Love Again Week 1

September 3, 2018

Bulletin Points:
1.   Do you love God?
2.   How much do you love God?

Questions for Kingdom Group Discussion:

1. People often go to great excess in the pursuit of their interests and hobbies. Whenever no limits are imposed, people tend to overdo the things that they enjoy most. What are the things you enjoy doing the most?

2. Read together Matthew 22:35-40. What does it say? What is that one thing we should rightly do to excess, the only thing in life we must pursue without ever worrying whether we will overdo it or not?

3. How can the commandments be summed up?

4. What does this mean: Life does not precede love, love precedes life!

5. What does it mean to love God? How do we love God?

6. Loving God must naturally begin with the heart, the internal aspect which leads to the external aspect of love. These internal and external aspects of love can be seen in the words, with all your heart (internal), and with all your soul, and with all your might (external). Notice the word “all” appears 3 times? What does it mean? What does “all” mean here?

7. This repetition of the same word brings out the ‘all-ness’ or wholeness of the love we must render toward God, as opposed to loving God with a divided heart, soul or mind. That means that our love for God must be a singular and superlative love. We must love God much, much more than we love anything or anyone else. The term ‘all’ also implies fullness of effort – like in the expression ‘I’ll give it all I’ve got’ that we sometimes use to show the full intensity of effort. Why is our relationship with God the most important of all our relationships?

8. It was a point of contention in those days between the Pharisees and the Scribes about which commandments were the heaviest or weightiest. What were their three errors or mistakes?

9. What’s the difference between having a religion and having a relationship with God? How do you differentiate them? How can you tell the difference in real life? Any examples?

10. Share a personal experience when you were religious instead of having a real relationship with the Heavenly Father. What was the outcome?

11. It was said, “Actions speak louder than words.” What does the evidence say about your love for God? What would your parents or spouse say? How about your children? Your co-workers?

12. Reflect for a minute. How does God love you? Write down some very specific examples or put it in drawing and share with the group.

13. What would you do differently starting today in loving the Heavenly Father? Write them down here.