The Preeminence of Love

The Preeminence of Love

Sunbury GMC 8/18/2021

Sunbury GMC 2/18/2024

Scripture: I Corinthians 13:1 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.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.[1]

Text: 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.[1]

In this sermon I will examine the great preeminence of Love for the Christian. I will attempt to show what the proof of love, what actions that love compels us to do, and what the rewards for this love are.

I. The Preeminence of Love

a. As we examine the great preeminence of love, let us first look at the passage I have taken as a theme. Of course, we are all quite familiar with this chapter of Scripture. It is certainly one of the most beautiful and poetic chapters in all of Scripture. So let us examine somewhat more closely the passage as it shows just how great love is.

It begins “Though I speak with the tongues men and of angels” Though I speak I with the greatest eloquence known to man and angels, though I speak with the languages of all mankind and angels it is nothing! With my words I could sway crowds and convince people to follow my works, and yet it is empty noise without love!

Though I have the gift of prophecy though I speak with divinely inspired messages, though I can relay messages from God I am nothing!

Though I understand all mysteries here referring to deep counsels of God previously unknown. Though I have divine knowledge that none can equal, though I understand all that is hidden from man I am nothing!

Though I have all knowledge Though I know all there is to be known by the senses and intellect, though I could know all that there is to know I am nothing!

For was not king Solomon the example of this? The wisest man, renowned for his understanding of mysteries and endless knowledge found them to be empty and nothing. “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” When he had tried all wisdom, he found it to be empty and worthless and we know that though he had the greatest knowledge he found that it had all profited him nothing, for he loved not God.

And have all Faith so that I could remove mountains and have not love, I am nothing! The greatest belief and trust in God is worth nothing without love! Faith has been placed in high regard, and it should be! This does not lessen the message of faith, but just think about how important, how high a position faith holds in our doctrines, in our teachings and in our lives. Yet faith is nothing compared to love.

Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor though I give up everything to help others, though I impoverish myself for the good of others without love it profiteth me nothing! Wait you say, are we not commanded to take care of the poor and the widows among us? Did you not yourself teach but a few months ago that we are a family, and that family takes care of each other? That family sees another’s need and does something about it! Yes, we are commanded to take care of each other. Yes, we are family, yes, we hold each other up in every way, but without love these are empty sacrifices! Without love this profiteth nothing!

Though I give my body to be burned though I die for the cause of Christ, though I am martyred for my stand, without love it profiteth nothing. Bodily death for Christ is a useless exercise unless there has first been a living sacrifice, a death to self. We cannot get around loving God simply by dying for Him.

The next few verses are of no less importance as they describe the character of Love, but as they do not relate to the present topic, I will not dwell on them.

Prophecies will fail, tounges will cease, and knowledge will be lost, but love never fails. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.[1] And love is the greatest for faith without love is not faith at all. Hope without love is empty for there is no hope without God. Yet pouring forth from love is true faith, true belief and trust always exists where love is present. True faith, which always motivate one to action and faithfulness, is never lacking when love is present. And hope too is found in love. For love of God gives birth to hope for God will impart hope to His children, and when things look dark hope remains when love is present, as long as love remains the spark of hope cannot die.

Love must hold the preeminence! Over every other thing love is greater. Ours is a doctrine of perfect love, and perfect love is the key to all in the Christians life and faith!

b. Just as this chapter in I Corinthians shows just how great love is, Jesus also taught the great preeminence of love. Matthew 22 records Jesus thoughts on the matter of Love. When asked what the greatest commandment was Jesus responded “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.[1] The preeminence of love is so great that Jesus said that ALL the law and prophets hang on love. If you love God you will fulfill all the law! Love invariable leads to complete faith, trust, and obedience. If you love you will fulfill all the law. Love is the completion of it all!

II. The Proof of Love

a. Some have accused us of never knowing if we are Christians for who can say if we love God properly? Who truly knows their heart? We are accused of having to wake up each morning and check our spiritual pulse! This argument is made by those who clearly have little concept either of what we believe and teach or what the Bible has to say on the matter! Faith and hope flow from love. If you have these, you can be sure of your love! But again, these are more subjective. Can we know if we have faith? Do we actually trust God? Has that spark of hope gone out? Can we tell? Can we read our own hearts with surety? Indeed, we cannot! Yet scripture gives us another proof! I John says And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.[1]

b. Obedience then is the proof of Love! All doubts can be assuaged in this proof! In our keeping of God’s commandments, we can be assured of our love to God, for who but he who has faith and hope and love would obey God through trial and storm and depression and confusion? None, none but those who love God obey Him. Sure, some who do not love God can appear to obey and some indeed who have not love, can obey for some time, but that obedience is limited and selfish and since it is not obedience of the heart, of the inward man it is therefore not obedience at all.

c. Unfortunately, in this world I must define my terms. What then do I mean by obedience? What is meant by keeping His commandments? I say it cannot be that obedience but that of the heart for God has “written his law upon our hearts and minds.” We are talking about heart obedience, about inward obedience from which outward obedience flows. God looks on the heart and it is a heart turned toward Him that he asks of us. Not only physical obedience but more importantly moral obedience to the law of love. Jesus came to fulfil the law, to establish the law. This law that we now live under then is a moral law. I do not have the time tonight to go too extensively into this topic, the discussion of the law that we now live under but let it suffice to say that disobedience to God has moral consequences, and only a moral action could have moral consequences, and with moral actions, and moral consequences how could it be any but a moral law?

d. Can you break the law morally without consent of your heart and mind? The absurdity of this notion is apparent! What then is the proof? What gives us confidence to know that we love God? Complete and willful obedience to the known law of God, understood to be such at the time, is the great proof of love to God.

e. Some would make love out to be that subjective side only. They would teach that only that emotional side of love is necessary. They say that if you think yourself to love God then you love God! I do not deny that there is also that side of love. That we most assuredly should and will FEEL as though we love God, we must believe that we love, and that it is not a dry, emotionless obedience that is the love of God. I cannot tell you how precious the love of God is on the emotional side of the equation; I cannot explain how wonderful it is to know that God loves me and that I love Him. But these wonderful feelings are fickle. They can be disturbed by many factors outside of our control. Our love for God cannot be taken from us without our choice. And I am not speaking of the nature of Love, but of the proof of love. Some would say the proof is only that you think, feel, or believe that you love God. Yet scripture says differently. John, at the end of his teachings on love for God says, “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” We know that it the righteous who inherit eternal life. This same phrase “let no man deceive you” is used only 3 times in scripture. 2 of them relate to this topic. The other relevant passage is in Ephesians 5. If you turn there you will see in the first few verses “walk in love” then a list of things that are wholly contrary to love, and then verse 6, “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” So, you see then that obedience is the evidence of love. Love that does not breed obedience is not love at all, nor is it possible that true obedience can flow from a heart that has not love.

III. The Action of Love

a. This love indeed is a love that is shown in action. Not just in the “negative sense” of doing no wrong, but in the “positive sense” of doing good. We are “saved unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” The early church set up committees within the church to take care of the fatherless and widows (with the caveat that only those who were widows indeed should be cared for) How often do we overuse that caveat? How often do we withhold our generosity because we feel that such and such person is not doing their part to dig themselves out of their hole. Jude gives advice in soul winning. Verses 22 and 23 say “And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”The Salvation army is perhaps the greatest example of saving through compassion. They operated under the idea that after they dealt with the physical needs of people they would be more open and receptive to the gospel. If people were starving, and freezing, and lacking shelter, and do not know where their next meal is coming from how receptive can they be to the need of their soul? Yes, the soul is infinitely more important than the body, for we are to fear the one who can destroy the soul and not those who threaten the body, yet too often in this world we lose focus on the important things and become focused on the unimportant. We can be God’s hands and feet by offering a cup of cold water in Jesus name. The Salvation Army had great effect by following the advice of Jude 22.

b. We find this idea again in Matthew 25 “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.[1]” Remember that when we do these acts of compassion we are not just doing them to the person before us, but we are performing them to God. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

c. Yet a greater service can we do our fellow man. I say this not to lessen our duty in performing works of mercy, but to say that we should do further! As Christians it is our duty to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. It is not only for those who are in full time ministry, but also no less is it the duty of every Christian. Some have been called to preach, some to lead, some to teach, some sing, some to serve, some to labor. Yet all who would claim the name of Christ have been called that by all possible means we might win some!

IV. The Rewards of Love

a. I move on to the rewards of love. We have been given earthly rewards because of this love. While sometimes these are far from our eyes and minds all Christians are aware of this. How often do we see others and realize that “There but for the grace of God go I.” God designed us, and He certainly has the best in store for us. We fit into the plan God designed us for. If we follow God we will be in that plan, and we only must step away from God’s plan to realize just how perfect His plan is and how foolish we are. Just because we follow God does not mean we avoid pain and heartache and suffering, but it does mean 2 things. First we are told that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose. Not that all things are good as some have taken this, but rather that God is working in all things and that in the bad, if we allow God to work good can come. Secondly in the pain and suffering we have a great comforter walking with us and guiding us. I am glad for the friendship of so great a savior, and I am so glad for the leadership of the One who designed me for a purpose and guides me into that purpose.

b. Of course, there are eternal rewards as well. I can only mention these, for who can tell of the glory of heaven, or the horror of the judgement we escape! No man can tell, no mind can imagine, so tonight I will not even begin to try. Just know that we are to be blessed beyond imagination.

As I close tonight, I want to remind you just how high a position love holds in the life of a Christian. Love is greater than all speeches, wisdom, knowledge, gifts, and even surpasses faith and hope. Love holds the preeminence in the scriptural message. Love is the fulfilment of the law. In the end, since we know that God loves us the only thing that matter is Do you love God. I have tried to show various aspects of the meaning of that love, but understanding of love, or of Christianity, or of theology, or of doctrine, nor even understanding of practice is necessary. So I remind you tonight that in all the important aspects of Christian life and Christlikeness one thing remains necessary as the divine requirement whereby we fulfill that which is asked of us. That one thing above all else is love.