43: May They Be One: Pursuing Unity in Christ

Guest: Brian Delamont

• “That’s a great way to picture what unity looks like: something working together to accomplish a greater goal.”
• “The higher we value something, the more difficult it actually is to work and live in unity.”
• John 17:20-23
• “So what’s on Jesus’s heart as He is about to face what He’s about to face as He goes to the cross? Unity is on the heart of Jesus in that moment.”
• “[Jesus is] not asking for everyone to be the same. He’s asking that these very different people with very different ways of doing things would be brought to complete unity.”
• John 10:30
• “While the Father, Son, and Spirit are one, they’re not the same.  In the perfect beauty of this trinitarian relationship, we can learn the key to living in unity with people who follow Jesus who are different than [we are].”
• Colossians 3:7-8
• “The Gospel gives us an unshakable basis for the change which will enable us to seek unity with others who follow Jesus.”
• Colossians 3:1-3
• “In order to set my heart and mind on things above, on the objectives and the life that God has for me, I need to die [...] Dying to self means letting Christ win the ultimate argument when He brings everything under His feet.”
• “Unity in this moment involves trusting God with the outcome God says He is responsible for. I don’t have to win the argument to bring God’s Kingdom by myself. God is capable and He is in control of this outcome, whether I win the argument or not.”
• Colossians 3:12-14
• Episode 21: Prayer is Conversation
• “I’m not responsible for the reign of Christ to come and be established. He’s already said that He will do that, and He’ll do that as I live out my commitment to holy living and to becoming all that God intends.”
• “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”
• Ephesians 4:2-4
• 1 Corinthians 13:5
• “We need to endure differences. This is part of God’s design for His work in my life to conform me to the image of Christ.”

• Keane: Treasure maps
• Heather: Applying tips from At Your Best by Carey Nieuwhof
• Brian: Leaves changing colors