DIGGING DEEPER

WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 12-13, 2026

SERMON NOTES

We the Church

Unity


What does the world see when it looks at Christians?


By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - Jesus (John 13:35)


When we have a mission bigger than ourselves, our differences don't have to disappear for us to work together.


John 17:20-23:

  1. Unity ≠ Uniformity 
  2. One Church, Many Expressions 
  3. Unity = Gospel Witness 


Big idea: The gospel saturation mission is so big that we need each other.


Challenge: let’s work together to fuel unity in Jesus’ mission not division about less significant stuff.


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Too rigid   Humble conviction       Too loose


Practical steps:

  • Self-assess your commitment to unity in the Body of Christ
  • Identify your barriers (pain, pride,…)
  • Seek God’s healing for the wounds
  • Confess and repent of the junk
  • Speak the truth IN LOVE
  • Don’t tear other churches down, build up
  • Join a LifeGroup with people different from you
  • Team up at work/school
  • Pray for more unity


DIGGING DEEPER

How big of a problem is disunity in our country right now? What about in the Body of Christ, aka the Church?


Read John 13:35 and 17:20-23. Call out what you’re hearing from Jesus in this area and why it matters. 


Practically, what might more of that look like?


Think about where you might stack up on this spectrum. Ask others to input what they sense about you.


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Too rigid   Humble conviction       Too loose


Read Ephesians 4:2-3. What stands out about our responsibility here? But what do we do if our efforts for peace and unity don’t seem to work?


Read 1 Corinthians 1:10 and 1 Peter 3:8. Make your strongest case possible for unity from these verses, and then be a “devil’s advocate.” How would you counter that in a way that is faithful to Jesus?


What’s the difference between being “like minded” and “everyone thinking exactly the same in every area?” How does some distinction between “essential,” “important,” and “personal” beliefs help us with unity in the Church?


What’s one practical step you can take in the next couple of days to pursue unity in the mission of Jesus? Perhaps something you’ll stop or start doing. See the list of practical ideas in the notes if needed.



Looking for questions based on a past sermon?

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