Sermons

True Spirituality In Christ [3/7]: Bearing His Tough Love

28 October 2024
Larry Teo, Mr

Series: True Spirituality in Christ: A Book Study on Malachi
Title: Bearing His Tough Love
Text: Malachi 2:1-9

God disciplines us out of love yet when we experience God’s rebuke, we feel not love but rejection from Him. How can we accept God’s discipline without giving into despair so that we remain in His plan?

General Questions:

  1. Recount a time where you were disciplined or punished (in school, at home, or at work). What made this incident different from abuse or bullying?
  2. What is the role of the priests in the Old Testament? What does that mean for us as believers of Jesus today?

Perspective Questions:

  1. In the sermon, Larry mentions that our identity as a royal priesthood calls us to have:
    a. A reverential fear of God (Upwardly)
    b. A life of integrity in speech and action (Inwardly)
    c. Godly influence over people around us (Outwardly)
    Which of these areas do you think is healthiest in your life? What are some attitudes or habits that help you in this particular area? Conversely, which do you struggle with the most? What are some obstacles you face that hinder you from growing in this area?
  2. God allows us to reap what we sow to reveal what we are sowing. What are some ways that can help us discern God’s discipline when we sow on the wrong things?

Application Questions:

  1. Experiencing God’s discipline can be painful and cause us significant distress. What are some biblical truths and perspectives we can hold on when we go through God’s discipline so that we do not give into despair?
  2. It is difficult to point out to others the sin that they are carrying in their lives. Why should we as a community of God still choose to do so biblically in a loving manner?