We Serve Out of Love/Love's Significance

Introduction

As we continue our study of 1 Corinthians, we move into chapter 13. This chapter, out of all the chapters in the Bible, it probably one of the most famous chapters of all time. Outside of Psalm 23 and John 3:16, more people have heard or read in some form or fashion 1 Corinthians 13. Unfortunately, it is also one of the chapters most often used out of context. How is that?

Well, for starters, remember that this entire book is written to believers. It is a letter from the Holy Spirit to the local church at Corinth. As we discovered, there were many things this church was not doing right. Thus, the Holy Spirit wrote this letter to address those issues and give them instruction on what was right. Our last chapter of study, chapter 12, introduced the topic of spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts were another thing on their long list of thing that were not right. They were misusing their gifts. The Holy Spirit used chapter 12 to help them, and us, understand the fact He has gifted each believer with a special gift or gifts. The purpose of those gifts was that we might work together the unified body of Christ. Every member and attendee of a local church is a vital to that local church. Each person is specifically and specially gifted to help that local church achieve its commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. For this reason, the Holy Spirit ended the chapter with this challenge.

1 Corinthians 12:31 KJV 1900

31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

As we noted in last week’s message, to “covet earnestly the best gifts” simply means make your gift the best gift possible. It has the idea of doing everything we can to increase and utilize the gift or gifts God has given us. However, in that challenge, the Holy Spirit ends with this statement.

1 Corinthians 12:31 KJV 1900

31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

From there, He dives right into chapter 13 stating...

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Thinking back to verse 31, the word “shew” means to present. Essentially, the Holy Spirit ends chapter 12 stating let me present to you a “more excellent way.” The words “more excellent” indicates something that is superlative or of the highest quality. “Way” means a course of conduct. If we put this all together, we have this thought. The Holy Spirit is now going to present to us the highest course of conduct by which we can utilize our spiritual gifts. What course of conduct is that? As we know from chapter 13, the highest course of conduct which utilizes spiritual gifts is “charity.”

Now before we go any further, it is our duty to correctly identify the word “charity.”

Understanding Biblical Love

The word “charity” is used throughout chapter 13. It is used nine times in this chapter alone. In Greek, it is the word “agape.” “Agape” is found translated into English using the words “love” or “charity.” These two words are interchangeable. However, there is one other thing you must know about the words “love” or “charity” in our English Bible. In Greek, there are actually two different words which are translated into English as “love.” In our text, is the word “agape,” but there are also the Greek word “phileo.” “Agape” is primarily used when describing the love that God has for men. Whereas, “phileo” is used to describe tender affection people have for one another. In fact, the word “philanthropy” comes from the Greek word “phileo.” What is philanthropy? It is act of goodwill or love for others in need. However, that is not the Greek word in our text. No, instead, we have the word that describes God’s love which is “agape.”

When you begin to study God’s love or “agape” love, you discover something important.

“Agape” love (I will say Biblical love from here on out) is a purposeful commitment to sacrificial action for another.

Let me repeat that.

Biblical love is a purposeful commitment to sacrificial action for another.

John 3:16 is the classic verse which demonstrates Biblical love.

John 3:16 KJV 1900

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Note the elements of our definition are described by God’s actions towards us.

There is purpose - Rescue men from perishing.

There is commitment - He gave

There is sacrificial action - He gave His only begotten Son.

For whom did He do this? For all who will believe aka everyone.

The overriding characteristic of Biblical love is the fact it is a love that give, not gets.

A fact demonstrated by God Himself. By the way, it is the basis then for way we are to love as believers. It is the reason that the Holy Spirit says it is the “more excellent way.”

Now, let’s expand our thinking a little more about Biblical love.

Again, what is Biblical love? It is a purposeful commitment to sacrificial action for another. Correct? By the way, God is love. His very nature is to purposefully commit to sacrificial love for us. He cannot escape who He is. Therefore, it should not surprise us that Christ died for us even when were yet sinners.

Romans 5:8 KJV 1900

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Now, as we extract this out further, we come to another important aspect of Biblical love that is pertinent to us today. Look with me at Matthew 22:36-40

Matthew 22:36–40 KJV 1900

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Remember that God is love. What kind of love? He is agape love. What is agape or Biblical love? It is a purposeful commitment to sacrificial action for another. Now, the God of love instructs His people to be people of love. In doing so, there are two basic instructions from God to us.

We are Instructed to Love God!

First, love Him! Now, remember we are speaking about Biblical love, not a simple affection that we would show to others. No, we are talking about the love noted in John 15:13

John 15:13 KJV 1900

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

We are talking about a love that purposefully sets our wants and wishes aside for another. Thus, when it comes to loving God, each believer must demonstrate their love for Him by purposefully committing to sacrifice their wants, desires, and wishes in exchange for God’s will for our lives. How then does a believer demonstrate this kind of love for God?

John 14:15 KJV 1900

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21 KJV 1900

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

John 14:23–24 KJV 1900

23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

I think you get the idea here. Christ made it quite clear that we demonstrate Biblical love when we obey His commands. He also made it clear that we are love God with all our heart, soul, might, and mind. Essentially that means we are to love Him with all of our being. Everyday begins with renewed commitment of the will that today I am going to sacrifice my life for Him. Today, as a follower of Christ, I purpose to make Him the center of my life living in accordance to His commands. A believer who makes that commitment day in and day out is a believer who demonstrates Biblical love towards God.

Yet, we must remember that Christ spoke of two different relationships by which we are to love Biblically.

We are to love God AND love others.

We are Instructed to Love Others!

Matthew 22:39–40 KJV 1900

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Let me repeat once again the definition of Biblical love. I aim to drive it into your hearts and minds this morning.

Biblical love is a purposeful commitment to sacrificial action for another.

When it comes to other people, we are to love them in the same manner that we love ourselves. I believe that statement speaks for itself. We all are quite capable of loving ourselves. It is an action that we demonstrate over and over again. If you want a good demonstration of that, just go over to Walmart shopping and watch how people act. You will find that when push comes to shove people always look out for themselves no matter what needs to be sacrificed to get it. The sinful person is always a selfish person. However, God uses that it help us understand how we need to change. Thus, He says that we are to “love” others even as we love ourselves. In the same way that you would sacrifice anything to please yourself, you must now, as a follower of Christ, utilize the same methods but for others, not for yourself. What is kind of love is that? It is a purposeful commitment to sacrifice your wants, wishes, and desires by replacing them with the wants, wishes, and desires of others.

Now, let me note this, there is a reason Christ gave us the order that He did. Our first priority in life is love God. We have make that relationship top priority above all other things. If we are not loving God as we should, then we will not love others Biblically. Remember that loving God is demonstrated by obedience to His commands. If we are not obeying His commands, there we will not speak, act, or think Biblically. All of which results in us living for ourselves and succumbing to selfish desires. In other words, we fall back into the trap of putting ourselves before God and others. Therefore, it is imperative that we start with loving God.

Let’s go back for a minute to the last verse of the Christ’s answer concerning Biblical love in Matthew.

Matthew 22:40 makes a powerful statement.

Matthew 22:40 KJV 1900

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

I can sum up that verse this way! The entire Word of God from Genesis to Revelation is about Biblical love. It teaches that God is love. It is a history book telling the story of His love. Through it, we learn how we can experience His love. And, then, it gives everything we need to know to love Him as well as love others.

When we come to 1 Corinthians 13, the emphasis becomes God’s love. Specifically, this chapter demonstrated what happens when utilize our spiritual gifts without Biblical love. Look again at our text and note a spiritual formula for spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 (KJV 1900)

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity [Biblical love], I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity [Biblical love], I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity [Biblical love], it profiteth me nothing.

Here is the formula!

Spiritual Gifts - Biblical Love = Catastrophic Spiritual Failure

There are four spiritual gifts noted here along with a spiritual action. The five spiritual gifts are tongues [languages], prophecy, wisdom [understanding all mysteries], knowledge, and faith. The action is to give alway all that you have and become a martyr.

Now, note that you can have all five spiritual gifts, gave away all that you possess, and be burned at the stake, but if you do not have Biblical love, what does it get you? The answer is absolutely nothing. Look again at our text.

Verse 1 - speak the languages of men and angels, have not Biblical love, nothing - sounding brass and tinkling cymbal which is nothing.

Verse 2 - preach God’s word utilizing great wisdom and knowledge of God’s Word all the while exhibiting great faith, have not Biblical love, nothing.

Verse 3 - give everything away to feed the poor and be martyred, have not Biblical love, nothing.

Are you getting the picture the Holy Spirit is painting here? He is saying that it quite possible to be the best follower of Christ having all spiritual gifts and even die for Him yet doing it with no Biblical love. In other words, you are simply going through the motions. What will going through the motions get you? It will get you absolutely nothing, zero, zilch, NADA, a great big ole spiritual Goose egg.

What then is the “most excellent way” for us to utilize our spiritual gifts? It is utilizing them by exercising Biblical love.

Let me bring this down to us on a practical level!

As a church, we could be the most talented church in the world. We could possibly come to a point where every member of this church is utilizing their gifts. People all around the county and surrounding areas would say that is a very talented church. However, when they came into our congregation we made it know how good we were at using our gifts. We might even be puffed up with pride at how great things are at our church. Perhaps, we even begin to look down at our noses at those visiting with an attitude of we are more gifted than you. What would other think then? Would they want to stay? The answer is no. Why not? No one wants to be in a church filled with selfish, stuck up, and prideful people no matter how gifted they may be. Spiritual gifts mean nothing if they are not used out of Biblical love.

On the other hand, think about this way! Let’s suppose that in our church every one of us made loving God in a Biblical manner the number one priority in our life. We became a church full of people who purposefully committed each day to sacrificial obedience to Gods’ Word. What would others find in this church? They would find a church full of people who loved them as well. We would be a church that put God and others ahead of ourselves. I also believe that whatever spiritual gifts God has gifted us would exponentially be used to their fullest for Him. They would find a dynamic spiritual group of people sold for God is what they would find.

There is great power in doing things God’s way. When we love Him and others the way He has loved us, it opens the door for Him to work through us. He is a powerful God capable of doing anything. Thus, He can take a small handful of spiritually gifted people and turn them into a dynamic instrument capable of turning this county upside for Him. He has done it repeatedly. He can do it again.

What must take place for Him to do so again?

Conclusion

It is impossible to serve God until you have first experience His love personally.

It is important to understand and study God’s Love if you are to fully utilize your spiritual gift.

It is imperative for all believers to live out His Love before others each day.