Looking For Love

1 Corinthians 13:1–7 ESV

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Introduction: Life in the body!

What kind of church are we?

If those outside this local faith family watched us together what would impress them?

Would they be impressed with our buildings?

Would they be impressed with our budget?

Would they be impressed with our staff?

Would they be impressed with our gifts and abilities? That church is a very gifted and talented faith family?

If you were to visit the First Baptist Church at Corinth back in Paul’s time that’s the impression you would get. This was an exceptionally talented group.

Paul wrote about the diversity of gifts that were in the church.

1 cor 1 7

1 Corinthians 1:7 (ESV)

7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

We might say that the church had it all. But sometimes having it all isn’t enough.

Like a modern sports athlete who possesses a skill set that is extraordinary yet washes out quickly among the professional ranks. He has all the ability but is missing the intangibles. That was Corinth. Something was missing in this most gifted church! If you went there and worshipped there and lived among them you would have a since that although they were remarkably gifted they were missing an intangible.

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 ESV

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

We can miss many things. But we better not miss on this.

Love is the fuel that drives the mission of the church.

The Corinthian Church had the gifts of the Spirit but not the fruit of the Spirit.

You can exercise gifts but apart from love those gifts will never accomplish the purpose God intended.

No Love = No Ministry

Apart from love we can be busy but we want do real ministry.

No love = No Mission

We can talk about mission, pray about mission, read about mission, but apart from love this church will never be about the mission Christ has given us.

No love = No Life

With out love there might be a lot of movement. There might be a lot of activity but there will never be

No Love = No Value

Love is not a secondary issue.

Love is a primary issue!

We can be a lot of things without love but we will never be the church God has called us to be.

This Brings me to a question:

Are we a church that loves like Jesus?

That’s the kind of church the bible calls us to be.

We are called to be a compelling community.

Are we the kind of kind of community so shaped by the gospel that love is the overriding

Well what did Jesus love like?

Paul paints us a picture of the savior’s love in the following verses.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 ESV

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Isn’t that a beautiful picture!

I need that kind of love! In the words of Shenandoah - I want to be loved like that!

We have a picture of Jesus the one who loves like that!

Im tired of the superficial, stereotypical things this world and our culture calls love. Their love doesn’t look like that!

Patient - μακροθυμέω makrothuméō; makrós (3117), long, and thumós (2372), wrath, anger. To suffer long, be long–suffering, as opposed to hasty anger or punishment. Love practices being patient or long-suffering, literally, “long-tempered” (makrothumeō). The word is common in the New Testament and is used almost exclusively of being patient with people, rather than with circumstances or events. Love’s patience is the ability to be inconvenienced or taken advantage of by a person over and over again and yet not be upset or angry.

I want to introduce you to one who is so profoundly patient. One who has stayed his hand and shown you mercy more times than you can ever imagine.

Kindness - In a world were kids embarrass and shame to the point were many have decide that life is not longer worth living. Where words and actions can be so profoundly painful that they pierce your soul! I want you to meet a man who spent his entire life doing good to people who deserved it the least. He was kind not because he was angling for something - No he was kind because that’s who He is. A man who had every right to brag but never did. A man who respected the very people who profoundly disrespected him. One who wasn’t full of himself but emptied himself. One who didn’t demand his way but never the less said not my will but thy will…A man who bore unbelievable things and endured unimaginable pains. A man who gave himself away so that we might have a way to the Father.

So if you are tired of the shoddy suduo - superfical watered down imitation of love. I want to introduce you to love.

Love is cross-shaped.

john 15 13

John 15:13 ESV

13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

If you are looking for real love look to Christ.

What if the very thing the gospel gives you most is the thing that the gospel calls you to give away most.

So If that’s what love looks like then...

What’s my part in making this place the place of love marked by love?

N.T. Wright

1 Corinthians: 13 Studies for Individuals or Groups Study 9: Life in the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:1–13:13)

Paul presents the life which will bring the right sort of order to the chaos of faction-fighting and spiritual jealousy within the church. This life is within the reach of every one of us because it is the life of Jesus, the life inspired by the Spirit, the life which is our birthright within the Messiah’s body.

What’s my part in making this place a place marked by love?

Ask your self this question:

What kind of church member am I?

I can’t necessarily ensure that everyone in this fellowship is loving…But I can be loving!

I can do my part as a member of this body to help this body to Love Like Jesus?

Am I patient ?

With the members of my church family?

With people in leadership. Am I patient when things go wrong. Am I patent when church members make mistakes? When church leaders make mistakes? When I get overlooked or under appreciated…am I patient with others the way Christ is patient with me?

Am I kind?

Do I care and help and love. I am I the kind of church member others turn to like a shelter from a cold cruel world.

Am I rude?

Am I arrogant?

Do I insist on getting my way?

It is often said that you might be the only Jesus someone ever sees. Well I understand and appreciate what is being said but it doesn’t quit get us where scripture leads us.

You see I am just a member of the body of Christ.

But this Church is the body - the full picture.

Lets shock the world with the way we love each other.

Lets shock the world with the way we bear one another burdens. Lets shock the world by the way we forgive,by the way we serve, by the way we help, by how patient, how kind, how selfless we are. Lets shock the world by showing them Christ! Today is the day to use the gifts God has assigned you but apply the love of Christ to every single gift.