Love Your Enemies
Welcome to our For Your Neighbor series. This week, we examine the story of Stephen’s martyrdom and the response of the early church in Acts 11. To view our adult devotional, click here.
Ice Breaker: Discuss something “everyone else had” when you were young that you begged your parents for? Did it turn out to be a good thing that you didn’t have it? Did it make you feel different?
Read Luke 6:32-36.
1.God calls us to be different in a good way. From the passage you just read, what stands out to you about the different way God call us to live as Christians?
2. In the podcast, Chandrika talked about her strong response to verse 35. Why do you think loving your enemies is so difficult?
Read Acts 11:19-25.
3. Here, the early church is still struggling to love their enemies. In verse 19, we find out they’re only sharing about Jesus among the Jewish people. Why do you think that is?
4. Pete pointed out that Antioch had a reputation as a rough, sin-filled city, even by Roman standards. Why do you think it’s significant that Jesus’s followers are first called Christians in Antioch?
5. The believers who shared the gospel in Antioch aren’t named. What does that tell you about how God often accomplishes His purposes?
6. When have you personally experienced being welcomed or included in a meaningful way? How did that impact your faith?
7. What step of obedience might God be calling you to take this week, even if it feels uncomfortable or new?
8. What’s stood out to you or been meaningful for you from this For Your Neighbor series?
(*Video available after Sunday services)
