Episode 2823 - Lesson 3 - Friday July 17 - Further Thought

Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, "The Training of the Twelve," pp. 17-24, in The Acts of the Apostles."God is leading out a people to stand in perfect unity upon the platform of eternal truth. Christ gave Himself to the world that He might 'purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.' This refining process is designed to purge the church from all unrighteousness and the spirit of discord and contention, that they may build up instead of tear down, and concentrate their energies on the great work before them. God designs that His people should all come into the unity of the faith. The prayer of Christ just prior to His crucifixion was that His disciples might be one, even as He was one with the Father, that the world might believe that the Father had sent Him. This most touching and wonderful prayer reaches down the ages, even to our day; for His words were: 'Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word.' "--Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 17.Toward the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus prayed for unity, "that they may all be one ... so that the world may know that You sent Me" (John 17:21-23, NASB). Why is unity in Christ a powerful argument for the truth that God sent His Son to save the world? Connected to this, why is lack of unity an obstacle to the church's mission?Read 1 Corinthians 4:9-13 and pay close attention to how the apostles are portrayed in this passage. How does this portrayal of the apostles contrast with the leadership features valued in our world? What does this passage teach us about how different God's standards and this world's standards can be?In 1 Corinthians 4:16, Paul urges the Corinthians to imitate him. Would you be willing to imitate human leaders? How might imitating a leader differ from exalting that leader unduly, and even dangerously?Discussion Questions: