Bible Reading
Matthew 22:35-40 “And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?' And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
[04:00]Galatians 5:16-23 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
[05:44]Matthew 25:31-46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
[18:05]Observation questions
- In Matthew 22:35–40, how does Jesus connect the two greatest commandments to the rest of the law? What standard do these commandments provide for judging political claims? [04:32]
- In Galatians 5:16–23, which works of the flesh concern how people treat one another? Which qualities in the fruit of the Spirit offer a clear contrast? [06:35]
- In Matthew 25:31–46, what needs receive the King’s attention? What do the responses of both groups reveal about their awareness of whom they were serving or neglecting? [18:38]
- What examples of selective moral standards were identified alongside adultery, lust, greed, and pride? How do these examples connect with Paul’s description of the flesh in Galatians 5? [12:35]
Interpretation questions
- How does Jesus’ connection between loving God and loving one’s neighbor challenge a candidate’s religious claims when that candidate also shows contempt for others? [04:35]
- Galatians 5 describes a conflict between the flesh and the Spirit. How can that distinction help Christians tell the difference between firm disagreement over policy and hateful treatment of opponents? [07:46]
- In Matthew 25, why is neglecting people’s needs treated as a serious matter rather than simply a missed opportunity to be helpful? What does the King’s identification with those in need reveal about compassion? [20:13]
- How can Christians apply Matthew 25’s call to compassion when considering immigration laws and border regulations? What is the difference between supporting a law and excusing the mistreatment of people affected by it? [22:47]
Application questions
- Think of a political claim you recently accepted because it came from someone you trust. How might you test that claim against Scripture rather than relying on a Christian label or party loyalty? [03:39]
- Have you ever excused dishonesty, cruelty, greed, or sexual misconduct in a candidate you favored while condemning it in an opponent? What might help you use a more consistent standard? [16:49]
- When political conversations become heated, which work of the flesh are you most tempted toward? Which fruit of the Spirit would you like God to grow in you, and what could that look like in your next conversation? [07:46]
- Is there a group of people you find easier to discuss as a political issue than to see as neighbors? What might help you listen to their experiences and treat them with dignity without pretending that every policy question is simple? [22:01]
- Among the hungry, the sick, prisoners, and strangers in your community, whose needs could you or this group respond to personally? What is one realistic step you could take in the next two weeks? [30:17]
- Looking at your time, conversations, and prayers this past week, has political concern crowded out sharing the gospel or caring for people? What small change could help you keep your hope rooted in Christ rather than an election outcome? [29:30]
