Dear John Pt. 3 “In Not Of”

Embracing the love of God, while embracing others with God’s love for them.

1 John 2:15-17 

Jesus’ followers should be the world but not the world.

DISCUSSION
Start talking.

Come up with a conversation starter for the group.
Who are what is something you loved as a kid that you no longer feel the same about today?

Start thinking.

Create a thoughtful question.
Why do you think it can be so hard to keep God at the center and forefront of our lives?
Read 1 John 2:15-17. What do you think it means to be “love the world” and why do you think John believes that kind of love is incompatible with loving God?

Start sharing.

Create questions that create openness.
Share your thoughts about this idea: Jesus’ followers should be in the world but not of the world.
Share about something or someone you are often tempted to love more or make more of a priority in your life than God? Why do you think you tend to do this?

Start praying.

Be bold, and pray with power.
Take time to share prayer requests and pray for one another.

Start doing.

Create a step the group can commit to and live it out this week.
Think of the ways in which you have chosen the world over Jesus. What’s one thing you can do today to change direction in that area of life? Ask God to reveal to you ways where you are more like our culture than like Jesus Christ. Repent and turn from these ways and ask God to help you love him more than any other thing.