Love God, Love Others Study

BIG IDEA

My friends have a little boy they are trying to teach the difference between the words “like” and “love.” They often teach this difference by repeatedly saying, “We like things, and we love people.” At dinner one night, their son said, “I love… I mean like… this spaghetti!” I think they are teaching him well, right? They are teaching their son the essence of what Jesus taught were the two most important commands in Scripture in Mark 12: Love God and love people. Today we will take a deep dive into these commands and be challenged to put them into practice.

BREAK THE ICE

Who was your elementary school crush? How did it work out?

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

Bible Study Questions

1. What is the difference between the words “like” and “love?”

WATCH SERMON RECAP

2. Read Mark 12:28-34. Why do you think Jesus chose these two commandments as the most important of all?

Mark 12:28-34

"One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

32 The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. 33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

34 Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions."

3. What does it mean to love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength? 

4. Read 1 John 3:16. How does this verse expand your definition of love?

1 John 3:16

"We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters."

Application

1. Which is hardest for you: loving God with all of your heart, soul, mind, or strength? Why?

2. Which area do you need improvement in when it comes to loving God and loving others? What steps can you take to become more loving?

3. What is one way this week that you plan to love God or other people?

 MOVING FORWARD

Often as a small group, we get comfortable coming in and studying God’s word and then leaving the group to return to our real lives. Instead, make time as a group to plan an opportunity to serve together. Doing this allows you to live in God’s love and share it with others. You can do something small like building hospitality kits to pass out to homeless people or something large like planning a day for your group to serve together at Road Runner food bank or the Ronald McDonald house. Brainstorm something you can do to love other people as a group, and then mark your calendars to put love into practice.

Going Deeper

We use the word love so often that sometimes it loses its power and meaning. On the same day, we say that we love our favorite television show, our favorite coffee beverage, and our friends and family. What if there is a better way to understand what it means to love, especially when it comes to the way we love God and the way we love the people in our lives? Today we are going to look at the Greek definitions of two different words in the New Testament that we use for love and better understand what it means to love the people around us.

Phileo: According to “A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature,” the Greek word “phileo,” found in Scripture which is translated as love, means “to have a special interest in someone or something, frequently with focus on close association, have affection for, like, consider someone a friend.”[1]

1. · Read John 16:26-27. The word phileo is used both times we see the word love in verse 27.
2. · After reading the definition of phileo and looking at the use of phileo in John 16:27, how would you explain the meaning of phileo?
3. · How does this understanding of phileo affect your view of what it means to love others?

Agape: According to “A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature,” The Greek word “agape,” found in Scripture which is translated as love, means “the quality of warm regard for and interest in another, esteem, affection, regard, love.”[2] Specifically, this love refers to human love and “the love of God and Christ.”[3]

1. · Read 1 John 4:7-10. Each time you see the word “love” in these verses, the word “agape” is used.
2. · Describe the type of love John writes about in these verses.
3. · How does this understanding of love and its use in 1 John 7:7-10 affect your understanding of what it means to be loved by God?
4. · How does this understanding of love and its use in 1 John 4:7-10 affect your understanding of what it means to love others?

Reflect:

Please take a few minutes to reflect on both of these words that we have studied together. How do both words contribute to what it means to love God and the people around you? What is one way you can specifically love someone in your life with these words and their definitions in mind?

[1] Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 1056). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
[2] Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 6). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
[3] Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 6). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

MONTHLY MEMORY VERSE (Available for download on Sagebrush App)

John 13:34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.