SESSION TWO-OUTLINE OF STUDY AND DISCUSSSION QUESTIONS UNITY AND MATURITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST CH 4:1-7, 11-16, 29-32
GROUP LEADERS:
Please read and familiarize yourself the following verses from Chapter 4 – Then, have a volunteer to read while others will listen and/or follow along with their Bibles. Next, have the people read the same text in silence, noting in their books, important words, key phrases. Note any questions needed for clarification.
Explain the theme and focus of this session: Unity And Maturity In The Body Of Christ.
Invite persons to share the key words/phrases they noted down.
Invite participants to share their understanding of the terms, Unity and Maturity.
Break into smaller groups of 8-10 people, and have one person designated to report the discussion of the small group when you reconvene as a full group.
Have each small group select 2-3 questions of their choice and spend about 5 minutes on each question. The whole session is for 90 minutes, so there is plenty of time.
TEXT
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faithand in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION
Before Paul brings up the preconditions of Unity in the Church in his opening verses of chapter Four:
1. What are the characteristics required of the believer in vv. 1-2?
(As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. )
2. Describe the unity that God has given us with other believers even when we have differences with them? vv. 3-6
(Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all).
3. What threatens unity in the Church/Fellowship?
4. How can we maintain and guard this unity we have with other believers?
5. In v.7, 11 Paul gives room for diversity in the church. What examples of diversity do we find in v.11?
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
6. What purpose does diversity serve in the Church? vv.12-13
12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faithand in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.