SOAR Discussion Questions  |  10 November 2019

Please check later in the week. 

Read 1 John 4:7-21

• What do these passages tell us about God?
• What do these passages tell us about you and your life?

In order for us to love like God loves we need to start seeing people through God’s eyes and to take God’s heart for people into our everyday lives – to our everyone, everywhere with everything.  One of the ways we can do this is to sign up for one of the Love Loud projects.

Discuss one or more of the following questions. 

1. In his message, Sam shared that over time, he’s discovered that, “You cannot truly encounter the presence of God, the person of Jesus, without that encounter of love causing you to love your fellow human being more. You can’t be impacted by the love of God, and knowing God more, without that also causing you to have a deepening, passionate, compassion for the people around you in life.” How does this statement challenge or encourage you in your relationship with Jesus?
2. Christians today may feel like they are being pushed to the sidelines and perhaps even silenced about their faith, asking, ‘what is our place and where are our rights?’ Sometimes, our first response to this can be of fear or anger. However, Jesus also worked from the margins of society. So, what does Jesus’ example tell us about how we are to live and be witnesses today?
3. We often think that we’re here to ‘help people’, but 1 John 4 tells us we can only love because He first loved us. Our ability to love is a gift of grace, it’s an overflowing of God’s mercy to us. Our experience of God’s unconditional love, restoration and healing becomes the catalyst for us to be the bearers and carriers of Good News and the demonstrator’s of God’s love to others. How might knowing this encourage or impact the way you love others? 
4. Loving others can be costly, as Jesus showed us on the cross. Sometimes people experience quick stories of change, but often, we are part of people’s long-term stories of transformation that will take months or years. It may cost us our time, finances, or even comfort. What needs to change in order for you to make space to love others?
5. Jesus came to be people’s friends first, knowing that His love transforms people’s lives. Who is someone you can be a friend to, and how can you show love to this person (or group)?

• Is there a truth that God wants you to obey?  
• What will you do to obey this? I will…
• Who can you share this with?

No slides were used for this message.