Spend some time reviewing the last weeks and checking in on people's faith. What are they learning? How is God speaking to them through the guide and through their time focused on one flow of thought? It's important that the members of your group feel a momentum occurring, rather than intermittent tail-kicking. This sermon from Jesus has a large scope, but seems to carry the same kinds of themes throughout. And difficult as the subject matter can be, it's all so timelessly relevant to what stands in our way in becoming people of the Kingdom that we should find ourselves becoming more hopeful as weeks pass. He really is going to radically transform each of us and the world we live in. And this week's theme, loving enemies, is just one more step into the Kingdom of love.
You may want to end the time in communion. The bread and cup are a re great symbol of peace between previously opposed parties. But God in His kindness, sent His son to redeem what seemed irredeemable. By wrapping up your time in communion, you are celebrating that true good can conquer any evil. True love can reconcile anything. And as God reconciled us to Himself by His unmerited love and favor, we are told to go and do likewise with anyone we call, in any measure, "enemy".
Thaw
- Who was your rival in high school and why?
- Looking back, were you the good guy or bad guy?
- Did you end up becoming friends with any of your enemies from school? What changed?
- What most impacted you from the message and text Sunday?
- What changes of thought and behavior do you sense God is trying to bring about in your with regard to loving your enemies and doing good in the face of evil?
Read
- Matthew 5:38-48
- Luke 6:27-38 (Luke's take on same sermon, or Jesus repeating same kind of message elsewhere)
- Thoughts?
- How do you connect the line of thought so far in Jesus' sermon on the mount?
Leader note: The idea here is to draw a line from the kind of people Jesus is inviting, into anger, lust, care for women and then enemies. Jesus seems to be trying to get us to be someone that invites those we hold grudges against because of their failures, as well as those who make life difficult on some level, all while refusing to use anyone. In other words, Jesus us teaching us to see people the same way he proved on that hillside of ragtag followers to see, love and invite people.
- What does persecution mean?
- Why is loving and forgiving persecutors important to jesus and tot he Kingdom?
- What are situations where we don't believe Jesus is being realistic, and why?
- Would you ever let someone control your heart? Why or why not?
- When you react to the actions and attitudes of others, especially where persecution, unfairness or evil are concerned, are you being controlled by them, or something else? Explain?
- When Jesus was being crucified, He asked for the forgiveness of those who mocked Him, spit on Him, cursed Him, beat Him and nailed His body to a cross. Besides "He is forgiving", what does Jesus illustrate for us by what He meant three years earlier in this passage in Matthew 5?
- Why doesn't Jesus say "ignore evil" or "ignore enemies"?
Leader note: The idea here is that by ignoring them, you're resolved that loving and forgiving them won't change them anyway. But Jesus is trying to put Kingdom hearts on display; hearts that cannot take shape by merely ignoring difficulty. This is as much for our own soul as it is for our enemies. Furthermore, it's for onlookers to see what a solid Kingdom heart looks like so that God can be seen.
Discuss
- Who were the enemies Jesus was speaking on that hillside?
Leader note: Help the group understand the layers of persecution these early followers were about to endure. They would be up against members of their own households. Then they would be up against zealous Jews who thought they were leaving the faith, verses fulfilling it in following Israel's Messiah. The there was the Jewish faith itself that would come to largely reject Jesus and the "people of His way". Then, over all of this, was Rome. Rome would come to murder Christians for being "atheists" because they would wouldn't recognize and worship Caesar as a god on earth. Form within their own homes, to being enemies with their government, to then finding enemies within and without every border they had created; and Jesus says love them and snuff out evil by doing good.
- Who are our enemies? Name them if you can.
- Why are they "our" enemies?
- Who have you grown used to dismissing or feeling persecuted by?
- Do you believe that there is any situation, relationship or circumstance between people that is irredeemable?
Meditate
- Spend some time, each member reading through these passages to themselves. Take notes and re-read any part that seems to demand extra attention.
- Romans 12:9-21
- Proverbs 24:29
- 1 Thessalonians 5:15
- 1 Peter 3:9
Apply
- How can this group help you take another step toward Christ and His heart?
- What specific circumstances would you like to detail for us that you feel is the issue about which God wants you to do something?
Leader note: Communion here, with prayer of thanks to God for reconciliation, is appropriate. Be sure and create a moment where people can see themselves as previously God's enemy. You may consider the following from Colossians 1 as you take the bread and the cup: "...God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in [Jesus], and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because off]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; "> your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the good news." (Col 1:19-23a)
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