PORTRAITS OF ___________
1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-13
INTRODUCTION
As I begin my sermon, I would like to define something that seems as though it does not have just one definition. I don’t like words like that. I like words that have one definition and we can all be on the same page… but this word is a little different. There are hundreds of definitions… maybe even thousands. It seems that every culture defines it different. Every poet has his or her own twist. Every singer and song writer that chooses to speak about it has their own take. So how am I supposed to define something simply and easily for us when it is impossible for the rest of the world?!
I can describe it I guess, but maybe never define it. I know that it is not just a feeling, but an action. I know that it can be fleeting and superficial or deep and sacrificial. It can be used in the bedroom as well as after a child’s dance recital. It is used about husbands and wives and about tacos and chocolate.
ILLUSTRATION… http://www.christianglobe.com/Illustrations/a-z/l/love.htm
Maybe a story will help… it is an old story… so maybe you have heard it. It is a story about Ted Stallard who undoubtedly qualifies as the one of "the least" in this world. Turned off by school. Very sloppy in appearance. Expressionless. Unattractive. Even his teacher, Miss Thompson, enjoyed bearing down her red pen -- as she placed Xs beside his many wrong answers.
If only she had studied his records more carefully. They read:
1st grade: Ted shows promise with his work and attitude, but (has) poor home situation.
2nd grade: Ted could do better. Mother seriously ill. Receives little help from home.
3rd grade: Ted is good boy but too serious. He is a slow learner. His mother died this year.
4th grade: Ted is very slow, but well-behaved. His father shows no interest whatsoever.
Christmas arrived. The children piled elaborately wrapped gifts on their teacher’s desk. Ted brought one too. It was wrapped in brown paper and held together with Scotch Tape. Miss Thompson opened each gift, as the children crowded around to watch. Out of Ted’s package fell a gaudy rhinestone bracelet, with half of the stones missing, and a bottle of cheap perfume. The children began to snicker. But she silenced them by splashing some of the perfume on her wrist, and letting them smell it. She put the bracelet on too.
At day’s end, after the other children had left, Ted came by the teacher’s desk and said, "Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother. And the bracelet looks real pretty on you. I’m glad you like my presents." He left. Miss Thompson got down on her knees and asked God to forgive her and to change her attitude.
The next day, the children were greeted by a reformed teacher -- one committed to each of them. Especially the slow ones. Especially Ted. Surprisingly -- or maybe, not surprisingly, Ted began to show great improvement. He actually caught up with most of the students and even passed a few.
Time came and went. Miss Thompson heard nothing from Ted for a long time. Then, one day, she received this note:
Dear Miss Thompson:
I wanted you to be the first to know. I will be graduating second in my class.
Ted
Four years later, another note arrived:
Dear Miss Thompson:
They just told me I will be graduating first in my class. I wanted you to be first to know. The university has not been easy, but I liked it.
Ted
And four years later:
Dear Miss Thompson:
As of today, I am Theodore Stallard, M.D. How about that? I wanted you to be the first to know. I am getting married next month, the 27th to be exact. I want you to come and sit where my mother would sit if she were alive. You are the only family I have now; Dad died last year.
Miss Thompson attended that wedding, and sat where Ted’s mother would have sat.
Does that help you define it? Does that give you a good definition? I am not sure. Perhaps the best approach we can have is to look at the life of Jesus and see how He worked it out… as I said before, it is hard for me to define it, but I can sure describe it for you. I would like to describe it for you in the life of Jesus. I would like to paint a word picture for you of this thing and allow Jesus’ life to be the important details. If anyone’s life is an example about this, then it certainly is Jesus!
I. A PORTRAIT OF THOUGHTFULNESS (John 8:3-11)
The first portrait I found was in John 8:3-11. John 8:3-11 says, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin.”
I find Jesus to be very thoughtful in this passage and thoughtfulness is a description of what we are talking about today. The situation in John 8 is one that has been created by the teachers of the law and the Pharisees in order to try and trap Jesus. Yes, the woman was an adulteress, but we do not see the man here. Only the woman is naked and drug into public to be humiliated. She had sinned, but she was a pawn in a game of the Pharisees. Jesus knows the hearts of the people there. Jesus powerfully challenges these religious leaders and they all walk away… in my imagination… with out even speaking a word.
Jesus’ attention then turns to the woman. Do you think she has learned her lesson? She was in public, naked, and scorned by the people. Jesus very thoughtfully and with much… ___________ … tells her to leave the life of sin. He commands her to leave the lifestyle of sin behind. I do not know if she does it or not, but Jesus certainly is thoughtful about the situation and disarmed the Pharisees and perhaps set this woman on a godly path with His words. You see this thing that I am trying to describe this morning is very thoughtful. It is not all about me or my agenda or my desires, but does out of its way for others… to be thoughtful about them. ILLUSTRATIONS… Cosby Show, Father’s Day (1984)
One of my favorite shows to watch when growing up was the Cosby Show. In fact, my family watched it together. Some of my favorite episodes of the show center around holidays. In season 1, Cliff Huxtable complains about the gifts that he receives for Father’s Day. He has a memorable light up Miami tie, glasses, and all sorts of thoughtless gifts. The children decide to surprise him with thoughtful Father’s Day gifts in December. Let’s watch.
VIDEO… Cosby Show Father’s Day (1984)
II. A PORTRAIT OF UNSELFISHNESS (Matthew 14:15-21)
The second portrait I found was in Matthew 14:15-21. Matthew 14:14-21 records, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." 16 Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." 17 "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered. 18"Bring them here to me," he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
I find Jesus to be very unselfish in this passage and unselfishness is a description of what we are talking about today. Jesus healed many and taught like no one else and because of these things drew a crowd anywhere He went. The passage tells us that it was late, people were hungry, and they were in the middle of nowhere. Jesus could have sent the people away as I am sure He was tired after a whole day of teaching and preaching and healing and listening and ministering. To send them away would have been selfish, yet, Jesus was unselfish. He provided a way for the thousands of people to eat and it was indeed a miracle! Jesus was very thoughtful and with much… ____________... provided for the needs of the people around Him. Jesus was committed to the people and lived His life that way. He put their needs as a top priority and showed it by not letting them go away hungry. You see this thing that I am trying to describe this morning is very unselfish at its core. It is one of its defining characteristics.
ILLUSTRATION…http://www.christianglobe.com/Illustrations/a-z/l/love.htm
Dave Simmons, author of the book, Dad the Family Coach, tells a story about unselfishness. I took Helen (eight years old) and Brandon (five years old) to the Cloverleaf Mall to do a little shopping. As we drove up, we spotted a Peterbilt eighteen-wheeler parked with a big sign on it that said, "Petting Zoo." The kids jumped up in a rush and asked, "Daddy, Daddy. Can we go? Please. Please. Can we go?"
"Sure," I said, flipping them both a quarter before walking into Sears. They bolted away, and I felt free to take my time looking for a scroll saw. A petting zoo consists of a portable fence erected in the mall with about six inches of sawdust and a hundred little furry baby animals of all kinds. Kids pay their money and stay in the enclosure enraptured with the squirmy little critters while their moms and dads shop. A few minutes later, I turned around and saw Helen walking along behind me. I was shocked to see she preferred the hardware department to the petting zoo. Recognizing my error, I bent down and asked her what was wrong.
She looked up at me with those giant limpid brown eyes and said sadly, "Well, Daddy, it cost fifty cents. So, I gave Brandon my quarter." She had given Brandon her quarter, and no one loves cuddly furry creatures more than Helen. What do you think I did? Well, not what you might think. As soon as I finished my errands, I took Helen to the petting zoo. We stood by the fence and watched Brandon go crazy petting and feeding the animals. Helen stood with her hands and chin resting on the fence and just watched Brandon. I had fifty cents burning a hole in my pocket; I never offered it to Helen, and she never asked for it. She had been very unselfish and sacrificial.
Like I said before, this thing that I am trying to describe this morning is very unselfish at its core. It is one of its defining characteristics.
III. A PORTRAIT OF POSITIVE (John 8:10-11)
The third portrait of Jesus I also saw in a passage that we already spoke about. In John 8, with the woman brought before Him in the midst of the act of adultery, Jesus showed a very positive attitude and a forward forgiving perspective. The positive-ness of this thing I am trying to describe to you means that it always encourages and always forgives and does not keep records of wrongs. It is encouraging and does not hold a grudge. I want to remind you of the three things that Jesus said to the woman after the angry mob walked away…
“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“Then neither do I condemn you”
“Go now and leave your life of sin.”
You see in all three of these statements, Jesus is looking to forgive this woman and put her on a path away from sin. He could have condemned her… if anyone could have… it was Jesus. Yet, Jesus chose to forgive and take a positive approach to this obviously negative situation. I believe His positive approach with this woman had eternal rewards… and positive-ness is part of what I am trying to describe for you today. Jesus encouraged her. Jesus forgave her and wanted her to move on. Jesus did not hold a grudge, but wanted the best for this woman.
I cannot help but also think about the portion of the Cosby Show we watched. Cliff Huxtable was positive and encouraging and thankful at the efforts of his children. He exhibited what I am trying to describe for your today. Are you getting what I am saying? Are you hearing what I am describing? Can you define it? Can you name it?
IV. PORTRAIT OF ENDURANCE (John 19:25-27)
The last portrait that I want to describe to you today comes from when Jesus is on the cross. Jesus has been beated. Jesus is bloody. Jesus is in excruciating pain. Jesus is taking on the sin of the world while people walk by and hurl insults at Him and divide His clothes among them. Someone even spears Him in the side. In the midst of all this, John 19:25-27 tells us, “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”
In the midst of all His pain and suffering and separation from God… Jesus thinks of His mother. Jesus wanted His mother cared for and takes care of her even while dying on the cross. What do you call that? How do you define that? I would describe it as enduring. This thing that I am trying to describe to you today endures through all hardships, storms of life, and mistakes… even death on a cross.
SUMMARY
What I am trying to describe for you today can be found easily in the life of Jesus. Jesus was very thoughtful in His interactions with people. Jesus was unselfish always when it came to the people around Him. Jesus sought to be positive with those around Him no matter the situation. Jesus also did not allow Himself to quite, but endured through the harshest of circumstances. All of these portraits describe and paint a picture for us.
Do you know what I have been trying to describe?
Do you know what should define us as Christians?
Do you know what one quality above all others will separate you from the world we live in?
What is thoughtful?
What is unselfish?
What is always positive?
What is enduring?
CONCLUSION
If you would, please take the pew Bible and turn to 1 Corinthians 13. Read it silently for a few moments. We will play a song while you read.
SONG.... "Face of Love" by Sanctus Real
READ 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-13 SILENTLY
PRAYER AND INVITATION
