Loving Jesus Better Part 1

Message Review

 Main points and scriptures from this week's message.

• Question: How are we doing on love? 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

• Jesus told the Pharisees what the greatest commandment was.

Matthew 22:37–40 (ESV)
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

• We love Jesus better when we act our way into feeling rather than feel our way into action.

Story by Pastor Ryan: "When it's time to express my love to Jodi, I've learned it's better not to think about what I want for her, but I strive to think about what she wants. Fortunately for my wife and I we truly like to do a lot of the same things. But this year she had an interesting request for a gift, for me to hang pictures on the walls of our house. She did not want clothes from the mall, she wanted me to hang pictures. I would have rather gone shopping, I did not necessarily feel like hanging pictures, but that is what she wanted, that is how she was going to feel loved, and there was so much love in our house after I hung those pictures."

Example: Our loved ones feel loved by us, not by our feelings but by our actions. Maybe we don't fall out of love with each other, we fall out of action. 

Question: Have you ever heard of the 5 love languages? Did you know God has a love language?

John 14:15–28 (MSG) 
"If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you....The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that’s who loves me. And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and make myself plain to him....If anyone loves me, he will carefully keep my word and my Father will love him—we’ll move right into the neighborhood! Not loving me means not keeping my words. The message you are hearing isn’t mine. It’s the message of the Father who sent me . . .  If you loved me, you would be glad that I’m on my way to the Father because the Father is the goal and purpose of my life. 

• We love Jesus better when our actions toward others flow from our decision to please him.

John 13:34–35 (MSG)
“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

Matthew 5:43–48 (NIV)
"you have heard that it was said, 'love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' but I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your father in heaven . . . if you love those who love you, what reward will you get? are not even the tax collectors doing that? and if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? do not even pagans do that? be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect" 

Jesus included people. Examples: The woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, the Roman centurion. 

Message Discussion Questions

The following questions will help guide your discussions and give your group some opportunities to open up and share.

• What makes you feel loved?
• What makes you feel loved by God?
• What are some things that you do that make God feel loved by you? 
• Is it hard for you to love others as God loves you? Why or why not?
• What are some daily habits that you could start that might make God feel loved by you.
• Do you feel you draw circles? Do you include people?
• Are you currently moving closer to God or away from Him?

Live It Out

Encourage your group to start doing. Commit to a step, and live it out this week.

• This week find a way to show love through your actions to someone else in your life.
• Include at least one person that you would not normally include in an activity this week. 
• On a piece of paper or journal write down one area of your life that you think might make God sad and one area of your life that makes him feel loved.
• Begin to pray that God help you in the area that you need help in, and thank Him for the area you are doing well in.

Closing Thoughts

• Finish group with prayer requests and praise reports.
• More resources always available here: Small Group Resources