LOVE & FORGIVENESS Bitterness Extinguishes, Love L

2 Timothy 1:6-7 “This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (NLT)

BIG IDEA: Bitterness will extinguish God’s

for your life!

Problem:

Solution:

/

Reveal Answer

1 Samuel 31:1-6 “Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically.
Saul said to his armor-bearer, ‘Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me.’ But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.” (NIV)

I. Bitter people only love

; better people Love

Reveal Answer

and

Reveal Answer

!

Matthew 22:34-40 “Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’
Jesus replied: ‘”Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” (NIV)

Question: Are you a Saul or a David?

II. Bitter people always blame

. Better people take

Reveal Answer

.

1 Samuel 13:7b-10 “Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, ‘Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.’ And Saul offered up the burnt offering. Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.” (NIV)

1 Samuel 13:11-13 “’What have you done?’ asked Samuel.
Saul replied, ‘When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, I thought, “Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.” So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.’
‘You have done a foolish thing,’ Samuel said. ‘You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.’” (NIV)

1 Samuel 15:22b “To obey is better than sacrifice…” (NIV)

Saul didn’t learn from his mistakes, David did!

Saul was a

king; David was a

Reveal Answer

king!

III. Bitter people live in the

. Better people step into their God-given

Reveal Answer

!

Closing: Bitterness will extinguish God’s

for your

Reveal Answer

!

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” (NIV)

So how do we “extinguish bitterness”?
One step of loving

at a time!