Lean In // 5 minutes
What is one attribute of a friend that you most prize?
Look Down // 10 minutes
Read Luke 6:27-36
What do you learn about loving our enemies?
Sample answers include…
- We’re called to good to people who hate us
- Bless, wish well on, people who curse you
- Pray for people who hurt you
- Let your enemies see the best of you, not the worst
- Go overboard in showing them grace and love
- Don’t seek out revenge
- Give people what you would want given to you
- Give without expecting a return
- Treat others as God treated you, with compassion
Look Out // 10 minutes
Where have you seen someone live this way?
Where have you seen people not live this way?
Leaner Note: Remember that in this question we want to encourage the group to take the principle of the passage and ask them where they see it on display in the world and in this case where don’t they see it.
Look In // 20 minutes
When was a time you were able to live this way? What did it cost you?
When was a time you failed to live this way? What did it cost you?
In what relationships do you need to live this out ,what obstacles would you need to overcome?
Commentary: Both sets of living have costs associated with them. When you don’t love your enemies you can grow in anger, bitterness and pride. When you do love your enemies you’re sacrificing your “rights” to all those things in order to display Christ. Take time think about where you’ve gotten this right and where you’ve gotten this wrong.
Leader Note: Some may respond that it would take a miracle to live like this everyday! The good news is that is exactly what we have in our relationship with our Father. Through Jesus we get to live in our God created identity. That identity is one of generosity and grace that gives without condition.
Live It Out // 5 minutes
What if you could live like this? What would be different about you, about others?
Prayer: Prayer for an awakening in each person to see the grandness of the way our Father forgives, restores and heals us. Pray that out of that understanding comes an increased readiness to love others the way we’ve been loved. Pray for a spirit of forgiveness for those that have been mistreated and not shown this type of love by others.
Get The Most Out Of Flow Questions: Check out Kenton Beshore’s book Ask in the Irvine Campus Bookstore for more on the Flow Question model.