A. Paul is taking great care in expressing himself to the brethren in Corinth. The church has many problems and Paul desires to love them through their problems and help them become more focused on Christ and less on self. In order to do that he has to sometimes speak very boldly and to some degree harshly to this group of believers. At other times we see Paul pleading and encouraging them. Today is one of those times when Paul’s tone seems to soften and challenge them in a less direct manner.
B. The church in Corinth was blessed by many miraculous gifts from the Holy Spirit. Understand, the gifts that we read about last week were real and not some illusion or magic trick. As we studied last week, those gifts were given for the common good of the body. To each member the manifestation of the Holy Spirit was given as He decided. Just because this congregation messed up on using them, did not mean that they were not needed or that God made a mistake in blessing them with those gifts. Paul wanted the Christians to realize the importance of those gifts.
C. God has gifted you, he has empowered you through His Spirit so that you can be a blessing to this congregation. The trouble comes when we begin to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. It is at those times that we need to be reminded of greater gift, the most excellent way, the one thing that will outlast everything else we have been given. Love. Why would Paul put this great teaching about love right in the middle of a discussion about miraculous gifts?
I. What Do I Gain Without Love?
A. Speaking in tongues, the gifts of prophecy and knowledge, a faith great enough to move a mountain or the willingness to give all you have to the poor or even give your life are all incredible and wonderful spiritual actions. There are many good and righteous things people do.
B. A person might show up every time the doors are open to worship God. Yet that same person might not be willing to help his neighbor install a ramp after his wife had a stroke.
C. A preacher might speak boldly against sin and to stand up for righteousness, yet his kids have to walk on eggshells in fear that if they get dad mad he will berate them or worse.
D. Paul says that if I do these wonderful things, but don’t have love backing them up, then I am nothing more than the sound of a gong, I am nothing. Without love everything, even the great and wonderful acts of kindness I do, is worthless. “Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophecy in your name, and in your name cast out demons in your name and do all kinds of miracles?” Then He will say to them, “Depart from me, I never knew you.”
E. Listen to what Paul says that love, real love, the love that is the most excellent way does. 1 Cor. 13:4-7. Understand that these statements stand diametrically opposed to all that we have studied about the church in Corinth. The Christians in that congregation struggle with division, jealousy, pride and boasting in wrong doing. This was not just an arbitrary list, but one that became the medicine for the problems the congregation in Corinth face. That is why love is the most excellent way. That is what we gain when love prevails within the body of Christ.
II. The Lasting verses the Temporary
A. Paul again makes a strong statement. “Love never fails.” I want you to understand the point of the statement. It is not that people who love never hurt others or sin. It is not that Christians who express love will never disagree or have problems in the church body. You see, Paul was not dealing with the person who loves, but with love itself. Love, Paul says, is lasting, permanent, unfailing.
B. Then Paul helps us to see this truth in a different light. Read with me 1 Cor. 13:8-12. These are some difficult verses. Some have used these verses to say that the Holy Spirit no longer gives miraculous gifts to anyone. I don’t read that here. Some use this passage to push an agenda that miraculous gifts will continue until the second coming of Jesus and every Christian will be endowed with a gift – like speaking in tongues. But I don’t read that here.
C. Just let the Bible speak to you and ask yourself, what is Paul saying to me in these verses? I believe you will come to a conclusion that says, Love is lasting, but even the wonderful and helpful miraculous gifts given by the Holy Spirit are temporary.
D. People argue over the meaning of “the perfect.” Paul says, “When that which is perfect comes, the imperfect ceases.” There has never been a gift given by the Holy Spirit that was not absolutely perfect for the occasion. I refuse to limit God by saying His Spirit is no longer perfect and no longer able to empower Christians as He sees fit to empower them.
E. At the same time, I don’t read that second coming of Jesus is perfection that will cease all the miraculous gifts because in Heaven we won’t need them.
F. As a person digs deeper into this text we see a growth pattern taking place. The first illustration is that of a child growing up into an adult and doing things in a more mature way. The second illustration is the less clear image we see in a mirror verse a clearer image. The last statement is that right now there is partial knowledge but later I will fully know even as I am fully known. By whom, I might ask?
G. Paul teaching is that we as Christians have a pathway of growth that takes place in our life. As we as a individuals, congregations, nations and larger regions of the world grow in our love and the fullness of Jesus Christ that which we need will overtake the temporary needs of the miraculous gifts. This passage was shared with me this past week: Eph. 4:14-16. When you study Ephesians 4, we read that the Spirit was placing people in the body of Christ in leadership roles for the purpose of growth. The conclusion was that when we do grow up in Christ and everyone is joined and supporting every ligament within the body, it “grows and builds itself up in LOVE as each part does its work.”
Conclusion:
A. Let God be God and every man His servant. If God has a use for some gift that is not present, then He can and will make it present. But the goal is not what gift can I get that I can show off before the body as personal greatness? The most excellent way is that we grow up in love and into the headship of Christ.
B. Now abide in faith, hope and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love. Next week will again address some miraculous gifts, but under the teaching of love and how love behaves in the body of Christ.
C. Today, God might have challenged you personally. He might have touched your heart because you have responded out of duty, obligation, or personal desire instead of love. Let remind you, that that type of response does not lead to the fullness of Christ.
D. Today, God might have challenged you to examine what you have called loved in your life and now see that really it was self-serving or arrogant in motive and not love as defined in the verses we studied today.
E. Today, God might have challenged you to grow up. For many of us that is the challenge we face by God often. Too often we think and talk like a child (spiritually), we limit our sight of faith and our depth of knowledge to just that which we gain in our brief time together as the church. Then grow up in him, grow up in love, grow up in the most excellent way. If we can help you to grow, then come as we stand and sing.
