Sand Through Our Fingers
Notes
Transcript
When I was in high school, we lived on two acres in the middle of the woods in Northern Indiana.
Now, I say “woods” very loosely. It is true that the land around us was wooded. However, across the street was a swamp. So, we didn’t go there. And the majority of our two acres was what we termed a “waste land.”
The previous owners had run out of money, so they sold the top soil off of the land in a desperate attempt to pay off debts.
So we were surrounded by mostly woods, with swamp on one side. But, our property was a giant sand box. Over the nine years that we lived there, plants slowly recovered the area, but it was slow going.
The house was set on a small hill overlooking this sandbox.
You got the picture.
One day, I was walking around in this waste land, this sandbox, and I saw a stone that was partially covered with sand. I thought the stone looked kinda cool, so I reached down to grab it, but I couldn’t get my fingers around it. I started pushing sand away and digging, trying to get this rock out of the earth.
Six hours later, I had unearthed a boulder. It was about this big.
Some people say that I am stubborn. I say that I am dedicated. My mom says that I am a glutton for punishment. I say that when I see a boulder, I am going to conquer it, even if I die trying.
It is a gifting that I have. I see an impossible hill and I start running toward it.
It is also a curse. If I do not temper this gift with love, I leave a whole bunch of hurt behind.
As Christians, everything we do, even the things that we say are gifts from God, are to be tempered with love.
As we have discussed, Love is a choice to do what is right for someone else, to put their needs above our own. Love is a reflection of Christ in our lives.
As Paul says, love is the most excellent way, the greatest gift of all. Why does he say that? Well, that’s what we are going to discuss today.
Let’s read the whole passage:
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
When we pursue love, we show people eternity.
Let’s pray.
Let’s talk about eternity.
1. Eternity
1. Eternity
Paul writes to the Philippians:
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
While we have a purpose for living right now: to glorify God and enjoy him here and now. We are not living for the here and now. We are living for eternity.
Because we are designed for eternity, we cannot be content with the brokenness of this world.. The brokenness of the people around us. And we shouldn’t want to imitate that brokenness.
As the author of Hebrews writes:
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
We join their ranks and long for the better country.
Paul describes eternity in a specific way here in 1 Corinthians 13.
A. Completeness
A. Completeness
Eternity presents completeness.
Paul writes:
For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
A popular denomination about six hundred years ago began teaching that we progressively became more and more like Christ, and we were rewarded by how we progressed in our sanctification. The goal was to be like Christ here on this earth.
Now, we as followers of Christ are to pursue Christlikeness.
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
But, in our pursuit, we will realize that we are not pursuing it, but the Holy Spirit is producing that change in us.
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
In our pursuit, we realize that we will never arrive at completeness this side of eternity.
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
I know that you are living and breathing human beings. Therefore, I know that you struggle with sin. And if you don’t struggle with sin, you’ve embraced that sin.
Somedays are so hard. I feel my brokenness, and I yearn for completeness. I yearn for the salvation with Christ offers to be complete. To be finally free from the sin that so easily entangles.
I could spend a whole sermon just on the term, completeness, but I won’t. When Christ ushers in eternity. His work will ultimately be finished. We will be purified, ultimately saved, possessing the promise.
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
Completeness.
B. Knowledge
B. Knowledge
Eternity presents knowing.
Paul writes:
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
The old hymn goes: We will understand it better bye and bye.
So many people are looking forward to understanding the “why” of this life. Why did this happen? Why did that happen? There is a yearning to know a “why” of certain parts of Scripture. We desire knowledge so much in this world. We desire to have the question marks answered.
But, do you know what is even better than having those question marks answered?
When eternity comes we will know Christ. Truly know him.
Right now, we know Jesus and spiritual things through the Bible, which is great. But it is a reflection of Jesus.
When Christ comes, we will know him face-to-face.
Can you imagine what that day will be? Can you imagine what it will be like when we see Jesus for the first time, in the flesh?
As the song says:
I can only imagine it will be like
When I walk, by your side.
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face is before me
I can only imagine.
Paul says, we shall fully know, even as we are fully known.
Think of it. Jesus knows us completely. And in the same way, we will know him completely. Our savior, our creator. We will know him face to face.
And we will spend eternity glorying in that knowledge.
We will all possess what Paul yearned for:
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Knowledge
C. Love
C. Love
Eternity presents love.
Paul writes at the begining:
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
And then again:
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
We live in a world full of pain, sin, hypocritical love. So much so that we cannot imagine a world that is filled with peace, perfection, and unadulterated, unconditional love.
But that is what eternity will be, even though it blows our imagination.
God defines love.
John writes
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Last week, we saw the love which Jesus proved every day that he lived. We saw that he urges us to imitate him as we live on this earth.
One day, it will not be a chore. We will know Jesus perfectly and we will imitate him perfectly.
God proved his love to us by sending his son to die on the Cross for our sins. Put another way, our salvation is based on love.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
When Jesus raises us from the dead, or if we are caught up in the rapture, our salvation will be fully realized. Right now, we just have a taste of it. We are saved, yes, but in eternity we will be fully saved.
Right now, we have a taste of God’s love. Well, in eternity, we will be wallowing in his love and enjoying showing the fullness of that love to each other.
It’s like when your mom backed a cake. If she did. You sneak into the kitchen and you lick the bowl. And boy, it tastes good. But then, you get to eat the actual cake, and that is so much better.
Love in eternity is nothing that we have ever experienced, but boy, I can’t wait.
Eternity presents completion, knowledge, love.
2. Now
2. Now
Having talked about eternity, we must now talk about now. The present.
Because we do not have completeness, knowledge, or the fullness of love, God has given us things to help.
A. Partial
A. Partial
But, those things are partial. They are not complete like what will be in eternity. They are confined to the here and now, giving only a picture, a glimmer of what will be.
Paul writes:
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
Right now is only a partial, a reflection of what will be. But, one day, the things that God has given us to help us on this earth will pass away.
As Karl Barth writes: “Because the sun rises, all lights are extinguished.”
One day, the Son will rise, and all that God has given us to help us will be flooded with the fulness of truth and love. We don’t need the faint glimmers of light anymore.
When someone is healed, they don’t need a crutch anymore. When someone regains hearing, they don’t need a hearing aid anymore.
We live under the partial, until Christ comes.
B. So, Giftings Are Now
B. So, Giftings Are Now
One of the partial things God has given to help us are the giftings.
In contrast to love, Paul writes
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
All the spiritual gifts will pass away in eternity. We won’t need them anymore. But, in this passage, Paul points to three specific giftings: Prophecy and Knowledge, and Tongues.
Prophecy was given to us that we might know God better and that we might know how to follow him better.
And Paul uses some very specific terms. He says that prophecies will cease. The wording is not a melting away but a bringing to an end. The cosmic, end times, public deed of divine judgment will bring prophecies to an end.
“How can preachers and prophets have anything to say when the last judgment not only reveals but evaluates and pronounces judgment on everything. The sermons of prophets and the knowledge of theologians are rendered redundant.
Why do we need anyone to explain what it means to know and follow Christ, when Christ is right there?
The same thing happens to tongues. Again, we will discuss tongues more fully in May, when we hit 1 Corinthians 14. But, just a peek, tongues are not a heavenly language or a way of expressing intimacy with God, because Paul says that tongues will cease in eternity.
Tongues were given as a sign.
how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
It wasn’t something to be coveted. It was a sign that someone had rightly and savingly believed the Christian doctrines. It was a sign to the new convert as a boost of their faith, it was a sign to the evangelist as a boost of his faith, and it was a sign to the unbelievers to boost their faith. It was given as a sign that God was working to those who needed the boost of their faith, beyond that which Scripture gives.
In eternity, tongues will evaporate, because their cause will have disappeared. We will come face-to-face with God without the limitations and hidden conflicts of this present life.
Giftings are partial. They will pass away.
B. So, Faith Is Now
B. So, Faith Is Now
Faith is partial. It will pass away.
Paul writes his climatic conclusion to the love chapter:
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Over and over in his writings, Paul refers to faith, hope, and love. These three walk hand in hand and embrace the whole Christian live, as we try to live out the life of the Spirit in the present age, waiting for eternity to come.
Paul says, “now” these three “remain”. He is speaking of right now, before the complete eternity comes. Now they remain.
We who believe have faith in God, we trust him to forgive and accept us through Christ. Even though we do not see him, as Paul says, we see him as a reflection in a mirror. Even though we do not see him, we trust in his goodness and his mercy.
One day, faith will pass away. Because the need for faith will be gone. The trust will become realized when we see Christ.
C. So, Hope Is Now
C. So, Hope Is Now
Paul writes
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Hope is up there with faith. Right now, it remains.
We have hope for the future, for the completeness that is coming, because that future has been guaranteed for us through Jesus Christ.
Through his resurrection and the gift of the Spirit, we have become a thoroughly future-oriented people; the present age is on its way out, therefore we live in the present “as if not”, not conditioned by the present with its hardships or suffering. We are on their way “home,” destined for an existence in the presence of God that is “face to face.”
Paul writes:
while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
The author of Hebrews brings faith and hope together for us.
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Because of Jesus Christ, if we have made the decision for ourselves to place our fait in him, we have a confidence, and assurance, a knowledge beyond a shadow of a doubt that death is not the end for those who die in Christ. The best is yet to come.
One day, we shall see God, face to face, and hope will pass away because that which we hope for will be fully realized. We will possess all that has been guaranteed.
D. So, Love Is Now
D. So, Love Is Now
Faith, hope, and love.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
As I said, these three are put together a lot in the Bible.
We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we live our life of faith and hope within a local church, among brothers and sisters of similar faith and hope, we have love for one another.
This love is the only thing on this list that is a reflection of eternity, that is a taste of hat is to come.
In the present life of the church, faith, hope, and love should remain.
Key word: should.
Love pushes us as Christians to seek God and imitate him to our brothers and sisters. The Corinthians did not have this love that reflected eternity. They were focused on the temporary, that which is going to pass away.
Warren Wiersbe writes:
“Unfortunately, some of the emphasis today on the Holy Spirit has not been holy (because it has ignored Scripture) and has not been spiritual (because it has appealed to the carnal nature). We must not tell other believers what gifts they should have or how they can obtain them. This matter is in the sovereign will of God. We must not minimize gifts, but neither should we neglect the graces of the Spirit. In my itinerant ministry, I have run across too many local church problems created by people who were zealous for the gifts, but careless of the graces.
Unity—diversity—maturity; and maturity comes through love.”
3. The Greatest Is Love
3. The Greatest Is Love
The point Paul is making is that the Corinthians and the whole church of Jesus Christ should be seeking to reflect that which is eternal.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
The greatest is love because love is what reflects and lasts into eternity.
I’m grateful for the gifts that God gives to help us in this side of eternity.
Several have pointed out the irony that the Corinthians were focusing too much on the gifts of the Spirit, thinking that they were eternal, and neglecting faith, hope, and love. While today, so many churches think that the gifts of the Spirit have ceased, because we have somehow achieved maturity in orthodoxy, therefore we get along quite well without the Spirit.
God has given us all these gifts to help us in our faith, in our hope, and in our love. But the things which pass away should not be our focus.
We should desire to show eternity, and we do that through our love.
“In the New Testament, we have a complete revelation, but our understanding of it is partial. There is a maturing process for the church as a whole and also for the individual believer. We will not be fully completed until Jesus returns, but we ought to be growing and maturing now. Children live for the temporary; adults live for the permanent. Love is enduring, and what it produces will endure.”
Eternity is coming. Jesus will call us all home to a grand reunion. Are we living to show that eternity, or are we caught up in that which will pass away?