EXTRA Ideas for Adults—God Is—God Is Love

Date: March 8, 2026

Session Title: God is Love

The Point: We can only truly know love by knowing God. 

Podcast—Bible Studies for Life: Adults

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Getting Started

Read after GUIDE:

In February of 2026, winter storms ravaged parts of Northwest Louisiana. Residents were stranded in their homes, with tree branches and ice blocking their doors and driveways. Overwhelmed by the damage, homeowners didn’t know where to turn. Thankfully, local organizations came to their aid—clearing limbs and ice with chainsaws and muscle. The community within these small Louisiana towns watched as volunteers came from all over the nation and worked tirelessly to help all those in need.

What was a difficult situation filled with hopelessness, soon turned into an opportunity to experience the love of God through neighbors helping out neighbors. People from all over the country volunteered out of selfless desire to see God glorified, even in the midst of a natural disaster.

When you are faced with disasters in your life, how do you react? Next time something beyond your control happens, reach out to others in the name of Jesus—it will help you as much as it helps them. [Source: Samaritan’s Purse, From Overwhelmed to Overjoyed]

Get Into the Study (Option for Adult Leader Guide)

In advance, play a video clip of something that might be considered a silly love song. Then ask Question #1.

Study the Bible (Option for Adult Leader Guide)

In advance, play a song about the love of God. Invite the group to reflect on God’s love as the song plays. Then close in prayer.

Study the Bible (Option for Daily Discipleship Guide Leader Guide)

After reading 1 John 4:7-10 and reflecting on the subpoint: Love comes from God because God is love, play the video with lyrics of the song “Goodness of God.” Encourage the group to reflect on the ways God has loved them and invite volunteers to share examples from their lives of God’s faithful love.

The week’s writer for Extra is Erika Morrison. Erika is the daughter of missionary parents. She lives in Southwest Michigan, where she serves as the executive director of a human services non-profit, and speaks regularly on poverty culture, and having a relationship with Jesus.

Live It Out

Read after GUIDE: Share

Love can be expressed in so many different ways—ways the world says is “good.” But God calls His people to show love in ways that many people might find difficult or uncomfortable, or that the world might even label as “bad.”

Here are a few ways to go beyond the world’s expectations, to glorify God in loving others as He loves us.

• Be a Friend. Offer support and encouragement to someone going through a difficult season.
• Treat others how you would like to be treated. Jesus tells us to, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
• Share Burdens. Don’t let people carry burdens alone – it might be showing up when someone is sick, helping a friend financially, or taking care of kids for a date night.
• Sharpen Others. Have the tough conversations to help others and ourselves become more like Christ.
• Forgive Others. Let go of animosity and bitterness. Open your heart to learn the lesson God has for you through forgiveness.
• Humble Yourself and Consider Others.When faced with difficulty, consider the other person and humbly seek God’s will. Then act on His prompting.
• Sharing God’s Love with Others. Share the Gospel with someone who is searching or lost. This is the greatest gift someone can receive.

What in this list sticks out to you? What can you do to show God’s love to someone this week?
[Source: 10 Practical Ways: How to Show God’s Love to Others]

Additional Questions

Icebreakers

• Who are the hardest people for you to love?
• What were some of the most popular love songs when you were a teenager?
• If you were writing a dictionary, what would be your personal definition of love?

1 John 4:7-10. Love comes from God because God is love.

• What are some ways the world wrongly defines love?
• In what ways has life shown you that love does not originate with humans?
• How are these verses both challenging and comforting?

1 John 4:11-15. When we remain in God’s love, His love is made complete in us.

• What are some practical ways we can remain in God’s love?
• How does loving one another demonstrate we are remaining in God’s love?
• How is it possible to really know where we stand with God?

1 John 4:16-19. We love because God first loved us.

• How does understanding God’s love give us confidence in our walk with Him?
• What does it mean that perfect love drives out fear?
• Why does God’s love help you to have confidence in all circumstances?