Day 29

LOVE: RESPECT EACH OTHER!

  • WE CHOOSE TO “HONOR OTHERS” EVEN WHEN RESPECT SEEMS DIFFICULT

GOD’S WORD: Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10b, NIV)

REFLECTION-DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. What are the differences and similarities between these two terms: “honor and respect”?
  2. How do I most want to be “honored” by others”?
  3. Why is “giving honor” sometimes hard and what are some circumstances when it might be extremely difficult?

GOD’S WORD:The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”

Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. (1 Timothy 5:17-20, NIV)

REFLECTION-DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. Why is it important to “honor” the congregation’s spiritual leaders?
  2. What does it mean to give “double honor” to the congregation’s teaching pastors?
  3. Who are some spiritual leaders I may have found very easy to “honor”?
  4. Under what circumstances might it be very difficult to “give honor” the congregation’s pastors?
  5. What is to be done in the case of pastors whom a congregation must honor but “cannot sincerely respect”?
  1. How does a congregation’s dealing with the sin (things we cannot “respect” in spiritual leaders) help preserve rightful “honor due for the spiritual function” of godly pastors?

GOD’S WORD: “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:2-3, NIV)

REFLECTION-DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. In the Lord’s design for the human family, where should I first “learn how to show honor to others”?
  2. Why might it be difficult for some youngsters to “honor parents” who may be unworthy of “respect”?
  • WE ARE “LIKE MINDED” EVEN IF WE ARE NOT ALWAYS IN AGREEMENT

GOD’S WORD: Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace.

And the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11, NIV)

REFLECTION-DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. How does the passage explain the concept of Christ-followers being of “one mind”?
  2. What “presence and power” must I possess to really “be of one mind” with other believers?

GOD’S WORD: If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ,if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. . .

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very natureGod, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very natureof a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:1-2, 5-8, NIV)

REFLECTION-DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. How is “being of one mind” expressed in this passage?
  2. Is “being of one mind” primarily agreement about theology (intellectual conclusions related biblical material and preferences of religious practice) or is it more about our attitude toward others?
  3. What does it mean to be “like-minded” or “have the mind of Christ”?
  4. How did Jesus’ “mindset or attitude” begin to create unity for all humble people across the entire family of believers?
  5. In what very practical ways can I help achieve and model the kind of “one mindedness” called for in this passage?
  • WE “BUILD UP ONE ANOTHER” AND REFUSE TO TEAR OTHERS DOWN

GOD’S WORD: Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. . . Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. (Romans 14:19-20, NIV)

REFLECTION-DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. What is the context and meaning of the controversy discussed in this passage of Scripture?
  2. Is the believer with a more rigid conscience, in this text, identified as having “strong or weak faith”?
  3. How can more “open-minded” Christ-followers more effectively build up the faith and faithfulness of those with a “more rigid conscience”?
  4. How can the Christ-followers, with a “more rigid conscience,” more effectively build up the faith and faithfulness of those who are more “open-minded”?
  5. How important to the Lord do I feel many theological and religious-practice controversies are that have developed among Christ-followers across the long history of the community of faith in Jesus?