QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU DIG DEEPER:

SUMMARY of the message: This passage indicates the hostility between Jews and Samaritans, which was strong in Jesus’ time. However, the disciples’ way of dealing with the issue and the Lord’s way differ greatly. The disciples were furious when they were not received in the village of the Samaritans and wanted revenge. Jesus said no and rebuked them for how they were responding. We often have a tendency to lash out at those who think and believe differently than us. Jesus has another way of dealing with this when it happens… love. Where we want to call down fire, He desires to transform us. This happens as we simply hang out with Him, observing His character.

How do you feel when someone doesn’t agree with you? Have you ever lashed out in anger and later felt bad about it?

When Abraham Lincoln was once criticized for being too courteous to his enemies and reminded that it was “his duty” to destroy his enemies, not be kind to them, he gave the great and famous answer, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” How does this answer reflect Christ?

Talk about this quote: “Just because God loves you doesn’t mean that He agrees with you. Love and agreement are not the same. God doesn’t love you because He sees eye to eye with you on everything. He loves and values you because He created you and you bear His image. He wants His great love for you to win you over to His way of life, so you become all He made you to be. In the same way, I don’t need to agree with you to love you. Love and agreement are not always the same thing. I can love you because you are a person of great worth to God, even if we disagree.” Do you agree with this? Just part of it, or all of it? Why? Think of someone you’ve disagreed with in the past, what would they say if you were to relay the message in this quote to them? How does Ephesians 4:15 relate to all this?

Pastor Michael mentioned that James and John transformed from ‘sons of Thunder‘ to ‘disciples of love‘ because of two things: 1)They were willing to turn at Christ’s rebuke, and 2)they hung out with JESUS; His passions became their passions, His characteristics became their characteristics (loving the un-lovely, patience, wisdom, grace, love, etc). Read 2 Corinthians 3:18. How does this verse relate?