Possessing the qualities of love

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Love will keep us together!

All the world needs now love, love that is sustainable, love that is obtainable, love that is eternal in nature. When we hold the bible in our hands we hold love in our hands. God’s instructions for love, His love for us, our love for Him and our love for one another.
Captain and Tennille say “Love will keep us together”
Speaking of a man and a woman’s love; which is good but pale in comparison of a Fathers love for His children, speaking of God’s love for His children.
Jackie DeShannon says “what the world needs now is love sweet love”
speaking of peace because of love for one another, where as the peace, true peace needed is from God and works through the people of God to others.
Maranatha music says “Love one another for love is of God”
Ah a song in our song book, and we sing it from time to time for it comes from scripture (Jn13:34-35) “34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””
I think we can all agree that love is the major subject of the bible, but we need to have the right definition, description and deployment of love for it to accomplish its true intentions.
This series is focusing on passages to ponder and we have looked at
Kingdom beatitudes (Mt5:3-12)
Supreme blessedness because we can know
we are poor in spirit
we mourn
we are meek
we hunger and thirst for righteousness
we have received mercy so we give mercy
we are pure in heart since our heart has been purified by God
We are peacemakers because of the peace of God that is given to us making peace with God and in turning making peace with others
Willing to suffer persecution for righteousness sake. To know we are in good company when we willing accept the reviling or persecution that may come for being a Christian.
Don’t have a defiled heart (Mk7:21-23)
True defilement does not come from outside, it comes from inside and then is displayed on the outside by our words and deeds.
So be careful what is on the inside.
Today we are going to look at love using (1Cor13:1-13) as our text
In the midst of speaking, teaching on spiritual gifts (1Cor12, 14) Paul brings in love, describing what love is and the necessity of it.
(Transition) There was a problem in Corinth and it had to do with the spiritual gifts and elevating some over others. Things not being done in and with love. So, I think that is where we need to start this morning is context

Context

As mentioned a moment ago, this section comes in the middle of Paul addressing an issue regarding spiritual gifts.
Description of Spiritual gifts (1Cor12:1-31)
Description of the Spiritual gifts (1Cor12:1-31)
might I suggest that on your own that you read 1Cor12-14 in its entirety. I will only survey and give a few of the verses as we go today from there.
All from the same Spirit (1Cor12:1-11)
Paul did not want them to be ignorant (v.1)
Now jump down a few verses
1 Corinthians 12:4–6 NASB95
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.
All benefit the body (1Cor12:12-31)
The body is one with many members (v.12)
Baptized into one body (v.13)
An illustration of the many parts (vv.14-24)
The body should care for the body and there be no division
1 Corinthians 12:25–26 NASB95
25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
(Transition) Paul stresses the importance of all spiritual gifts, they all have value for the body.
Limitation of Spiritual Gifts (1Cor13:1-3, 8:13)
Now that we are to the “love chapter” let’s look and glean a little at a time
1 Corinthians 13:1–2 NASB95
1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:3 NASB95
3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Limited for without love they are meaningless, are of no profit to the body
1 Corinthians 13:8–9 NASB95
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part;
1 Corinthians 13:10–11 NASB95
10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
1 Corinthians 13:12–13 NASB95
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
They will eventually cease
(Transition) Paul illustrated the need for more than spiritual gifts.
The exercise of spiritual gifts (1Cor14:1-40)
I think it would only be fair to keep in context and back up a verse, then will survey some of the rest of it.
1 Corinthians 13:13–14:1 NASB95
13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
The purpose of the gifts is to edify the body (1Cor14:1-26)
look at (v.3)
1 Corinthians 14:3 NASB95
3 But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.
Now look down to (v.12)
1 Corinthians 14:12 NASB95
12 So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.
One more, look at (v.26)
1 Corinthians 14:26 NASB95
26 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
Done in a decent and orderly manner (1Cor14:27-40)
Each to speak in turn according to (v.27, 29)
Limited people (v.27, 29)
God is not the God of confusion
1 Corinthians 14:33 NASB95
33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
(transition) God has given spiritual gifts that are to be used for the edification of the body. These spiritual gifts are to be done in and with love. And now may we turn to that. For it is the meat in the middle of the Spiritual gifts chapter 12, 14!

The meaning

We have read the chapter, and having done that we know that love is necessary when it comes to deploying spiritual gifts, so lets delve into that a little more and also the qualities of love displayed.
The necessity of love
Necessary in the exercise of spiritual gifts (1Cor13:1-2)
1 Corinthians 13:1–2 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.
Love must be coupled with the knowledge and with faith for it to be effective.
Necessary in the exercise of great sacrifice (1Cor13:3)
1 Corinthians 13:3 NLT
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.
Even if I do good deeds, give to the poor, without the love for others it gains nothing, and we want to do things with the right heart and that is a heart of love, so love in a necessity when deploying good works, good godly sacrifices like this.
The qualities of love (1Cor13:4-8)
1 Corinthians 13:4–5 NKJV
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
1 Corinthians 13:6–7 NKJV
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:8 NKJV
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
(insert qualities of love PowerPoint here)
Love suffers long (v.4, 2Pt3:9; Ps103:8) - this means willing to endure the slights and wrongs patiently and long.
2 Peter 3:9 NKJV
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Maybe consider
Psalm 103:8 NASB95
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
(Insert the qualities of love PowerPoint again here)
Love is kind (v.4) -obliging, willing, helpful (CBD)
Love does not envy (or is jealous) (v.4) - it is not jealous of what others have or have become (Pulpit commentary)
Love does not parade itself (v.4) - it does not brag or boast on one’s self in abilities or in possessions
Love is not puffed up (v.4) - it is not swelled with pride and elated with a van conceit of himself (Gill)
Love does not behave rudely (v.5; 1Pt3:8) - it does not behave ugly, indecent, unseemly or unbecoming (CWSD)
1Pt3:8 “8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;” - it is harmonious, courteous, sympathetic.
Love does not seek its own (v.5) - it does not seek its own happiness at the cost of others.
You may note down and consider these verses
1cor10:24 “24 Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.”
1cor10:33 “33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.”
Love is not provoked (v.5) - does not fly into a rage, but keeps the temper under control (B.W. Johnson)
Love thinks no evil (v.5) -it is not malicious, censorious, disposed to find fault, or to impute improper motives to others (Barnes)
Love does not rejoice in iniquity (v.6) - - It does not take pleasure in someone else’s sins or guilt.
Love rejoices in the truth! (v.6; 2Jn4; 3Jn3-4) - With the truth, truth personified in the words and actions.
Consider
2jn4 “4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father.”
or 3Jn3-4 “3 For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”
Love bears all things (v.7; 1Cor9:12) - literally meaning it “covers, protects” in regards to the sins, failings of others, there is a willingness to bear with them patiently (Barnes)
Consider - 1Cor9:12 “12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.” - so be willing to endure, to suffer, so not to hinder the gospel, the love of Christ that has been poured out.
Love believes all things (v.7) - in short from it is to believe the best in others (ibid)
That thing things done are done in consistently with friendship, good feelings and virtue. and will not look otherwise except on irrefragable evidence.
Love hopes all things (v.7) - has confident expectation of the good to come, and that all things will turn out well.
Even when the appearance may not seem that now. This hope extends to all things, in words and in actions and plans.
Love endures all things (v.7) - bears up under, sustains, and does not complain.
So, it bears up under all persecutions at the hand of man; all efforts to injure the person, property or reputation. (ibid)
(Transition) I think that we can see that love is best defined by what it does or does not do.
The permanency of love
It never fails (v.8)
Where spiritual gifts will fade away (vv.8-12); love will never fail or fade away
Due to time let me just highlite some
1Cor13:8-9 “8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part;”
1cor13:10-11 “10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.”
Love that never fails, is of great eternal value, the spiritual gifts were given for purpose and a time to prove and confirm the word. Once the word was complete, totally revealed, the need for the special spiritual gifts ceased to be needed.
Bear with me a little bit, the gifts were to confirm the word, let me show you
Mark 16:19–20 NASB95
19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed. And they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his companions. And after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.
and you can note down Heb2:3-4 “3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.”
See the word was given once and for all
Jude 3 NASB95
3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.
Love abides (v.13) - along with faith and hope that one day will be fulfilled, love will still abide!
1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
(Transition) you can see the supremacy of love over the spiritual gifts. Even supremacy over faith and hope, but now what are we do do with the qualities of love we are to posses? Glad you asked.

The Application

Desire love
Without love we have little value
Without love knowledge will avail nothing
Without love our services done, are not pleasing to God.
So, make it your hearts desire to line up with God’s and desire love! For He demonstrated it and poured it out for us to have it, embrace it and deploy it.
Develop love (1The4:9-10; 1Jn4:9-11; 1Jn3:16)
Let God teach us (consider 1The4:9-10)
Let God’s word teach us what it means to love, exampled by sending Jesus (consider 1Jn4:9-11)
Let God word teach of what it means to love through Jesus (consider 1Jn3:16)
Demonstrate love
it is how the world will know we are truly Christ’s disciples (consider Jn13:34-35)
It is how we demonstrate there is a God, and that God has love for man (consider Jn17:20-23)
(insert invitation slide;love of God poured out)
Invitation (Song) (prayer) (Exit)
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