Below is a summary of the week and some questions to ask in your Tribe. Feel free to use any of the resources at the bottom too! The idea is that we are growing in our connection with God.
Hello, it's great to see you!
This week we continued our series "Courageous Love." When it comes to love we often think of love as being “soft” and “courage” as being hard. Courageous love for others fights against evil in prayer and stands up for good by serving others practically. It's not serving someone to fit our wants and needs, but serving them to fit God's needs as He loves and serves us to fit our needs.
Paul wrote in1 Corinthians 16:13-14 saying, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in Love."
KEY SCRIPTURES
KEY POINTS
Paul Taught that Courageous Love Means that We...
1. Go Defensive: Spiritually Protect Ourself (Ephesians 6:10-12)
Putting on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10–18) protects us spiritually by providing God‑given truth and righteousness as first lines of defense. Truth steadies the mind against deception, and righteousness guards the heart from moral compromise, creating a spiritual integrity that resists the enemy’s lies.
2. Go Offensive: Spiritually Exert Yourself (Ephesians 6:17)
The first part of armor is protective. However, Paul does give us an offensive piece of the armor when he writes about the Sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God it is an offensive weapon in the sense it gives the ability to move forward. The sword of the Spirit advances the mission: it confronts false teaching, liberates people from bondage, and opens hearts to repentance and faith. Thus, while the rest of the armor keeps believers secure, the Word in the Spirit is the active force by which God’s purposes are advanced and evil is regularly repelled. As an offensive tool it is not argumentative; its power comes from being Spirit-breathed truth that pierces conscience and transforms hearts rather than win debates.
3. Go Others-Centered: Spiritually Give Yourself
Many times we fall into the trap of being selfish and wanting to hold onto things that make us comfortable, but God calls us to give what we have excess of our lives. Whether that be time, words, or physical things we have, we have the ability to help and serve others the ways Christ serves us. Being selfless with our time, energy, and possessions is a huge way to show the love of God to others.
Following Jesus means striving for having the same Courageous Love he extends to us every day. Courage and Love flow from spiritual maturity. It requires us to fight the devil and fight for others. We should be loving towards others and empathetic as Jesus was, humbling ourselves to ask God to give us the knowledge and strength to help those who need that help.
If you haven't yet watched the sermon from this past weekend, we encourage you to check it out. The current sermon video will be available this Tuesday. Click on the link below to view:
Recent TVC Sermon Video
1. Do you tend to be offensive or defensive with the Armor of God?
2. What is the hardest part about serving others? (Bonus question: Is it harder to serve someone you barely know, or to serve someone you know and have served before?)
3. How can your Tribe support you this week?