Quinquagesima(2026)

1 Cor 13:1-13

Well my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, with Valentine’s Day being yesterday, and having a passage on love this morning how could we let it slip by and say little to nothing about love when we have such a beautiful passage as this to accompany the day. It is good to know about Love, for the Scriptures tell us that God is Love, it’s part of His being, and yet when the world hears that they wonder, then how can he be so harsh at times? How does this fit with our idea of love in this world? Well that’s because the world attempts to redefine Love then assumes that God must fit their definition. That’s putting the cart before the horse, and we would do better to first understand Love according to what God has said and revealed and by who God is.

The Greatness of Love

Love isn’t as mighty as worldly things.

This is why the Christian definition of Love is pursued, but the world doesn’t want to chase after it. We want to be loved certainly, but to love someone as the Scriptures define it, is another matter entirely. That’s what was going on in the church in Corinth. They wanted what they considered the greater gifts, but when it came to genuine love, they weren’t interested, and wanted what they were after.

Without Love, we’re nothing.

This is rather shocking to hear, but the scriptures don’t shy away from this truth. This has to do with the fact that our creator is love, and that we as his creation are to have love for one another, and so if you lack love, then what type of creation are you? You are nothing. So if we are to be soemthing, then

We have to know what Love is.

What it’s shape is, and how our creator defines it, and from there we can begin to understand what God has called us to be in this world. What shape our lives are to take in order that we might love others as we have been loved, instead of falling to sin, and shame.

What is Love?

Patient and Kind: It is not quick to wrath, but waits for the weak

Hotheaded and arrogant people can do nothing but judge and condemn others while insisting that they are always in the right. Whereas Love waits for the unrighteous and the weak to catch up and is friendly to all and seeks to forgive them for love desires peace and reconciliation.

Doesn’t Envy or Boast: It is not jealous of others riches or gifts.

To see what our neighbor has and begrudge them their riches, their food, their cars, instead of giving thanks that God has blessed them. Nor does it then go on boasting about all that they have as though they are the ones that earned it, when in fact it is a gift that God gives.

Not Arrogant or Rude: Yields to no one, and demands that everyone obey.

When people do not listen to them or give them what they want, they rage, and pout acting like children instead of reasonable adults. They assume that everyone has to do exactly what they say, when they want them too, because what they were doing isn’t as important, as what they are to do not.

Is not self-serving: looks to benefit others.

Love looks outward towards the neighbor, the whole idea of love yourself first is selfish instead of looking to benefit your neighbor. Love is to seek the good of our neighbor and to help them overcome and get through the hardships of life.

Not Irritable nor Counting Wrongs: The Loveless can tolerate nothing.

If they were wronged by any, they do not forget it, but they plant that hatred in their heart and tend to that plant for years. In turn they worry about how people regard them, because they know how they regard others and think of others, and they assume that everyone else is keeping score as well.

Doesn’t Rejoice in Wrong-doing: Either in personal sins or the failings of others.

This is something that the world does. It celebrates sins, be it sins of the flesh, sins of the heart, or sins of the lips, and instead of offering correction, encourages it. This is where the world believes Christians are too harsh, and would instead tell us live and let live, join in and celebrate sin, when instead we are called to speak the truth, not because we hate them, but they might turn from their evil.

Rejoices in Truth: delighting when a person does what is right.

Love rejoices when a person does what is right, even if it means that we suffer loss. When the truth is spoken even if that truth is spoken to us, we must learn to say, even though I don’t enjoy it, I’m glad there is someone who stays the course, when I stray.

Bears All Things: This means every weakness, failing, and imperfection in our neighbor.

It is compassionate and regards everyone as good no matter how weak or foolish they might be. This is once again hard and where the world would have us forsake someone for their failings, saying they aren’t worth it, don’t waste your time, but enduring and suffering on account of your neighbor.

Believes All Things: It expects no evil from a neighbor.

It looks for the good in every one instead of anticipating evil from their hearts and assuming the worst. Yes this means it makes mistakes especially when people do commit evil, but it bears this knowing that God himself is love, and that if our neighbor wrongs us God will sustain us.

Hopes All Things: No matter how evil, we hope for the best.

Love does not give up on your neighbor, even when they fall into evil it continues to hope for something better out of them. It urges and pushes them, and pulls them to the truth as best we can for their sake.

Endures All Things: No loss is too great.

For we have a rich God who is able to provide for our every need. The loveless, cannot bear any loss and if their word is not true, they hate them all the more. We know for all the failings of men, God himself will restore what has been lost or suffered for He is a good and gracious father that cares for His children.

Never Ends: The world, and false saints grow weary by ingratitude.

True love does not give up, it continues to grow daily in the heart for their fellow man, much as the love of a parent is for their child even when they fall away. For it longs to see them fully restored to God’s grace, and to have the joy of salvation.

Where is this Love Found?

This is what God expects of all people.

His Law is Love, and this is what Love looks like, and it is something that none of us have been able to achieve. For while we might be strong in one area, or another, God doesn’t expect us to love in one of these ways, but in all of them. When we look at them all, we cannot deny that the world would be a better place if this was the definition of love that the world used. For this love isn’t limited to just the people we like or those who agree with us on politics, religion, share our occupation, our communities. This is the love that God expects all people to have towards all people. The sinner inside of us says, thats too much, and so we find ways to excuse our lovelessness, and find others who agree with us, that love for that person, or those people surely that can’t be what God meant and for that we all need to repent. Now,

This true Love is found only in Jesus.

Jesus is the only one who loved God with all his heart, and loved His neighbor perfectly. He was able to correct the Pharisees on the one hand, and rebuke them, but He did so that they might repent, that’s love! When He touched the Leper to heal the man of his affliction that too was love that motivated him. This love that He demonstrated towards all people is the same love that Jesus has for you, and

It’s why Jesus saved you.

We try to hide our hearts from our dear friends, our family, and others they would see the imperfections, the flaws and the failings that plague us, for fear if they really knew us would they want to be near us, but Christ knows our hearts, and in spite of them has shown us great love. For

God’s Love Endures

The world’s love fades.

When we are no longer useful to them be it doing favors for them, being competent, or perhaps we lose our job, money, house or home. We get sick or life changes in other ways so we no longer share their same interests, or even just when we move away. But that’s not God’s love for us through Jesus Christ, it endures, for God cannot you whom He has called His child, and while He does permit us to leave to walk into sin and death, all of heaven rejoices when one who is lost has been found.

God has poured this love into our hearts.

God does this by His Word, and by the Sacraments that we might be strengthened and resist sin and that this love may then flow not only towards Him, but that it might be directed out towards our neighbors as well. For Jesus tells them, they shall know you are my disciples if you have love for another one another. That’s why we are here.

We come here to be filled.

God’s love isn’t found naturally in our hearts, it isn’t found in the world, it isn’t found even in our family, it isn’t feeling. God gives this love to us by His Word, and it is by His Word alone. Let no one deceive you that you can have the Love of God in your heart, if you are not where God gives it. This is why the Lord gave the commandment, to honor the sabbath day, that we may set aside a day to receive the treasures of heaven. For why would you not want this love poured into your heart, that you might freely share it not only with the household of faith, but with the world as Christ shared it with us.

My Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the Love that God has for us is a beautiful, and it is the greatest treasure in the world when we see all the problems and pains that afflict us. Many have wondered does God care? Does He hate us? Is disappointed in all the failures I see in myself not to mention the ones that He sees in me? Then we look there to the cross, and we see His love for us. That the Son of God saw us in our desperate hour, and because of the Love in His heart was willing to be forsaken and endure the wrath of God, the fires of death and hell, that Jesus might secure for you Love that never ends, and for that we rejoice and give thanks. In Jesus name. Amen.