Matthew 22:34-40
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This is the first week in our series Spiritual Disciplines. This sermon is called "Devotion"
Questions and going deeper resources
Small group questions
Connect What is one way this year that you can grow in your practice of prayer as part of our community?
Warm-Up
- What are your most important relationships in your life? How do you invest in those relationships?
- How do spiritual disciplines relate to our relationship with the Lord? What are examples in the Bible of people using spiritual disciplines to nurture a relationship with God?
Read Matthew 22:34-40
- Why was the question the expert of the law asked difficult? What were the Pharisees trying to do?
- What is the greatest commandment? How is it impossible to boast in your achievement of it?
- Is it surprising or to be expected that the action of the greatest commandment is to love?
- Who is our love to be focused on? How easy or difficult do you find this?
- When has been a time you’ve done something out of obligation (not love)? Have you ever had that experience with spiritual disciplines?
- What should be the motivation in our relationship with the Lord? How can that be expressed by our motivation in spiritual disciplines?
- In what situations do you find it easier to love the Lord? What helps you to love the Lord in the changing circumstances of life?
Read Deuteronomy 6:4-7
- How are we meant to love the Lord? Where are we meant to love the Lord?
- Which aspect - heart, soul, mind, or strength - do you think is easier (or you tend to focus on more)?
- Which aspect - heart, soul, mind, or strength - do you tend to minimise or ignore?
- Why does Jesus say every aspect of ourselves is needed to love the Lord?
- How might spiritual disciplines help us to love the Lord whole-heartedly?
- Who helps us to love the Lord with everything? Why do we need help?
Read Matthew 22:39-40
- How is our love for God also expressed outwardly?
- Who is meant by “your neighbour”? On your frontlines, who is your neighbour?
- How can loving others expand our capacity to love God?
- How would you like to grow in loving others, in a love that reflects God’s generous love to us?
Apply How can you prioritise your relationship with God as your most important relationship?
Prayer
Loving Father, would your Spirit be at work within us, growing and nurturing our relationship with you as the priority of our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen
Going deeper resources
On Your Frontline this Week
What influence do you have on your frontline? How could you use it for the flourishing of others?
For Families
- Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org
Listen, Watch, and Read
- Listen (Sermon): “The Christian Life” by Aneirin Glyn:
https://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/talk/57110/audio/ - Listen (Sermon): “Loving God 24/7” by Jill Firth:
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ridley-chapel/id1555186843?i=1000654378042 - Listen (Sermon): “A Question of Love” by Rico Tice:
https://www.allsouls.org/Media/AllMedia.aspx?show_media=50963&show_file=59564 - Read (Article): “A Preposterous Command” by LICC:
https://licc.org.uk/resources/a-preposterous-command-part-1/ - Watch (Video): “Agape/Love” by Bible Project:
https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/agape-love/
Series Resources
- Read (book): “Celebration of Discipline” by Richard J. Foster
- Read (book): “Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life" by Donald S. Whitney 📚
- Read (book): “Spiritual Disciplines Handbook" by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun 📚
- Read (book): “Reading the Bible for all its Worth" by Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart 📚
- Read (book): “Prayer: Experiencing Awe & Intimacy with God " by Tim Keller 📚
- Read (article): “Spiritual Disciplines, Legalism and Laziness” by Trevin Wax:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/why-spiritual-disciples-interview-with-don-whitney/
