01/03 Journey to the Promised Land: Loving the Stranger
Life Group Notes on Loving the Stranger
· Do you associate Old Testament Israel with loving the stranger? Why or why not?
· “When you hear the word stranger, what emotions or images come to mind?”
Read Leviticus 19:33-34 and then Luke 10:25–37 (The Good Samaritan)
· What common elements do you see in these passages? Why did God care so much how foreigners in Israel were treated, both in Moses’ and Jesus’ time?
Recognising the Stranger in Ourselves
Key idea: We all carry unconscious biases and stories that shape how we see others.
Discussion prompts:
Which types of “difference” make us uncomfortable?
Have you ever discovered a hidden bias in yourself?
How does acknowledging our own blind spots help us follow Jesus more authentically?
When We Feel Like the Foreigner
Discussion prompts:
Have you ever felt “on the outside” — culturally, socially, spiritually, or personally?
How did others respond to you in that moment?
What does it feel like to be the person who needs mercy?
The Good Samaritan as an Upside-Down Example
In Jesus’ story:
The expected helpers walked by.
The “enemy,” “outsider,” or “stranger” became the hero.
Discussion prompts:
What does it say about God’s kingdom that the Samaritan — a cultural outsider — is the model of love?
How might Jesus be challenging the boundaries we set around who is “in” and who is “other”?
Who are the “Samaritans” in our lives today? Who might we be passing by?
Moving From Bias to Compassion
The priest and Levites crossed the road to avoid the injured man. The Samaritan, in contrast, moves towards him, physically and emotionally.
Discussion prompts:
What might it look like to move toward someone we tend to avoid or judge?
What stops us from moving toward people who are different from us?
What practical acts of mercy can we offer this week?
Neighbourliness in a Global Village
Discussion prompts:
In today’s “global village,” how can we cultivate genuine hospitality?
What helps us see everyone as our neighbour, not just those like us?
Where do you sense the Holy Spirit prompting you toward someone this week?
Prayer Response
Close with a prayer inviting God to:
Expose hidden biases
Heal past wounds of exclusion
Give courage to move towards those who are different from us
Make us people of mercy like Jesus