FAITH DISCUSSION GUIDE
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Mo'omeheu (t radition)
Welcome to your faith discussion guide!
G od’s pr o mise is tha t, as yo u c o nti nue to l o ve e a c h o t h e r a n d s e e k H i s w isdo m in yo ur relat i o ns hi p , H e w i l l re ve al hi m s el f i n b e a u t i f u l w a y s . B e sure to hav e yo ur B i b l e hand y. I f yo u c an’t ac c e s s o n e , c h e c k o u t t h e B ib le Gateway a pp avai l ab l e o n yo ur A p p l e o r A n d r o i d d e v i c e . Pe rha ps o ne o f the b e s t- k no w n H aw ai i an w o rd s , “ Al o h a , ” s e r v e s a s a w arm welco me fo r tho s e vi s i ti ng the i s l and . W h e t h e r o r n o t y o u ’ v e been to Hawa ii, it’s eas y to i m ag i ne the i s l and ’s h o s p i t a l i t y f r o m popu lar mo v ies a nd TV s ho w s — w ave s c ras h ne ar b y a s a b e a u t i f u l l e i i s placed ar o und yo ur ne c k . I t s e e m s as i f H aw ai i an s h a v e t r u l y p e r f e c t e d hospita lity. Have yo u a nd yo ur s i g ni f i c ant o the r e ve r d i s c us s e d y o u r h o s p i t a l i t y values as believ er s? W hat d o e s i t l o o k l i k e f o r f o l l o w e r s o f Je s u s t o prac t i ce ho spita lity? Take a mo ment to r e ad the s e ve rs e s to ge the r: “These things I have s p o k e n to y o u , that m y jo y m ay r em a i n i n yo u , a n d t h a t y our joy ma y be full. This is m y c o m m andm e n t, tha t yo u l o ve o n e a n o t h e r a s I hav e loved you. Greate r lo v e h as n o o n e than this , t h a n t o l a y d o w n o n e ’ s li f e f or his friends. Yo u are m y f rie nds if y o u do w h a t e ve r I co m m a n d yo u . ” John 1 5: 11–14 (NKJ V)
“ T h e r efo r e, ‘ If yo u r e n em y i s h u n gry, fe e d h im; If h e i s t h i r s t y, give h im a d rin k; F o r i n s o d o i n g y ou will h e a p coa ls of fire on h is h e a d .’ D o n o t b e o ve r come b y e vil, b u t ove rcome e vil wit h good .” Ro m a n s 1 2 : 2 0 – 2 1 ( N KJ V)
Paus e and D i s c u s s -
A r e t h er e “e ne mi e s ” i n y our l i fe w hom y ou s truggl e to o v er co m e w i th good?
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W h a t o pportuni ti e s do y ou s e e i n y our l i fe to l ove and to care for t h o s e wh o mi ght not l ove y ou i n re turn?
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W h a t pr eve nts y ou from l ovi ng othe rs (fri e nds or e ne mi e s ) the w ay J esu s a s ks us to?
H o s p i t a l i t y i s a ma t t er of t he hea rt ; it involves giving t o a nd ca ring for o t h e r s r e g a r d l e ss of t heir wa lk of lif e a nd being a f a it hf ul st ewa rd wit h w h a t G o d h a s given you. Loving ot hers a s J esus would is humbling a nd w i l l a l m o s t a l w a ys lea d t o a grea t er dependence on G od.
Pau se a nd Dis c us s -
Why do you think Jesus chooses to command t h is ?
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What mi ght it look like to lay down your life f o r your friends?
Pr aye r T a k e a f e w m i n u t es t o reflect on your a nswers a bove, a nd close your d i s c u s s i o n w i t h a t ime of pra yer. I f you’re unsure where t o st a rt , pra y w i t h t h e s e w o r ds:
Dear Lord, T h a n k Yo u f o r s e n d i n g J e s u s a s t h e u l t i m a t e e x a m p l e f o r h o w t o l o v e o t h e r s . T h a n k Yo u f o r h o w Yo u h a v e b l e s s e d u s a n d p r o t e c t e d Jesu s’ co mma ndment s e e m s s i m p l e at f i rs t: to l o v e o n e a n o t h e r . As t h e verse co ntinues, ho w e ve r, i t re ad s “as I have l o ve d y o u . ” Je s u s l i v e d a perfe ct life a nd lo v e d o the rs w e l l at al l ti m e s — e v e n d y i n g f o r t h e m . How ca n o ne liv e up to that? P ri o ri ti z i ng yo ur f ri en d o v e r y o u r s e l f a n d ch oosing to lo v e with a s e l f - s ac ri f i c i ng l o ve , that i s l a y i n g d o w n y o u r l i f e . Th e B ible’s co mma nds f o r ho s p i tal i ty d o n’t b e gi n a n d e n d w i t h f r i e n d s , t h ough. Rea d the v e rs e s o n the ne xt p age to ge th e r :
u s . Wo u l d y o u h e l p u s b e g o o d s t e w a r d s o f w h a t y o u h a v e g i v e n u s ? Gi ve u s u n de r s t a n d i n g a n d e m p at he t i c he a r t s t o t ho s e w ho n e e d o u r h o s p i t a l i t y . We p r a y t h a t a l l w e d o w o u l d p o i n t b a c k t o a n d h o n o r Yo u . A men.