EXTRA! Ideas for Adults – How to Love Your Neighbor – Session 5

Date: August 21, 2022

Forgive Your Neighbor

The Point: Love leads us to forgive.

Get Into the Study

Use the following information to introduce Question 1.

“At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, both physicians and patients embraced telehealth: in April 2020, the number of virtual visits was a stunning 78 times higher than it had been two months earlier, accounting for nearly one-third of outpatient visits. In May 2021, 88 percent of consumers said that they had used telehealth services at some point since the COVID-19 pandemic began.”

In addition to online visits, the other major shake-up is that patients are now significantly more likely to change their primary care physician (PCP): “Thirty-five percent of all consumers reported seeing a new healthcare provider who was not their regular PCP or specialist in the past year. Among consumers who had switched PCPs, 35 percent cited one or more reasons related to the patient experience—the desire for a PCP who better understood their needs, a better experience, or more convenient appointments. Only half of consumers with a PCP say they are very satisfied.”

Say: “The pandemic seemed to change what people were looking for in a doctor, or perhaps it made them more aware of what they value in that doctor-patient relationship.” Then read Question 1 (“What qualities do you look for in a doctor?”)

Information for this post was gleaned from:

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/patients-love-telehealth-physicians-are-not-so-sure

Get Into the Study [from Adult Leader Guide, p. 143 and KJV Adult Leader Guide, p. 142]

In advance, play a video clip illustrating a doctor you admire. Then ask Question #1.

Study the Bible

Use the following information to introduce Question 5.

At the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., members gathered for Bible study on June 17, 2015, when a young white supremacist entered the building. Though they welcomed him in, before long, he’d murdered nine African-American church members.

What shocked the world at the shooter’s first court appearance were the statements made by the victims’ relatives: “‘I forgive you,’ Nadine Collier, the daughter of 70-year-old Ethel Lance, said, her voice breaking with emotion. ‘You took something very precious from me. I will never talk to her again. I will never, ever hold her again. But I forgive you. And have mercy on your soul.’

When asked about his statement of forgiveness toward the man who killed his wife Myra, Reverend Anthony Thompson explained: “As soon as I got through saying that, I was free. I mean, I was light as a feather. I mean, I felt a peace. …He freed me from the pain that I was feeling, from the anger I felt. He freed me from the sadness I had in my heart. …And I feel that same peace right now today. …it enabled me to move forward in my life. I’ve told people that forgiveness is not for the perpetrator or the offender. …I didn’t let Dylann off the hook. Dylann is in prison, but I’m free. And it changed Charleston….forgiveness just opened everybody’s minds up and started to heal our city. …God took this tragedy and brought the good. And it all came from acts of forgiveness.

Say: “Forgiveness doesn’t mean we downplay the seriousness of the hurt caused. But many Christians find peace when they find a way to forgive.” Then read Question 5 (“When have you seen someone find peace by forgiving others?”).

Information for this post was gleaned from:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/06/19/i-forgive-you-relatives-of-charleston-church-victims-address-dylann-roof/
https://www.npr.org/2019/06/17/733317652/documentary-about-2015-charleston-church-shooting-explores-forgiveness

Jessica Connell wrote these Leader Extras. Jess is a homeschooling mom of 9 who has served around the world in ministry with her husband. She loves hiking, exploring, and being active in her local church in North Texas.

Additional Questions

Icebreakers

What are some of the biggest offenses you’ve seen forgiven?
When have you seen forgiveness in action recently?
When do you find it easiest to forgive someone?

Matthew 18:21-22

What are the consequences of not forgiving someone?
Why should forgiveness be a mark of a Christian?
What was your initial reaction when you read Jesus’ expectations for you to live a lifestyle of forgiveness?

Matthew 18:23-27

How has receiving forgiveness helped you forgive others?
What adjectives would you use to describe the slave? The king?
What do we learn about God in this parable?

Matthew 18:28-35

Why is forgiveness so important in relationships?
What have you found helpful in your efforts to forgive others?
How might we call on God for help to forgive?

For Those in Your Group

Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought: