Key Passage: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6 NKJV
The Christian life is a transformational journey; the first step is understanding Jesus as Savior.
REVIEW: Hypocrisy causes many people to become stuck in the first stage of spiritual maturity.
- READ: Mark 7:6 “Jesus replied, ‘You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”’”
- DISCUSS: How has knowing that God loves you affected the way you live?
- DISCUSS: What is your biggest hurdle or challenge in being fully honest with people?
REVIEW: The only way we believe we are loved by God is when we experience being loved by a person.
- READ: John 13:34-35 “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
- DISCUSS: Is there anyone who has shown you unconditional love and forgiveness?
- DISCUSS: Do you know anyone who needs an unconditional friend right now? How can you take a step toward being that for him or her?
ASK:
What else did you get from this week's sermon? What actions or next steps can you take to apply it to your life?
PRAY:
Pray for courage to be vulnerable with others, grace to grow out of our hypocrisy, and patience toward those who are learning to be loved by God.