Life in His Name (5)

Introduction: Recap series.

Last week, we were focusing on the unity that we enjoy in Christ. We are to maintain and preserve the unity that we have in Christ.

I want to be clear, this does not mean unity at all costs. In many ways, Christians must be cautions not to make unity an idol. For example, thinking that we must protect unity by conformity. Or adjusting the gospel to mean something different in order to not offend anyone.

And, unity is not uniformity. We are one body with many members. Each member retains their own individual gifts, abilities, and personalities. However, we humble ourselves and consider others interests ahead of our own in order to maintain our unity.

Today, we continue in this line of reasoning by focusing on love. Life in Jesus name means we are His followers, yielding to the Holy Spirit, filled with humility, patience. We maintain our unit by loving one another.

Read Text: 1 Corinthians 13

Transition: the goal this morning is to make 3 key observations of this chapter; the correction, definition, and explanation of love. So dig in with me in this first area of correction that we see in verse 1-3.

Correction

13:1-3)

The apostle Paul is correcting the Corinthian church for their overemphasis on spiritual giftedness. He has spent 12 chapters reminding them of the gospel and how they should be living as the body of Christ. Now, he reminds them that great gifts, great power, and great sacrifice accomplishes nothing if they do not have love. As a matter of fact, to be so flashy without love is simply making noise.

Illustration: Would be like a church today having all sorts of activities, but without love, making not lasting impact. From God’s perspective, this kind of church life is like a whole orchestra of instruments that are making a lot of noise, but no harmonious music.

Application: Another example of this is what we discover in the church of Ephesus in Rev. 2:1-5

Transition: There has been and will continue to be a church temptation upon to be very active and upright without being loving. In order to avoid this temptation we need to know what does it mean to love?

Definition

Slowly read 13:4-8a)

This is a clear list defining what love is not and what love is. Notice what this definition doesn't say, namely everything that our world has made love to be. A giddy feeling of ecstasy. It’s not an emotional trance of happiness. Its not sexualized. It’s not a definition of self fulfillment.

The standard or gauge of our love is not if we feel good about a situation, conversation, or relationship. No, love is defined by Jesus. And when we belong to Christ, we can have life in His name by loving like He loved.

Illustration: Use this list like a filter. Whatever relationship, circumstance, emotion, decision. Life in Christ means we can stop and ask, “What is the loving thing to do?”

Let’s dig into a more specific example of responding to a circumstance or season of life with love: Single person struggling with loneliness and wondering about having a spouse. What’s the loving thing? Am I being patient?Am I being humble? Am I being joyful? Am I being pure? Am I seeking truth? Am I being content with hope?

This is a character list of Jesus. Am I being like Jesus?

Why is it so important? One big take away we should receive from this truth is a clearer understanding of God. 1 John 4:8 uses the word love to define God. God is love.When we are full of activity without love, we are drifting theologically. Meaning, we are misrepresenting God. Very dangerous. Serious consequences to this kind of drift.

When we are in Christ, we have this life of love working through us. We love because we have first been loved. We are truly enjoying God and being satisfied in His great love.

Transition:

This reality needs some explanation…

Explanation

Read 13:8b-13)

Love lasts forever! Prophecies pass away. Special gift of tongues cease. Knowledge passes away. Love never ends.

Love is the greatest, because when the perfect comes (which is a reference to the future reign and rule of King Jesus), faith and hope will be fully realized. No more need for these. However, Love will remain.

We should abide in faith. Abide in Hope. Abide in Love, and actively pursue love.

Pursue love. This is an imperative of first and eternal importance.

Conclusion: Read together 1 John 4:7-12 (on screen)