If you would, please stand as we say together our memory Scripture for this quarter:
Matthew 6:31-33
“Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
And our memory refresher Scripture is …
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Please open your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 13
The book in the Bible called 1 Corinthians was written to the church in Corinth in Greece which at that time was part of the Roman Empire.
1 Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul during his third missionary journey.
This journey took place in the mid 50’s (not 1950’s) which was about 20 years or so after Jesus was crucified, raised from the dead after three days and ascended into heaven to be our Mediator before the God the Father.
All sorts of pride other sin had gotten into the church in Corinth and so the church was not a church of love for one another but a church of factions and fighting.
Today we will be looking at the first two main sections of this great chapter!
First it addresses some of the failures in the church (verses 1-3)
Second it addresses the solution to those failures (verses 4-8a)
At the end of chapter 12 in verse 31 we see that Paul is about to introduce the solution to the sinfulness in the church when he writes, “… And now I will show you the most excellent way.”
In chapter 13 we see the struggle between Agape Love and Self Love.
Agape Love is the kind of love demonstrated by the Father when He sent His one and only Begotten Son to sacrifice Himself on the cross of Calvary for our sins.
Self love is the “what’s in it for me” love of a person who wants to glorify themselves at the expense of another even if it means ruining the other person’s reputation.
So, if you would please follow along in your Bibles as we move through this Chapter.
--------------- Section on verses 1-3 -----------------------
(Read or recite 1 Corinthians 13:1 at this time)
In verse 1 we that there has been fighting over speaking in tongues or unknown languages. All that we know about this is that it was nothing like what happened in the 2nd chapter of Acts.
Instead of people understanding there was only confusion.
Instead of people being saved there was only division.
It was like people having tongues speaking competitions …
“I speak in tongues better than you!”
“I speak in tongues more than you!”
“I speak in more unknown languages than you do!”
“You’re just speaking gibberish!”
There was pride, pride, pride … with no love … just self love … self centered love …
“Who cares if the church is damaged? I’m the greatest!!!”
And, what’s the result? Such a person just ends up being a loud, annoying sound!
In verse 2 we see them fighting over who is the greatest prophet, who is understands the most “mysteries”, who has the most knowledge, who has the most faith!
(Read or recite 1 Corinthians 13:2 at this time)
And, what is the result of such fighting? Spiritually speaking, you are nothing!
Wow! That’s harsh, isn’t it? If I don’t have Agape Love, “I AM NOTHING!”
Pride, pride, pride … with no love … self love … self centered love …
“Who cares if the church is damaged? I’m the greatest!!!”
In verse 3 we see that the argument is who is the most “generous”.
(Read or recite 1 Corinthians 13:3 at this time)
“Generosity” for the purpose of promoting yourself is empty and hollow in the sight of God.
Jesus says that a person who gives in “generosity” for the purpose of self-glorification has no other reward!
So, why were they doing it?
Pride, pride, pride … with no love … self love … self centered love …
“Who cares if the church is damaged? I’m the greatest!!!”
--------------- Section on verses 4-8a -----------------------
Here in verse 4 Paul switches gears.
What is this “Love” that Paul was talking about when He keeps saying, “but have not love …” in verses 1-3?
Here is where Paul defines this Agape “God-like” love that we as Christians are supposed to have.
This is not a “me first” kind of love but a “you first” kind of love.
(In this section of verses I substitute the word “love” for the word “it” because it is no more difficult to say, nor does it change the meaning and it is just a personal preference.)
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast, love is not proud. Love is not self-seeking, love is not easily angered, love keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails!
We all know that in math and in English a double negative makes a positive.
For instance where verse 4 where it says, “Love does not (negative) envy (a negative emotion)” you might be able to say, “Love is contented” in its place.
Or in verse 5 where it says, “Love is not (negative) self-seeking (a negative action)” you might be able to say, “Love is self-giving”).
OK, so, I’d like to do a little exercise where the parts of the verses that say, “Love is not” or “Love does not” is changed to a positive action. Let me show you …
Bible Positive meaning
Patient - Patient
Kind - Kind
Does not envy - Contented
Does not boast - Speaks humbly
Is not proud - Humble
Is not rude - Gracious
Not self-seeking - Self giving
Not easily angered - Even tempered
Keeps no record of wrongs - Forgives and forgets
Does not delight in evil - Is saddened by evil
Rejoices in the truth - Rejoices in the truth
Always protects - Always protects
Always trusts - Always trusts
Always hopes - Always hopes
Always perseveres - Always perseveres
Never fails - Continually loves others
This is the kind of love that Christ has for us!
This is the kind of love that we are commanded to have for one another!
John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
OK, so let’s just quickly look at a comparison between Agape, God-like love and the self-centered type of love that was destroying the church in Corinth.
Agape Love Self-Centered Love
Patient - impatient
Kind - mean
Contented - envious
Speaks humbly - boastful
Humble - proud
Gracious - rude
Self giving - self-serving
Even tempered - easily angered
Forgives and forgets - holds grudges
Is saddened by evil - loves to dig up dirt
Rejoices in the truth - saddened when truth comes out
Always protects - destroys
Always trusts - suspects
Always hopes - wishes ill
Always perseveres - perseveres in self-centeredness
Continually loves others - never stops thinking about self
Agape Love sets you free; self-centered love locks you into the prison that is the exact same size as you are.
A church full of Agape Love Christians is a wonderful place to be.
Christ is the center and source of Agape love and obedience to the two great commandments is the guiding principle.
Now don’t be confused. The world is full of self-centered-love people so when they get saved and are welcomed into the fellowship some of the old self love will undoubtedly come in with them and that is fine because they are young Christians and have not yet matured in the faith but it may cause some trouble. If it does it is the Lord’s desire that we set an example by our attitudes and actions. If we demonstrate Agape love in action it is likely that the young Christian will grow in Christian maturity and start exhibiting Agape love themselves.
OK. Let’s let the Lord speak to us. I’m going to sit down in this front row of seats with you all and look at these two columns of attributes and ask Jesus to show me where I am. (The columns can be on a PPT slide or on a handout in the bulletin)
Am I in the Agape self-giving love column or in the Self-serving love column?
Are there certain areas where I fall completely short of Agape love?
Here’s the beautiful thing about the Holy Scriptures - not only do they reveal who we truly are but they also show is the path to who we really should be!
Praise the Lord forever!
Let’s take a look at one more Scripture that acts as a filter in our hearts to show where we really stand in this spiritual battle.
Galatians 6:4 says
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
So, based on this Scripture and many, many, many more like it we can see that there will be fruit (consequences) in our life if we live by Agape love or if we live by self-centered love.
The consequences of living by Agape love are revealed in Galatians 5:22-23 and, of course, there are corresponding negative consequences if we live according to self-centered love.
Galatians 5:22-23
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Fruit of the Spirit Fruit of self
God centered love Self-centered love
Joy - frustration and misery
Peace - an agitated spirit
Patience - impatience
Kindness - meanness
Goodness - prone to sin
Faithful to God and others - faithful to self
Gentleness - gruffness
Self-control - fits of anger
Let’s allow the Lord to speak to us through His word as shown in this list.
Here’s the problem when self-centered love rears its ugly head in the church.
The body of Christ, the church suffers and the name of Jesus is bruised in the eyes of the world.
We must always keep this in the forefront of our minds - when we bruise someone who is a part of the body of Christ we are bruising someone for whom Jesus bled and died that they might have eternal life.
When Jesus was beaten and slaughtered by the world that was enough.
Shall I add to the shame by abusing His body, the church, here on earth as well?
(Closing comments and then using the following song as a poem to lead into communion.)
Lamb of God by Twila Paris
Your only Son no sin to hide - But You have sent Him from Your side
To walk upon this guilty sod - And to become the Lamb of God
Your gift of love they crucified - They laughed and scorned Him as He died
The humble King they named a fraud - And sacrificed the Lamb of God
I was so lost I should have died - But You have brought me to Your side
To be led by Your Staff and Rod - And to be call a lamb of God
Oh Lamb of God, Sweet Lamb of God - I love the Holy Lamb of God
Oh wash me in His precious Blood - My Jesus Christ the Lamb of God
Oh wash me in His precious Blood - My Jesus Christ the Lamb of God
Communion …
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----- This is additional material that was not actually used in the sermon but might be used at a later date --------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A church filled with Agape Love Christians is not immune to an attack by the evil one.
Someone may be offended and they may be tempted to slide back into self-centered love.
When this happens it usually first “under the radar”.
It’s almost like the incubation period of deadly flu.
You don’t know when you contracted it but eventually it will rear its head and cause problems.
The flu virus may infect only one cell and then it spreads to two and then four and then eight and eventually billions of cells and this may eventually cause death.
The same thing goes for a Christian who is still entangled with self-centered love.
They become offended just like the first cell that is infected by a flu virus.
And, just like the flu virus, it wants to spread and it spreads like this.
That one person gets on the phone or email or goes to visit another person who has a listening ear. If that person becomes offended on behalf of the first person then there are two who are offended. Both those persons then call or email or visit someone else and the offense goes from two to four to eight to …
How can you tell when this is happening?
1) A person who used to greet you in church with a warm greeting and a smile now is cool or cold toward you and will speak to you only when spoken to
2) Others close to that person start acting the same way
3) Eventually that person or someone in their group becomes offended over something else and it comes to a head. The incubation period is over and the disease becomes evident.
4) The church is weakened in its witness and in its ability to serve the kingdom of God because everyone is TEMPTED to take their eyes off of Christ and defend themselves.
Those who live in Agape love will seek the Lord even more and strain forward into loving the one causing the pain.
--------------------------------------
1 Timothy 5:17-21
“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘The worker deserves his wages.’
“Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning.
“I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.”
“They will know that we are Christians because of our love for one another.”
------------------------------------------------
--------------- Section on verses 8b-12 ---------------------
(Read verses 8b-12)
Here Paul is drawing a comparison between his speech, thinking and reasoning as a young boy and his speech, thinking and reasoning as an adult.
Paul, in this passage, does not come right out and say, “You’re all acting like a bunch of spiritual children and you need grow up!” although that may have been appropriate.
Paul goes on to say that while lots of bragging is going on about prophecy and knowledge and mysteries and faith there is much that even he, as an apostle of Christ, does not know.
Reflections in the ancient mirrors of that time were not flawless like we have now and they often gave a distorted reflection.
