WEEK 2 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

Eating and Drinking: Radical Hospitality

Introduction:

The table in the Bible is a powerful symbol of God’s provision, presence, and reconciliation. It represents a place where God provides for His people, where believers can experience His presence and fellowship with one another, and where broken people find reconciliation and a sense of belonging. Jesus’s meals with both friends and “sinners” illustrate the table as an invitation for all to be reconciled with God and with each other, and the Lord’s Supper is a specific, recurring reminder of this atoning sacrifice.

 Something To Talk About:

Jesus said we are to “love your neighbor as yourself.” What if he meant our actual neighbors? What if we were to reimagine our homes not as castles to hide in, but as outposts for the kingdom of God? And our tables, as tangible expressions of love? Our meals are the setting where strangers become neighbors and neighbors become brothers and sisters.  Consider the following two points:

1. Jesus individualizes neighbor: When Jesus commanded us to “love your neighbor as yourself,” He wasn’t giving us a vague ideal—He was giving us a daily assignment. God doesn’t leave the concept of neighbor to our imagination; He personalizes it. Every face you encounter, every person who crosses your path, is intentionally and individually placed in your story. The neighbor is not just the one who lives next door, or the person who shares your values, or the friend who is easy to love. The neighbor is whoever God places before you right now—at the store, in your workplace, in your own home, even online. The Good Samaritan didn’t go looking for a neighbor; God put one right in front of him. Today, instead of asking, “Who is my neighbor?” ask, “Who is the neighbor God has brought to me?” Love them. Serve them. See them. In doing so, you love Him.
2. Jesus particularizes neighbor: When asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus didn’t respond with a definition—He replied with a story. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, He dismantled every loophole and excuse that might allow us to love only those who look like us, think like us, or benefit us. Jesus particularizes the concept of neighbor by placing a hurting man directly in our path. The neighbor is not theoretical; the neighbor is interrupting. He is inconvenient, different, even uncomfortable. Jesus shows that love is not measured by the people we choose, but by the people God chooses for us. The priest and Levite could quote Scripture, but they walked by. The Samaritan, an outsider, stopped. Love crossed the road. Love stooped low. Love paid the cost. Our neighbor, then, is whoever God puts before our eyes and into our hands today. When compassion meets action, boundaries disappear—and Jesus becomes visible through us.

Discussion Questions:

1. Where do you tend to draw boundaries around who qualifies as your neighbor? How might Jesus be asking you to expand those boundaries?
2. Where do I tend to draw boundaries around who I’m willing to love or serve?
3. Who might God be placing “in my path” right now that I’ve been overlooking?
4. When compassion stirs in me, what excuses do I usually make to avoid taking action?
5. What is in your mind is the difference between Jesus’ individualizing and particularizing neighbors?
6. How can I better prepare my heart to be interrupted for the sake of love?
7. What practical step can I take this week to cross the road toward someone in need?
8. How does remembering Jesus’ compassion toward me reshape the way I treat others?
9. What practical step can I take this week to cross the road toward someone in need?
10. What would look different in your community, workplace, or family if everyone lived out this command daily?
11. What is the one takeaway from this message?

Take one thing home with you:

There was a time when “neighbor” simply meant the people who lived close enough to hear your footsteps or share your fence. Loving your neighbor was tangible—you knew their families, their stories, their needs. Over time, our world expanded. We travel farther, communicate faster, and live more digitally connected than ever before. We now share life with people across cities, nations, and cultures. Our “neighbors” include coworkers we collaborate with remotely, strangers we interact with online, and communities we’ve never physically visited. While society’s definition has stretched, God’s heart has always been bigger than borders. Jesus shattered boundaries when He chose a Samaritan—a cultural outsider—as the example of true neighborly love. The gospel pushes us beyond familiarity and convenience. As the world changes around us, God invites us to see every person—near or far, like us or different from us—as created, known, and loved by Him. Our neighborhood now spans the world. Our calling remains the same: love.