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Main Point: Jesus prays that we would be unified, protected, and full of Joy in him.

Questions:

1. What challenged you or encouraged you from the message this week?

2. Read John 17:1-26. What do you notice about these verses? What things did Jesus pray for himself, his disciples, and those who would come to faith through his disciples? Was there anything confusing or challenging about what you read?

3. Read John 17:1-5. What is Jesus asking for in this section of his prayer? How does God the Father give Jesus glory? How does Jesus return that glory to God the Father?

4. What is Jesus’ definition of eternal life? What does it mean to know Jesus? How is knowing Jesus different than knowing about Jesus? How are these different ways of knowing easily confused?

5. Read John 17:6-18. What does Jesus say about his disciples in verse 6-8? What does this reveal about the disciples? What does Jesus pray for in verse 13? Why would Jesus pray for the “full measure of joy within them”? How is joy a part of Jesus’ teaching to his disciples in the Farewell Discourse? (See John 15:11; 16:20-24; 17:13.)

6. Why does Jesus say the world hates his disciples in verse 14? What does Jesus mean that his disciples are not of the world? (See John 15:18-25 for more context.)

7. Jesus does not pray that his disciples would be taken out of the world, but that they would be protected. Why doesn’t Jesus just take them out of the world?

8. What does it meant to be sanctified? What does Jesus say is the tool for sanctification in the life of a disciple? What does Jesus mean when he states, “For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified”?

9. Read John 17:20-26. In this section Jesus prays for all the believers that would come after the Disciples. In verses 21-23, Jesus prays for unity. What does it look like to have the kind of unity Jesus prays for? Is the global Church unified in this way? What keeps the Church from being unified? What breaks Christian unity?

10. What is the main goal of Christian unity? How is the witness of the Church harmed by disunity?

11. What did you learn about God in these verses? What did you learn about yourself? What is God asking you to understand or to do as a result of what you have learned?

12. By God’s grace what is one thing you can do to apply what you have learned this week?

Main Point: To remain in Christ is to be deeply connected to the source of life.

Questions:

1. What challenged you or encouraged you from the message this week?

2. Read John 15:1-17. What do you notice about these verses? What is the main metaphor that Jesus is using? What truths does this metaphor reveal about Jesus? About the those who follow him?

3. Read John 15:1-4. What is the difference between how the gardener treats dead branches and fruit bearing branches? What does it mean to be cut off or pruned by God? What is the goal of God’s pruning in the life of a Christian? How have you been pruned by God so that you were bear more fruit?

4. What is the key factor in producing the fruit God desires? What is this fruit? What does it mean to remain in Christ? What are some tangible ways that Christians remain in Christ?

5. Read John 15:5-8. Jesus contrasts those who remain in him and those who do not. What is the result of the person who does not remain in Christ? What does it mean that certain branches will be “thrown into the fire and burned”? What is the result of a person that remains connected to Jesus?

6. What do these verses reveal about a Christian’s relationship to God and prayer? What guarantee does Jesus give in verses 7-8? Does this mean that God will always do what we request?

7. Read John 15:9-17. What is the connection between remaining in Christ and living in loving obedience to Christ? How does obedience to God lead to joy?

8. What commands does Jesus give in this section? How does Jesus’ example show us what it means to obey these commands? Why is loving other people connected to remaining in Christ?

9. How would you describe your connection to God? Beyond what you know about God, how well would you say you know him relationally?

10. What did you learn about God in these verses? What did you learn about yourself? What is God asking you to understand or to do as a result of what you have learned?

11. By God’s grace what is one thing you can do to apply what you have learned this week?

God’s remedy for a troubled heart:

The promise of a place!

He has to go to prepare that place for us.

He will come again to get us.

He will be our dwelling.

The way to that place!

The way

The truth

The life

A resource along the way!

Questions:

Did the Holy Spirit speak to you about anything today?

Read verses 1-4. Why were the disciples troubled in heart? (13:33,36) What did Jesus tell them to do to overcome anxiety? What does this suggest about their fundamental problem? What does it mean to trust in God and to trust in Jesus?

Read verses 2-3. What did Jesus mean by “my Father’s house”? What did he promise the disciples? What hope does this promise plant? (See also 2 Cor 5:1; 1 Pe 1:3) What difference does it make to believe this promise? (Heb 11:9-10) What kind of lives do those live who don't believe this promise?

Read verses 5-7. How did Thomas respond? Why didn’t he know where Jesus was going? What did Jesus teach him and us about the way to God? Why is Jesus the only way? (Jn 1:18; Acts 4:12; 1 Ti 2:5,6)

Why is Jesus the truth? (Jn 18:37; Jn 1:14; Ro 1:18-20, 25) What are some characteristics of truth? What does it mean that Jesus is the life? (See 1:4; 5:24; 20:31)

Read verses 8-11. How did Philip respond? What do you think was his problem? What did Jesus teach him about the relationship of the Father and the Son? What evidence does he give Philip to lead him to believe? What can we learn here about belief?

How is the God the Father revealed in the person and works of Jesus? Why is this important?

Jesus tells the disciples that they should at least believe in Him because of His works (v. 11). How would you address someone who says they will only believe in God if they can see Him do something miraculous? How is it that a person truly comes to know God?