Saturday, August 26, 2023
Speaker:
Ben Snyder, Lead Pastor
Title:
Loving your ACTUAL neighbor
Theme Verse to Memorize: 1 John 4:10-11 (NLT)
This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other
Key Passage: Mark 2:14-17 (NLT)
As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, "Why does he eat with such scum?"When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."
Bottom Line:
LISTEN for a NAME, a NEED, and a NEXT STEP.
NEIGHBOR: a person within arm's length (where you work, live, or hobby)
NAME: learning their name and their story
NEED: what need or gift can you uniquely give
NEXT STEP: where they are in their journey and how you can help them take a next step
Keyword: "Listen for"
We love to tell people their label, their problems, their next step. Jesus invites us to listen to our neighbor and the Holy Spirit to discern what to do.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NLT)
Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.
1 John 4:11-12 (NLT)
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
Additional Passages:
The Greatest Commandment—Matthew 22:36-39
We are Christ’s ambassadors—2 Corinthians 5:20
Additional Resources:
Best of Toledo
Song Links:
Phenomena
Take You At Your Word
1,000 Names
Where is the Love
I Speak Jesus
Discussion Questions
Icebreaker: Share a time when you saw something going on around you and wondered, "Where is the love?"
- Jesus associated with many disreputable sinners (Mark 2:15-16). Why is it challenging for people to spend time with those who aren’t like them?
- What does it mean to be an ambassador? Read 2 Corinthians 5:20. What would it look like to live this verse out in your life?
- Who is a neighbor you can get to know better by finding out their name, need, or next step? What is one small, specific way you can do this in the next week?