Begin with a discussion of the idea of KINGDOM as God’s intent for the way people love. God wants us to live in a way that shows that we love God and love one another. Even though we sometimes treat each other wrongly, forgiveness and care for each other can make God’s dream come true in our world.
Relate to how parents care for us and how we treat others in our family.
This resonates with the ways the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) lives out a commitment to creating BELOVED community. (quiz them to see if they recall what CBF stands for)
Here is a good way to remember what BELOVED means:
- You BELONG to God and His world family.
- You are LOVED by God and we show His love by caring for one another in the family.
Draw attention to three gift boxes. Discuss how receiving a gift is one way we feel we belong and are loved.
Open your boxes— Inside your box is a description of one of the concepts of how CBF helps us live out our commitment to create beloved community around the world. Please read your description aloud.
- The gospel invites us to follow Jesus’ model of caring and welcoming all people. Forming beloved community compels us to offer radical hospitality to outsiders, because we were once outsiders.
- The gospel calls us to acts of reconciliation because Christ has broken down walls that divide people.
- Community grows from our life together in the local church where we seek to be like Christ and seek to use the gifts He has given us to help each other along the way.
Keep thinking this week about how we can help other people around us know that they are part of God’s beloved community.
They BELONG
And they are LOVED.
