Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
A Time to Love
Intro.
1. There is a time to love, Eccl. 3:8.
2. Love is
the “more excellent way”,
1 Cor.
12:31;
13:1-13:
a. The first and great command,
Matt.
22:37-28.
b. We must love each other for God to accept our love,
1 Jno.
4:20-21.
c. Love is an essential part of obeying the truth,
1 Pet. 1:22.
d. We must “put on love” to bind together the body of Christ,
Col. 3:14.
3.
1 Cor. 13:
Division and carnal thinking in Corinth grew out of a failure to understand
love and to live in love toward each other,
Eph. 5:2.
I. THE
MOTIVES OF LOVE,
1 Cor. 13:1-3.
A. Love is Decision of the Will that must Motivate
every Action of Our Life,
13:1-3;
cf.
Gal. 5:6.
1. Emotional attraction and pleasure is not agape.
a. We do not know love through sinful actions, Jno. 3:16.
b. Agape
is seeking the highest good of another; “unconquerable benevolence, undefeatable
goodwill.”
2. Using miraculous spiritual gifts without love gives it a shallow, hollow
ring; it is nothing but a loud noise with no real essence.
3. The Corinthian problem: Using tongue-speaking without anyone who
could understand and without an interpreter to give the meaning – USELESS! Not
acting out of love.
4. Miraculous spiritual gifts were worthless without motive of love.
B. We Must Stop Merely Saying We Love, We Must
Start Showing We Love,
1 Jno.
3:16-18; Eph. 3:17-19.
Sacrifice, service and spiritual growth are only beneficial when our
deeds are driven by love for: God (Matt.
22:37-38;
Jno. 14:15);
neighbors (Matt.
22:39);
brethren (Rom.
12:9-10);
family (Eph.
6:1-4);
enemies (Matt.
5:44).
II. THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF LOVE,
1 Cor.
13:4-7.
A. Love is Active (verbs used to designate what love is like).
-v.
4-
1. Longsuffering: long-tempered; does not hastily retaliate when
wronged by another (a heart that is longsuffering,
Col. 3:12).
2. Kind: Good, mellow (not caustic, bitter,
Lk. 5:39),
Eph. 4:32.
3. Does not
envy:
“heated hatred”, “the feeling of displeasure produced by witnessing or hearing
of the advantage or prosperity of others” (Vine),
1 Pet. 2:1.
(Bitter resentment toward others’ good)
4. Does
not brag (parade itself): Arrogance of speech, to boast (self-display),
wounding others, causing unrest, discord,
1 Ths.
4:11.
5. Is not puffed up: an inflated opinion of one’s own importance;
love is not conceited and arrogant,
Rom. 12:16.
-v.
5-
6. Is
not rude: Love doesn’t behave disgracefully, dishonorably or indecently;
Mannerly and decent, cf.
2 Cor.
8:21.
7. Is not selfish (does not seek its own): Love looks out for things
of others instead of itself,
Phil. 2:4.
8. Is not provoked: Love is not irritated, it does not go around
with a chip on its shoulder, cf.
Eph. 4:31.
9. Thinks no evil: Love does not keep a running account of offenses
with a view toward revenge; does not dwell on offenses against it,
Eph. 4:32.
-v.
6-
10.
Does not rejoice in iniquity: Love cannot find pleasure in sin. Sin grieves
love and tries to overcome it, cf.
Eph. 5:11;
1 Pet. 4:8.
11. Rejoices in the truth: Absolute truth, gospel truth; Love takes
joy in the truth of God,
Eph. 4:15.
-v.
7-
12. Bears all things: Love is able to bear whatever troubles come upon
it, cf.
Gal. 6:2.
Protect, preserve
13. Believes all things: Not suspicious, believes the best of others,
grants the benefit of the doubt in the absence of evidence. Contrast with
1 Tim.
6:4.
(Does not mean love is gullible.)
14. Hopes all things: Love hopes for the best in others even when the
evidence leads one to believe otherwise, cf.
Phil.
1:15-18.
15. Endures all things: Steadfast endurance, the Christian who has
love perseveres in whatever circumstances life brings,
Jas. 1:12.
III. THE PERMANENCE OF LOVE, 1 Cor. 13:8-13.
-(Here
is the superiority of love over the miraculous spiritual gifts.)
A. Love Never Fails (ceases, rendered inactive),
13:8.
1. Transitory nature of m. gifts v. the permanency of love,
13:8-12.
a. 13:8:
Love never ceases - in contrast to the miraculous spiritual gifts which would
(did) cease (12:8-10).
b. 13:9-10:
The manner in which God revealed Himself to man using spiritual gifts;
Partial revelation v. complete revelation
c. 13:11-12:
Partial and complete knowledge illustrated with 1) childhood v. adulthood,
and 2) mirror v. face to face.
2. Now abide faith, hope, love; Love is the
foundation of all.
Conclusion
We must understand love and live in it or our
Christianity is worthless!