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A Bible Study Moment 
January 11, 2015 Bible Study Lesson Excerpt "Jesus' Prayer For His Disciples"
Scripture:John 17:1-26
Key Verses: 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.
In verse 20, Jesus makes it clear that this prayer extends beyond His present disciples gather with Him in the Upper Room. This prayer is also for His future disciples. 
In Verse 21, Jesus prays "...that all of them may be one, Father , just as you are in me and I am in you..." There is no division between the Father and the Son. They are united. Jesus has a vision for His future followers (us) to be a part of this unity. 
The Lesson Commentary states "...the church could be united if it recognized its essential oneness in Christ, if it recognized that division in the church was a sinful violation of Christ's intentions, and if it recognized the New Testament as the authoritative guide for all matters of Christian faith and practice."
"Those who love love Christ and His words are (or should be) deeply troubled by this disunity , especially when it resorts to name-calling or elitist dismissal of those with whom we disagree. May wen never be satisfied with a divided church, whether that be disunity within a congregation, or the divisions we see between congregations. May we long for and work toward a united church, unifies under the leadership of Jesus Christ in adherence to His Word."