During His ministry, Jesus taught that all of the commandments in Scripture can be summarized by these two instructions: Love God and love your neighbor (Luke 10:27-28). Both of these commandments go hand-in-hand. When we love God, He creates in us a deep love for the people He created. We all know that God calls us to love those around us. The question is, are we putting that command to love our neighbors into action?
Who do you know who follows the instruction from Scripture to love our neighbors well? How do they love the people around them well?
1. Read Luke 10:25-29. What do we learn from this passage of Scripture about how to honor God by how we live our lives?
Luke 10:25-29
25 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” 27 The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” 29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
2. How do loving God and loving our neighbors go hand-in-hand?
3. Read Luke 10:30-37. Summarize Jesus’ response in this passage of Scripture to the religious leader’s question, “And who is my neighbor?”
Luke 10:30-37
30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. 31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. 33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ 36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. 37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”
4. What stands out to you about the way the Samaritan showed love in this passage of Scripture?
1. How was the question, “And who is my neighbor?” an attempt by the religious leader to justify his actions? In what way do we today similarly attempt to justify our actions?
2. What holds us back from loving people around us the way that Scripture calls us to love our neighbors?
3. When it comes to loving your neighbors, what is going well? What needs improvement?
Who is a neighbor in your life who is going through a difficult time whom you can help? How can you show them God's love this week? Share this with your group. After everyone has shared, end your time praying. Ask God to give you boldness to love your neighbors well this week.
Of course, the greatest example of love that we find in Scripture is Jesus’ love, which He demonstrated during His three-year earthly ministry, which culminated in His death and resurrection. Let's take time now to learn from the example Jesus set for us while He was on earth.
While we human beings tend to pick and choose whom we want to love, Jesus’ love is entirely different. Jesus didn't love one particular set of people or people who could do something for Him. Jesus loved everyone, with no exceptions. It is this kind of love for all that we, as His followers, must demonstrate, too.
1. Read Luke 19:1-10.
Luke 19:1-10
Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!" 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
2. What was shocking about Jesus’ interaction with Zacchaeus in this passage of Scripture?
3. By interacting with Zacchaeus and declaring, "Salvation has come to this home today," what was Jesus communicating to the watching crowd?
4. Is there any person that you have avoided showing love to? How can you take steps to reach out to them with the love of God?
The world teaches us to look out for ourselves and our needs, but Jesus operated differently. Although He is the King of all kings, Jesus did not look out for His own interests. Instead, He looked out for the needs of others and served them. No one expected the Messiah, the Savior of the world, to take on the role of a servant, but that is exactly what Jesus did, and that is what Jesus calls us to do, too.
1. Read John 13:1-17.
John 13:1-17
1 Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. 6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” 8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” 9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” 10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
2. What was Jesus’ purpose, and how did He demonstrate His purpose through his actions?
3. What does it look like today to serve in the way that Jesus did while He was on earth?
4. How can this group serve each other in the same way that Jesus' love led Him to serve?
Throughout His ministry on earth, Jesus made it clear that He did not come to be treated as a king, although he is the King. Instead, He taught that He came so that He, out of His great love, could lay down His own life to rescue the world from humanity. There is no greater sacrificial love than this, and this is the love we are called to imitate as Christ followers.
1. Read John 10:11-18.
John 10:11-18
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd. 17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”
2. What did Jesus reveal about Himself in this passage of Scripture?
3. What are the implications of Jesus’ being the Good Shepherd, and how did He demonstrate this during His ministry on earth?
4. What is holding you back today from demonstrating the sacrificial love that Jesus showed while He was on earth?
Take a moment to reflect on what you learned from Jesus’ example of love. Which of the characteristics of Jesus love that we talked about today, love for all of humanity, love that leads to service, or sacrificial love, would you like to grow in? Share your answer to that question with your group, along with one way you can take a step in growing in that area so that you love the people in your life in the same way that Jesus does.
©2025 Sagebrush Church
