Love

Main Thought

Everyone knows that love is important, but why is it so important? Ultimately, it’s because love is our life purpose. We were made to experience love with God and other people. Love can be felt and it can be acted out; however, love is more than feelings and even more than actions. Love is a motive that inspires our feelings and actions. It desires good for another. Love seeks to build healthy relationships. Conversely, sin is that which ruins relationships. God’s law, as we learn of it in the Bible, describes ways by which we can act in love to build healthy relationships rather than break them. The law of God teaches us to love well. It isn’t easy to love; it’s something that we all need to grow into. Maturity can be seen in the ability (or inability) to give and receive love freely. Yet our efforts to give and receive love ultimately fall short without God. Imperfect people cannot produce perfect love on their own. We need perfect love from a perfect God! As we pursue God and endeavor to love like Him, He fulfills our life purpose.

Main Passages

37 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. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

- Matthew 22:37-40

14 Let all that you do be done in love.

- 1 Corinthians 16:14

…You received without paying; give without pay.

- Matthew 10:8

Discussion Questions

1. What stands out to you in the Main Thought and Passages above? Why?

2. Dr. Greg Mitchell’s sermon and the Main Thought assert that “Love is our life purpose.” What do you think about that statement? Can you see evidence of that statement’s truth in your own life?

3. Do you feel that you are able to give and receive love freely? If it’s difficult to do one (or both) of those things, why?

How to Love People Who Hurt You

Main Thought

To be hurt, whether by a complete stranger or by someone we love, is a part of the human experience. Jesus knew what it was like to be hurt too. Most of His own disciples abandoned Him, denied Him, or betrayed Him around the time of His Crucifixion. Yet Jesus loved those who hurt Him with incredible grace, truth, and service. It’s exciting to be a recipient of such love - but it can be intimidating to rise up to such a lofty standard. As followers of Jesus, we can work our way toward loving those who hurt us by taking steps of grace (which withholds judgement and chooses to desire good or bless); steps of truth (which presents the truth without malice and builds boundaries if necessary); and, steps of service (to meet the felt needs of others in different ways or degrees). The next, right step is often an uncomfortable one. But taking these steps will eventually bring us closer to God and form us to be more like Christ, all while we learn to rest assured in God.

Main Passages

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

- John 1:14

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him… 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

- John 13:3-5, 10-11

14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 

- John 13:14

Discussion Questions

1. What stands out to you in the Main Thought and Passages above? Why?

2. Think about a time you received grace, truth, or service, either from God or someone else. What happened? What did it feel like to receive these things?

3. Are there any situations in which you can take a step toward grace, truth, or service while choosing to love someone who hurt you? What might that step look like practically?

How to Love When You're Drained

Main Thought

Most of us know what it’s like to feel drained, or emotionally exhausted. Great or prolonged stress can cause us to feel trapped, powerless, or hopeless. We may become frustrated with the people around us more easily. That makes it hard for us to love. But Jesus can teach us how to love well, even when we’re drained. If we find ourselves surrounded by those who need us, it can help to shift our focus from our needs to their needs for a time. This can help us escape a downward spiral of negativity. Taking moments to pause and “look up to heaven” - even if those moments need to be brief - can allow our hearts to recalibrate and find relief in God before we return to the tasks-at-hand. We may also need to make a conscious decision to bless, not curse, people around us. We bless people when we adopt an attitude of love, pray for them, or desire good for them. Finally, as soon as we’re able, we should rush to find rest in our God. Jesus prioritized personal, quiet time with the Father and went to great lengths to experience it. We can learn from His example. If we do these things, then we’ll eventually discover that God meets our needs and multiplies our abilities.

Main Passages

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

- Matthew 14:13-14

17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing…

- Matthew 14:17-19

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

- John 15:4-5

Discussion Questions

1. What stands out to you in the Main Thought or Main Passages above?

2. Has anything caused you to feel emotionally exhausted recently? (Please share as much as your comfort and privacy allows.)

3. The four things we can learn from Jesus about loving well when we’re feeling drained are listed below.

   1. We can shift our focus from our needs to the needs of others.

   2. We can pause and look up.

   3. We can choose to bless.

   4. We can rush to rest in God.

   Which do you feel would be most helpful to you, and why? How can you implement it?