StoneBridge Community Church
Pastor Jeff Cheadle
1 John 4:7-21 NIV
You can't be the me you want to be as long as your life lacks love.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV
For Reflection/Discussion: Why is love an irreplaceable part of becoming the me you want to be? Why is the use of the word "love" in English potentially confusing? What four Greek words are translated "love" and what does each mean? Which of the four is most often used in the New Testament, including in Jesus' Great Commandment, Jesus' New Commandment, in Paul's so-called "love chapter" (1 Corinthians 13), and over 25 times in today's scripture reading (1 John 4)?
1 John 4:8 NIV
Genesis 1:26 NIV
Genesis 2:18 NIV
Matthew 22:37-38 NIV
'God is love' is the truest thing that we can know about the Lord.
For Reflection/Discussion: Many people today believe that God is love. Where did they get this idea? Is God only love? Is love God? What does the statement "God is love" actually mean? How does the Christian doctrine of the Trinity help us understand John's statement that "God is love"? What are the implications of God having created us in His image and likeness?
1 John 4:21 NIV
Matthew 5:43-44 NIV
Ephesians 5:25 NIV
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV
Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
For Reflection/Discussion: Most people think of love as a positive feeling toward someone. While agape love doesn't exclude our having positive feelings, what evidence is there that agape love isn't primarily about how we feel? Who are some of the people Jesus commands us to love?
1 John 4:16 NIV
1 John 4:18 NIV
1 Peter 4:8 NIV
1 John 3:14 NIV
1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV
For Reflection/Discussion: What thoughts and feelings occurred to you as you learned the story of 4-year-old superhero "President Austin" Perine? According to the Bible, what are some of the benefits and blessings that come to us when we love others in a self-giving, Christlike way? In what ways do they benefit? How does practicing self-giving love help us to become the me we want to be?
"Don't forget to show love!" —"President Austin" Perine
