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Expanding Your Circle of Love

“As You Wish”

Luke 6:31-34

Assumptions:

• There are believers and sinners
• We all have a wish
• We love those who love us back
• What assumptions do I make regarding those who love me?

Expectations:

• Love
• Do Good
• Give
• What expectations do I have regarding those who love me?

Motives:

• Benefit
• Credit
• Thank
• Charis = grace
• What motives color my actions with those who love me?

As You wish = Love:

• Jesus teaches us how to love those who love us
• Loving the lovely is practice for loving our enemy - it is an act of worship!
• “Practice does not make perfect, only perfect practice makes perfect”
• Are those who love me receiving the love of Jesus through me?

Core CHRISTlike Characteristics: Heart of Worship, Relating with Other-Centered Love

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

• Begin Life Group with prayer - invite the Holy Spirit to speak and move among you.
• Ice breaker: In reflecting on your life, what group of “those who love you” was the easiest to love and why? Which was the hardest?
• What changed in the way you loved others after you came to know Jesus, whether it was those who loved you or those who didn't?
• Go through a few or all of the questions in the outline as a point of discussion relating to your assumptions, expectations, motives and love for those who love you.
• Read John 17:20-25 in closing. How does the conclusion of Jesus’ prayer aimed at us (those who will believe) relate to loving God and loving others? How does Jesus show it’s possible to do this along with loving our enemies (which Jesus modeled before and after this moment)?
• End your time in prayer over these things. Encourage and strengthen each other as you pray.