The Final Apologetic

On the night of his crucifixion, Jesus looked forward to that day. He prayed that his disciples would be “one.” (John 17:20-21)

The second part of Jesus’ prayer was that “the world may know.”

In a similar manner, Jesus told his disciples in John 13:34-35, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

When was the last time you and your circle of friends were accused of being a Christian because your love for one another was so intense?

Francis Schaeffer called community the “final apologetic.” The ultimate defense...the ultimate proof...of Christianity is the community it lives in.

We can look at scientific evidence and historical evidence and literary evidence and archaeological evidence and build proof after proof after proof to defend our beliefs. But at the end of the day, the proof is in the way we relate to one another. That is the final apologetic.

The ultimate defense for Christianity is community. And that's one reason why I love small groups.