Love Your Enemies (20/7)

Lesson 10: Love Your Enemies


1) Opening questions:
a. What are enemies?

Define: ‘enemies’
- this might be easier for the boys as they are likely to have some people that they so not like in school or within the sec one group
- for them, ‘enemies’ would mean someone they do not like or someone who does not like them (and thus they would dislike that person in return)
- for the girls, they might say that they do not have any ‘enemies’ because they do not have someone they ‘hate’ in school, or they get along with everyone normally
- in this case, can ask them to think about their friends’ ‘enemies’ as they’ll most probably dislike people whom their friends do not like as well
- can link to ‘peace in persecution’ lesson also, where non-believers might look as Christians differently because of our beliefs, question or even make fun of us (we will definitely have enemies as Jesus has enemies too)

b. How do people usually deal with their enemies?

c. What are some of the consequences? (we might think that we have gotten our revenge against our enemies but this does not take away the hate that we have) (in the end it will cause hurt to both the person and ourselves) (one of the answers to question 2 as well)


2) Why do we have to love our enemies?

- it is God’s commandment, part of following Christ (Matt 5:43-48)
- the first step in helping us to share the gospel with others (Christ died so that men can not only be reconciled to God but also, men to men- to be united as Christians)
- if we do not practise it, how can we bring others to Christ?


3) What does it mean to ‘love our enemies’?

- it is easy to love those who are loveable (our friends, family members) and natural to hate those who hate us (we find the excuse that it is justifiable) but this is not what God wants us to do
- loving our enemies would mean treating them like the way we treat our friends (being willing to do what is beneficial for them)


4) How can we go about loving our enemies? (Since we do not like them because of certain reasons, it would be difficult to actually care for them)

- assure them that it is difficult but not impossible (gradual process)
- ask them to start by praying for the person or people they do not like or stop saying bad things about the person or people
- then go on treat the person or people better
- continually asking God for help in dealing with their enemies and strength to love their enemies
- actions speak louder than words

Janice, Elizabeth, Victor, Ying Jie, Tim