Sermon Tone Analysis

I’d like to begin this morning by rereading 1 Corinthians chapter 13.

If you recall, we have been studying the topic of love the past few weeks leading to last weeks sermon on lament.

Is love an essential thing.

Absolutely is!

But how did we come to this topic.

Better question is how did Paul come write on love in 1 Corinthians.

Remembering with me, what was Paul discussing prior to talking about love...

spiritual gifts… and before that… unity...

Spiritual gifts are important.

How important are they, what is there intended purpose?

They are divine enablements from God that allow us to reflect Christ himself and they are used for the growth of the church.

Looking at Ephesians 4, we can see that God used and still uses these gifts to start, equip, and grow the whole church up.

Furthermore, we are told to be good stewards of our spiritual gifts. 1 Peter 4:10

Everyone has a gift perhaps more, and we are required to use them.

It’s not optional.

It’s a mandate.

That’s why no one person possesses all the gifts.

It requires to lean on one another for a perfect unity, fit, and growth.

But as important for function in the church as spiritual gifts are, they should not be viewed as the pinnacle of spiritual life and maturity.

That is why Paul stops in the midst of thought on spiritual gifts to explain to them the more excellent way which he himself describes as the way or better put, the life style of love.

And so far we have looked at some of the aspects of this way of love...

We’ve looked at....

I.

The Priority of Love (v.1-3)

Paul literally says you could literally be the greatest speaker of all, the smartest, brightest, even best teacher, and you could have incredible faith, as well as great charitable acts even martydom and it would be absolutely worthless TO YOU if you have no love in it.

He says you would be like a noisy gong, you would gain nothing, and you would be nothing.

Your actions may still profit others.

I recall what Paul said of other teachers in Philippians 1:15-18

Were those preaching Christ out of envy rewarded.

Likely not, there deeds were done in sin.

People listened.

God used their spiritual gifts and Paul even rejoiced in it.

Though they were wrong in their heart, God’s Word went forth, but they themselves showed no love and for that, they themselves gain nothing and are nothing.

Love is essential in everything we do.

We don’t simply do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.

We must do it out of love.

If we are struggling because we don’t have the right heart but feel we should do it anyways, right there and right then, ask God to change and soften our hearts.

Give us a heart of love.

That’s right and proper.

Prioritize love.... like putting things together in the right order.

Cart before the horse… cart is useful but ya got to have the horse for it to be truly profitable.

II.

The Particulars of Love (v.4-7)

Furthermore, we looked at the particulars of love.

The love that Paul wrote on was vastly different than the love that most in that culture knew.

They knew the eros love, the greek word for love suggesting physical sexual desire.

They also were familiar with the philos love suggesting an affection and esteem in causal friendship.

But no one really understood the agape love that Paul would talk about because that Greek word was rarely used.

This agape love is based on a deliberate choice by the one who loves not on the worthiness of the one being loved.

This kind of love is a selfless, expect nothing in return kind of love.

It goes against every human inclination.

Even though Paul’s list here is rather short on what love is, it is full of power.

And now we come to verse 8.... Which states “Love never ends.”

Some versions might read love never fails, but the Greek would clearly indicates that it will never “fall down or die.”

III.

The Permanence of Love (v.8-12)

Love is permanent.

Why is love permanent?

III(A).

Love Outlasts Wrongs

Love covers a multitude of sins… that’s a phase often repeated in scripture (Prov.

10:12, James 5:20)

Love if it is truly genuine and real love (Biblical love) will forgive over and over and over… that is what is means to cover… it means to forgive.

It’s like that hand game kids like to play.

One put their hand down, then the other person puts their hand on top of the other persons and they go back and forth trying to cover the other persons hand until finally someone gives up.

Typically I usually win that one with the kids.

But love always wins.

It always comes out on top.

It always prevails.

Because Biblical love as we talked about a few weeks ago… bears all things, than it believes all things, that it hopes for the best in all things, and even if that all fails, it endures all things.

That military term that says I will hold the line no matter what and I will not move.

Biblical love is persistent.

That’s the kind of love Christ shows to us.

He is persistent.

No matter how many times we fail, no matter how many times we mess up, Christ continues to love.

WE CANNOT OUT SIN THE LOVE OF GOD.

Isn’t that worthy of an Amen.

Isn’t that worthy of saying Alleluia, cause let me tell you if your salvation was based upon my love, some of you wouldn’t last too long.

But thankfully God’s love is different than the love I often show.

We are to love like Christ though.

And just to be clear as amazing as the fact that we cannot out sin the love of God, that doesn’t give us a license to sin.

Romans 6 is very clear on that.

Romans 6:1-2

Regardless, Biblical love outlasts Wrongs.

Not only does Biblical love outlast wrongs but it also outlasts

(III)B.

Love Outlasts Gifts

Now we at our church don’t believe in sign gifts such as miracles, prophecy, and tongues.

But the question I have for you is why?

Why don’t we believe in those?

How many of you think you are prepared right now to defend that statement?

We need to be ready to give an answer.

I have in the last 4-5 years been asked why we don’t partner with churches who believe in such.

It’s not that we don’t believe we are fellow brethren in Christ, in fact, I’ve had and I have good friends that come from charismatic churches.

They are not our enemies.

But when it comes down to ministry to people from the Word of God.

There are major differences.

Maybe you don’t know.

Maybe your not clear.

Maybe you’ve never studied it.