Contrary To Popular Belief (Part 4): "Love Lets..."

#1 Listen to "Contrary To Popular Belief: 'Love Lets...'"

Consider this Sunday morning’s lesson. You can listen here: http://bit.ly/1gCDfNL

Or watch here [video will be posted by Monday each week]: 

www.vimeo.com/rrcoc

What stuck out to you as interesting?

Did you encounter any challenging or re-orienting truth?

How’d it make you feel?

 

#2 Tolerating

Consider these thoughts on tolerance:

"The highest result of education is tolerance." (Helen Keller)

"It is thus tolerance that is the source of peace, and intolerance that is the source of disorder and squabbling." (Pierre Bayle)

Why do you think tolerance is such a big deal in our world?

Make a list of things you "tolerate."

What's the difference between love and tolerance?

I Corinthians 13:6 says, "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."

  • Have you ever "delighted in evil" to make someone feel loved, understood or accepted? What happened? Share.

Think of a time when someone was tolerant of your behavior and you wish they hadn't been. Share.

 

#3 Hate and Peace

Read Romans 12:9-21

What does this passage teach us about how to interact with people with whom we may disagree?

  • How should we treat our enemies?

How do we "hate what is evil" and not "be overcome by evil" while also living "at peace with everyone"?

  • Can you think of a time you feel like you walked this line well? Share with the group.

 

#4 What Would Love Do?

Consider the following scenarios. How should you act if you're trying to show love (as opposed to tolerance)? Answers could (and probably should) be complicated.

1. Your sister (who is currently far from God) invites you to a party full of people who are also far from God and who will likely act like they're far from God at the party.

2. Your friend asks you to be the maid of honor at her wedding to an abusive person who doesn't love God and isn't interested in getting to know Him.

3. Your boss asks you pray at a big company event. At the last minute she asks you not to mention Jesus in your prayer so as not to offend Jews or Muslims in the office.

4. Your spouse is immersed in a harmful addiction and responds venomously whenever you bring it up.

5. Your dad is in a committed relationship with a man and wants to bring him to Thanksgiving dinner. (Would your response be different depending on whether or not he was a Christian?)

 

#5 Blinders

On Sunday we said that love is not blind. That's true and also not true.

  • What kinds of things does love overlook?
  • What kinds of things does love refuse to overlook?
  • How do we tell the difference?

 

#6 A Differing (And Supporting) Perspective

Watch this video from Penn Jillette, avowed atheist, on tolerance. (Penn uses brief profanity toward the middle of his message.)


According to this video, what's the problem with tolerance?

Did anything strike you as interesting, frustrating, challenging or true?

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