Small Group Guide: Week of 10/11
With Us: How Do We Love Our Enemies?
To view this guide as a PDF, click here.
Matthew 5:38-48 (CEB)
“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I say to you that you must not oppose those who want to hurt you. If people slap you on your right cheek, you must turn the left cheek to them as well. 40 When they wish to haul you to court and take your shirt, let them have your coat too. 41 When they force you to go one mile, go with them two. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t refuse those who wish to borrow from you.
43 “You have heard that it was said, You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who harass you 45 so that you will be acting as children of your Father who is in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both the evil and the good and sends rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore, just as your heavenly Father is complete in showing love to everyone, so also you must be complete.
This week’s guest speaker was Dr. DeSean Dyson. Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, DeSean Dyson is a social scientist whose work focuses on justice and on how people, history, and institutions shape public life across the United States. His background spans nonprofit leadership, K–12 education, and higher education administration, with work centered on immersive education, community engagement, and institutional change. He serves as the Director of ReStory US for the Telos Group, and led the learning pilgrimage that Pastor Andrea and Pastor Justin went on last fall as part of the Mosaic Peacemaking Cohort.
Opening Discussion
Check-in
Icebreaker suggestion: If you could instantly become great at one skill or hobby you’ve never tried, what would you pick?
High/Low exercise
Give each member a chance to share some high points and low points of the past week.
Additionally or alternatively, you can invite the group to share a word, emotion, or phrase to describe how they're coming into the group this week.
Digging Deeper
As you reflect on Sunday's message:
What has stayed with you? What do you remember?
What resonated with you? What comforted/challenged you?
Did you learn something new?
What might the Spirit be prompting you to remember and consider?
The core of Sunday’s conversation was about how we love our enemies.
St. Thomas Aquinas said, “To love is to will the good of the other.” 1 Corinthians 13 describes love as patient, kind, not easily angered. How would you describe what you think love is?
DeSean talked about enemies as those who are seeking to harm — or have actually harmed — us. Without naming names if you’d rather not — who might you consider an enemy?
One of the tensions mentioned was that of being able to name that a wrong has happened — and seeing it made right — and the desire to punish. DeSean pointed out that the Jesus way of enemy-love, especially as practiced in the hard in-between space, is not naive or idealistic but a way to break the cycle of retribution and violence.
Melissa Florer-Bixler (pastor and author of How to Have an Enemy) writes that love of enemy isn’t a source of freedom for everyone — it’s sometimes used to pressure people who’ve been harmed into staying quiet about it. Where have you seen that happen, or felt the pull of it yourself? What’s the difference between loving an enemy and just tolerating what they’ve done?
If you took one concrete step this month toward loving an actual enemy, not a hypothetical one, what would it be? Who could you tell who could support you in it?
This series is called With Us. Where in your own life is there conflict or fear that needs God’s presence?
Prayer
Praying for one another regularly is an essential part of small groups.
Give the group a chance to share prayer requests.
Depending on the size of your group, break up into smaller groups/pairs to pray or stay in one group and take turns praying over requests named.
Community Updates
Sunday 10/18: “Jesus Was a Migrant” Film Screening & Discussion
Christ City is partnering with fellow churches St. Luke’s Episcopal, Washington Community Fellowship, Capitol Hill United Methodist and others, to host Jemar Tisby’s groundbreaking documentary “Jesus was a Migrant.” You may know Dr. Tisby’s work as a theologian and bestselling author of The Color of Compromise and his work on the intersection of race and faith in America. This documentary examines the theological crisis at the heart of American Christianity — and what it means when a nation built on faith turns its back on the most vulnerable. This film considers the web of borders, belief, and what we owe our neighbors as people of faith.
The film screening with a Q&A discussion to follow will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal located at 301 A St SE, Washington, DC 20003 on Sunday, October 18 @ 12:30pm. This is a free event, but you can RSVP at christcitydc.org/migrant.
Sunday 10/25: BIPOC Lunch
Our BIPOC lunch has been rescheduled to Sunday, October 25. If you identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color, you're welcome and encouraged to join in for lunch after church that Sunday. This gathering is part of our ongoing commitment to racial equity and inclusion — and a recognition that spaces for connection and belonging among CCCers of color are both meaningful and necessary, especially in a multiracial church community.
If you’re looking to build relationships with other BIPOC folks at Christ City, we’d love for you to come. RSVP by emailing Pastor Justin (justin@christcitydc.org).
Miner PTO - next on 11/18
In one of our longest standing partnerships, Christ City is continuing to work with Miner Elementary to provide childcare during their monthly Thursday PTO meetings. This allows Miner parents to attend and be engaged at the school and in their child’s education. We’re hoping small groups can mobilize to provide childcare from 5:45–7:30p. Christ City will provide craft materials and pizza! Once you choose a week with your group, sign up at christcitydc.org/minerpto.
Sunday 12/6: Baptism Sunday
On December 6 (the second week of Advent), we'll be having baptisms as a special part of our service. If you or someone you know would like to make a public commitment or recommitment to Christ and be baptized, you can email Pastor Justin (justin@christcitydc.org).
Missional Grants Available
Christ City missional grants are still available! As we come into the fall, is there a neighborhood Halloween party you want to throw, or a Friendsgiving event you’d like to support. Missional grants can help! These grants are designed to fund neighborhood outreach efforts initiated by members of the Christ City community with the goal of empowering them to be agents of God's Kingdom by blessing their neighbors and neighborhoods. So far, grants have been used to host block parties, Juneteenth celebrations, support neighborhood boxing gyms, and host peacemaking games at Rosedale Rec Center.
Grants are available up to $500. If you would like to bless your neighborhood in a creative way, all CCCers are encouraged to apply for the grants and host an outreach event! To apply, visit christcitydc.org/missionalgrants.