LIFE
GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE
BIBLE CLASS DISCUSSION GUIDE
Sunday Morning, September 9, 2007
“Unity and Diversity”
5 Minutes
- Welcome / Family Matters / Prayer
10 Minutes - OPEN
Spend a few minutes
evaluating the diversity of your class. Are you a diverse group
across racial, age, and cultural lines? Or are you a fairly
homogenous group that “looks” alike? Has this been
by design? If so, why?
Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary offers the following definitions
for unity: 1) the quality or state of not being multiple 2)
a condition of harmony 3) the quality or state of being made
one. It offers the following as synonyms: Oneness, Accord, and
Harmony. Diversity is defined as the condition of being different.
Variety is the synonym given.
How do we find congruence in these seemingly contradictory ideas?
Is this a goal that is worth the effort it entails?
Our experience of the world around us and the witness of Scripture
tell us that it is. Every order of God’s creation is marked
with great diversity. From the various stars, planets, asteroids,
and nebulae of the cosmos to the tiniest insect in the animal
kingdom we see the creativity in diversity of our Creator. Spend
a half hour or so on a bench at a major international airport
and you will quickly see the great diversity within the human
race as well.
In the very nature of God we see the perfect fit of unity and
diversity. The reality and inner working of the infinite Trinity
may be beyond the understandings of our finite minds but we
still comprehend that however it works there exists the diversity
of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit living in perfect unity. Unity
amidst diversity. Oneness, accord, and harmony.
Read Psalm 133 for a picture of the blessings of God for those
who live in unity.
How
good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on
the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the
collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling
on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even
life forevermore.
Psalm
133
1. Why do you think
it is so hard for us to be comfortable around people who are
different from us?
2. What are some
ways in which you have found joy in getting to know people of
a different culture than yourself?
3. Psalm 133 is about
the blessing of unity within the family of God. What do you
feel are some of the blessings we receive from God when we are
community united in fellowship?
Harmony within the family of God shows that we are dedicated
to serving God wholeheartedly. When we live in community, we
mirror God’s nature of community among the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit, and his nature of love and selflessness.
20 Minutes - DIG
What does the Bible say is the purpose of unity?
Read the following passages together in the class:
May
the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit
of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that
with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as
Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Romans
15:5-6
The Roman church
was an extremely diverse community. It was made up of Jews and
Gentiles, slaves and free people, rich and poor, former idol
worshippers, prostitutes, and every type of sinner. We can imagine
from our own experience how difficult it must have been for
them to accept one another.
My
prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will
believe in me through their message, that all of them may be
one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they
also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent
me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they
may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they
be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you
sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
John
17:20-23
What are some of
the reasons given as to the importance of unity within the church?
How many of us have
heard from non-believers that the greatest stumbling block to
Christianity is the bickering and hypocrisy of Christians? How
do we alter this negative view of God’s people?
Are you contributing
to the body of Christ, the church?
What does unity mean?
Does not mean that we are all the same.
Jesus’ chosen apostles and followers had incredible diversity
– a tax collector and a Zealot, men and women, rich and
poor, educated and uneducated. These men and women came from
all walks of life, but they were united in their love for the
Son and their devotion in following him.
Does not mean that we agree on all issues.
In Acts
11, Peter is called to give an account of why he baptized
a Gentile believer.
Galatians
2:11-18 finds Paul opposing Peter over the issue of avoiding
eating with Gentiles in the presence of Jews.
Acts
15 includes the account of the early church resolving conflict
productively in deciding the matter of whether or not new Christians
must be circumcised.
This side of heaven, the church will never be completely free
from disagreement. When we cooperate as a body of believers
to resolve issues constructively, however, as God meant us to,
we are given a foretaste of heaven.
It does mean that we love each other through our differences.
A new command
I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you
must love one another. By this all men will know that you
are my disciples, if you love one another.
John
13:34-35
Love must be
sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted
to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above
yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual
fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction,
faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are
in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you;
bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn
with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do
not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low
position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for
evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace
with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave
room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is
mine to avenge: I will repay,” says the Lord. On the
contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he
is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you
will heap burning coals on his head.”
Romans
12:9-21
Let no debt
remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one
another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the
law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,”
“Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do
not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may
be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor
as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore
love is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans
13:8-10
Above all,
love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude
of sins.
1
Peter 4:8
See also 1
Corinthians 13 and Galatians
5.
Talk about or reflect upon the types of individuals that you
have found it difficult to be accepting of in the past.
It means that our unity in Christ is more important
than most of our differences.
Our outward expression of harmony will reflect our inward harmony
of purpose.
Read through Ephesians
2:11-22.
In looking at the meaning of unity and the scriptures above,
what passage or idea convicted you the most?
How can our love
for one another be shown in spite of our differences?
20 Minutes - REFLECT
What does Unity require
from each individual?
Be
completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another
in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through
the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit –
just as you were called to one hope when you were called –one
Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who
is over all and through all and in all.
Ephesians
4:2-6
Instead of concentrating
on what divides us, we should remember what unites us: one body,
one Spirit, one future, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and
one God!
And over all
these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in
perfect unity.
Colossians
3:14
Jesus prayed for
unity among believers based on the believers’ unity with
him and the Father. Christians can know unity among themselves
if they are living in union with God. This was Jesus’
teaching of the vine and branches in John
15. Each branch living in union with the vine is united
with all other branches doing the same.
Unity does not just happen; we have to work at it. Living in
union with each other means accepting one another. In order
to accept one another we must take people into our homes as
well as into our hearts. We must share meals and activities
and avoid racial and economic discrimination. We must go out
of our way to avoid favoritism and consciously spend time with
those we normally don’t talk to. In accepting others we
seek to minimize differences and seek common ground for fellowship.
In this way we are accepting others as Christ has accepted us,
and God is given the glory.
In these activities of acceptance we have more than togetherness;
there is a hint of the harmony of shared lives. A great orchestra
gathers. The different instruments express their own individuality.
But under the baton of a great conductor, the orchestra is capable
of blending different sounds to produce the greatest symphonies.
Perhaps the unity of the church is like that. It is not found
in uniformity or in organizations. It is found, however, wherever
believers focus together on the Lord, expressing their common
commitment in prayer and worship. It is in and through our union
with Jesus that unity exists, and it is in our common commitment
to Jesus that he shapes us to live in harmony with others in
the community of faith.
From this lesson, what practical implications have you drawn
about unity in the body of Christ?
5 Minutes - CLOSING PRAYER
Heavenly Father,
You built a bridge over the canyon of our sins by sending your
only son to live on the earth, exemplify your nature, and sacrifice
himself for our sins. You desired a relationship with us that
much. Help us to have that same desire for reconciliation with
members of your body, so we can live out the identity you planned
for us, and glorify your name.
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One
in Christ - Lesson 1
September 9, 2007
"Unity and Diversity"
One
in Christ - Lesson 2
September 16, 2007
"Unity and Freedom"
One
in Christ - Lesson 3
September 23, 2007
"Unity and Submission"
One
in Christ - Lesson 4
September 30, 2007
"Differences without Discord"
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