Series: Stupid In Love
Sermon: Stupid In Love
Scripture: Judges 14-16
REVIEW:
This week, we started a new series called "Stupid In Love." Over the next five weeks, we will get honest about our culture's misguided view of love, dating, and marriage. These false views are demonstrated in many of the "romantic love songs" that have become popular. Songs about feeling so overwhelmed with love (or lust) that you make all kinds of regrettable choices.
Instead, we are going to root our ideas on Biblical principles! We started by looking at Samson's story. We are often so impressed with Samson's muscles and strength that we miss his actual purpose. God blessed Samson with his gifts to defeat the Philistines. However, instead of defeating the Philistines, Samson kept hooking up with them!
Samson highlights the first issue we address in our series:
WE FALL IN LOVE WITH THE OUTER PERSON
BEFORE WE KNOW THEIR INNER PURPOSE
We become convinced that love is simply a feeling or an emotion. Like Samson, we are attracted to someone who is "Pleasing to our eyes." The danger of falling in love with the OUTER PERSON is it blinds us to someone’s RED FLAGS!
Red flags are the obvious warning signs that this is not a good person to invest in a romantic relationship with. However, when we are smitten by their good looks or shared interests, we ignore obvious issues. In our culture today, most people begin a sexual relationship quickly, and that is even more incentive to let problems slide.
All our friends and family try to warn us about these red flags, but we defiantly cling to the fact that we have fallen "in love." Now, it’s not true love because it isn’t rooted in Purpose. It’s "Stupid Love" based on what we can see, the outward things we find attractive, or the fact that we are in a sexual relationship with them.
APPLY:
There is nothing wrong with finding someone attractive; in fact, that is a natural part of life! However, to get healthy in our relationships, we have to dig beneath the surface. If we can commit to following God's path for relationships, we will be set up for success!
IF YOU ARE SINGLE:
What are some ways you have ignored RED FLAGS in your dating history?
What does it mean to you to date someone who shares a common life purpose?
What is ONE THING you will do this week based on what we learned?
IF YOU ARE MARRIED:
What Purpose(s) do you and your spouse share in common?
What is one way you can begin emphasizing that shared purpose in your marriage?
PRAY:
Ask God to help you build the strongest relationships possible. Commit to following His plan for your life and your relationships.
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