Forever: Love

“Now there are a good many things which would not be worth bothering about if I were going to live only seventy years, but which I had better bother about very seriously if I am going to live for ever. Perhaps my bad temper or my jealousy are gradually getting worse—so gradually that the increase in seventy years will not be very noticeable. But it might be absolute ell in a million years: in fact, if Christianity is true, Hell is the precisely correct technical term for what it would be.” 
‍- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity 

 

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
- Galatians 5:13 

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So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
- Galatians 5:16  

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- Galatians 5:21

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness andgentlenessand self-control. Against such things there is no law. 
- Galatians 5:22-23  

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Character is not exclusive to Christ followers.

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You can be restrained by fear and pride. You can only be changed by love. 

Mixer

What would you try if you had no fear?

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Strongest You Questions

1. In episode 1 (October 1, 2020), Mike Foster shared about failure and how strong people respond to failure. How was failure handled in your family growing up, and how did it affect your sense of worth?

2. How do you land when you fall? Concrete - shattered | Quicksand - stuck | Trampoline - bounce back

3. In a 2020 of dashed dreams, what would it take to begin to dream again?

4. What is one thing you could think of that you could use the data of past failures (remember Thomas Edison had 10,000 before he lit up the world!) to begin something new?  

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Sermon Questions

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-23

1. How would you define this ‘Forever You’ concept and what God is wanting to do in you, and why?
2. In Galatians 5:13, what did Paul mean when he said, “For you have been called to live in freedom….”?  How do you tend to view your freedom? What is Paul’s view of freedom and why does his view matter to us as we become what God has in mind?
3. Pastor Jared spoke about the Old Testament Law - what was its purpose?  But Paul says at the end of the list of Fruits of the Spirit “...against such things there is no law” (vs 23). How did Pastor Jared’s story about teaching his boys about character through ‘fear and pride’ give you greater understanding about how love is really what changes you?
4. When you look at the list of Fruits of the Spirit in Gal 5: 22-23, why do you think love starts the list? Why not start with any of the others? What did Jared caution us about viewing these as a checklist?
   
5. What were your thoughts when Pastor Jared shared the parallels of how in both the physical world and the spiritual world, we need to be ‘scooped up and loved’? How are they related? Why is this a vital piece of becoming ‘Forever You’?

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Go Deeper

Pastor Jared reminds us that the struggle between the flesh and the Spirit in us is really a good thing - evidence of the change that is happening in the heart of the Christ follower. Evidence that the Spirit of God is launching a new creation in us. Something better. Something eternal. Something more like Him. This week, Pastor Jared shared a story from his early days in ministry at a summer camp when he counseled a group of boys struggling with lustful desires. The boys generally confessed this was a real struggle for them, but one boy didn’t understand. For him, he didn’t struggle with lust at all - it actually came quite easy to him….  Pastor Jared’s point was that in our natural state - before you were a Christian - you don’t recognize there is a struggle. You don’t recognize that you are broken and in need of healing. You don’t know that there is something better because the flesh (your desires, your appetites) is driving you to seek what is pleasurable in the moment, with no thought of the impact of your choices tomorrow.

But, when you receive Christ into your life, the Holy Spirit of God takes up residence in you and grows those eternal seeds of His attributes He put in you. You have within you the potential of the ‘acorn’ to become a great oak tree now, and not later in heaven. And this becomes a tension, as the flesh and the Spirit are wrestling about who will rule on top today, this moment. That is what is happening in you and it actually is a good thing.

What are you hoping to ‘catch’ from proximity to the Father? Here’s how you can begin to say ‘okay’ to the work of the Spirit in you:

1. Remind yourself constantly that you are the loved son/daughter of the perfect Father. What are some of the things that are keeping you from really believing that He loves you with a perfect, unconditional love? Ask God to begin to override these thoughts with His truth. What scriptures can you use to reframe your thinking and confirm how God feels about you?
   
2. How are you doing with loving others?  Would you say that you love the significant people in your life unconditionally, or is there always a condition or expectation placed before you can love them? I can’t love you because...unless...until….
   
3. How can you remind yourself that with God, you ‘are scooped up and loved’? If that changes us and brings heaven to earth, what can God do for the world through us? Think about how you can ‘scoop up’ someone else (even the hard to love) and play a part in God breathing them back to life.
   
4. Love Challenge: Pick someone this week and tell them that  you love them without using the word ‘love’. What would you say? How would you do it? Call that person, text them, or write them a letter. What was their response, and yours? Share your stories next week with your group!

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Prayer

Continue praying for families facing the challenges and changes of schooling. Some children/students have gone back to in-person, so pray for the health, safety and well-being of all.