CONNECT GROUPS:

The Most Important Thing
– Part 1

Connect group:
● Choose ONE NIGHT a week to hold your connect group.
● Ask each member of your connect group to bring their Bible.
● If you want, you can also take communion together.

1. Ice breaker:
Choose one of the following topics and talk about it:
a) Choose a SPORT: What is the most important item you need to play this sport? b) Why is it important to know what is Most Important in the Game of Life?

2. Prayer: Open with prayer.

3. Read:

Our Core Text for Today:

Mark 12:28-34 (NIV)

The Greatest Commandment

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on, no one dared ask him any more questions.

4. Talk in your Connect Group about the following:
“What is most important?” We often ask this question. Many times, our day or week is so overloaded with tasks that we struggle to keep our heads above water; it is in these times that we ask the question: “What is most important?” This question helps us to identify what needs to be done first. This question also helps us to identify what may not be important at all. Tasks that other people can do for us are also identified in this way.

Unfortunately, this scribe did not ask this question to obtain a genuine answer; he only asked it of Jesus to have an opportunity to argue with him. Jesus goes back to the Old Testament and quotes God’s words about Himself. It is important to love God. However, Jesus adds that it is second in importance to love your neighbor. These two commandments go together. You cannot love people without loving God, nor can you love God without loving people.

We are confronted every day with this important commandment: Love for God, Love for People.

Reread today’s texts and talk about them:
• Why are these two important commandments important to God?
• How can you live out these commandments every day?

Now enjoy Communion together as a Connect Group:

• Ask the Lord to show you who needs His love this week and give it to this person/people.
• Become aware of a time in the past week when you needed God’s love. What happened?