Romans 1:21-25

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Psalm 145:8-9

8  The Lord is gracious and merciful,

    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9 The Lord is good to all,

    and his mercy is over all that he has made.

Matthew 5:43-48


43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers,[i] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Psalm 104

104 Bless the Lord, O my soul!    O Lord my God, you are very great!You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

2 covering yourself with light as with a garment,    stretching out the heavens like a tent.

3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;he makes the clouds his chariot;    he rides on the wings of the wind;

4 he makes his messengers winds,    his ministers a flaming fire.

5 He set the earth on its foundations,    so that it should never be moved.

6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;    the waters stood above the mountains.

7 At your rebuke they fled;    at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.

8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down    to the place that you appointed for them.

9 You set a boundary that they may not pass,    so that they might not again cover the earth.

10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys;    they flow between the hills;

11 they give drink to every beast of the field;    the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;    they sing among the branches.

13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains;    the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock    and plants for man to cultivate,that he may bring forth food from the earth

15 and wine to gladden the heart of man,oil to make his face shine    and bread to strengthen man's heart.

16 The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,    the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

17 In them the birds build their nests;    the stork has her home in the fir trees.

18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;    the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;[a]    the sun knows its time for setting.

20 You make darkness, and it is night,    when all the beasts of the forest creep about.

21 The young lions roar for their prey,    seeking their food from God.

22 When the sun rises, they steal away    and lie down in their dens.

23 Man goes out to his work    and to his labor until the evening.

24 O Lord, how manifold are your works!    In wisdom have you made them all;    the earth is full of your creatures.

25 Here is the sea, great and wide,    which teems with creatures innumerable,    living things both small and great.

26 There go the ships,    and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.[b]

27 These all look to you,    to give them their food in due season.

28 When you give it to them, they gather it up;    when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed;    when you take away their breath, they die    and return to their dust.

30 When you send forth your Spirit,[c] they are created,    and you renew the face of the ground.

31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;    may the Lord rejoice in his works,

32 who looks on the earth and it trembles,    who touches the mountains and they smoke!

33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;    I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,    for I rejoice in the Lord.

35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
    and let the wicked be no more!
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord!

    1. Do you have any questions or thoughts from this lesson?

    2. Why can it feel confusing or even unfair that people who reject God still receive blessings?

    3. Why is loving enemies a reflection of being “like your Father in heaven”?

    4. What are examples of things in our world that look “good” but may not be spiritually good?

    5. How do we practically apply this lesson?

    1. How was your emotional and physical health this week?

    2. What is a serious stressor in your life?

    3. How has your personal time with God been this week?

    4. Would you like to share your personal temptations and how can we help you overcome them?

    5. Is there anything that we need to discuss that we have not already?

    6. How can we pray for each other this week?

    Pray for one another, take prayer request, and invite each person to pray even if it is just a few sentences.