From Roots to Fruits (Week 1 - Love)

Icebreaker: The Skittles Game Bring a bag (medium or large) of Skittles to MDWK with you. Pass the bag around and allow each person to take as many as they’d like as long as they make sure everyone gets some. For each different color Skittle they have, they must say one thing about themselves to the rest of the group. For example, if a student grabs 9 Skittles, but they are only 4 different colors, that person says 4 things about himself. Variation: One fact for every Skittle they take, no matter what color. What If?: What if a student doesn’t like Skittles, has braces, etc.? Have them take the Skittles, share their facts, then give them away.

Go around until everyone has a turn or until the bag is gone!

Questions For Tying It In:

What’s your favorite color? What’s your favorite candy?

How is our youth group going to be stronger if we know each other well?

Do you have a hard time opening up and letting people know you better? Why or why not?

What are ways that you think/hope this youth group can help you with that? [We can all agree to be loving, accepting, and honest with each other.]

Did you find it easy or hard to think of things about yourself to share with the group? What are some things that we definitely DON’T want as part of our youth group? [ridicule, belittling, disrespect, exclusion, not listening, etc.]

Before we go any further, we need to pray and ask God to help us with this and to show us the things that He’d like for us to learn and grow in.

Who’d like to pray for that?

PRAY

Bible Study & Questions:

Think about all the ways that you’ve seen “love” portrayed in our society. (on television shows, in movies, internet, etc.)

Based on what you’ve seen, what would you say it means to really love someone?

In Galatians 5:22, Paul lists all what he calls “the fruits of the Spirit”.

Will someone please read Galatians 5:22-23?

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

What is the first fruit listed? [Love]

Why would Paul list “love” first on the list?

Have a volunteer read 1 Cor. 13:13 for the answer to that question.

So, what does “love” mean to you?

When someone says “I love you”, what are they saying about themselves and about you?

Is it possible to love with God’s love without knowing God? [No.]

How is God’s love different from human love?*

Today we’re going to learn about God’s definition of love, so that we can know what kind of people we’re supposed to be.

Have a volunteer read 1 Cor. 13:4-7.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 ESV

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Now, let’s take a look at each thing that describes how to live love out:

1. Love is patient.

What is loving about having patience?

Why is it so hard to be patient?

2. Love is kind.

How are love and kindness connected?

What does it look like to be kind?

3. It does not envy or boast, it is not arrogant.

How are these 3 things connected?

[They all have to do with comparing yourself to others].

Why is comparing yourself to others never a good idea?

4. It is not rude.

When was the last time you saw someone being rude? Why did they do that?

5. It is not self-seeking.

What does it mean to be “self-seeking”? Is true love selfless?

6. It is not easily angered.

Is it wrong to get angry?

How can we be loving, even when we’re angered?

7. It keeps no record of wrongs.

What good does holding grudges do?

8. Love doesn’t delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.

What does that mean?

Is “rejoicing with the truth” the same as hating lies?

How important is being honest to being loving?

9. Love always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres.

Can a better understanding of God’s definition of love help us live and love better? How?

Close in prayer for each one to live out God’s love!