Family Growth Term 1 2018

Week 9: Love Listening

Big idea

Listening to Jesus changes our hearts so we can really love others.

Bible passage

Luke 6:27-36 and 46-49

You will need

Playing cards, bibles and pillows

All Ages Activity

Divide your growth group or family into 2 or 3 smaller groups, giving each playing cards, a bible and a pillow.

Let each small group build card houses using a bible and a pillow as foundations. Determine which foundation allows you to build a higher, sturdier house – the bible or the pillow. Try moving the foundations a few centimetres slowly to see which of the 2 houses remains steadier for longer.

Let each small group explain what happened to their houses.

Discussion:

J.T. said “I hate him! He broke my ruler and he got me into trouble by telling the teachers I was talking – I’m never going to speak to him again.”

J.T.’s Mum said to him. “It’s easy to hate and much harder to love, especially with people that have hurt us, but if we follow Jesus he said we should love our enemies and pray for those that mistreat us.”

“I don’t think I can do that, I don’t know how to be that strong” J.T. said.

We all have the same feelings as J.T. at times and wonder how to have enough faith to follow Jesus. Jesus himself gave us the answer of how to have a strong foundation so that when we have hard times or have to do hard things we won’t doubt or falter.

Jesus, said “everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice” would be like the man with a house on a rock foundation.

Let us then:

– Go to Jesus every day in our thoughts and prayers,

– Hear what he says with understanding from our readings, growth groups and church Bible talks.

– Put his words into action in our lives so that our hearts will be changed and our foundations will be strong and we will be able to love like He did.

Prayer idea

Dear Jesus

Thank you for those here with me. We are praying together as a group who want a firm foundation for the tough times. Please touch our hearts, help us to hear your words and help us put your love into action in our lives.

In your name we pray

Amen