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Missional Community | One Another | Week Three
Opening
What are some challenges you've faced in Christian friendships? How have these experiences shaped your understanding of relationships within the body of Christ?
Overview
Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14; Ephesians 2:8-9, 14-16; Ephesians 3:14-19; Ephesians 4:1-6, 15-16; Ephesians 6:10-18
Christian friendships should be centered on Christ and led by the Holy Spirit, requiring patience, humility, and love. This ultimately reflects Christ’s character and builds stronger, lasting relationships.
Main Idea
Paul wrote to unify the church, emphasizing their identity in Christ and encouraging holy living. Following Jesus means we are part of one body, and our relationships should reflect His grace and truth. However, challenges such as idealization, impatience, and intolerance can damage Christian friendships.
Jesus-centered relationships require Spirit-led growth, patience, and understanding. Paul urged believers to maintain unity, bearing with one another in love, and striving toward maturity in Christ. This means replacing idealization with open-handed acceptance, impatience with grace, and intolerance with understanding. True spiritual unity reflects the oneness we share in Christ, as Paul emphasizes in Ephesians 4:1-6.
Discussion Questions
- According to Ephesians 3:16-19, how does Paul pray for believers to grow in their understanding of Christ’s love?
- Why does Paul emphasize the word "one" in Ephesians 4:4-6? How does this impact our relationships?
- How can we replace judgment with discernment and demands with deference in our friendships?
Closing
Pray together, asking God to strengthen your relationships with grace, patience, and unity in Christ. Seek the Holy Spirit’s help in navigating differences with love and growing together in faith.