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Mar 28, 2021

Beyond Schadenfreude

Beyond Schadenfreude

Passage: 1 Corinthians 13:6

Speaker: Patrick Lafferty

Series: We Must Love One Another, or Die - Lent 2021

Keywords: truth, joy, injustice, unrighteousness

Of all the features of love Paul enumerates what he describes in this passage may be the most counter-intuitive. In light of that, it may also be what most requires divine intervention to see it birthed in us.

Readings & Scriptures

PREPARATION: Isaiah 55:6-9
LEADER: 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

ALL: 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

PRAYER & RESPONSE: Matthew 21:1-11
LEADER: Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.

ALL: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!

LEADER: Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise

ALL: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!

LEADER: I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.

ALL: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!

CENTRAL TEXT: Philippians 1:9 & 1 Corinthians 13:6
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,

Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth

 

BENEDICTION: Romans 15:13 Patrick
LEADER: 13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

ALL: Amen

Related Scriptures

  • Proverbs 24:17-18
  • Jeremiah 9:1-4
  • Luke 13:32-34
  • Acts 8:1
  • Acts 22:20
  • Romans 1:32
  • Romans 3:5
  • Romans 6:21
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:12
  • Hebrews 12:1-2

ILLUSTRATIONS:

3.28.21 Album

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Ever been scammed by someone, or know someone who has? How did you feel? What if anything did you do in response? (Ever seen this guy scam the scammers?)

QUOTES:

 

  • First among the classification of silences, is the silence of the pure listener … the silence through which the message of the other becomes ‘he in us,’ the silence of deep interest.. . . .the greater the distance between the two worlds, the more this silence of interest is a sign of love. - Ivan Illich
  • No taint of evil can enhance or give pleasure to love, where love is genuine. Love takes no pleasure in someone else’s failure, and delights in integrity and reality. If the situation is bad, love wants to help; if the situation is good, love wants to celebrate. - Anthony Thiselton
  • Love shares truth’s joy; it cannot rejoice when the truth is denied. - Leon Morris
  • Forgiveness involves more than merely releasing bitterness or saying, “I forgive you.” It requires us to deeply ponder certain questions: “What does it mean to give this person a taste of God’s character in both strength and mercy? How can I feed him a taste of goodness that will surprise and shame his wickedness?” - Dan Allender
  • Release the need to hate, to harbor division and the enticement of revenge.  Release all bitterness.  Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won. - John Lewis

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