Leader Resources
EXERCISES
- Review memory verse of the week.
SUGGESTED DISCUSSION
- Truth – You will want to be aware of these points:
- You should stress that God’s love is not primarily a feeling, nor is it a conditional response to something worthy, noble, or lovely in the object of His love. Instead, God’s love is primarily a commitment. It is His determination to show His goodness and bring blessing into the lives of the people He loves.
- This material makes a biblical case that God places His love especially on His people in a way that He doesn’t on the rest of humanity. This perspective may be new and troubling to some of your JG members. Be prepared to reinforce this perspective using the study passages included in the material.
- Make sure your JG group understands the connection between God’s love and the way he demonstrates His love in common grace and special grace. Ephesians 2:1-7 is a great illustration of the connection between God’s love and special grace.
- Truth – You can discuss any of the in bible questions. Here are some tips:
- Deuteronomy 7:6-9 and Jeremiah 31:1-7 illustrate God’s special grace toward His Old Covenant people, Israel.
- Matthew 5:43-48 illustrates God’s common grace toward all people.
- Romans 5:5-8 and Ephesians 2:1-7 are great illustrations of the connection between God’s love and special grace.
- Romans 5:5-8: The death of Christ demonstrates God’s love by showing His commitment to bring blessing into the lives of His people while they were unworthy of such love and before they even desired His blessing. This is similar to the love God demonstrated to Israel in the Exodus in that both Israel and Christ’s followers are unworthy recipients of His love. Yet, the crucifixion is a greater demonstration of God’s love in that it was truly costly to God. How amazing that God would bestow such love upon us!
- You will want to discuss the final in Bible study question to give your JG an opportunity to talk about common grace and special grace.
- Truth – You may choose to discuss the chart “God Demonstrates His Love Two Ways”
- Truth – You may wish to discuss any of these applications of the material found in the final two paragraphs of the to summarize section:
- God’s love for believers who struggle with performance issues.
- God’s love as a motivator of devotion to Christ.
- God’s love as a motivator of missional living.
- Equipping – Discuss any of the equipping questions you wish.
- Accountability – allow time for smaller groups of 2 or 3 to ask accountability questions and pray for one another.
- Mission – Continue planning and discussing your upcoming mission service project. It is vital that you emphasize the purpose of this project as an exercise in developing a missional life. Discuss how your service project can be an opportunity to make the gospel known through deed – a demonstration of Christ’s compassion.
