Topic: Love

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?

Series: Truly, Madly, Deeply
Title: True in Waiting
Text: Songs of Songs 4-5:1

Our views on love and sexual intimacy are often unavoidably influenced by the values of the world. Many might even think that the Christian faith has a restrictive or regressive view on love and sexual intimacy. But, in fact, the Scripture does celebrate love and sexual intimacy in the book of Song of Songs. What is God’s design for sex? How should God’s people view it?

General Questions:

1. Did your family talk about sexuality? Where did you learn about sex?
2. Do you find sex too sensitive or private a matter to be discussed in church? Why should we talk about sex in the church?

Perspective Questions:

1. Why did God create sex? In your own words, describe God’s design for sex. How then does this look like in the lives of singles? How about married people?
2. What are some challenges or common views in the world about sex that makes it difficult for you to obey God’s design?

Application Questions:

1. What are some avenues or individuals where we can and should speak openly about sex? What is lacking in these relationships that stops you from doing so?
2. Has the church been a good representation of God’s design for sex? What can we do to make sure we shine God’s glory in this area?

Pursuing holiness includes how we view and treat love and intimacy. Amidst the influence of worldly values, learn how the Scriptures celebrate love and sexual intimacy and how this helps us to be holy singles and married couples before God.

Series: Galatians – Freedom in the Gospel
Title: Struggle of Love
Text: Galatians 4:8-20

Often, love is a struggle because it is a challenge to love when things go wrong, especially in ministry. What can we learn about the struggle of love from Paul’s passionate appeal to the Galatians in their spiritual crisis?

Perspective Questions:

1. Paul was deeply troubled when he saw the Galatians becoming law-centred instead of Christ-centred. He tried hard to correct their doctrinal error so that they would hold onto their freedom in Christ. 

   How concerned are we that we and other believers have the right understanding of the Gospel?  

Application Questions:

1. Paul argued that following Jewish customs to make ourselves right before God is akin to worshipping false gods – we are depending on “weak and miserable forces” (v9) besides Christ for salvation. This does not mean that all religious practices are bad or evil. In fact, some can benefit our spiritual life. How then, can we ensure that when we participate in religious practices, we are not becoming legalistic?

2. Paul is willing to engage in tough conversations out of love and concern.  How can the LG be a safe space to correct and strengthen one another?  How can we positively influence others through our speech and actions?

3. Having zeal in itself is not enough – it is important to have zeal for the right purposes (v18).  How can we discern which purposes are right or wrong? How can we guard against selfish motives that cause us to pursue our own interests instead of God’s?

4. Sometimes, love is a struggle. We need to invite the Holy Spirit to partner with us to expand our hearts and help one another to enter His Kingdom. Will you ask the Spirit to reveal a couple of names whom He wants you to love, even when it is difficult?

Series: Faith & Family
Title: Love At Full Stretch
Text: 1 Peter 4:7a, 8

When those who matter to us do not respond according to our desires, we may feel unheard, unappreciated or offended. How can we continue to love as a family in the midst of disappointments and frustrations? 

General Questions:

1. Someone once said that unmet expectations is a ‘silent killer’ in relationships. Would you agree? Why?

Perspective Questions:

1. To Peter, believers prepare for Christ’s return as King and Judge by living right before God and with one another in the present (1 Pet 4:7a, 8). How would keeping the end in mind affect or change the way we serve or relate with one another, especially when our expectations are not met?   

2. What may happen if we do not handle unmet expectations well? Conversely, if we respond with the deep love that Peter calls for (1 Pet 4:8), what may happen?

Application Questions:

1. It can be tempting to hold grudges against those who have let us down. Yet the Bible challenges us to respond with a love that keeps no record of wrongs (1 Cor 13:5). How can we practically live this out?

2. Perhaps we should expect to have unmet expectations in our relationships because we are all works in progress. How can we manage our expectations?

The struggle to level up in a game.
Have you felt stuck in a game no matter how hard you try? Perhaps love feels like that too — we get heartstuck in our search for deep and meaningful relationships. This Valentine’s, discover what it takes to get out of being hardstuck with a love that truly fills us!

Series: Love Hits
Title: You Raise Me Up
Text: Ephesians 6:1-3

We listen to many songs about love and get bombarded with different views on love. But do we truly understand what love should look like in our family and relationships?

We listen to many songs about love and get bombarded with different views on love. But do we truly understand what love should look like in our family and relationships?

Learn how we are to relate with our parents as Christians and reframe our perception of relationships towards what God intended!

Series: Love Like Jesus