One Thing: “The Power of Unity”
Scripture Focus: John 17
ICEBREAKER
What is one team, group, or community you have been part of where people were especially united? What made it feel that way?
OR
Why do you think unity can be so hard to maintain, even among people who all care about the same mission?
INTRODUCTION
Division is one of the enemy’s most effective strategies because it weakens trust, disrupts relationships, and distracts people from what matters most. In these notes, the central idea is clear: if you wanted to destroy the Church, you would divide it. That is why it is so significant that on the night before He went to the cross, Jesus prayed for the unity of His followers. Unity matters deeply to Jesus because it reflects the heart of God and strengthens the witness of His people. This week’s conversation invites us to look honestly at whether we are contributing to unity or making it harder. It also helps us see that biblical unity is not shallow agreement, but a Spirit-shaped commitment to truth, love, and shared faith in Christ.
INTO THE WORD
Read John 17:20–23; Ephesians 4:1-4; John 13:34-35. What does Jesus’ prayer teach us about the importance of unity among believers? Where have you seen unity among believers make the love of Jesus more visible or compelling to others?
Read John 8:32; Ephesians 4:15. Pastor David mentioned unity is not uniformity, relativism, apostatizing, tokenism, or ignoring conflict. Why is it important to understand what biblical unity is not? Which false version of unity do you think Christians are most tempted toward today, and why?
Read Ephesians 4:1–3; 31-32; Philippians 2:3-4. According to these verses, how do humility, peace, and protecting relationships help maintain unity? Think of a time when protecting unity felt difficult. What made it hard, and how do Ephesians 4:1–3 and Ephesians 4:31–32 help shape a godly response?
EMBRACE AND EMBODY
Unity is one of the strongest ways we embody the hope of Jesus in a divided world. Jesus prayed that His people would be one, not so they would look impressive, but so the world would see the reality of who He is. When believers choose humility over pride, peace over hostility, truth over compromise, and love over suspicion, the gospel becomes visible. Unity does not mean pretending everything is fine or flattening convictions; it means being rooted in Christ strongly enough to love one another well. Discuss the following:
As a group, where do you see your relationships already reflecting Christ-centered unity, and where might God be inviting you to grow so that your love, truth, and hope point others to Jesus?
TAKE YOUR NEXT RIGHT STEP
(Prayerfully consider one of the following next steps)
• Seek God Daily: Ask God this week to reveal any pride, offense, or defensiveness in you that may be harming unity. Spend time in John 17 and pray Jesus’ heart for His Church into your own life.
• Make God Known: Remember that your relationships with other believers affect your witness. Ask yourself whether the way you speak about, respond to, and treat others makes the gospel more believable to people around you.
• Build Deep Relationships: Take one intentional step toward peace with someone this week. That could mean starting a conversation, offering forgiveness, assuming the best, or choosing to listen before reacting.
CLOSING PRAYER
Jesus, thank You for loving Your Church enough to pray for our unity. Shape us into people who are humble, truthful, gracious, and committed to peace. Help us protect our relationships, stay close to You, and reflect Your love in a way that points others to the hope of the gospel. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
