How to Love Difficult People: How to Love People I Disagree With

Introduction:

How Do I Love Christians That I Disagree With? (Romans 14:1-12):

1. I must continually Humble Myself . (Romans 14:1-4)

   1. By embracing those who are Different Than Me . (Romans 14:1a)
   2. By avoiding arguments about Non-Essentials . (Romans 14:1b)

      2 Timothy 2:14 - Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.

   3. By refusing to give myself over to Hatred . (Romans 14:2-3)
   4. By remembering that I am not the Master of Anyone . (Romans 14:4)
2. I must not hold them to My Personal Convictions . (Romans 14:5-9)

   Colossians 2:16 - Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.

3. I must entrust them to God and Focus on My Own Walk . (Romans 14:10-12)

   John 21:22 - Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!"

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Discussion
Read Romans 14:1-12

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. What are some issues of opinion/preference that you see Christians arguing about and dividing over?
   

3. Why is it so hard to love people that we disagree with?
   

4. What does it look like to welcome one another at Harvest Bible Chapel? Is there a time and a place for debating issues or discussing disagreements?
   

5. Why is it wrong to hold other Christians to your own personal convictions that are not clearly laid out in Scripture?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

How to Love Difficult People: How to Love Your Neighbor

Introduction:

Questions to Answer To Love Your Neighbor (Luke 10:25-37):

1. Why Should We love our neighbor? (Luke 10:25-28)

   1. When we love others, we Show Our Love For God . (1 John 4:20-21)
   2. When we love others, we Are Most Like God . (1 John 4:7-8)
   3. When we love others, we Live . (Luke 10:28)
2. Who is our neighbor? (Luke 10:29-37)
3. WHat Do We Need To love our neighbor? (Luke 10:33-37)

   1. Awareness – See the need. (Luke 10:33a)
   2. Ccompassion – Feel the need. (Luke 10:33b)
   3. Tactile Action – Meet the need. (Luke 10:34-37)

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Small Group Discussion
Read Luke 10:25-37

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. What motivation is most compelling for you to do a better job of loving your neighbor?
   

3. Which of your neighbors do you need to show love to?
   

4. Which of the ACT steps are you missing? Awareness? Compassion? Tactile action? Make a plan to do something different.

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Love is...

SACRIFICE

Lay down a FORK .
Lay down a BUNT .
Lay down a LIFE .

ACTION

HOSPITALITY .
SERVICE to others.
MINISTERING to others.
MISSIONARY work.
Developing a RELATIONSHIP with the one who loves you!

OBEDIENCE

Check out this logic:

1. We will not OBEY Him if we don't BELIEVE and TRUST Him.



2. We will not BELIEVE and TRUST Him if we don't LOVE Him.



3. We cannot LOVE Him unless we KNOW Him.

So...

1. If you come to KNOW Him, you will LOVE Him.



2. If you LOVE Him, you will BELIEVE and TRUST Him.



3. If you BELIEVE and TRUST Him, you will OBEY Him.

Jay Knauer - HBCPN Elder

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Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read 1 John 3:16-24

1. How did this concept of love ever start? Would humans have ever come up with the idea of loving each other?
    
2. When you are truly motivated by love, describe how different it is performing tasks or acts of service than when motivated by more self-serving motives?
    
3. How would you respond to someone who says the Bible is just a book of "don'ts" meant to make us miserable?
    
4. What does the concept of sacrifice mean to you? In 1 John 3:16, it says "we should lay down our lives for our brothers." Are we really doing that? How do we do that?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another. Pray for Pastor Jeff while he is in Thailand teaching the pastors at the conference.