Love Plays Defense

May 2020

Discuss Together

  • In the message, Jeff talked about the first car that he owned (he got it the same year the song "Love is a Battlefield" came out). What was your first car? How long did you have it?

  • Read Philippians 2:3-4. Jeff said the battle with love is less about me vs you and more about me vs me and fighting our own self-interest. Do you agree with that? What can we learn from what Paul said in this verse?

  • In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Paul says love is not easily angered. This seems the opposite of how our culture works today. Do you think this has gotten worse? Why do you think tensions are so high?

  • If you’re being honest, how easy is it to offend you? What tends to set you off the most?

  • How do you distinguish between the little things that you need to let go of and the big things that really should offend you?

  • Jeff talked about “the gap”: When someone does something confusing or disappointing, it creates a gap of understanding and trust. It’s easy to fill the gap by assigning motives or making up a story in our heads. Has there ever been a time where you filled the gap by assuming the worst about someone’s motives only to find out later you were wrong? Share what happened.

  • Is there a situation right now where you feel slighted, disappointed, annoyed, or hurt by someone? Run it through the 1 Corinthians 13 grid: 1. Can you let it go? 2. Are you believing the best? 3. Are you choosing to remember the rights or the wrongs?

NEXT STEPS

Here For Good is a movement inspired by love, where we intentionally put others first by giving, serving, and including. Is there a way you can serve someone close to you in your life by putting their needs first? Resolve to do that this week.