Bible Study

Jesus told us to love God and our neighbor, and He said these are the two most important commandments. Let’s discuss the meaning and how to apply Jesus’ teaching.

Depending on the time available, choose two or three passages to study. Have the children take turns reading the Bible verses, then discuss with the questions below.

1. Romans 12:9–11, 13:

⁹ Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. ¹⁰ Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. ¹¹ Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. ¹³When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

• What does verse 9 mean to you; to really love and not pretend? Consider verse 10 in your response. It is about being real and honest, not acting. Having God’s love in us. He didn’t just say He loved us, He sent His Son to die for us - that’s loving with genuine affection.
• In verse 9, how does hating what is wrong and holding tightly to what is good relate to loving others? If someone is being mistreated, don’t ignore it—stand up for them. Also, genuine love and affection looks and talks about the good in someone rather than pointing out mistakes or negative traits, habits or actions.
• How can we take delight in honoring others? What does that mean to you? To delight means to treat with respect. To acknowledge the good things others do, rather than only the negative or bad. You look for ways to show love, you don’t wait to be honored first, you’re proactive and are pleased to do it.
• In verse 11, how could laziness affect our relationships with others and the Lord? Why is it important to be enthusiastic, and to serve God and others with energy and dedication? Attitude and energy go a long way in showing people your love is genuine; that you’re willing to put yourself into whatever you do, and that you want to and are not being forced or doing it out of guilt.
• In verse 13, what must we be ready to do? Help others in need.
• What does enthusiastically mean? You want to, look forward to, can’t wait to serve and help. You’re not lazy in your approach.
• What is hospitality? Making someone feel comfortable, giving a warm welcome and accepting them. Attentive to their needs.

2. Philippians 2:3–5:

³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. ⁵ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

• How can humility help us to be a good neighbor? We think of others as more important than ourselves, so we care about their needs.
• If you think you are superior to your neighbor, how can that affect honoring them? People can tell when you look down on them; they don’t feel loved or respected.
• What does verse 4 say to you? Express it in your own words.
• Why is it so easy to concentrate only on our own needs and wants? It’s easy to be selfish; we don’t take time to think about what other people are going through, etc.
• What can we do to look outward instead of inward each day? Does God provide help to do this? Yes, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide and lead; He will show us opportunities to love and serve.
• In verse 5, what was the attitude Christ had? He came out of love; He sacrificed His life for us and served. He loved God with His total person; He loved others equally and came to serve, not to be served.

3. 1 John 3:16–19:

¹⁶ We know what real love is because Jesus gave up His life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. ¹⁹ Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.

• What does verse 16 say real love is? Giving your life for someone. It is the ultimate sacrifice to be willing to give of yourself completely for someone.
• According to verse 17, when God’s love is in us, what should we show to others, and what should we do? Show compassion; try to help them with a need.
• Is it possible to have God’s love, yet not care about others? Why or why not? No. God is love, and He made us all. If we love God, we must love the people He has made.
• What important thing does verse 18 tells us about love? It is active not passive. Words are not enough; we must put love into action. Actions show the love is genuine.
• Have you heard the saying, “Actions speak louder than words”? Does it apply here?
• What does verse 19 say our actions show? We have God’s truth in us. Our love is real, that we belong to God; that we have His love inside.
• How can actively loving and serving others make us more confident? We know we have obeyed God. When we serve and love others, it is because God’s love lives in us and the Holy Spirit is active in our lives. We are walking in His love and free of guilt.