Last week I gave some history of the writer Paul and his letter to the Corinthian church. His main theme was ‘The Purification of the Church’ due to the church’s current behavior and influences.
Today we are looking at ‘What does love look like?’ We will be looking at 1 Corinthians 13 to see what Paul tells us.
We start with the idea that if we have accepted Christ as our Savior, then we are all part of the body of Christ and still unique individuals with an important part in the health of that body.
1 Cor.12:27-31 NIV
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
Halley’s Bible Handbook states: ‘The premier teaching of Christianity is Love. An undying expression of Jesus’s doctrine of Heavenly love. More potent for the building of the church than any, or all, of the various manifestations of God’s Power. Love, the Church’s most effective weapon. Love, without which all the various Gifts of the Spirit are of no avail. Love, the Essence of God’s Nature. Love, the Perfection of Human Character. Love, the Most Powerful Ultimate Force in the Universe.’ 1
We must all love and here is what it looks like!
1 Corinthians 13 NIV
1 If I speak in the tongues [languages] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
In the Lion Encyclopedia of the Bible, we find this comment on love.
‘Agape is used to describe self-giving love, seen above all in Jesus Christ. It is in His death that we see the true depths of this love. It is far greater than human love. It is the love that unites the Father and the Son. It is the love that God has for the world, and it becomes part of a Christian’s life through the gift of God. It is in fact the mark of God’s presence in the life of every Christian.’2
John 13:34-35 NIV
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
This next part is one of the most quoted passages from the New Testament. We just had a wedding and these signs behind me were displayed for all to see. Bryce and Desiree took an obedient step in following God’s love for them and their love for each other. We left all these wedding decorations up to assist in putting forth the God-given concept of love.
4 Love is patient,
means I am willing to wait. I am willing to put off my pleasure for a while for the sake of another. ‘Is the capacity to be wronged and not retaliate.’ 3
love is kind.
means I look for ways to build people up. I find ways to make people feel better about themselves.
It does not envy,
means I do not wish I had what someone else has, I do not have to ‘be like the Jones’.
it does not boast,
means I do not have to be the best, be first at all costs or stand out in the crowd.
it is not proud.
means I can let others help when I need help, ‘Man is not an island’ comes to mind.
5 It does not dishonor others,
*Romans 12:10 NIV
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
it is not self-seeking,
means ‘it is not all about me’
it is not easily angered,
means we are to be calm under duress – go back to ‘love is patient’.
it keeps no record of wrongs.
means we do not bring back in conversation or thought things that happened but were forgiven.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
*Romans 12:9 NIV
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
7 It always protects,
means we must stand up for others, be their ‘shelter in the storm’.
*John 15:13 NIV Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
always trusts, – means we trust first, giving everyone the benefit of the doubt.
always hopes, – means we always are looking for the best for everyone and helping them to achieve the best. We are always looking to the coming of Jesus Christ and the eternal life with Him.
always perseveres. – means we keep going no matter how hard it gets.
‘Remains steadfast in the face of unpleasant circumstances.’4 Christ gave His life for us so we should go all out for others in love.
Now we look at the last five verses that close off this chapter. Paul concludes with a discussion of its permanence. 5
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
Paul is telling us that all the gifts that we are given will disappear when the church is perfected and Christ returns. All, that is, except Love which is eternal. 6
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.
This could mean that the gifts come when we need them in the early years of Salvation, but as we grow and mature, we no longer need them to walk faithfully.
12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
*Tidbit for you – Corinth was famous for its bronze mirrors so Paul’s use of a mirror illustration was very timely and understood. 7
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Through love, both faith and hope live eternal!
Rick Bezet, in his book ‘Real Love in an angry world’, says:
‘The love that the world sees reflected by Christians is often a conditional one drifting to one of two extremes – compromising on truth or condemning those who disagree. But Jesus, despite having enemies on all sides, somehow managed to speak the truth in love. He calls us to do the same.’ 8
Paul paints a picture of what love is in chapter 13. He consciously, or unconsciously, draws a portrait of a person – Jesus himself. Jesus is the living embodiment of this outgoing, long-suffering, self-giving, self-effacing love. Without it – without Him – there would be no church. 9
The world should see us through our living the way God told us to:
Matthew 22:34-40 NIV
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.
35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
A thought from Daily Bread: ‘The glory of life is to love, not be loved; to give, not to get; to serve, not to be served.’ 10
Three qualities of life – faith, hope and love – will outlive all the gifts. And these are for everyone. And Christian love outshines all. This is the best way of all; this is what we should really set our hearts on. 11
Our church people show love by: Benevolence, praying for each other, honesty and openness, a place to come and grow, welcoming, meeting all needs, noticing people, tea afterwards, greet each other with a hug, invite others to church and back to church. This is what love looks like!
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