Mature Love

Love alone is what counts.

Love alone counts (vv. 1-3, 4-7)

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 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. 2 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. 3 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.

What is better than love?

Why does Paul mention speaking in language of angels, gift of prophecy, or the ability to understand God’s secret plans and knowledge and mountain moving faith?

What matters more giving to the poor, boasting about sacrifices or loving others?

Love is genuine and you know it when you see it.Love makes the difference.A lot of people can do nice things but the one who does it with love you remember. Done with a smile and gentler touch.Not done with scoff and grumbling.Love is what will count and that will not loose value. A Dollar’s value us based on the value of Gold. Gold’s value is determined by many factors in the market and stock exchange. Love’s value is stable and constant set by God our Father showing how much love counts in his Son. Jesus showed us no ordinary Love. Love is (Read verses4-7)

Read through 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and list what love is?

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NLT

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Love is:

Patient

Kind

not jealous

not boastful

not proud

not rude

not demanding for own way

not irritable

not keeping records of being wronged

does not rejoice about injustice

rejoicing whenever truth wins out

Love never

gives up

loses faith

Love is aways:

hopeful

endures through every circumstance

Love alone Completes us. (8-11)

Love makes us whole. It completes us it is the finishing touch. Love is the missing piece that makes everything perfect. Dads may not be rich by world standards but when a Dad can show his love to his children and see’s that love come back that is the richest man in the world.

1 Corinthians 13:8–11 NLT

8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! 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.

These things end because they are incomplete.

What does v.9 tell us we know in part?

We know only in part Therefore we prophesy in partWe only know half and not all.God in his divine time will bring the completion.Prophecies, tongues, knowledge will endThese are limited and for earthly purposesLove is eternal and is beyond the limits of earthly knowledge.V. 10 - When the perfect comesWe will be changed when the perfect comes.When the perfect comes the partial will go away.V. 11 Just as a child knows in part but should growLove should grow in you and matureThings that are childish, immature should be put away.

Mature Love

1 Corinthians 13:10–11 NLT

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.

What are the growing pains of Love?

What is perfection?

What are the things I need to put away to better show love?

What do I love more than God?

Who do I love more than God?

God’s love for you is perfect love. How has this love changed your life?

How now will you live?