Suggestions for leading a study:

• Familiarize yourself with the passage in context, including the book itself.  Who wrote it to whom, and why?
• Read through the study guide a couple times to get the “big idea” as well as the flow of the argument
• Have the group read through the passage in it’s entirety before beginning the study.  One of the goals is to try to get your members to learn how to study Scripture methodically, and this is an important step.
• Be prayed up
• Have fun!
  

God's Post Card

20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

Discussion Questions

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-Who does Jesus pray for in verse 20?  What is the underlying assumption in that verse regarding the role of a believer in Jesus Christ?

-According to verse 20, whose message is being proclaimed?  What do you think that message is?

-Now re-read verse 23.  Does that say anything about what our message actually consists of?  Going back to verse 21, do you think the phrase “that all of them may be one” may be describing the actual message of those who will believe rather than just the result that Jesus would like to see?

-Is unity among believers enough of a message to achieve Jesus’ desire to reach out to unbelievers?  If not, what role does it play?

-What is the example of unity Jesus gives us in verse 21?  What about verse 23?  Who is in who in these verses? 

-Read verse 24.  Given what Jesus said in verses 21 and 23, do you think that he is talking about being with him now, or after we die? Do you think that being in unity together is a means of seeing the glory of God?

-In verses 25 and 26 the word “know”, or “to know” is used 6 times.  Do you think that knowledge is important to unity?  What role does it play in helping us reach out to the world? 

-In regards to who Christ wants us to be according to this passage, how would you respond to this statement:  “The medium is the message.” 

Leaders' Guide

This lesson is intended to discuss how being a healthy, united community of believers is itself a significant means of proclaiming Christ to the world.

-Who does Jesus pray for in verse 20?  What is the underlying assumption in that verse regarding the role of a believer in Jesus Christ?

            Jesus is praying for all those who will come to believe through his follower’s message.  The underlying assumption is that his followers will be engaged in evangelism.

-According to verse 20, whose message is being proclaimed?  What do you think that message is?

            Jesus talks about “their message” in this verse.  The common assumption is that he is talking about the message of the gospel, salvation through believing in Jesus Christ.  This is probably not wrong, but we are going to look at another option in this study.  For now, just let the conversation stand there.

-Now re-read verse 23.  Does that say anything about what our message actually consists of?  Going back to verse 21, do you think the phrase “that all of them may be one” may be describing the actual message of those who will believe rather than just the result that Jesus would like to see?

      Verse 23 makes it very clear that the “complete unity” of the believers will actually be the message that lets the world know about Jesus and God’s love. 

-Is unity among believers enough of a message to achieve Jesus’ desire to reach out to unbelievers?  If not, what role does it play?

            Obviously, just being in community without any fractures is not the total message of the gospel.  However, perhaps Jesus is making it clear what an essential pre-requisite it is to getting the rest of the message across.  You may want to discuss any experiences group members may have had in churches that were not united and how that compromised their message.

-What is the example of unity Jesus gives us in verse 21?  What about verse 23?  Who is in who in these verses? 

            In verse 21 Jesus gives the example of him being in the Father and the Father being in him.  In verse 23, that changes to Jesus being in us and the Father being in him.  So the Father is in Christ and Christ is in us—a vivid picture of absolute connectedness between the Father, the Son, and the church.

-Read verse 24.  Given what Jesus said in verses 21 and 23, do you think that he is talking about being with him now, or after we die?  Do you think that being in unity together is a means of seeing the glory of God?

            You can read this either way, but it appears that the preferred assumption is that Jesus is talking about the here and now, given what he has been saying about our present connectedness with him as believers.  His statement about seeing his glory would seem very out of context if he were talking about a future event.  The question is, in light of the issue at hand, is he referring to our unity as believers as an actual reflection of his glory?  It is impossible to tell for certain, but certainly a group of people living in healthy community together should be a glorious thing. 

-In verses 25 and 26 the word “know”, or “to know” is used 6 times.  Do you think that knowledge is important to unity?  What role does it play in helping us reach out to the world?              Most people would assume that knowing the Father and making him known as discussed in this passage would be a kind of spiritual thing, but the original word certainly has to do with learning, awareness, and other aspects of knowledge of a more definite kind.  No doubt that “being on the same page” in regards to what we know about the Bible and about God is critical to being united as believers.  Many splits have occurred in the church over issues that people disagree about.  You may even ask if anyone can think of any—I’m sure it won’t be hard to think of some if anyone has been in the church any length of time.  Clearly, however, we need to agree on at least the essentials of the Christian faith if we are going to be effective in reaching out to the world with the gospel.

-In regards to who Christ wants us to be according to this passage, how would you respond to this statement:  “The medium is the message.” 

            This is a phrase borrowed from the artistic community.  Sometimes the medium, or the means of creating the art, is itself what makes the statement.  As a healthy, united community we as believers proclaim a glorious gospel to a world full of fractured families and communities.  Just being together and growing together in our knowledge of God is itself a significant statement about who God is and his power in this world.  The medium is the message.  We are God’s post-card to the world.