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This Week
@ The Bridge

Announcements

3rd Annual Kids Kingdom Tea Party
Sunday, April 28th @ 10:00a - 2:00p
The Bridge Church Reno
Kids Kingdom will be hosting its annual tea party on April 28th.  There will be food, fun, games, and of course tea!  So but on you best tea party attire and join us for a great time.  Please RSVP to kidskingdom@thebridgereno.com to let us know you are coming.  We want to make sure there is plenty of food.
 
Weekly Men’s Prayer Meeting Moving Times
Staring April 30th @ 8:30a
The Bridge Church Reno
Starting Tuesday April 30th the weekly men’s prayer meeting will move from 6:30am to 8:30am.  Men: join us every Tuesday morning in the welcome center to pray for the needs of our families, our church, and our community.
 
Campus Cleanup and Maintenance Day
Saturday, May 4th @ 8a-12:00p
The Bridge Church Reno
Please consider signing up for our campus cleanup and maintenance day on Saturday May 4th.  We will have a number of inside and outside projects that we would love help with.  Help us cleanup and get the church looking great for spring.  If you would like to help please use the connection card to sign up here.  https://thebridgereno.com/connect

Message Notes

Protect the Unity

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.  My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 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. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
John 17:15–23

Unity: That The World May Know Him
What is It?
Unity in Christ
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 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.
John 17:20–21
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4:4–6

Unity in Failures
As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.”
Romans 3:10–11
Listen to what Paul wrote after about 30 years of following Jesus:
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”
1 Timothy 1:15 

Unity in Diversity
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:26–28

Why It Matters?
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 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. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
John 17:20–23

How Do We Get it?
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:3–8

Unity in Christ Makes the WORLD TAKE NOTICE
Previous Messages Can Be Found Here

Small Groups Talk About It

Watch the latest Message Summary:

Discussion Questions
  1. How is it that people will believe in Jesus? (verse 20)
    • How is it that you believed in Jesus? Have you ever thought about the fact that you believed through the word of the Apostles?
    • How do you see God's sovereignty in salvation in verse 20?

  2. What does it mean for future disciples to be "one"?
    • What does Jesus use to compare to the oneness he is praying for? (verse 21)
    • What is the difference between unity and uniformity? How does this help you to understand what Jesus is praying for?
    • What do you think it looks like practically for Christians to live as "one" together?
    • What happens when Christians do not dwell in unity? (verse 21, 23)

  3. Jesus begins this section by praying for people who are not yet Christians-what is the significance of this for us?

  4. Read Galatians 3:26:  Discuss that this means for us today at the Bridge.
    • What can we do to protect unity in our church?
    • What are some ways we can grow in unity as we face an unknown future as a church?

  5. How does Christian Unity cause the world to notice Jesus?  Have you ever seen the lack of it cause others to turn away from him?

  6. Read and Discuss Philippian 2:3-8.  How do these verses apply to the issue of Unity within the church?
     
  7. Pray for unity at the Bridge both now and in the future.
Previous Messages Can Be Found Here