Love God, Neighbor, Enemy
The instruction from Jesus to love God with your whole heart, soul, strength, and mind—and your neighbor as yourself—has come to be called the Great Commandment. And it is great! It is comprehensive. It is active. It is expansive. In the Love God, Neighbor, Enemy unit, we see that while enemies are not mentioned specifically, the call to love is extravagant.
Love of God and neighbor is not fully expressed if we are only loving when it is convenient or comfortable. Through the exploration of this practice, participants will learn how—from those who may be hard to love to those who we fear or who may do us harm—the imperative to love enemies, just as we love God or our neighbor, is throughout Scripture. This practice explores this call to love through action by serving a stranger, showing mercy, washing another’s feet, being courageous, and living peaceably.
Adult Leader's Guide
This leader’s guide uses the Adult Reflection Guide to lead a small group study on the practice. This guide contains a summary of the practice and the four (or six) sessions, background information on the Bible study for the session, and any preparation the leader may need to do ahead of the session. There are different options of activities and discussions to choose from throughout the session. Participants are asked to read through the Adult Reflection Guide, if possible, before each session. There are other great resources for adults in the Congregational Guide.
Featured in the Adult Leader’s Guide:
Love Extravagantly (Luke 6:27–42)
Serve a Stranger (1 Kings 17:8–16)
Show Mercy (1 Samuel 24; Luke 23:32–43)
Wash Another’s Feet (John 13:1–20)
Be Courageous (Acts 6:8–7:2, 51–60)
Live Peaceably (Romans 12:9–21)
