NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.
This week’s Bible study is adapted from the Bible Studies For Life curriculum.
Bible Passage: Ephesians 4:1-6
Discussion Questions: When have you been in a situation where working together was a necessity, not an option? What unifies us as the body of Christ? Based on your experience, why is unity worth the effort?
Food for Thought:
“Let’s roll.”
Those two words spoken by United Flight 93 passenger Todd Beamer on September 11, 2001, became the rallying cry of our nation in one of its darkest hours. That morning terrorists crashed commercial airplanes into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon, and hijacked United Flight 93 with the goal of destroying another target. The passengers began to realize what was happening. In what may have been the finest moment of their lives, the 40 passengers and crew members pulled together as one and stormed the cabin to thwart the terrorists’ plot.
“Let’s roll” signaled the beginning of that final, courageous act. United by their urgent goal, travelers from different backgrounds, races and age groups selflessly disregarded personal safety to work as one. And in doing so, they became heroes.
What if the church operated with such courage and resolve?
In Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul addresses the issue of unity within the church. God’s design is for the church to work together, to function as one body. Beyond the need for teamwork, there’s a very real sense in which believers are spiritually bound together in Christ. We aren’t designed to live the Christian life apart from the rest of the body. In short, we need each other. Like the passengers of United Flight 93, Christ-followers are bound together by a God-sized purpose, and unity is vital to our mission.
God Himself binds us together as the church and He’s given us the Holy Spirit to enable and empower our work. Unity may not come easily, but it will always be worth the effort. This week, take the opportunity to be a part of God’s work in your church. While you do, pursue unity at all costs. After all, we were made to function as one.
Bible Studies for Life
Bible Studies for Life is a family of resources that addresses key issues in the lives of adults, students and kids. Visit www.biblestudiesforlife.com and use it to help you “Connect the Unconnected, Strengthen Families, and Disciple People With Wisdom.” Free session downloads are available, as well as PDFs and videos that accompany this Bible study resource.
Other ongoing Bible study options offered by LifeWay for all ages can be found at LifeWay.com/SundaySchool.
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This Bible Studies for Life lesson is adapted from the study “Connected: My Life in the Church” written by Thom Rainer, president and CEO of Lifeway and author of “I Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitudes that Make a Difference.”
