Here are some questions based on last Sunday’s sermon text (Matthew 5:38-48), in case they’re helpful to you for personal growth or group discussion…

• Sinners are self-interested. When someone else acts in his or her own self-interest in a way that collides with your self-interest and causes you harm, that person has become an enemy. Can you think of someone whose actions have hurt you in some way? Have you lingered in bitter thoughts and resentment toward someone who has failed to meet your expectations? Have you imagined the satisfaction of some form of retaliation and revenge? Why is it hard to imagine, as Jesus commands, not resisting the evil person, not standing up for yourself, but opening yourself up to further pain, and seeking the good of the person who has hurt you?

• Jesus loves his enemies, which means he devotes himself to the good of others rather than to his own self-interest, even when those others hurt him. He even allowed himself to be crucified. “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority [or power] to lay it down…” (John 10:18). How might some view this as weakness, or as a disorder of some sort? How is it actually divine power for Jesus to be able to love his enemies and give himself to them?

• Jesus has loved his enemies, including you (Romans 5:10). Jesus is free to love his enemies—he is not bound to return evil for evil in his own self-interest, and he does not need others to deserve or reciprocate his love in order for him to love them. In spiritual union with him, it is possible for us to love with his perfect love, to be free to love those who don’t love us in return, just as God loves. Do you know something of what it means to love others freely, unconditionally? Are there people in your life right now who aren’t loving you very well, who might not even deserve to be loved? Considering Jesus’ love, how can you pray for them? What are some practical ways you can love and serve them?

• FOR THE CHILDREN: Maybe you already know this, but other people will sometimes do things that hurt us. And we sometimes do things that hurt other people. And we sin, which is hurtful to God. But God forgives us and loves us, even though we have hurt him. His love for us should help us want to love others, even though they have hurt us. How does it feel to know that God forgives all your sins? Can you think of a time when you have been hurt? (Maybe a sibling hit you, or a friend took your toy, or someone said something to you that was mean…) Can you pray for that person to know Jesus and to receive the love of God? Can you think of ways you can be kind to that person, instead of being mean back to them?