Generosity
Generosity 05: Loving your enemy | Discussion Guide
Debrief Last Week’s Practice (10 mins):
How did last week's practice go? How did you practically love your neighbor?
Did you learn anything new about yourself or God? Was it easy or difficult?
Discussion (15 mins):
Read this week’s practice together. What stands out to you?
Do you find it shocking that Jesus makes loving your enemy a prerequisite to being children of our Father in heaven (Matt. 5:44-45)? What do you think this means?
Read Matthew 25:31-36 together. What does this mean for doing justice in this life and its implications for the next? How does this relate to what James 2:14-17?
Break into smaller groups and practice this together (15 mins):
Love passionately. How can you develop a love for the needy? How can you develop a heart for your enemies or those who are not like you?
Love personally. Love for a crowd or group is great. But love, if it is to be real, must move to the individual. Who can you love this week on a personal level?
Love practically. 1 John 3:16-17 tells us that love that is true loves practically. It’s not enough to think warm thoughts about someone. That love must be driven to action. It must be love that loves practically. Discuss some ways to love someone practically this week. Who would you normally overlook? Who is out of your social circle, class, race, etc.? How can you practically love them?
Prayer (15 mins):
Spend some time praying together.