LESSON OUTLINE : "Brothers and Sisters"

            

“Brothers and Sisters”

Family Life Class

June 1, 2014

Tony Thomas

Dugger Family - Public Domain

 Our best and worst relationships are with those to whom we are the closest. Our relationship with God is reflected in our relationships with his “other” children. 

 “While [Jesus] was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.   

Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You." 

But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  

And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  "For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother." [Mat 12:46-50 NKJV]

Foundational Truth: The "brotherhood" of the Church.

Malachi 2:10, 4:6
1. Does God value family love?

John 13:34, 35
2. What “new commandment” did Jesus give his disciples?

3. Is this commandment equal in authority to the “Ten Commandments” in Exodus chapter 20?

4. Jesus is ordering Christian to love each other.  What does this tell us about the nature of love? Is love mental, emotional or both?

1 John 4:15-20
5. Is it possible to love someone who does not return that love? Who is our example?

6. Is it possible to love God and not love your brother?

7. What is the link between fear and hatred?

8. What is “perfect love”? [hint: think about John 3:16] 


Matthew 24:9-14
9. Whom did Jesus say would become the recipients of hate in the last days?

Romans 12:16-21
10. How are believers supposed to respond to hatred/anger?

Life Application Questions

11. Do you have to “like” someone before you can love them?

12. How does fear affect our family relationships? 

13. List three common fears people face in family relationships?

a. 

b. 

c.

14. How do we demonstrate love to our earthly families?

15. How do we demonstrate love in the family of God?

Further Reading: Bible siblings

Read about Peter and Andrew, and James and John in Matthew 4:17-22.

Read about Jacob and Esau in Genesis chapters 25, 27, 28, 32, 33.

Read about Cain and Abel in Genesis 4:1-17

Read about Lazarus, Martha and Mary in Luke 10 and John 11. 

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