Love
1 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 3 viewsNotes
Transcript
Outline
Outline
Intro
Story Chuck Colson
I. LOVE IS ESSENTIAL (1 Cor 13:1-3)
1 Corinthians 13:1–3 (ESV)
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 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. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Why is love essential?
It was Jonathan Swift, the satirical author of Gulliver’s Travels, who said, “We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.”
Spiritual gifts, no matter how exciting and wonderful, are useless and even destructive if they are not ministered in love.
Essential questions:
Extrenally, can the world see our faith in Christ in the way we love others?
Internally, do we do all things in the motivation of love?
v.1 V. 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.
Charity today makes us donate old clothes, old shoes and sometimes even money.
Even if I preach here today and if I dont do it out of the driving force of my love for God and my love for His people and my love for souls, then I am doing it out selfish reasons. If my reason is to show prowess then I am just a noisy gong and a clanging cymbal doing it for self gain.
I must preach will, not for myself, but for the good of the Body of Christ. The “love” here is ἀγάπη agapē
ἀγάπη agapē = The unconditional and sacrificial love for the other.
v.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.
Problems within Corinth:
Abuse of the tongues
Division in the Church
Envy for other’s gifts.
Selfishness - Lawsuits
Impatience with one another in public
Behavior that was disgracing the Lord
Spiritual gifts and Sound Scripture were already present in Corinth and Paul himself planted that church. They had all the right tools but what was lacking was LOVE!
The bragged about their knowledge and the bragged about their gifts but love not present within the Church.
The point Paul here is even though we exercise the gifts given to the Church, if it is not done in love then it us pretty much useless.
In a practical sense, if we have the gift of knowledge, you memorize scripture and yet we use it to destroy our brothers and sisters, does that edify the Church? If there is a problem, is it solved in love through the Sciptures or do we use the Scriptures to create a bigger problem?
v.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.
Even to the point of sacrificing ourselves, if it is not motivated by AGAPE (the undconditional and sacrificial love of others) then we are doing it in vain.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
Same word for love used: AGAPE.
It is motivated for the other that if you die for the sake of your own personal gain, even that is useless.
1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Segment Closer:
Why then is love essential?
It is because love is the measure of all things. Love is the essential motivation of all the things that we do inside the Church & outside the Church. And what is that motivation?
English Standard Version (Chapter 4)
19 We love because he first loved us
1 John 4:19 (ESV)
We love because he first loved us.
It is by the primary object of our faith first.
Because we love God first. Our love for God must be shown towards our motivation in loving others. Love unifies the church, love motivates the church and love sacrifices for the church. Love also edifies...
II. LOVE IS EDIFYING
Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.
Our knowledge of our gifts have no effect on the church if it is not done through love. It cannot build the life of the church, it cannot sustain the longevity of a church and it cannot grow the church (the true church).
If we are focused on our gifts without love then we can be “me centered”. I grew this church because of my preaching, people love the worship because of my voice, he accepted the Gospel because I was a good sharer.
But if it is done out of love, it changes the perspective from “me centered” to “God centered.”
If we listen to the instruction of Scripture we must remember that our talents are not of our own making, but free gifts of God.
John Calvin
Nothing should be done or sung or said in church which does not aim directly or indirectly either at glorifying God or edifying the people or both.
C. S. Lewis
Our gifts are from God! Therefore we must use it in the purpose that God has intended, which is to edify or build up the Church.
Gifts without love saves no one.
Theodore Roosevelt once said “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
How can the church and the unbelieving world know the love of Christ in us if we are so unloving in return?
This is why Paul will now teaches us what love is and what love isn’t
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
What love isn’t
Love does not envy or boast
Envy is a terrible sin. It has been there since Genesis. That’s the sin that drove Cain to kill his own brother.
How do wo feel and react when other believers receive blessings that we dont? Do we celebrate with them? Do we rejoice? Do we allow the sparks of envy become a full flame where it drives us towards hate rather than love.
Love does not insist on its own way
Love is not arrogant or rude
φυσιόω physioō = to inflate
Meaning our head is getting bigger that comes out in displays of self-importance.
We should not treat other people like we are above them. No matter what our position in life may be.
Jesus Himself turns the idea of leadership around.
Mark 9:35 (ESV)
And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
Godly leadership is shown by us being the servants first.
CCF BGC is located in a wealthy place. We are near the wealthiest villages in the entire country. My dream however of the church of CCF BGC. Is that whoever comes through those doors ,whether rich or poor, CEO to Janitor, from young to old will be treated with all the love a Chrisitan can show. That when they remember CCF BGC, they will remember that that is a church that showed me love.
Love is not irritable or resentful
- λογίζομαι logizoma = to take an inventory
Meaning that love does not keep a record of wrong doings. Sometimes even the positive things we do! We make a checklist. (I did this, she didnt do this, I did that , she didnt do that)
Sometimes when people argue, the other person will stay quiet, after a few hours quiet, a few days... quiet… Then after a few weeks boom! “This is what you have been doing to me! This and that and this and that.”
Resentment is held anger.
Resentment concealed is a dangerous thing. For one day our hatered will spring.
The problem of resentment is not only the bursting of our anger but in the changing of our hearts.
The key element here is FORGIVENESS.
Forgiveness means that we the record clean over and over again. Never holding things against people.
We have to look at the nature of God
CORRIE TEN BOOM STORY
Isaiah 1:18 (ESV)
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
God is a forgiving God and we must emulate that for this forgiveness was granted to us when we placed our faith in Christ.
Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing
This is when we are waiting for the other to fall.
This harbored from hate, envy and resentment. Since their downfall is constantly on our minds, when they do fall we rejoice.
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 1 Corinthians 12:26
1 Corinthians 12:26 (ESV)
If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
What love is
Love is patient and kind
μακροθυμέω makrothymeō = to be long-spirited
To stretch out our suffering.
You guys remember the EGR people
Extra Grace Required. I am sure as soon as I said this a person popped up in your mind haha
These are the people that we need to show extreme extra grace. Because one day we may lead them to the Lord or if they are Christians already, you may pray and God will change their hearts without damaging your reputation.
Not only is it patient but kind
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
χρηστευομαι chrēsteuomai = to show oneself useful
Love rejoices with the truth
Why won’t we ever rejoice in the Truth? Truth can be painful.
But truth is edifying. It builds up our character.
In proverbs it says:
Proverbs 19:20 (ESV)
Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom in the future.
Listening to godly counsel and applying it in your life is actually wise!
Love is meant to be shown at every level of our family, our church and to everyone we encounter.
Listening to godly truthful counsel is like a ship lost sea and someone is moving you towards the right direction. If we insist that our way is right even when a lot of godly people are already telling us that we are wrong then we just end up more lost.
Love is bears and hopes all things
στέγω stegō - to roof over
Meaning that in whatever senario you are in. Whether within the family context, church context or friendship context, your love for one another should have like a cover, that whenever difficulty comes our way, we can bear it because love is covering it.
Hopes
Hope = positive, confident (in God’s love, grace, promises, sovereignty)
I have a 2 year old daughter. One of my greatest desires is for her to know God. She can fail in all her dreams and aspirations, that’s fine with me. As long as she know the Lord. All those things are secondary.
I put my hope and trust and confidence in God’s sovereignty over her life.
Love believes all things
Believe = faith to see the best in – or think the best of – others, give the benefit of the doubt, presume innocent until proven guilty
Love endures all things
ὑπομένω hypomenō = remain; figuratively, to undergo,have fortitude, persevere.
In great pain, in great fear, in great tribulation, in disappointments, in financial struggles, in difficulties, in health problems. Love endures.
I
Love does not look at itself—it is absorbed in the object of its love.
Love manifests itself by loving persons in the concrete.
The Love of God, 77
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Love therefor is other person facing.
CCF’s description of love is:
“Love is an unconditional commitment towards imperfect people to seek their highest good, which often requires sacrifice, for the glory of God.”
III. LOVE IS EVERLASTING
1 Corinthians 13:8 (ESV)
Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
There is a debate among Christian scholars. There are the cessationists and the contiuationists. (Show chart)
Cessationists believe that the miraculous gifts have ceased during the Apostolic era because of the completion on the Bible.
Continuationists believe that they still continue in the Church age, which is us today.
They both believe that it will cease but the question is when. Is it going to be in 2nd coming of Jesus (a future event) when we are made perfect or has it ceased because of the completion of the Bible.
My professor in Theology told me that even my dream seminary Dallas Theological Seminary (where Steve Lawson and Charles Swindol graduated from) changed their approach on miracles. This is a conservative seminary, their statement of faith used to be tailored towards the ceasing of miracles, since the Bible is complete. UNTIL THEY SPOKE TO THE CHURCHES IN ASIA. They noticed that there are still instances where these things happen.... ahhh… then they changed their statement to “mircales still happen.” BUT I personally am very careful because many denominations abuse it. We have put our foot down and hold on tightly to our convictions of the primary things (Gospel message and Who God is) but in the secondary and tertiary matters, yes hold on to them but hold on to them loosely. We dont want to put God in a box and say God cannot do this and that anymore.
That’s why my friends in seminary call me a “caustious continuationist.” I believe it continues but I am conservative with the claims.
Now whether you are a cessationist or a continuationist or someone in the middle like me, but you have faith in Christ, guess what, we are still ending up in the same place.
Remember our chart ealier. There are gifts of the Holy Spirit and there are fruits of the Holy Spirit. The problem of the Corinthian Church is that they were focused on the gifts and the forgot the crucial part of ministry which is the fruits of the Spirit which deals with our character. What are gifts if our spiritual life is dead! What are gifts if we are not loving? What are gifts we dont show mercy? if we are not patient, if we are not kind? If we dont bear each others burdens? If we dont endure in love?
The Corinthians were spiritual babies, and, like babies, they were striving for the temporary and neglecting the permanent.
They wanted Spiritual gifts rather than the permanence of Chrisitan character.
My classmates call me a cautious continuationist. What does that mean? That means that I have a conservative approach.
The biggest contention among Christians however is the miraculous gifts.
- Do we still need it today even if the Bible is complete? This is where I have a very cautious approach.
My professor in Theology told me that even my dream seminary Dallas Theological Seminary (where Steve Lawson and Charles Swindol graduated from) changed their approach on miracles. This is a conservative seminary, their statement of faith used to be tailored towards the ceasing of miracles, since the Bible is complete. UNTIL THEY SPOKE TO THE CHURCHES IN ASIA. They noticed that there are still instances where these things happen.... ahhh… then they changed their statement to “mircales still happen.” BUT I personally am very careful because many denominations abuse it. We have put our foot down and hold on tightly to our convictions of the primary things (Gospel message and Who God is) but we in the secondary and tertiary matters, yes hold on to them but hold on to them loosely. We dont want to put God in a box and say God cannot do this and that anymore.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
Paul is using this analogy as an illustration of Christian maturity. My daughter loves playing with toys. She play with her tea set and I have to participate. She tell me “more tea” then after awhile “cookie?” then cake? After awhile its a completely different toy!
Children live for the temporary; adults live for the permanent.
Paul is reminding them to live for the eternal. Something that will last nad love is eternal. We have to be brought to maturity and remember this:
WE CAN BE ZEALOUS FOR THE GIFTS BUT CARELESS OF THE GRACES.
This is the call to maturity in Christ.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
These are the mirrors of Biblical times. It was polished bronze. These are not like our mirrors today where you see all the imperfections. These mirrors gave
Beatific Vision - This is a theological term showing that one day we will see God for who He is. We will see Him face to face. Our knowledge of God and the scriptures are incomplete for some are prophecies of the future. One day it will be realized. We will know God completely.
Revelation 22:4–5 (ESV)
They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
1 Corinthians 13:13 (ESV)
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Paul shows that these 3 permanent things compared to the things that will cease. Why is love the greatest, because one day our faith and hope will be realized.
Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
One day it will be realized. One day if we have placed our faith in Jesus, our faith and hope will no longer be not seen but seen.
That’s why the greatest of these is love because love is a continious eternal trait. When we see God face to face, we will still love Him but more complete and we will still love the church but more perfect.
As we end, let us make our lives count by focusing on this eternal trait of love.
One of the best acts of love that you can do to your friends, family and other loved ones is for you to share the Gospel. If you’re still shy to share, invite them here. We have Gospel sharers outside.
End with Gospel*
Let me end with this benediction:
1 Thessalonians 3:12–13 (ESV)
and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Let’s pray
