What is Love? (1 Corinthians 13)

Intro: What is love?

Over 100 million love songs

Song - What is love? by Haddaway

“..love

Confusion about love

Flesh - Lust

World/Enemy - Acceptance

I. The Importance of Love (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

1 Corinthians 13:1–3

1 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.

2 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.

3 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.

I. Intro

Transition from chapter 12

Context

Audience - church of Corinth

Had all of the gifts

Showy gifts sought after

Gifts with visibility —> Speaking in tongues, prophecy

Without love —> jealousy/envy, anger, division

Written - how to treat each other within the church body

1-3 Layout

Hypothetical extreme —> Without love —> No value

1 Corinthians 13:1

1 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.

NLT —> 1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

Speech —> without love —> meaningless words

1 Corinthians 13:2

2 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.

Prophecy - A message from God —>

1 Corinthians 14:2–5

2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.

3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.

4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.

Gifts from the Holy Spirit (no matter how great) —> without love —> nothing

Knowledge —> without love —> nothing

Faith —> without love —> nothing

1 Corinthians 13:3

3 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.

Giving

2 examples

Giving material

Giving own body - ultimate sacrifice

Why would someone give?

Self-glory? Works?

Giving —> without love —> gain nothing

I. Closing

What does nothing mean? —> What is of true value?

Flesh vs the Spirit

Flesh - Self —> lift myself up

The Spirit - Others —> betterment of others, setting myself aside —> edification

Position of your heart

Self glory vs God’s glory

In contrast

With love —> it doesn’t matter what you have —> there is always value —> edification

Application - We must do all things with love —> but what does that mean?

Importance of love —> then.. What is love?

II. What love is (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

1 Corinthians 13:4–7

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

II. Intro

Love is not a feeling —> Love is a verb —> Love is only shown through action

Envy

You want what others have

Boasting

Purpose —> make you feel superior —> others feel inferior

Makes others want what you have

Related to Envy - you want others have