The Testimony of Love
Leviticus 24:13-23 – New International Version (NIV)
13 Then the Lord said to Moses: 14 “Take the blasphemer outside
the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the
entire assembly is to stone him. 15 Say to the Israelites:
‘Anyone who curses their God will be held responsible; 16 anyone who
blasphemes the name of the Lord is to be put to death. The entire
assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme
the Name they are to be put to death.
17 “‘Anyone who takes the life
of a human being is to be put to death. 18 Anyone who takes the life of
someone’s animal must make restitution—life for life. 19 Anyone who injures their
neighbor is to be injured in the same manner: 20 fracture for fracture, eye
for eye, tooth for tooth. The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer
the same injury. 21 Whoever kills an animal must
make restitution, but whoever kills a human being is to be put to death. 22 You are to have the same law
for the foreigner and the native-born. I am the Lord your God.’”
23 Then Moses spoke to the
Israelites, and they took the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned
him. The Israelites did as the Lord commanded Moses.
Who spoke to Moses (verse 13)?
What are “all those who heard him” to do (verse 14)?
Who will “be held responsible” (verse 15)?
What must the “entire assembly” do to the one who blasphemes
(verse 16)?
How should the
person who “takes the life of a human being” be treated (verse 17)?
What should happen
to someone who “injures their neighbor” (verse 19)?
What is the person
who kills an animal to do (verse 21)?
How are the laws
different “for the foreigner and the native-born” (verse 22)?
Who took the
blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him (verse 23)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this
passage?
In your opinion, what does this
passage teach us about the difference between reacting to evil and reacting to one
another?
Matthew 5:38-48 - New International
Version (NIV)
38 “You
have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But
I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right
cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone
wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If
anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give
to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow
from you.
43 “You
have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your
enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for
those who persecute you, 45 that you may be
children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil
and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If
you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the
tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your
own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do
that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is
perfect.
What “have you heard” was said (verse
38)?
Who does
Jesus say not to resist (verse 39)?
What should be given to the one who “wants to sue you” (verse 40)?
How far should the one who is forced to “go one mile” go (verse 41)?
Who should not be turned away (verse 42)?
What else “have you heard that it was said” (verse 43)?
Who does Jesus instruct prayer for (verse 44)?
Who does our Father in heaven send rain on (verse 45)?
What do the tax collectors do (verse 46)?
Who is perfect that we should be like (verse 48)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?
In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the difference
between reacting to evil and reacting to one another?
In your opinion, why are the instructions in Matthew 5:38-48 so different
from the instructions to Moses in Leviticus 24:13-23?
Romans 12:9-21 - New International
Version (NIV)
9 Love
must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be
devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never
be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be
joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share
with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless
those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice
with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live
in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate
with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17 Do not
repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of
everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on
you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take
revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is
written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On
the contrary:
“If your
enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21 Do not
be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
What must love be (verse 9)?
How should Christians “be devoted to one another” (verse
10)?
What
should Christians do with “spiritual fervor” (verse 11)?
Who should Christians “share with” (verse 13)?
Who should Christians “bless and do not curse” (verse
14)?
What should the Christian do “with those who mourn”
(verse 15)?
Who should Christians live in harmony with (verse 16)?
How should evil not be repaid (verse 17)?
What should Christians do “as far as it depends on
you” (verse 18)?
What should we “leave room for” (verse 19)?
How should Christians overcome evil (verse 21)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this
passage?
In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the
difference between reacting to evil and reacting to one another?
In your opinion, how does the instruction in Romans 12:9-21
to “leave room for God’s wrath” reveal a change from the instructions of
Leviticus 24:13-23?
In your
opinion, how are the instructions in Romans 12:9-21 a logical outcome of Jesus
instructions in Matthew 5:38-48 to “be children of your Father in heaven”?
1 John 4:11-21- New International Version (NIV)
11 Dear friends, since God so loved
us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but
if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13 This is how we
know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and
testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If
anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and
they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for
us.
God is
love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made
complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of
judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There
is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to
do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19 We love because he first
loved us. 20 Whoever
claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For
whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have
seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And
he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their
brother and sister.
Why should Christians “love one another” (verse 11)?
When does God live in us and have His love “made
complete in us” (verse 12)?
How do we know “that we live in him and he in us” (verse
13)?
What has John seen that he testifies to (verse 14)?
Who does God live in “and they in God” (verse 15)?
What is God (verse 16)?
What are Christians like “in this world” (verse 17)?
What does perfect love drive out (verse 18)?
Why do Christians love (verse 19)?
Who is a liar (verse 20)?
What is God’s command (verse 21)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?
In your opinion,
what does this passage teach us about the difference between reacting to evil
and reacting to one another?
In your opinion, how is the contrast between starting with blaspheming God and
starting with loving God shown in Leviticus 24:13-23 and 1 John 4:11-21?
In
your opinion, how does 1 John 4:11-21 help us understand how it’s possible to
follow the command of Jesus in Matthew 5:38-48 to “be perfect, therefore, as
your heavenly Father is perfect”?
In your opinion, how
does 1 John 4:11-21 help us to follow the instruction of Paul in Romans 12:9-21
to “do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”?
In your opinion, what do these Scriptures from Leviticus, Matthew,
Romans and 1 John teach us about what it takes to hate “what is evil” and
yet being able to love our “enemies and pray for those who persecute” us?
In your
opinion, in what ways can we in love “testify that
the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world” today?
(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)
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