Following The Pathway Of Real Love

Text:

ETS: The Apostle Paul discusses the need for real love in the believer’s life.

ESS: Walking in the pathway of real love is an absolute necessity for each and every believer in Jesus Christ.

OSS: Believers will repent of not walking in the pathway of real love.

PQ: What must I do in order to walk in the pathway of real love?

UW: steps

TITLE: "Following The Pathway Of Real Love"

INTRODUCTION:

LOVE (VS. 1-3).

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 NLT

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. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

A. Without love, talk becomes empty (VS. 1).

A. Without love, talk becomes empty ().

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.”

(SBLGNT) Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον.

1. What kind of talk?

Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον. 1. What kind of talk?

1. What kind of talk?

a. Worldly talk (Men)

b. Heavenly talk (Angels)

2. The analogy:

a. “Sounding brass”= hcew calkov = brass, money

a. “Sounding brass”= χαλκὸς ἠχῶν= echoing brass (like a gong)

b. “Clanging cymbal” = alalzw kumbalon = a cymbal, (a hollow basin of brass, producing when struck together a musical sound)

b. “Clanging cymbal” = κυμβαλον ἀλαλαζον = a cymbal, (a hollow basin of brass, producing when struck together a musical sound)

κυμβαλον ἀλαλαζον = a cymbal, (a hollow basin of brass, producing when struck together a musical sound)

B. Without love, life becomes worthless (VS. 2).

B. Without love, life becomes worthless ().

” 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, but have not love, I am nothing.”

(SBLGNT) “καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω προφητείαν καὶ εἰδῶ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν, καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω πᾶσαν τὴν πίστιν ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστάναι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐθέν εἰμι.”

1. Great ability or giftedness does not produce a worthwhile life.

2 καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω προφητείαν καὶ εἰδῶ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν, καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω πᾶσαν τὴν πίστιν ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστάναι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐθέν εἰμι.

1. Great ability or giftedness does not produce a worthwhile life.

a. Note the giftedness discussed:

1) Prophecy: the ability to communicate the message of God.

2) Understanding of great mysteries

3) Great knowledge (knowing all things)

“Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.” ()

()

1 Corinthians 8:1 NLT

Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.

4) Ultimate faith

b. Note the verdict:

1) “ouyen eimi”= “I am nothing”

1) “οὐθέν εἰμι.”= “I am (already) nothing”

C. Without love, good works avail nothing (VS. 3).

C. Without love, good works avail nothing

“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”

καὶ ἐὰν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ ἐὰν παραδῶ τὸ σῶμά μου, ἵνα καυθήσομαι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι.

(). καὶ ἐὰν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ ἐὰν παραδῶ τὸ σῶμά μου, ἵνα καυθήσομαι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι.

1. Self-sacrifice, by itself accomplishes nothing.

a. Notice the self sacrificial acts discussed:

1) Expending all possessions to feed the poor.

2) Sacrifice of own life for religion

II. I MUST REMEMBER THE CHARACTERISTICS OF REAL LOVE

(VS. 4-8). ” Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never fails…And now abide faith, hope, love…”

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 NLT

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!

A. I must seek to live out the seven positive characteristics of real love.

of real love.

1. PATIENT

2. KIND

3. DEFENDS

4. BELIEVES AND COMMITS

5. TRUSTS

6. PERSEVERES

7. ENDURES

B. I must seek to avoid the eight negative characteristics of

B. I must seek to avoid the eight negative characteristics of real love.

real love.

1. NOT ENVIOUS

2. NOT SELF-CENTERED

3. NOT CONCEITED

4. NOT RUDE

5. NOT SELFISH

6. NOT QUICK TEMPERED

7. NOT SUSPICIOUS

8. DOES NOT GIVE AFFIRMATION TO EVIL

III. I MUST SEEK TO GROW TOWARD MATURITY IN THE PRACTICE OF TRUE LOVE (VS. 9-13)(FOCUS ON VS. 11).

1 Corinthians 13:9–13 NLT

9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 10 But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless. 11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

(FOCUS ON ).

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

1 Corinthians 13:9–13 NLT

9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 10 But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless. 11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:9–13 NLT

9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 10 But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless. 11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

A. If I am to have a maturing love, I must recognize the problems of emotional and spiritual immaturity.

ὅτε ἤμην νήπιος, ἐλάλουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐφρόνουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐλογιζόμην ὡς νήπιος· ὅτε γέγονα ἀνήρ, κατήργηκα τὰ τοῦ νηπίου. A. If I am to have a maturing love, I must recognize the problems of emotional and spiritual immaturity.

1. Speaking like a child.

1. Speaking (ἐλαλουν) like a child( νηπιος)

ἐλαλουν) like a child.

νηπιος

a. How does a child speak?

1) He says whatever comes to mind.

2) He is the center of his conversations.

2. Thinking (fronew = to feel, to think) like a child.

2. Thinking ( ἐφρόνουν = to feel, to think) like a child.

ἐφρόνουν = to feel, to think) like a child.

a. What does a child think about?

1) What he wants.

2) How to get what he wants.

3. Reasoning (logizomai = to reckon or account) like a child.

3. Reasoning (ἐλογιζόμην) = to reckon or account, to reason) like a child.

ἐλογιζόμην) = to reckon or account) like a child.

a. How does a child reason things out?

1) Simple Cause-Effect Reasoning:

a) If I cry loud enough I will get what I want.

2) Simple feelings-Based Morality:

a) If it makes me feel good- It is good; If it does not, it is not.

3) Simple Selfish Desire Fulfillment:

a) I will only play with you if you do what I want.

B. If I am to have a maturing love, I must repent of following the path of immaturity.

1. Accept the fact that I am no longer to behave in childish ways.

a. Behaving in childishly has devastating consequences:

1) It destroys relationships.

2) It disrupts spiritual effectiveness.

2. Turn away from childishness and behave in a mature

2. Turn away from childishness and behave in a mature fashion.

fashion.

“Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.” ().

().

1 Corinthians 14:20 NLT

20 Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as

()

to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2I fed you with milk and not with

1 Corinthians 3:1–2 NLT

1 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready,

solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able” ()

CONCLUSION:

Following The Pathway Of Real Love

I. I MUST RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF WALKING IN TRUE LOVE ().

II. I MUST REMEMBER THE CHARACTERISTICS OF REAL LOVE ().

A. I must seek to live out the seven positive characteristics

III. I MUST SEEK TO GROW TOWARD MATURITY IN THE PRACTICE OF TRUE LOVE ()