Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 3
The speaker calls “love one another earnestly” a choice that must be intentional; where do you see yourself relying on spontaneous feelings for love, and what practices would make love more deliberate in your relationships within the church?
Another way to ask: Where do you depend on loving feelings to show love, and what habits could help you choose to love people in your church on purpose?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
The transcript suggests you should stop waiting to “feel” love and instead treat love as intentional obedience expressed through concrete actions. Making love deliberate would mean choosing practices that align your life with Christ’s virtues and serve God’s people.
- He defines earnest love as intentional: “Love just doesn't just happen. It's a choice, and it's intentional.”
- He connects love to disciplined action: “Anytime any one of us disciplines ourselves to do something or not do something… we make a spiritual sacrifice.”
- He gives examples of deliberate love: “time to pray for others, time to help others, time to show love and kindness.”
- He frames priesthood as service: “priests were and are servants to God and his people… interceding for the people.”
- He ties this to Jesus’ excellencies: we are to “proclaim the excellencies… [to] be and become as Jesus… conforming ourselves to his excellencies and his virtues.”
- He warns against pretending maturity: “to pretend at being mature is not sufficient,” implying love must be practiced, not performed.