Stand Strong - in Love
- Dan Haakenson
- Feb 14, 2010
- Series: Stand Strong
Further Reflection, Discussion, and Application
What do you enjoy – and not enjoy – about Valentine’s Day?
The following questions are taken from 1 Peter 4:8, 9, phrase by phrase; keep those verses before you as you walk through these questions:
- 1 Peter 4:8 begins with “above all”; why is love “above all”? Is that just an expression or is love really most important? What challenges do you face in living like love is above all?
- “Love each other deeply” (some translations say ‘fervently’ or ‘earnestly’; the word literally means ‘stretched out / strenuous’). What do you think of this description of love and how we are to love? The same word here (“deeply” or strenuous) is used in 1 Peter 1:22; what do you notice from comparing 1:22 and 4:8? Where do you hold back from being strenuous / deep in loving others? Why? What would it look like for you to stretch out in earnestly loving? What one step will you take in that direction this week?
- Why would Peter emphasize that “love covers over a multitude of sins”? How does that fit (or not) with modern notions of love? Where does this challenge us in friendships, commitment, relationships with others in the church, love for those we want to reach with the good news of Jesus? Give an example of someone whose love for you covered over your sin(s); give an example of where you are being invited to love another in a way that covers over their sins. Are you willing to do that? (Keep coming back to the love of Jesus as the foundation and fountain of this love!)
- What do you think of the command to “offer hospitality”? Does that require a certain type of personality / gifting / house / etc.? The idea of ‘hospitality’ here is being a friend to strangers, reaching out to new people – what are the ways that you can do that even in and around SunHills?
- Have you ever done something as an act of love or hospitality and then complained about it afterward? How would it feel to you to have someone show you hospitality and then grumble about it (during the time or afterwards)? That is why Peter says this hospitality is to be done “without grumbling” (see the same word in Phil 2:14). Why do we have the tendency to complain / grumble / let others know about our acts of love and hospitality? What would it mean for you to release that so that you don’t need to do that anymore? Throughout this week how will you love without grumbling?
- As you look back at 1 Peter 4:8, 9 what one area sticks with you the most? What is God calling you to do as a person growing in love? What will you do in response this week? How can others pray for you and support you in this regard? How will God be a part of your living out this love?
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