WEEK 5 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

Life’s Greater Aim – Love lets it go.

Introduction:

Difficult people are all around us. We cannot escape from individuals who anger and frustrate us. From slight irritations to open conflict, disagreeable people know how to push our buttons and make it hard to build and maintain relationships. How do you handle the challenging folks in your life? Consider the following:

Something To Talk About:

1. Love is not rude, so be tactful, not just truthful: Love is not a matter of control, nor is it a matter of demand. Love is freedom and trust. In other words, you don’t return their rudeness. You overcome evil with good. You don’t respond in kind. When people are difficult, you won’t be difficult back. One of the ways that you can be tactful is simply by listening to them first. They may have a point. If you listen to people sympathetically, and then you respond tactfully, that is a loving response to a difficult person. Proverbs 16:21 “The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.” Tact can be defined in many ways, but a summary statement can be as simple as this: Tact is wisdom. When communicating with another person, we should always strive to use great care and wisdom in what we say, how we say it, and even in deciding whether to say anything at all.
2. Love does not demand its own way, so be understanding not demanding: Jesus is the best example of this. Philippians 2. “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges. He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form.” Jesus never caved into manipulators. The religious leaders always tried to manipulate Jesus. They were extremely demanding. They were very legalistic. Jesus would not let other demanding people push him into a corner. Sometimes we may not fully understand where someone is coming from. This does not give us an excuse to forgo showing them love. We can choose to love those we don’t agree with or understand. This shows others that they are important even when differences arise. It is far from easy; however, it is worth it. Jesus loved even those who hated Him. We can love those who we do not understand or relate to. Perhaps in the process, we will learn more about them and begin to understand where they are coming from.
3. Love is not irritable so be gentle, not judgmental: Let’s see what the scriptures say about how we can be gentle and not judgmental. How do you have tough conversations with people in a gentle way? How do you confront people you love when you see they’re doing something they shouldn’t be doing? The Bible tells us to do it gently, not harshly, and not in a mean way. But to do it with gentleness and respect. Proverbs 15:4 message says, “Kind words heal and help. But cutting words wound and maim.” God wants us to be gentle to others. Matthew 6:14-15 says, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”A gentle heart comes from having love for others. This is shown in our thoughts and how we interact with those around us.
4. Love keeps no record of wrongs, so don’t repeat it; delete it: Wipe it out of the memory bank. Let it go. Forgive it and get on with your life. Resentment never helps you. It only hurts you. If all you think about is how much you’ve been hurt in the past, you’re moving to the past. And whatever you rehearse, you will eventually begin to resemble. So, Don’t rehearse it over in your mind. “Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop, leave it, and let it go, in order that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive you your own failings and shortcomings and let them drop.” (Mark 11:25 Amp) Proverbs 17:9 says, “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.” We often repeat when we gossip. We don’t talk to God. We don’t talk to the person. We talk to everybody else about the pain. You’re only hurting yourself by repeating it in your mind, repeating it over and over in conversations and using it as a wedge, and repeating it to other people. Don’t repeat it. Delete it.

Discussion Questions:

What does love let it go mean to you?
Be tactful, not just truthful: What does this behavior say about the person doing it?
What does Paul tell us in Ephesians 4:31-32 to stop doing? How does experiencing the forgiveness of Christ enable us to let go of anger and bitterness toward those who are rude to us? Realistically, how can we be kind to people who are rude to us?
Read Proverbs 16:21. What words characterize a wise and persuasive person? How does the way we say things affect the way it is received?
According to Philippians 2:5-7, our attitude should characterize our lives as believers. Describe that attitude.
In Galatians 6:1, we are instructed to go to the person who has done something wrong and make things right. How do we help others make it right after a mistake?
What is the difference between judgment, opinion, and truth?
Who needs forgiveness the most, the forgiver or the forgiven? Is there any value in ignoring a wrong? Why? How have you seen forgiveness heal a relationship? Why is forgiveness so powerful?
Do you need to change the words you use? We all could do a better job with the words we use. Your words have the power to build someone up or tear them down.
Read Colossians 4:6. What does it mean for your conversation to be gracious and attractive?
Where do we go from here? What’s the next step God wants you to take? When will you take it?

Take One Thing Home with You

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.” – Matthew 6:14.

Most of us have read, heard, or spoken the Lord’s prayer. But, have you ever noticed the presence of a little two-letter word in the Lord’s prayer? It says, “And forgive us of our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Did you catch that? The word “as” implies that we cannot be forgiven until we offer that same forgiveness to others. In case we miss the “as,” Jesus makes it very clear in the following verse: “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”(Matthew 6:15)

Forgiving someone who has treated you poorly, said evil things about you, or even broken up your family, is a very difficult thing to do. It takes Godly intervention to truly offer forgiveness to people who have deeply wounded you. But God commands us to do so, and God would never command us to do anything He wouldn’t provide the ability to do.