A More Excellent Way
1Corinthians 13:4/8
In chapter thirteen the Apostle Paul writes about the more excellent way, or what he had in view, in the close of the former chapter, namely, charity, or, as it is commonly rendered love. The word charity to most meant almsgiving, but charity in its fullest and most common meaning, is the love God has for man.
In the latter part of chapter twelve Paul talked about the gifts that God had placed in the church, and ended by saying, "But covet earnestly the best gifts; and yet I show you a more excellent way.
He starts chapter thirteen with, "If I have the ability to speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." And went on to say that if he had the gift of prophecy, and understood all mysteries, and had all knowledge and faith to say to the mountains be removed, and has not charity, Paul said I am nothing.
The more excellent way for the believer is to have the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. Mountain moving faith is wonderful, bestowing goods to feed the poor is commendable, but without love it is meaningless. If love is left out of our endeavors, then the most costly services we might offer is of no value.
John chapter three and verse sixteen says it all, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son. That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Penciled on the wall of a patient's room in an insane asylum after he had been carried to his grave were these word. "Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made, were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade.
To write the love of God above, would drain the ocean dry. Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky."
A man by the name of Frederick M. Lehman found those words penned on the wall and sit down on a wooden chair and wrote the Refrain, "O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure, the saints' and angels' song."
The scripture teaches us that greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for a friend. In this message I want to share you the love of two women and the love of a son.
In the book of second Samuel, chapter twenty-one we have a story of a mother who had great love and respect for her two son. Her name is Rizpah, meaning the stone. She was a concubine of Saul and to their union two sons were born.
There was a famine in the land, their crops were burning up the streams and brooks were dry, the cattle were dying and King David wanted to know why, so he inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, saying, it's because of Saul and his bloody house, who have abused and misused the Gibeonites.
Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, they were a remnant of the house of the Amorites, and the children of Israel had made a peace pact with them. Yet, Saul in his zeal for Israel mistreated many of them. And breaking the agreement caused a famine in the land. When one breaks an agreement it brings despair, division and death. David must now make a decision.
So David calls the Gibeonites together and asked, "What shall I do for you, and wherewith shall I made the atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?"
The Gibeonites said to David, we don't want your silver nor gold, nor houses, nor land. We are not asking you to kill any man in Israel. And David said, "Whatever you say, that will I do for You."
They answered the king saying, the man that consumed us and plotted against us that we would not be able to remain in any of the coasts of Israel. We want his seven of his sons to make sport of.
In keeping his word David delivered seven of the sons of Saul into the hands of the Gibeonites. This was done because of the Lord's oath that was between David and Jonathan the son of Saul, and two of those seven sons belonged to Rizpah.
I have no doubt when the Gibeonites received the sons of Saul they said it's party time. They were seeking revenge and wanted to get even with Saul. They will send runners throughout the camp telling the people to come together it time for us to settling of scores.
Here we have the seven sons of Saul hanging from the trees in chains, their dead bodies left exposed to the elements, and the Gibeonites are dancing and making merry and having a grand old time. The party is now over and the crowds have dispersed, and there hangs the sons of Saul.
Verse ten of Second Samuel chapter twenty-one states, "And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the water dropped upon them out of heaven".
As those boys hung on the hill of Mt. Gibeah, Rizpah kept watch from the beginning of the barley harvest, until the early rain in October, keeping the birds away during the day and the beasts of the field at night. There was no tent to screen her from the scorching sun of the day nor the chilly dews at night, it was only her sackcloth that kept her from the rocky ground.
This my friend is a picture of motherly devotion, stronger than death, and clinging at all costs with desperation to the lifeless remains of the ones she loved. The sins of the father had been passed own to the children, and Rizpah is watching over her sons.
She is watching with great affection, now in her old age, she sees her sons who had been a comfort to her and now they are separated in this dreadful manner. She loves her sons, that my friend is the love of God manifested, which is the more excellent way.
Let us leap forward a few hundred years and see another mother who had a son. Her name is Mary, espoused to Joseph and she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. This had been foretold that a virgin would bring forth a son, and they would call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
She was chosen by God to give birth to a son, and his name would be called Jesus; for He would save his people from their sins. This child grew into manhood and begin to do the work of the Father, knowing that one day He would be crucified paying the ultimate price to redeem mankind.
Now, Rizpah watched her sons die for their father's sin and there was nothing that she could do but wait for the falling rain. When David received word that she had been protecting her sons body's for many days. He demanded that the boys be given a proper burial.
Mary, the mother of Jesus watched her son grow up. She did not know that He would one day walk on water, heal the sick, give sight to the blind, heal the lepers and feed the multitude with the loaves and the fishes.
Mary was unaware that He would chose twelve men to be in the enter circle and cause a multitude of people to follow Him, teaching them principles of the coming kingdom.
She watched as they parted his garment and placed a crown of thrones on His head, He was beaten with a cat of nine tails while they made sport of Him. She watched her son die hanging on a tree on a hill called Mt. Calvary for the sins of humanity.
The one who knew no sin, took our sins that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ. "Greater love hath no man that this, that a man would lay down his life for a friend." That my friend is the more excellent way.
The story did not end at the cross, He was placed in a borrowed tomb, and it seemed that Friday had ended it all. But remember, Jesus had said destroy this body and in three days I will raise it up.
As the sun begin to peak over the horizon on the first day of the week, the Son, the Ancient of days, the Alpha and Omega, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the first born of many brethren arose victorious over death, hell and the grave.
And because He lives I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone. Because I know, I know who hold the future; and life is worth the living just because He live.
The gift of love that God gave was more than tongue or pen could ever tell; It goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell; The guilty one, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win; His erring child He reconciled, and pardoned from his sin.
That is the more excellent way, the love God.
