James, Justice and Love: Week 28 (May 15-21)
Love and Justice Practice: Week 28 | Date May 15 -21
Communities @ Grace
Goal for Week: Reflect on how loving your neighbor as yourself influences your treatment of others.
45 minutes: Welcome, Pray, Eat + Mingle
What type of serving helps you feel connected to others?
What personality trait of yours helps you serve others?
15 Minutes : Review of last week’s practice experience
Review:
James 5:13
What is troubling you? Write a short prayer expressing your concern.
What are you happy about? Write a short prayer of praise
Psalm 34:1-3
When you hear “I will extol [praise highly] the Lord at all times,” is there a situation that comes to mind that makes that challenging?
Has someone else's faith or praise encouraged you to rejoice during a personal affliction?
Acts 16:22-26
What are your thoughts about how Paul and Silas chose to respond to their imprisonment?
Has there been a time you responded similarly?
Habakkuk 3:17-19
What do you feel like you are lacking?
What can you praise God for in the midst of your lack?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Do you find this teaching challenging?
Why do you think this would be God’s will for us in Christ?
5 Minutes : Practices for Week Ahead
Choose one of the scriptures (shown above) from today’s lesson to meditate on each day and journal what you hear from God.
Think of a worry or difficult situation, pray about the situation and ask God to show you how you can trust and praise HIm.
Reach out to a friend or loved one to support them in prayer, praise or rejoicing.
How did this practice go for you? What is the Holy Spirit doing in your heart as a result of practicing this last week?
If nobody in your group has completed the practice from the previous week talk through these questions:
What is hindering you from practicing during the week?
How can we support each other?
How was your connection with Jesus this week?
45 Minutes : Introduction of Practice + Discussion Questions
Read aloud James 2:1-7, in 2 or more translations
What do we expect to gain from treating someone with partiality? (receive favor, exalt yourself in their eyes, hope to gain something from them)
Why are poor people treated less favorably? (they have no power, can’t add anything to help you, seem too needy)
Has anyone received partiality, how did that make you feel?
Has anyone been treated poorly because of being poor?
What can you do to check this behavior in yourself?
Read James 2:8-10, in 2 or more translations
What is the Golden Rule? (Love others as you love yourself)
Why does God command us to love ourselves?
What does showing yourself love look like? (rest, taking time to do pleasurable things, no critical self-talk, stop comparing yourself to others)
What does loving others look like? (offers to help, let someone into traffic, words of encouragement, letting others go before your in line, do spontaneous small gifts, sit and listen to someone, visit elderly)
Justice is the application of impartial, loving treatment of ALL people.
Who do you find difficult to “love”? What makes you close yourself off from someone?
How can you tell when you are being partial to some but not others?
(won’t talk to certain types of people, stereotype by looks or behavior, avoid or overlook being involved with people unlike you)
We all have prejudices towards others, are you aware of yours? How can you begin to address and change those?
See next page for Practices next week, consider giving a copy to each member.
5 Minutes - Group Practice:
Share specific ideas of ways to “love yourself” this week.
10 Minutes : Pray for One Another + Close
Consider praying as a whole group or in triads for personal prayer requests.
End on time in order to honor everyone’s time.
Practices for the Week
Read 1 John 3:3, “Consider the kind of extravagant love the Father has lavished on us.” Extravagant means exceeding what is expected, more than reasonable. Reflect each day on how God showed you love in an extravagant way, something just for you.
Treat someone in your life or someone you don’t know well with extravagant love. Consider sharing that experience with the group next week including: was it hard to do, what feelings came up for you as you planned and did it.
2. Make it a priority during your day to notice who you choose to interact with and who you avoid. Each day write a bit about what you discovered about yourself. Ask God to move in you so you can “love the whole world” like him.
3. Take action to combat injustice in the community where you live and work. This might start by speaking up when you see others being treated poorly or being talked about as “less than”. Are there organizations who are working to help others have access to what you have and enjoy in your lifestyle? Consider how you can join in with them.