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Words from John Wesley
Above all remembering that God is love, [the Christian] is conformed to the same likeness. He is full of love to his neighbour: of universal love, not confined to one sect or party, not constrained to those who agree with him in opinions, or in outward modes of worship, or to those who are allied to him by blood or recommended by nearness of place. Nor does he love those only who love him, or are endeared to him by intimacy or acquaintance. But his love resembles that of [the God] whose mercy is over all his works. It soars above all these scanty bounds, embracing neighbours and strangers, friends and enemies; yes, not only to the good and gentle but also to the evil and unthankful.
From A Plain Account of Genuine Christianity, 1753
Words from Scripture
“There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:28
Hymn
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, Singing the Faith 416
As we begin
To consider alone
- How might it change your approach to this meeting if you sought to imitate Jesus’ universal love in this meeting: “not constrained to those who agree with him”?
To consider together
- How is this meeting helping to share the universal love of God that “soars above all these scanty bounds, embracing neighbours and strangers, friends and enemies; yes, not only to the good and gentle but also to the evil and unthankful”?
- Where have you noticed this love in action since the last meeting?
As we continue
To consider alone
- As this meeting progresses, are you finding yourself pulled away from the universal love that Wesley speaks of?
- Why not ask the Holy Spirit to help you to think, speak and act in a way that is more Christlike?
To consider together
- If our ultimate goal is to share God’s love which “soars above all these scanty bounds”, how does that influence how this meeting proceeds?
As we finish
To consider alone
- In what way have you experienced a taste of God’s love in this meeting? Take a moment to give thanks.
To consider together
- How can this group commit to the sharing of God’s love with others in the days and weeks ahead?
- How will the actions that emerge from this meeting stay focused on the sharing of Jesus’ universal love?