1 Cor 13:1-13 • A Holy Phenomenon Pt. 4

Review & Overview

1. Previous Study’s Review

Back in Chp.7:1: Paul said, now concerning the things of which you wrote to me…    so the church had several questions for Paul and Paul is answering those questions…    

Now in chp.12, 13 & 14 Paul deals with the 5th question from the Corinthians regarding the Spiritual Realm & The Manifestations of the Holy Spirit…

Last week we finished up ch. 12:

Paul is discussing the concept of the Church as a body with Jesus as the head.

He emphasizes that despite the diversity within the Church, there is only one body and all believers are a part of it.

Paul also emphasizes the idea that God puts each person in the body as He wills and that it is important to be content with one's place in the body in order to bring unity and bring joy in serving.

Paul also discusses the idea that every member of the body is interdependent on each other and that it is necessary for the body to function properly.

Finally, Paul states that each member of the body is necessary and important in its own way, just like how the body needs both the less honorable and more honorable parts to function properly.

2. Current Study’s Overview

Now in chp.13:  Paul deals with:       the Greatest Manifestation of the holy Spirit…      Love…          Read…     

Obviously Paul is dealing with the Greatest Manifestation of the Holy Spirit…    which is Love… 

In our English language we have one word for love…  yea, its love…  we use it for everything… I love playing basketball, I love cali burritos, I love Christine…   &   I’m sure Christine hopes my love for her is different then my love for Cali burritos…

The Bible uses 4 different words for Love: 

1. Eros: erotic or sexual love…  

2. Storge: affectionate love, family.  

3. Phileo: endearing love a brotherly love…   

4. Agape: used here, selfless, sacrificial, spiritual love that comes from God…   used 9 times in these 13 vs. 

If your taking notes we’ll be looking at 4 things about this kind of Love:  

1. Love is Important Vs.1-3

2. Love is Impeccable Vs. 4-7

3. Love is Indestructible Vs. 8-12

4. Love is Invincible Vs. 13

1. Love is Important Vs. 1-3

1.1 The Gift of Tongues is Useless Without Love V.s 1

We all understand how irritating sounding brass or clanging cymbals can be…  

ILLUSTRATION: Have you ever heard some first starts playing drums!? The cymbals clanging away…  

The same is true of us as it pertains to spiritual gifts… here Paul uses the gift of tongues as an example.

APPLICATION: Point:  no matter what spiritual gift we may have if we’re not using it, exercising it in light of Love… we can be very irritating… 

We come across very prideful…    very arrogant…   we have a holier then thou type of attitude…  that’s why this kind of Love is so Important…

1.2 The Gifts of Prophecy, Knowledge, & Faith is Useless Without Love Vs. 2

We can have amazing spiritual gifts… we can know all that there is to know… we can move mountains… 

But if we’re not doing with, through & because of Love…  we’re nothing…  we’re just know it alls…

Look when we come together it’s not to rise to some kind of intellectual accent…    it’s not so we can smarter then the next guy…       it’s so that our lives will be change & we become more like Jesus…

1.3 The Gift of Giving is Useless Without Love Vs. 3        

In Rom.12:8 Giving is one of the gifts of the Spirit… &  we can be the most generous person on the face of the earth…         we can give until we’re blue in the face… 

But if we’re not giving out of Love…       it’s not going to profit or benefit us at all…

APPLICATION: Point:  we can have the most awesome gifts… &  hold the best office…  but  if we don’t have Love…  It’s all for not…       it’s all worthless…

We are so blessed we are here at the Barn to have many wonderful men & women who are really gifted,  who have been blessed with so many amazing gifts of the Spirit…  

But the one thing they all have in common is the Gift of Love…  I often hear people say that when they visited the Barn they felt Loved…       it’s no wonder it’s the Greatest Gift…

2. Love is Impeccable Vs. 4-7

2.1 In Relation to Saints Vs. 4a            

Longsuffering:    it’s our word patience…     it means to put up with much…   

Look, when we lose patients… &  aren’t willing to put with others because of what they do or how they act we’re not operating in Love…     because     Love suffers long…

ILLUSTRATION: In 1878 the daughter of Princess Alice of the united Kingdom was critically ill with diphtheria. The doctors told the princess not to kiss her little daughter and endanger her life by breathing the child's breath. One night when the child was struggling to breathe, the mother, forgetting herself entirely, took the little one into her arms to keep her from choking to death. Rasping and struggling for her life, the child said, "Momma, kiss me!" Without thinking of herself the mother tenderly kissed her daughter. She got diphtheria and some days thereafter she went to be forever with the Lord. Real love forgets self. Real love knows no danger. Real love doesn't count the cost. The Bible says, "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it."

God puts up with this sick world because He loves you and He is not willing that any should perish.

2 Peter 3:15 NKJV

15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,

Kindness:  only used here…     gracious…      mild…       pleasant…     benevolent…

No matter what people do or what kind of situation we’re in, if we are living in light of Love we’ll be gracious…   mild…    pleasant…   benevolent…

ILLUSTRATION: Talk about people asking me where things are at in the stores and I was rude.

Not Envious:   not jealous of others…     not coveting what other may have…

If we’re living by Love… we’ll rejoice for others…   

1 Corinthians 12:26 NKJV

26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Love is impeccable in...

2.2 In Relation to Self Vs. 4b-5a

Not Parading:  only used here…    to boast…  to brag…   to embellish to make yourself look good…

We need to watch out for the humble brag…     ya know this morning at 4:30am when I was praying…

Not Puffed Up:   to inflate…     to blow up…    to cause to swell…    we say a big head…

It speaks of being prideful… arrogant… haughty… thinking we’re so much better then everyone else… the problem with pride is in

1 Peter 5:5 NKJV

5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:6 NKJV

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

Proverbs 16:18 NKJV

18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

Not Rude Vs. 5a -   used twice, obnoxious…     insufferable…     unbearable…  

When we’re not living by Love…   people just don’t like to be around us…  we’re obnoxious…

Does not Seek it’s Own Vs 5a -   to strive for or demand something for ourselves…

Love puts the needs & wants of others first…  

Philippians 2:3–5 NKJV

3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

Love is impeccable in... 

2.3 In Relation to Sin Vs. 5b-6

Not Provoked Vs. 5b -  only twice…      to make sharp…     like a the point of a knife…

Love simply goes with the flow…      it doesn’t poke or cut others…

Thinks no Evil Vs. 5b - We would say it doesn’t keep an account of evil done by others…

Love forgives; it doesn’t keep track of wrong doings… it doesn’t throw it back in someone’s face later.

Does not Rejoice in Iniquity Vs. 6a -  ya know when someone cuts us off & then they get a ticket, we say ha…

Rejoices in Truth Vs. 6b -   when others are blessed & used of God if we rejoice we’re operating in Love… TALK ABOUT THE WORD OF GOD

Love is impeccable in...

2.4 In Relation to Situations Vs. 7

Bears all Things Vs. 7    to protect…    to cover…     to preserve…

It means to keep silent about someone to protect them…   to cover them…  as not to expose them…

Believes all Things -    no doubt pointing to the Promises of God…

If we Love God we’ll believe the Promises of God… 

2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV

20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

2 Peter 1:4 NKJV

4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Hopes all Things -    this kind of hope is not a blind hope…   or   I hope it will happen…

1 Peter 1:3 NKJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

it’s believing in Rom.8:28...

Romans 8:28 NKJV

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Endures all Things Vs. 7 -   to remain…   to abide…   to stay… 

Understanding that God is on the throne…  that He is in total control…    

Ephesians 1:11 NKJV

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

These are not things we work at or strive for… these are the Byproduct of Love…  

which by the way is the Fruit of the Spirit… 

Galatians 5:22 NKJV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Gal.5:22,  there is only one fruit of the Spirit, Love…  8 words are adjectives…

3. Love is Indestructible Vs. 8-12

3.1 Because Love is Permanent Vs. 8            

Talk about Love being Permanent…    it will never fail…   why, because it’s Perfect…

3.2 Because Love is Perfect Vs. 9-12

Right now we need the gifts of the Holy Spirit, prophecies, tongues, knowledge… 

But when that which is Perfect comes we won’t…       Paul is talking about Jesus Christ…

At the Rapture when Christ comes for His church we won’t need the gifts of the Holy Spirit…

Wait a minute… I though you said Love is Perfect, yep…   but  you said Jesus is Perfect, that’s right…

So is Love Perfect or is Jesus Perfect… Yes…  

1 John 4:8 NKJV

8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

Matthew 5:48 NKJV

48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

APPLICATION: Point:  don’t get all hung up on the gifts…   because  if we have Jesus Christ we have His Love… & His Love never fails…

Now here in Vs. 11-12 Paul gives us a couple of illustrations top prove God’s Love is permanent & perfect.

3.3 The Child/ Adult Illustration Vs. 11     

When we were young we were immature…      but    not as grown ups we’re more mature… 

When we’re living by God’s Love our actions & attitude will be Spiritually Mature, no matter our age. 

When we use our gifts without love, we are like an immature child with all their attitudes and actions.

But when we Love, we are like a mature adult with all the mature attitudes and actions.

3.4 The Mirror/Face-to-Face Illustration Vs. 12             

Now we don’t see the whole picture… we don’t understand everything about God… but one day we will…

APPLICATION: Point:   if we have God’s Love here & now we can see clearly, we can understand a lot about life…

4. Love is Invincible Vs. 13         

Faith looks to the Past, to what Jesus did…       Hope looks to the Future, to what Jesus will do… 

Love looks to the Present, to what Jesus is doing today in our hearts & lives…

So don’t focus on the Gifts of God…      but     focus on the Love from God…   

Because Love is the Greatest of the gifts…

ENDING....