Small Group Discussion Guide
Series: Summer on the mount
Week 5: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
Discussion Questions
If you could instantly become an expert at any game or competition, what would you choose, and why? Are you more naturally competitive, or are you more interested in just having fun?
This week we began by having everyone play Rock, Paper, Scissors and we pointed out how quickly a complete stranger became an opponent. Why do you think it's so easy for us to start viewing people as "us versus them"? Where do you see that mindset most often in our culture?
Read Matthew 5:38–48.
Jesus tells His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. Why do you think this teaching would have sounded so shocking to the people listening that day? Why does it still feel just as countercultural today?
Matt said, "The world says, 'Win the argument.' Jesus says, 'Win the person.'" Think about a disagreement you've had recently. How might your words, attitude, or actions have been different if your goal had been to win the person instead of the argument?
Jesus wasn't simply correcting behavior, He was exposing a deeper heart issue. Have you ever caught yourself reducing someone to a label, a political opinion, a social media post, or one disagreement instead of seeing them as someone made in God's image? What happened?
Read Romans 12:17–21.
Paul tells believers not to be overcome by evil but to overcome evil with good. Which part of this passage is the hardest for you to live out? Why do you think responding with kindness often feels more difficult than responding with anger?
Matt challenged us by asking, "Who is your enemy?" That doesn't necessarily mean someone who hates you. It could simply be someone who frustrates you, offends you, or is difficult to love. What makes loving those people so challenging?
Our truth this week was, "Radical love defeats outrage every time." Our culture often rewards outrage because it gets attention. What are some practical ways followers of Jesus can model a different spirit at work, at home, online, or in everyday conversations?
Jesus doesn't tell us to agree with everyone or ignore truth, but He does call us to pray for people, speak kindly, forgive, and seek their good. Which of those responses comes most naturally to you, and which one stretches you the most?
As we leave tonight, who is one person God may be inviting you to love differently this week? What is one specific step you could take, whether that's praying for them, reaching out, showing kindness, or choosing not to respond in anger?
