Jesus prayed for the unity of the church (John 17:21-22); Paul exhorted the believers about it (Rom. 15:5-6). How are we to understand unity as it is expressed in these texts? What does this unity mean?

Jesus in this passage is praying that the believers will have the same unity which He and the Father has.  Jesus is praying that the church will have a unity in purpose. Jesus is also praying that the Church will be unified in having the mind of Christ. To have the mind of Christ is to live as Christ lived, and to treat others as He treated them. When the church manifests this type of unity it will demonstrate that they are Christians. The ability to fulfill the mission of the Church is founded in our ability to unite with one another.  When we become one we do not loose our individual personalities, but we use all of our gifts together to move as one indivisible unit. The marvelous work of unification of the body of Christ is a gift from God. We must pray for  the unity of the Church just as Jesus prayed for this for His disciples.

Read 1 Corinthians 1:10 and 2 Corinthians 13:11. How are we to achieve what Paul calls for in these texts?

In 1 Corinthians 1:10 the passage says through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the means by which we are to obtain the unity of the C. We must be transformed by the renewing of our minds daily. When we experience this daily transformation we become more and more like Christ. The process of becoming more like Christ day by day is called sanctification. As we individually engage in this process collectively we are able to become unified. The bible tells us that we should have the same mind as Christ. We must be changed from the inside out. The good news it that when we accept Christ he will  help us continually. We must simply trust Him, and surrender.

In short, unity begins with each one of us, individually, as followers of Christ – not just in name but in a life of true self-sacrifice; a life dedicated to a cause and a good greater than ourselves.

This is very true!

Prayer:  Lord God Almighty, as Jesus prayed for unity we want to join Him in this same prayer. Make us one Lord make us one, Holy Spirit make us one. Help us to surrender our selves to you and be changed by your grace. In Jesus name amen.

Read Matthew 28:19-20. How does it address the issue of the church's mission?

The mission of the Church is outlined very clearly in this passage. The first word that Jesus says is go! He does not say stay, sit, argue, fight. Jesus says go, He says go therefore. In the light of the resurrection and the cross we are to therefore go. Because of what Jesus Christ has done for us we must go and fulfill the great commission.The mission of the Church is three fold. Make disciples, baptize , and teach. Furthermore the mission of the Church is to all nations, kindred tongue and people. It does not get any simpler than this. As we go we are promised the Jesus will be with us every step of the way. What are we waiting for?

What do the following texts also teach us about the church's mission? Eph. 4:11-13, Matt. 10:5-8, James 1:27, Eph. 1:6, and 1 Pet. 2:9.

God has given the church a specific mission. In order to complete that mission He has placed gifted people in the Body of Christ. The spiritual gifts are for the purpose of equipping each member to fulfill the mission of the Church. The end result of this work is a Church which is purified, a world who is evangelized, and a God who is glorified! We have a specific purpose on this earth and we must stay focused and with the help of God, and the church members we can fulfill our individual and corporate mission.

How involved are you in the mission of the church? In what way could you do more than you are doing? Why is it important for your own spiritual growth to be involved in the church's calling?

It is important that we find our unique fit in the mission of the church. We should not be discouraged with what someone else is doing. When we are faithful to our responsibilities we are still fulfilling the mission of the Church.

Prayer: Lord God almighty help us to do our part in the work of evangelizing the world. Thank you. In Jesus name amen.