Sermon Tone Analysis

1Co. 12:31-13:3                        The Excellent Way of Love                                           9~/28~/97

Series 23.20                                                                                                                       ABCC

I.     Review                                                                                                                             591

q      Believers in the church at Corinth were attempting live & minister together with jealousy, strife, arrogance & self-pity – feelings of superiority & inferiority

q      Many believers in the church at Corinth in their zeal, immaturity & arrogance had exalted & perverted the gift of speaking in tongues – God’s gift used in the wrong way~/behavior!

q      Paul summarizes WHAT we are to do regarding spiritual gifts (v.

31a)

q      “Earnestly desire…” – to burn with zeal, strive after & exert yourself

q      greater gifts = those that edify the body of Christ or church (14:12) = DON’T BE SELF-CENTERED!

 

II.

HOW Are We To Use Our Spiritual Gifts

A.      The most gifted Christian still needs to be taught (v.

31b)  – “And I show you” [ex.

= Apollos]

B.      The way that we use our gifts is very significant (v.

31b) – “a still more excellent way”

-         Anything less than the excellent way will make us ineffective (obvious within the Corinthian church)

-         Anything less than the excellent way is a SINFUL way

C.     The effect of using spiritual gifts the wrong way or without love (13:1-3)

Remember that Paul is still defining what it means “to be spiritual” or “what is the spiritual life”.

1.

You will eventually irritate & annoy those who hear you (v. 1)

People are initially impressed with spectacular religious displays of what appears to be spiritual, but when they eventually see that you have self-serving purposes it will irritate them.

2.      You are of no value to God in your present condition & ministry (v. 2) = Balaam (Num.

22-24; Jude 11)

 

The Excellent Way of Love, pg.

2

 

3.

Your sacrificial deeds do not profit you in eternity (v. 3)

You receive all your reward now = praise of men (Mt.

6:1)

Paul is emphasizing the emptiness, nothingness, profitlessness of religious deeds without love!

Every believer should demonstrate biblical love in using his~/her spiritual gifts – the glory of God & the edifying of the church is the goal; self-interest & praise of people should never be the goal.

The evidence of being truly led by the Spirit is not spiritual gifts alone, but also spiritual fruit – Love, joy, peace, patience, etc..  The Holy Spirit has a specific WAY in which He functions in the church – LOVE!

A church where the Holy Spirit is active & where believers are truly spiritual is a church that demonstrates biblical love – “By this will all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (Jn.

13:35).

Love, just like spiritual gifts, is not something that man can create; it given to us by God – “the fruit of the Spirit is love…”; “and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was give to us” (Rom.

5:5).

Love is God’s WAY - Jn. 3:16; Rom.

5:8; “Those whom the Lord loves, He disciplines…”.

Love is to be our WAY - “And you shall love the Lord your God with all…”; “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments”; “knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies” (1Co.

8:1); “Let all that you do be done in love” (1Co.

16:14); “For the love of Christ controls us” (2Co.

5:14); “through love serve one another” (Gal.

5:13).

We are told to pursue love, put on love, increase & abound in love, to be fervent in love and to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.

If you are a Christian, you already possess love and the ability to love – practice it more fervently.

If not, come to Christ…