Love Is . . . Pt. 2 (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)
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Love is. . .
Love is. . .
Introduction:
Has anyone ever accused you of not loving them? As a BelieverI charge that this should never be our testimony, because love should be demonstrated in the life of the believer.
Today we continue observing what Paul writes to this church in Corinth regarding the manifestations of love. Paul is making the point that everything the believer does is saturated, motivated and even articulated with love. Paul’s teaching parallels that of Jesus. Jesus teaches in
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
DT: In the believer love is manifested through our daily activities with one another.
AIM: We will exhibit love toward our fellow man
Transition: Our text today offers us some deeper understanding of how love operates or as I would like to suggest COMPELS us to live with each other.
Love Compels Us Value Others (v. 4a)
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
Remember, Paul is writing this in the context of teaching church people how to get along, work together and operate in their gifts.
So Paul proves that two methods that love manifest value of other people are: Patience and Kindness
Define Patience - to bear up under provocation without complaint , It means to endure and be lenient toward those whom may cause frustration or pain.
Paul’s challenge for the church he writes is to continue to allow love to manifest . Love is patient means it does not give up quickly. Love does not allow the Christian to quickly retaliate.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
but love covers all offenses.
14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.
Define Kind - to be courteous, it also means to display mercy.
The Christian cannot be harsh and brash towards others. Love manifests itself through the believer as kindness. Even why people are mean and cruel to us we are still obligated to exhibit love.
Illustration:
1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Love, Example Of
Once on a railway train an elderly man accidentally broke a minor regulation and was unmercifully bawled out by a young train employee. Later a fellow passenger nudged the old gentleman and suggested he give the employee a piece of his mind. But the old man just smiled. “Oh,” he said, “if a man like that can stand himself for all of his life, I surely can stand him for five minutes.
Application: Patient people value other people. We don’t give up on them. We do not throw in the towel and turn our backs. But reverend, what about when they get on my nerves? Well, when love manifests in you it will compel you to endure. It will cause you to be lenient.
The level of kindness you show toward other people will display the level of value you have for others. Do not claim tho be a Christian and you are mean and spiteful. How do you talk to people? How do you respond when people do not meet your expectations?
Transition: Here is something else we learn from this text . . .
Love Compels Us to Celebrate Others (v. 4b-5)
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
Love does not manifest itself with selfish and prideful motivations. Love does not allow the Christian make things about himself. Paul addresses this as he describes further characteristics of love.
Define Envy - to have intense negative feelings over another’s achievements or success, be filled w. jealousy
Define Boast - to heap praise on oneself
Define Arrogance - to cause to have an exaggerated self-conception, puff up, make proud
These things cannot be the makeup of the Christian. There seem to have been some forms of competitiveness in this church in Corinth. Because Paul is laboring to explain to them how significant love is.
Paul argues that love does not manifest itself negatively. What love does is good for the body of Christ.
Illustration:
Application: You will see people, meet people and work with people who master their crafts, achieve great thing and who just do well. I encourage you not to be envious and jealous of their accomplishments. Celebrate them genuinely. Note I did not say glory them or place them above God. But I am saying appreciate the work God does through them.
Love Compels Us to Do What Is Right (v.6)
We do not approve sin.
We do not celebrate sin.
We do not condone sin.
Conclusion:
What is love?
It’s silence when your words would hurt.
It’s patience when your neighbor’s curt.
It’s deafness when the scandal flows.
It’s thoughtfulness for another’s woes.
It’s promptness when stern duty calls.
It’s courage when misfortune falls