1 Corinthians 13

Chad Myhre

1 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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Open by reading all of chapter 13...

Intro:

Some people say, that gaining exceptional gifts, talents or fame..

… won’t change them one single bit.

Even though, they excel..

Even though, they are recognized..

Even though, they are esteemed..

Even though.. they are validated.. ++

They claim, that nothing will be changed..

They will continue to be..

.. common, normal.. approachable.. and down to earth. ++

But, all too often, this intention does not play out..

Some folks.. in the recognition of their excellence..

Begin to think.. that yes.. they are excellent.. ++

They begin to think.. that yes.. they are above average..

They are better..

They are more special..

not just in the areas of their specific talent..

but in all areas. ++

They become.. in their minds.. a more privileged human being..

And in their minds..

They become.. set apart.. more important.. worthy of recognition. ++

Inevitably, arrogance creeps in..

And outside of their specific talent..

They become worthless.. and no good to anybody. ++

On a large scale..

Our society recognizes the individuals who are famed because of their talents:

.. be they in: sports, music, acting, media or writing. ++

But on a smaller scale..

The same kind of thing can happen in the local church..

And this is the issue that Paul is addressing to the Corinthian church.. ++

Some there… began think.. that they were special..

That thety were more important..

That they were more privileged and more worthy of recognition and honor..

Because.. of their gifts..

.. their talents..

.. their abilities. ++

Previously, in many of the earlier chapters, and specifically in 11.. we considered the social class distinction..

And those.. who considered themselves first..

At the expense of the poor.. ++

Previously.. we considered the individuals who embraced a less restrictive view of their liberties..

And practiced these liberties..

w/o the consideration of their weaker brothers.. ++

Previously.. we considered those who were quick to bring a lawsuit..

.. even if it was against a brother in the Lord..

And in this.. there was no consideration.. of how this action affected the body of Christ. ++

And now.. we are considering a new topic..

Chapter 12 gave the ideal principle..

Gifts in the body are for the mutual effectiveness of the whole congregation..

Everyone has their part.. each is equally important..

And all work together.. ++

Chapter 13.. addresses the attitude.. that these gifts are to operate in..

It’s an attitude of love..

Of selflessness..

.. where selfish ambition is nonexistent.. ++

There is a reason Paul is laying forth....

The ideal principle in chapter 12

And the proper attitude of chapter 13...

That reason is revealed… in chapter 14 where we learn.. there are problems.. ++

people are coming together to worship..

and in that worship time.. they are taking opportunities to practice the gifts..

But it’s not a practice that is done out of selflessness..

It’s not a practice that considers the entire body.. ++

Instead.. it’s a free for all.

Every man for himself..

For his own recognition..

For his own glory..

For his own fame.. as a spiritual giant. ++

Back in chapter 2 verse 16, Paul expressed the meaning of chapter 13 in four simple words..

“the mind of Christ” ++

How do we define that?

What is the mind of Christ?

How is it displayed and practiced?

What does it mean.. practically? ++

Here, it’s defined..

and here, we learn.. if indeed.. we have the mind of Christ..

.. this is how it will translate..

Especially, in regards to the heart motive of our ministry. ++

slide 2

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.

Many of you have heard… that there are three forms of the word “love” in the Greek Language.. ++

one form, is not used in the New Testament..

in the Greek translations of the OT..

there are some uses of the word Eros..

Which is a word which speaks of sexual affection, and the attractions between man and woman.. ++

There is the word “Philleo”

Which is translated.. “brotherly love”

This is an affection of camaraderie, friendship and loyalty. ++

But the most common word for love in the N.T…

Is the word, “Agape” ++

This word speaks of a stronger affection..

One that goes beyond simple feeling or attraction..

This word, speaks more of commitment.. ++

Some translate it as being:

“the absorption of every part of our being in one great passion” ++

As this Greek word made it’s way into the Latin language, and then into the English language..

.. it led to.. for us.. the word: “agony”…

Which, when we consider the outcome of agape..

And the commitment of “agape”

And the things which we will do.. because of “agape”

The word, “agony”.. at times.. is very fitting. ++

The word, “agape”.. speaks of “complete self denial”..

When true agape is being expressed in our actions..

The “self life”.. is out of the picture. ++

Agape.. is generally more associated to:

The will..

Rather than, the emotion..

Eros and Phileo.. are emotionally driven.. ++

Agape..

Is driven by something.. much more solid and dependable..

It’s driven by commitment.

It’s driven by faith..

It’s driven by determination and decision… ++

Consider this command:

You shall love (agape), your enemies..

Now.. that’s not an emotional response..

That’s not “phileo”..

That’s not.. “eros”

That is.. instead: “agapao” ++

It is the only word, in all of the Bible..

that is used to describe God..

.. w/o any further qualification or explanation..

God is agape. ++

We could read through this chapter, and replace the word “love” with our name..

.. and it wouldn’t work..

It wouldn’t make sense..

But, we could replace every “love”.. with the name Jesus..

And.. it would work. ++

SLIDE 3

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 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. 8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

Read vss.. 4-8a

As we read this, we begin to see that love is completely indestructible.

it will not.. pass away.

it is not dependent on anything outside of itself

it is not affected by the worthiness or unworthiness of the one it loves.. ++

When we speak of the distinctions between agape and phileo..

we often go to the conversation that Jesus had with Peter, on the beach, after His resurrection.. ++

Peter, do you “agape” me..

To which Peter answered: “I phileo You.”

Jesus asked “agape” again..

But Peter answered “phileo” again..

Finally, Jesus asked, if Peter loved Him..

Phileo loved Him..

To which Peter answered again..

With Phileo.. ++

Peter had two things holding him back from expressing “agape” love to the Lord..

First off.. if he did express this kind of love..

Then he would face the shame of his failure.. with more difficulty..

For “agape” love.. would not have betrayed the Lord.. ++

Secondly..

I believe, that true “agape” love..

Is made possible..

Not in the flesh..

But by the Spirit.. ++

After the H.S. had come upon Peter..

I believe.. he could have said, that he Loved his Lord w/agape love..

For his confidence would not have been in himself..

But rather.. in the Spirit of God.. ++

Here in these first three verses.. we learn..

that apart from Love..

The greatest endowments of God..

Upon a person..

Are worthless.

The rifle.. with the gun powder.. and the hollow point shell.. - is worthless ++

.. is worthless.. ++

w/o the ability to aim.

If you cannot direct that bullet..

You are just making a lot of noise..

And potentially, causing great harm. ++

All the science in the world.. the mathematics.. the formulas.. the engineering.. the technology..

It is all.. nothing..

If you can’t apply it.. practically.. for the betterment of mankind.

It’s nothing.. ++

All the plans.. the parts.. the labor.. the blueprints..

.. they are all worthless..

If you cannot put them together.. to produce.. an end product.. ++

You see.. w/o love..

the things that we do.. for the Lord..

Can’t take aim.. they are off course..

They.. can’t be applied properly..

They are ineffective..

They.. won’t produce.. the fruit..

.. in stead.. they will produce nothing.. ++

Paul’s over all lesson on this specific topic..

.. reaches back to chapter 12.. and then, onward into chapter 14.. ++

For the body to be effective..

For the many members, to effectively take their places..

Not as spectators..

But.. as participants..

They can’t just.. do their jobs..

They can’t just.. manually, fulfill their gifts..

They can’t just.. work..

That’s not enough. ++

It’s not enough that you would step up, and desire to do your part..

You have to.. instead.. step up, and decide to do your part.

W/love. ++

What kind of love?

Devoted love. Persistent love.. Decided and committed love. ++

Let me give you a practical application.

this particular organization, this local church… like most local churches… ..operates, essentially a “co op”. ++

We all take joint ownership in making it happen.

And it’s purpose.. is diverse..

Ultimately.. we come here to exalt our God.. to bring Him Glory.. for He is worthy of being exalted.

All the other reasons, fall under this one. ++

We come here also..

To be encouraged and equipped in our faith.

We come here.. to learn

We come here.. for support.. and for community.. ++

There are things that we are intended to receive here..

Many things..

But.. to receive these things.. somebody has to do the giving.. ++

A small part of it.. is what happens here, right now..

I give this teaching.. to equip you, w/the Word..

To grow further.

And to do ministry.

I give, you receive..

But this, is just a tiny part of it.. ++

The Sunday Sermon.. is a small part of the giving/receiving process that we are intended to experience here..

But I’ll tell you this..

I couldn’t do this part.. if it weren’t for the love that God gives.. ++

Honestly.. if this was secular business..

And my performance depended on the results..

I’d be out of a job. ++

My boss might look at my numbers… and see that I’m equipping 100% of those present… the the percentage of those who are receiving the equipping, and doing the work of the ministry with that equipping, is much lower than 100%...

And then, act upon it in ministry..

… that percentage.. is low.

They would tell me my numbers are unacceptable, and I’d be out of a job. ++

Personally… I could look at these numbers… and I might feel compelled to question my calling…

compared to: the number of people that are committing significant parts of their life to do ministry?

I could look at the purpose of my calling.. and the fruit of it..

I might become.. greatly depressed. ++

But that’s not what I do. I know this isn’t a numbers driven business… I am compelled.. to keep on. ++

I could get upset and lay a heavy guilt trip out there..

But I understand.. the way we humans are..

I am just called to give out the Word..

I can’t make anyone respond to it..

I can’t force it..

I have to leave room for the H.S. to do His job..

The rest.. is up to you. ++

You see.. if I provoke people.. to do things out of guilt..

then they aren’t moving into positions of ministry..

.. out of love. ++

And guilt will only motivate a person.. for a short while.

Love.. will translate over to.. devotion..

And devotion.. is something that is effective. ++

This church.. this is your “co op”.

You come here to receive..

But.. you will only receive.. just so much..

Until you also begin.. to give.. ++

For, it’s in the giving, that you really begin to receive..

It’s in the serving..

That you really begin to gain.. ..

It’s in the expression of “agape” love..

Where others are benefiting because of you.. and you too, are benefiting as you serve. ++

Because of you.. and you too, are benefiting as you serve.

The previous chapter described us as a body..

and if scripture says it.. then I believe it..

We are a body..

And in that, I believe, we are a complete body.. ++

All our fingers are intact..

Two eyes, two ears, two feet..

Everything is there.. ++

But, obviously.. not every entity of that body.. is mobilized.

And because of that..

We, as individuals, are not all benefiting from this co op the way that we should..

And over all.. we aren’t being as effective.. in reaching out w/the Love of Christ..

As we can be. ++

Now we are learning..

That it’s not enough to realize.. that we should do something for the Lord..

It’s not enough, that we should see a need somewhere..

And decide that maybe.. we should help out or something..

The realization of the need.. and the willingness to do something about that need..

.. these things aren’t enough. ++

What we do.. we need to do…

w/agape love…

otherwise..

we’ll have no aim

No application.

No.. fruit.. ++

And what will we end up doing?

.. eventually.. one way or another..

We’ll find a way out.

Or, we’ll be miserable in our service..

And make others miserable w/us. ++

You can do the greatest things in the world..

you can do the most impressive things.. in the world..

You can acquire fame and noteriety… ++

Give sermons that wow the nation on tv

Play that music just right.. and sing w/perfect pitch..

You can make decisions on an important board..

YOu can fill a void of service at the church…

Greet people at the door..

Watch babies..

Teach preschoolers

Or vacuum the rugs.. .. ++

If it’s w/o love..

It’s just.. clanging symbols.. nothingness and w/o profit.

Some churches recruit unsaved musicians from the night clubs to come in on Sunday to play the music..

And it’s awesome..

And the people.. respond..

And wow… it’s great. ++

But.. what we see and feel and experience in that scenerio.. doesn’t matter..

Worship is not for us to enjoy..

Worship is for God to enjoy..

And if there’s no love..

It’s just noise. ++

People are always interested in the musical aspect of a church… What’s the band like?

Is it hymns?

Is it choruses?

Is it contemporary?

Is it liturgical? ++

Why do you ask? - They ask, because they have a personal preference of the experience they want to have in worship… ++

But… As long as it’s done.. in love..

It really shouldn’t matter to us. ++

I mean.. we’re s’posed to be offering up a sacrifice of praise..

Liking and enjoying the music.. is a bonus.. but it should not be mandatory. ++

For me.. it’s badly written songs..

And believe me.. from my stand point.. there’s a lot of them out there..

And I have to remind myself of this..

Especially when I go to retreats..

Where I could get so easily distracted and disgusted by the horrible way lyrics are thrown together..

I have to be reminded..

It’s for the Lord..

Not me. ++

And so.. in my flesh, I grieve.. because the writer didn’t take time to consider; rhyme, meter and better word selection when they haphazardly threw this song together.. ++

But in love, I try to remember..

.. it’s not about me.. it’s about the Lord..

And I can ascribe this message to Him..

For though it might be poorly written..

It still speaks a message of His majesty..

That’s what really matters. ++

Are you having a hard time in your place of ministry?

Then ask yourself.. if the description that I gave earlier.. about “agape” love..

… if that is something you are attempting to apply..

For “agape” love.. doesn’t make some of the promises that we are hoping for.. ++

We want validation..

We want “feel good” experiences..

We want immediate fruit

We want back pats and “attaboys”..

We want response.. participation and growth.. ++

Agape service doesn’t promise that..

But it does promise.. that God will be glorified..

And as we press on..

It does promise.. the opposite of these first 3 verses.. ++

If we press on.. we will

Be heard, understood and discerned..

Our labors and gifts will produce:

Something..

Our sacrifice and devotion… will.

.. be profitable. ++

SLIDE 4

1 Corinthians 13:8–10 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. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

Here.. we have a contrast.. between Jesus.. and then us.. and then Jesus again..

First off.. in this description of love..

We get a definition of perfection..

The ultimate description given here..

Is something, in totality, that can only be attained in spiritual perfection.. ++

As vs. 8 says.. these descriptions of love..

… promise, IN THE LONG RUN… .. a lack of failure.. it promises… TO NOT FAIL. ++

Our flesh.. is imperfect..

And eventually, in its weakness.. it will fail..

We strive for these things to be worked out in us..

For this is ultimately what we want to experience.. ++

As we’ve already mentioned… Paul said earlier in chapter 2..

We want.. “The mind of Christ.” ++

That’s what we are seeing here..

This.. is Jesus.

The image into which we desire to be transformed..

But then, we go from Jesus.. to us.. ++

For we are those who have the privilege of being endowed the these gifts..

We have these gifts that He gives.. for the betterment of the body..

And in them..

We are not going to know perfection… we are only going to be able to .. know in part… and prophecy in part.. ++

Why?

For example..

If we prophecy..

Sooner or later.. we will confuse fleshly thoughts w/spiritual guidance..

And our prophecies.. will fail.. ++

Some are given the gift of tongues..

And they have this ability.. to transcend their own reason and understanding..

And w/this gift.. worship God.. in a very perfect and specific way..

But, if the gift is not encouraged.. or stirred up..

If, we are told.. that it is foolishness..

If, we are embarrassed by it..

Then, because of our own mind, and our own emotion..

Those tongues.. might cease… ++

And knowledge?

Again.. something that also can be tainted by the flesh..

And though it’s given..

It can be disputed.. tainted.. and discredited..

And it may.. fade away. ++

Apply this reasoning to any gift that God might give you..

Apply this reasoning to any thing that you would do for the glory of the Lord… ++

If your flesh is involved..

The opportunity for perfect agape love to excel in it..

Is slim to none..

Perfect agape love..

.. never fails.. ++

But we do..

We do our best to walk in agape love..

To experience it..

To do ministry according to it.. ++

But.. we.. know in part.. prophecy in part.. counsel in part.. teach in part.. serve in part… ++

What we do.. we do to the glory of the Lord..

.. but.. it’s in part.. for only by perfection.. is there completeness..

It’s in part.. because it’s dependant upon us.. ++

But.. here’s where the comparison goes back to Jesus..

Here in v.s 10.. (read) ++

SLIDE 5

1 Corinthians 13:10 ESV

10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

Some say, that the completion of the New Testament.. is “that perfect” thing..

And by it’s introduction..

We don’t need.. the spirituals anymore..

Or.. to state it more clearly..

We don’t need.. a select list from the gifts.. ++

Just the weird ones.. that are misused and abused in some circles..

Just the strange ones..

Just the ones that are hard for us to understand or receive..

We don’t need those parts any more.. ++

Even though the scriptures have previously illustrated them… as being parts of the body. ++

They say… because we have the New Testament..

The gifts.. specifically, just the ones we don’t like.. these gifts.. are no longer for today.. ++

This teaching arose, in the early 1900’s, in response to the Pentecostal revivals that were popping up..

Most prominently.. in Kansas City and Los Angeles..

Because.. in these churches.. the gifts, and the manifestations.. were used out of order..

And were sometimes.. accompanied with extrabiblical manifestations that could not be explained or justified Biblcally.. ++

Many churches.. in an attempt to separate from this movement..

Sought a Biblical excuse.. a Biblical reasoning.. concerning the gifts..

This is what they came up with the idea… .. ++

That the perfect has come..

The Word of God..

And the childish talk.. that the next verse talks about..

Is tongues.. ++

And as grown up believers..

We need to put those things away. ++

If we are responsible Bible students..

We will stumble over the reasoning of this interpretation.. ++

For it is not..

drawing out meaning from the scripture..

It is, instead.. putting meaning.. into scripture.. ++

We can’t go to scripture, and make it support our agenda..

That is not how it was designed..

We must only go to scripture.. to discern God’s agenda..

And our agenda.. should submit to His agenda… and our agenda, should be defined by His agenda… ++

What’s truly perfect?

What is truly perfect, that is yet to come? ++

I know this..

Jesus is coming again..

And He’s perfect. ++

SLIDE 5

1 Corinthians 13:11–13 ESV

11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

What’s our perfect Lord going to do for us..

when He comes to collect us? ++

He will transform us, from flesh to spirit..

We are going to see clearly..

We are going to know, as we are known..

We will be able to worship God in knowledge..

And tongues will no longer be needed.. ++

We will know.. as we are known..

And prophecy will not be needed.. ++

The giving of knowledge.. will not be needed..

We’ll know already. ++

But now.. I don’t know..

So I need faith..

Because God knows.. and I have faith in Him.. ++

Now.. I don’t have that understanding.. that clarity..

need hope..

For I trust, and anticipate.. that God’s going to bring it all to pass..

Now.. I only have.. in myself.. good intentions.. and feeble emotions..

need love..

The love that is only experienced..

.. as I experience Jesus…

.. As He works through me.. shines through me.. speaks through me.. and touches others..