July 10, 2016 – Teachings from the Rock – Loving Deeply

Loving Deeply

1 Kings 17:15-24 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. ¹⁶ For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

¹⁷ Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. ¹⁸ She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”

¹⁹ “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. ²⁰ Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” ²¹ Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”

²² The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. ²³ Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!”

²⁴ Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”

What was there every day for Elijah, the woman and her family (verse 15)?

Who gave Elijah the word to speak about the jar of flour and the jug of oil (verse 16)?

What happened to the son of the woman who owned the house (verse 17)?

In your opinion, why did the woman think that Elijah had something against her (verse 18)?

Where did Elijah take the woman’s son (verse 19)?

What did Elijah ask the Lord (verse 20)?

Where was Elijah when he cried out “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him” (verse 21)?

In your opinion, why does 1 Kings say “the Lord heard Elijah’s cry” (verse 22)?

What returned to the boy (verse 22)?

How did Elijah respond to the miracle (verse 23)?

In your opinion, why, after the miracle of the jar of flour and jug of oil not emptying, does the woman say to Elijah “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth” (verse 24)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

John 21:15-19 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

¹⁶ Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

¹⁷ The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

When did Jesus ask Simon Peter “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these” (verse 15)?

How did Peter respond (verse 15)?

What instruction did Jesus give Peter (verse 15)?

What did Jesus then ask Peter (verse 16)?

How was this answer different from his first answer (verse 16)?

What did Jesus then ask Peter (verse 17)?

How did this make Peter feel (verse 17)?

In your opinion, why does Peter say “Lord, you know all things” (verse 17)?

In your opinion, why does Jesus respond to each of Peter’s assertions that he loves Jesus with a command to “Feed” or “take care of” His lambs or sheep (verses 15, 16 and 17)?

What will happen to Peter when he is old (verse 18)?

What was Peter going to do that “would glorify God” (verse 19)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how is Elijah stretching out on the boy three times and crying out “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him” in 1 Kings 17:15-24 similar to Jesus asking Peter three times if he loves Him in John 21:15-19?

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 - New International Version (NIV)

¹ If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

What makes speaking “in the tongues of men or of angels” only “a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (verse 1)?

In your opinion, what should we learn about love if Paul considers someone who had the “gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge” along with a “faith that can move mountains” to be nothing if they do not have love (verse 2)?

What, instead of love, motivated the giver of everything to the poor and the body to hardship in verse 3?

What is love (verse 4)?

What does love not do (verse 5)?

What does love rejoice with (verse 6)?

What does love “always” do (verse 7)?

In your opinion, why does Paul say that prophecies, tongues and knowledge will end but that “love never fails” (verse 8, 9 and 10)?

When did Paul talk, think and reason like a child (verse 11)?

What do we see now (verse 12)?

In your opinion, why is love greater than faith or hope (verse 13)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how is Jesus indicating to Peter that he should show his love of Jesus by feeding the lambs, taking care of the sheep and feeding the sheep in John 21:15-19 enriched by Paul’s statements that doing things without love has no value in 1 Corinthians 13?

In your opinion, how does Elijah’s response to the accusation in 1 Kings 17:15-24 that the son was killed because Elijah had something against his mother a demonstration of the power of love that Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 13?

1 Peter 4:7-11 – New International Version (NIV)

⁷ The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. ⁸ Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹ Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

What is near (verse 7)?

Why should we “be alert and of sober mind” (verse 7)?

In your opinion, how does love cover “a multitude of sins” (verse 8)?

How should hospitality be offered (verse 9)?

What should each of us use the gift we have received for (verse 10)?

How should the one who speaks speak (verse 11)?

What should we do “with the strength God provides" (verse 11)?

How should God be praised (verses 11)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what are the similarities of the commands of Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 and Peter in 1 Peter 4:7-11?

In your opinion, how do Peter’s comments in 1 Peter 4:7-11 show that he has embraced the requests he received from Jesus in John 21:15-19 when he assured Jesus that he loved Him?

In your opinion, how does Elijah in 1 Kings 17:15-24 demonstrate obedience to what Peter commands in 1 Peter 4:7-11 to be alert and of sober mind so that we can pray and loving each other deeply?

In your opinion, what do these passages, from 1 Kings, John, 1 Corinthians and 1 Peter show us about ourselves today?

Next, back to Peter 4:12 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)