But Jesus Said (Sermon on the Mount)

LifeGroup Study Guide – Week 18: “Love Your Enemies“       

Stepping In: Getting things started!

1 – Who’s your favorite team (of any sport)? Who’s your least favorite team?

2 – What was your first experience with an “enemy”?

3 – Share one thing that stood out in this past weekend’s message.

Building Up: What is God Saying?

Read Matthew 5:43-48—Then answer the following questions:

Verse 43 – God never said, “hate your enemies”, but our culture sure lives this way. Why does this come so naturally for us? How is this similar to what we read and talked about last week in Matthew 5:38-42?

Verse 44 – Why is PRAYING for our enemies such a powerful thing to do for us…whether they change or not?

Verse 45 – How does this verse give you perspective? What can you learn from Jesus’ words?

Verse 46-47 – We are called to be different. We’re not supposed to live and act like everyone else. How have you seen someone love their enemy in a way that brought about real change?

Verse 48 – This verse wraps up this whole section from 5:21-47. What is being “perfect” here all about?

Living Out: How do I obey?

1 – “Instead of hating our enemies, what if we loved them to Jesus.” Who are you struggling to show love to right now? How can you love them to Jesus? What does that possibly look like in the week ahead for you?

2 – As a LifeGroup, you’ll be doing a SERVICE PROJECT together. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to serve those in our Valley. When you come up with a plan, please let us know about it by emailing: john@community.cc.  

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