Week 6: What do followers of Christ have in common?
If you’ve decided to follow Christ, then it’s both wise and helpful to have friendships with people who help you to grow in your relationship with Jesus. This month we’ll explore what Scripture says about strengthening your family and your relationship with Christ by connecting with a community of believers. We’ll begin by discovering what followers of Christ have in common and how we’re all connected to one another.
Be ready to read the following passages:
Let’s start it.
Take turns naming a part of the human body and what job that part has. What do you think would happen if each part was injured or wasn’t working properly?
Let’s learn it.
Our relationships with fellow believers are different from our other relationships. The Bible describes our connection as believers to other believers as a family or household. It also says we are like a body with many parts, as you just shared with one another. Let’s dig into Scripture and learn more about it.
Ask a family member to read John 1:12 aloud. What phrase is used to describe Christians? You became a child of God when you chose to receive Jesus’ gift of salvation. As a member of God’s family, you are related to other believers as their spiritual brother or sister in Christ. You’ve probably even heard someone refer to your church as a “church family.” You may also have noticed that you have more in common with the people you meet at church than with the people you meet who do not know Christ. That’s because the Holy Spirit lives within every person who has received Christ Jesus. Pause and read Romans 8:14-16 before continuing. When you meet and spend time with other believers, the Holy Spirit gives you a sense of connection to many different members of God’s family.
The Apostle Paul used another illustration about the church to describe the close connection of the members of God’s family. Check out what he says about Christians in Romans 12:4-5 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. Followers of Christ are all parts of the body of Christ – the church. Both the church and the human body are made up of many members with important jobs. Members of a church should work together in harmony, just like the parts of your body have to work together for you to be healthy. We should care enough to help when another member isn’t doing well or is hurt in some way. What does Galatians 6:2 tell us to do?
If you are a Christ follower, then you are connected to every other person who has received Jesus. Think about that for a moment – you have spiritual brothers and sisters all over the world! Each member of the family of God and the body of Christ is needed. In our local church, we talk about how God is working in our lives, and we worship and serve Jesus together. You are not only connected to the people in your church – they need you!
Let’s discuss it.
- Name some things you have in common with other followers of Christ.
- How has being connected with other believers in a church family helped you?
- Look back at the parts of the human body listed in 1 Corinthians 12:14-17. How are people in your church filling each of those roles? What role can you fill in the body of Christ?
Let’s do it.
Have you ever smashed your thumb with a hammer, closed a door on your toe, or had a terrible toothache? When one part of your body hurts, the rest of your body knows about it. Who in your church family is hurting right now? Think of ways that you can act as the hands of Jesus to help them this week.