Housegroups 

 
Series: Shaping Church Culture
Theme: A Loving Community
Sermon date: November 3rd

 
Icebreaker
As a child, how often were you told you were loved?

How often do you say it to your family members, or closest friends?

Spend some time thinking why a declaration of 'I love you' can be so acutely embarrassing sometimes?! 

What other vocabulary could we sometimes use to avoid misunderstandings etc., but still be effective in communicating our feelings?

 
Study
Please read 1. Corinthians 13

Q.1 why is this passage SO popular at weddings? Discuss some of its very practical observations. (v. 4-8a)

Q.2 why is it SO popular at funerals? (v. 8-13) it takes the characteristics of human love into a more spiritual/Godly realm

Q.3 why is it SO popular in the context of church life? (It is the REAL bedrock of our spirituality: claiming all sorts of spiritual 'one-up-man-ship' means nothing if our behaviour and attitudes aren't motivated by love.)
 
Please read John 13 v. 34-35

This is one of only two commandments Jesus gave us.

Q.4 what do you think he meant by it, in practice?

Q.5 Why is it so crucial? (a clue is in the last word of that question!)
 
Please read Rom 15 v. 1-13

Q.6 what's your gut reaction when you are asked to help those in need?

Q.7 what might persuade you to change your mind/attitude?
 
Action

Suggestions:

  • In your head, visualise someone you find it very hard to like, let alone 'love'. Imagine their face morphing into that of Jesus. Now, can I 'love' them as I'd want to love Him? (At least it might help!)

  • Remember and share occasions when you felt someone acted towards you in a Christ-like

 
Prayer

This week spend some time, talking and praying about those in our church who need to be shown love (vulnerable, elderly, single mum, student, someone who appears to be on the margins)

Then pray that you might receive a gift of mercy, skill to talk and approach them, offering them a smile, a kind word, a way that will bring them a sense of God’s love.

Then prayer our wider community, in the same way and then finally talk about and pray for each other that you and we all might be more loving towards those we see and meet.
 
Christine Bailey
 
 


Christine Bailey, 30/09/2019