Choosing Jesus’ Kind of Love - Week Three (Elyria Campus)

Title: Choosing Jesus’ Kind of Love

Series: Expanding Your Circle of Love

Text: Luke 6:31-34

Date: 1/21/24

 

What kind of love identifies us with Jesus?

 

  1. This love is summarized in the Golden Rule. Jesus’ kind of love is…
  • Unconditional. Don’t base your love on their response or their reception.
  • Others-centered. Don’t restrict your love to the lovable.
  • Proactive. Don’t wait for the right opportunity; make it your lifestyle.
  • Reflective. Ask yourself… “What would it look like to love this person well?”

 

  1. This love is for all people, including “those who love you.”
  • Loving those who love you isn’t extra credit, it’s an expectation.
  • Our love is seen most clearly in how we respond when it becomes costly.
  • This love is not about safe investments, it’s about freely giving.

 

Take Home Truth: We choose to sacrificially love one another because Jesus did it first.

 

LifeGroup Questions:

  1. What is one thing that stuck out to you from the sermon?
  2. How do people respond when they find out you’re a Christian? Why do you think they respond that way?
  3. Agree or Disagree: The problem isn’t whether or not we will understand the Golden Rule, but whether or not we have the courage to live it out.
  4. Which of the four points that unpacks the Golden Rule are you strongest in? Which needs the most work? (unconditional, others-centered, proactive, reflective)
  5. How can you tell when love is a free gift and when it is a manipulative investment? What’s the difference?
  6. How do you respond when those close to you (your spouse, your family, your friends, your church) stop holding up their end of the bargain? How might you respond differently if you were living out the Golden Rule?
  7. Do you think that your life would be very different if people around you followed the Golden Rule? How would things be different? Spend a few minutes writing down your response.
  8. Look back over what you wrote down for the previous question. This is how you have answered Jesus’ prompt, “What do you wish others would do for you?” Is there anything on this list that you can choose to do this week for someone else?