Love / Advent 2021

1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

The more excellent way.

1 Corinthians 12:31 ESV

31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

We learned that everyone is giving a spiritual gift.

(the purpose) for the common good.

“common good” - for the good of the entire body of Christ.

Chapter 12 is telling us that

EVERYONE of us is valuable to the body

EVERYONE of us is able to contribute to the body

So the question we all should be asking is...

How do I best contribute to the body of Christ?

Desire “higher gifts”

ones that greatly benefit the body.

Paul, “I will show you a still more excellent way.”

In our common pursuit of a healthy body of Christ, here are three things we MUST understand about love.

Love is essential to the exercise of our gift

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 ESV

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Speak in tongues of men and angels

Eloquence was greatly admired

Without love = “NOISY GONG”

Prophetic powers, knowledge, faith

Honored by everyone

Without love = “I AM NOTHING”

Give away all I have, sacrifice my own body

Living sacrifice - jewels in my crown

Without love = “I GAIN NOTHING”

There is a way to “USE” our spiritual gift that makes US feel better

But it fails to build up our brothers and sisters

And it fails to Honor God

Do you exercise your spiritual gifts with love?

We can understand this, maybe we’ve witnessed it.

Used to be my favorite Christian Artist

I won’t name the artist (maybe they were just having a really bad day)

Melissa and I went to a Christian concert (small venue)

Fairly popular artist

Just before the main artist comes on, lost all power

Audience took it in stride and cheered when he came on the stage to try and help.

He turns and snaps at us

Beware: “That’s not my spiritual gift” so they have an excuse.

we know better then this.

“…do it all for the glory of God”

Do it all out of love!!!!

Love is common to every attribute of Christ-likeness

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 ESV

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; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

This list of attributes have been compared to the Fruits of the Spirit

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness. Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Self-control

In our pursuit of spiritual growth (included a pursuit of Fruits of the Spirit)

We need to understand where these attribute come from.

Do you desire to be patient and kind

Love those who you are to be patient with.

Love those who you are to be kind to.

The point is that LOVE is very powerful

We have been called to live by some lofty standards.

We have no hope without love.

This understanding of love

Love isn’t this nebulous thing

LOVE REQUIRES AN OBJECT

What good is love it without an object

Love gains depth when the object is a PERSON.

This verse Pulls in those whom we have a hard time loving.

Have you ever know a couple where one of them is the most annoying person on the planet

By their partner (with hearts in their eyes)

Oblivious to what the whole room is thinking.

Love is Eternal

1 Corinthians 13:8 ESV

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

I sometimes thinks about my legacy.

Maybe it’s having grandkids maybe it’s my age???

I think about how my family will remember me

I think about how you all will remember me

In my personal life and in the church

Have I done all God has called me to do.

Have I made an impact on the lives of those I meet?

Paul makes it boldly clear...

all of our gifts, all of our efforts, all of our ministries... will one day cease.

Love alone will endure.

If you want to remembered

If you want to make a difference

love well

(Closing)

To this day, the most recognized verse in all of Scripture begins with the words...

“For God so loved the world, He gave his only son...”

We are celebrating Advent

A Remembrance of the anticipation of the birth of Christ.

The REASON Jesus came is because of God’s great love for you and I.

Do you want to enjoy a season of Christmas with the joy and hope that come from God

Do you want to have the kind of Hope that is eternal

Then you MUST include love in all those things.

A love that begins with you relationship with God (who loved you first)

And continues with your love for others.

Notice I didn’t say that is “CONCLUDES” with your love for others

Because as we have learned today, that love never ends.