Love the Couch Guy

Intro

Peak Interest

Story of the couch guy

TikToker Lauren Zarras recorded a surprise visit to her boyfriend (now known internet-wide as “Couch Guy”). What was intended to be a celebration was promptly ruined as the comment section filled up with accusations that Couch Guy wasn’t actually happy to see her, and that he’s unfaithful (show video)

Many users have released videos dissecting Zarras’ surprise visit frame-by-frame, speculating on when Couch Guy might have fallen out of love with her, and on how the other girls in the video were backstabbers (show video)

Problem

How could we possibly have authentic & loving relationships with others if we treat people like we treat the couch guy?

Whether you like it or not, there are things that social media has done to prevent us from loving people the way Jesus meant for us to love. How do we fight against this & love people well?

PHRASE THAT PAYS

To love well, we must choose well.

Body

Passage

For the next 4 weeks, we’re diving into a new series called #RealMe, where we will look at the things that make us or break us about social media.

2 John 1–13 (CSB)

1 The elder: To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not only I, but also all who know the truth—2 because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever. 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, in keeping with a command we have received from the Father. 5 So now I ask you, dear lady—not as if I were writing you a new command, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 This is love: that we walk according to his commands. This is the command as you have heard it from the beginning: that you walk in love. 7 Many deceivers have gone out into the world; they do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves so that you don’t lose what we have worked for, but that you may receive a full reward. 9 Anyone who does not remain in Christ’s teaching but goes beyond it does not have God. The one who remains in that teaching, this one has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home, and do not greet him; 11 for the one who greets him shares in his evil works. 12 Though I have many things to write to you, I don’t want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face so that our joy may be complete. 13 The children of your elect sister send you greetings.

Context:

John was Jesus’ closest disciple

John was writing to one of the churches he started, and there was some people starting trouble & causing division.

Lady = church (because Jesus is the husband & the church is his wife)

John talks to them like they’re his family

To love well, we must choose well.

Point

We must choose to...

1) WALK THE TALK

2 John 4–6 (CSB)

4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, in keeping with a command we have received from the Father. 5 So now I ask you, dear lady—not as if I were writing you a new command, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 This is love: that we walk according to his commands. This is the command as you have heard it from the beginning: that you walk in love.

Love is DOING, not FEELING

We love Jesus by DOING what He taught us to do (John 14:23)

Love is 1 Cor. 13

1 Corinthians 13:1–7 CSB

1 If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, 5 is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. 6 Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

2) KNOW THE TRUTH

2 John 7 CSB

7 Many deceivers have gone out into the world; they do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Gnostics were a religious group that believed that Jesus was just some visible ghost or his body was just a meat-puppet. They wanted to do whatever they wanted with their body because it’s the soul & mind that count.

“Gender is between the ears & not the legs”

A baby is not yet a person after ___, so I can abort it

Assisted suicide - I can choose to die because I’ve lost my person

I can experiement with my sexuality however I want.

If Jesus rose from the dead in a body, that means everything you do with your body matters too.

We have to fight the lies with truth. How do we know truth? We read Scripture and learn it in community, our church.

3 Day Bible Plan - Social Media & Community

3) BUILD THE BRIDGE

2 John 12 CSB

12 Though I have many things to write to you, I don’t want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face so that our joy may be complete.

How many of you got angry over a text or DM you misinterpreted?

What it’s like to text someone you like

70% of communication is body language. It’s not what you said, it’s HOW you said it.

Social media tends to burn more bridges than to build them.

How to build bridges:

Message/call/meet with people personally and say “Help me understand”

Think before you type/post

Win people, not arguments

Turn your video & audio on and get off the chat

Outro

Person

To love well, we must choose well.

Some of us may have a difficult time hearing because we don’t know how to be loved by God due to....

Romans 5:7–8 CSB

7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

To love well, we must choose well.

Jesus loved you because He chose to love you in your most unlovable state.

Practice

What do you think about couch guy?

What are some ways that social media makes it difficult to love people?

What is one choice that you can make this week to love those around you well?

3-day Bible Reading Plan - https://bible.com/p/46622740/69455f3301e4695ccbfe2ba0af37edc2. Starts tomorrow (Oct. 30) @ 9PM (set timer)