Message Notes for June 30, 2024

Series: Gains and Losses

Title: The Cost of Love

The world can be confusing for the one who desires to follow Jesus, but spiritual knowledge and Godly love will help you find the freedom to thrive.

What is the cost of love?

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 esv Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. 4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

Knowledge helps define how to love.

1 Corinthians 8:2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 

A heart of love affects knowledge.

– It gives grace

– It brings humility

The value of personal legalisms.

1 Corinthians 8:13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

Family/Group Study Notes for the week of June 30, 2024

Series: Gains and Losses

Title: The Cost of Love

– Share with your group or family ways that love has brought a cost in your life. What did you do or not do? Why? What inconvenient joys have come because of love? What loss of economic gain has been forfeited with pleasure because of love?

– Read 1 Corinthians chapter 8. What is the wisdom Paul is giving these Christians who are wrestling with how to handle a cultural pattern? What is the new knowledge that these Christians have? How can this knowledge inform or offend? How does Paul want them to use this new knowledge in a loving way among new Christians and unbelievers?

– Paul says that “knowledge can puff up, but love can build up.” How have you found this to be true? How can knowledge without love affect others? How can love without knowledge be unhelpful? How can the increase of knowledge about something or someone help you to love more completely? Give an example to the group how this has been true.

– In vs. 13, Paul says he would never eat meat if it caused a brother to stumble. What does he mean by that? Think together as a group of ways Christians can cause new Christians to stumble in their faith. What ways can Christians cause unbelievers to lose interest in knowing about Jesus?

– Read Luke 9:23-26. What does Jesus say we gain in this passage? What does He say we lose? What does Jesus want us to know? How does your love for Jesus have a cost in your life?

– The Charlotte Crusade is coming in September. How can you help prepare the way for someone far from God to come and hear the Gospel? What would it cost for you to do that?

– Gather in groups and pray for each other as you seek to follow Jesus with all your heart.