This Bible study focuses on a passage in the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament.
Stories that Make You Think:
Luke 6:27-42
Objective:
To understand the following principles:
- That Jesus’ followers emulate their father in heaven when they love their enemies.
- That God judges us using the standards we use for judging others.
- The we need to give close attention to correcting our own faults before attempting to correct the faults of others.
Introductory Questions:
Jesus often speaks of God as Father. In your culture, how are fathers thought of?
Do children want to be like their fathers?
What is your relationship with your father like?
Introduction:
Today we are not going to discuss a single story, but rather a short series of examples that Jesus used in telling his followers how they should live. Jesus thought of his followers as children of God. He wanted them to learn how to act like their father in heaven in the way they related to other people. Let’s read what Jesus had to say and think about how a person’s life would be different if, with the help of God’s Spirit, these ideas were put into practice.
Reading the Passage:
Have the group read each section before you discuss it. Read the passage silently at first. Then have someone read it aloud. Discuss any words that might be unfamiliar to the group.
Questions:
v 27-31 - Have you ever experienced unjust treatment?
How did you feel toward the one who was mistreating you?
What do you think would be the natural human response to the situations Jesus describes in these verses?
What would be the expected response in your culture to these situations?
By contrast, Jesus recommends that his followers love their enemies. How do you react to what he says?
Do you think responses like this are possible? desirable? practical?
Do you think of love as an emotion, an action, or decision?
What about the love described in this passage?
v 32-36 - What does Jesus imply is the motive for loving our enemies?
What is God like, according to Jesus?
How does he want people to interact with each other?
What do you think is the great reward that we receive by loving our enemies and doing good to them?
What would relations between people and countries be like if these principles were followed?
v 37-38 - What is the basic principle that underlies all of Jesus’ commands in these verses?
What kind of person most needs to hear these commands and put them into practice?
How would you put these ideas into practice?
Do you think they are practical?
What if you live in a world where others are out to cheat you?
What do Jesus words imply about God? about ourselves? about how God wants us to relate to others?
v 39 - What do you think the saying about the blind man leading the blind means?
What kind of person is like the blind leading the blind?
v 40 - What kind of person thinks he knows more than his teacher?
What kind of attitude should a person have toward his teacher?
How much confidence should a trained student have in his own ability to teach?
v 41-42 - What kind of person does Jesus describe in these verses?
Why should we be slow to criticize other people?
What qualifies a person to be a helper or a critic of someone else?
Thought Questions:
- Which of the ideas we talked about tonight was the most interesting to you?
- Why did it interest you?
- What is your opinion of what Jesus said?
- Describe in one or two sentences what you think Jesus wants his followers to be like.
- Is this the kind of person you would like to be like? Why or why not?
Closing:
Close with a prayer asking God to help us to become people that have the courage and faith to put into practice the kind of lifestyle that Jesus described.
