INTRODUCTION
OPENING SLIDE
- Love better.
- Of all the things in life, we can do better is love.
SLIDE #1
- Last week, we began the series with love is patient.
- Patience is the anchor of love.
- Today, we move to love is kind.
- Love Is Kind Just as patience will take anything from others, kindness will give anything to others, even to its enemies.
- Being kind is the counterpart of being patient.
- We can better understand why Paul emphasizes love when we know the context of the letter's writing.
- 1 Corinthians is a letter the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, a community faced with divisions and moral challenges.
- In Chapter 13, known as the “Love Chapter,” Paul eloquently defines love, urging believers to embody it above all spiritual gifts.
- This passage highlights love’s enduring qualities, emphasizing its importance in maintaining unity and reflecting Christ’s nature.
- This reminder is crucial for anyone seeking a Christ-centered life filled with grace and compassion.
- The historical context of 1 Corinthians 13:4 involves understanding the cultural and situational background in which the Apostle Paul wrote this epistle.
- Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians was written to address various issues and challenges the Christian community in Corinth faced during the first century.
- Corinth was a cosmopolitan city in ancient Greece, known for its diversity, wealth, and immorality.
- During this period, the Corinthian church struggled with divisiveness, misunderstandings about spiritual gifts, and behaviors that did not align with Christian teachings.
- Paul wrote to offer guidance and correction to help unify the believers and encourage them to live according to the love demonstrated by Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 13 is at the center of Paul’s discourse on spiritual gifts, found in chapters 12 to 14.
- He emphasizes that love is the most essential virtue and superior to all spiritual gifts.
- By highlighting the characteristics of love in verse 4 and continuing into the chapter, Paul sought to inspire the Corinthian church to focus on love as the foundation of their relationships and community practices.
- Join me as we learn to love better by fine-tuning the art of kindness.
1 Corinthians 13:4 NET 2nd ed.
4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up.
SLIDE #2
SERMON
I. Kindness defined.
- What does it mean to be kind?
- The Greek word translated as “is kind” in 1 Corinthians 13:4 is a verb that describes an active expression of kindness, emphasizing benevolence and goodwill toward others.
- The essence of this kindness is not merely passive or about being nice; it involves tangible actions that demonstrate care and compassion.
- In the biblical context, love is kind, reflects the nature of God’s kindness toward humanity.
- Kindness is often linked with the New Testament understanding of love as an active force that compels one to seek the welfare and good of others.
- This idea is connected to the concept of “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you,” promoting a form of love that is considerate, self-giving, and reflects God’s unconditional love.
- Kindness also ties into the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23, where kindness is listed as one of the characteristics that should be evident in a Christian’s life.
- Kindness is a virtue that flows naturally from a heart-shaped by love and faith, resulting in actions that resonate with the character of Jesus, who exemplified kindness throughout His life and ministry.
- I love a quote attributed to Mark Twain, who said the following about kindness:
- “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” - Mark Twain.
- This thought relates to something I stated concerning patience and kindness in the introduction.
- Love Is Kind Just as patience will take anything from others, kindness will give anything to others, even to its enemies. Being kind is the counterpart of being patient.
- To be kind means to be useful, serving, and gracious. It is active goodwill.
- Kindness goes so far as to ask us to be gracious even to those who are our enemies.
- Kindness is not simply a feeling; kindness requires one to actively offer goodwill that works for the welfare of others.
- In the Old Testament, kindness is portrayed as a loyal love manifested through actions, often associated with covenant relationships.
- It is seen as a bond in various social relationships and primarily characterizes the covenant between God and His people.
- Kindness eases another person’s pain, soothes anxieties, fears, and hostilities, and contributes positively to the happiness of others.
- Kindness is a concern that eliminates suffering and increases joy.
- Let’s move to a couple of passages that show us what kindness is.
Matthew 26:6–7 NET 2nd ed.
6 Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,
7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfumed oil, and she poured it on his head as he was at the table.
SLIDE #3
II. Kindness requires an investment.
- This is a quick housekeeping background note for anyone who digs deeper into what we will discuss.
- In the New Testament we have what looks to be three instances where some woman anointed Jesus with oil.
- All four gospels have some account of these events.
- Chronologically, it looks like the event of the unnamed woman anointing Jesus’ feet with her tears and perfume recorded in Luke 7:36-39 was first, followed by the event of the woman anointing Jesus head with perfume recorded in Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9 (parallel accounts) and the final recorded event of Mary, the sister of Lazarus anointing Jesus feet with perfume recorded in John 12:2-8.
- Kindness demands an investment from the one offering kindness.
- We need to invest some combination of our time, talent, and treasures and give up space in our hearts.
- Arron Chambers, the author of the book Love Better, states:
- Love Does Intentional Random Acts of Service.
- I say intentional because Jesus saw it as intentional. Of her act of kindness, Jesus said, “In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial” (Matthew 26:12).
- I say random because no one saw it coming—except for Jesus!
- She’d been paying attention, and she knew that Jesus was coming to an “end of the road” of sorts.
- It was the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry. His death was near, and he was preparing himself for it.
- Let’s look at a couple of verses from two of the four Gospel accounts to see the investment the women made as they anointed Jesus.
Mark 14:3–5 NET 2nd ed.
3 Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of costly aromatic oil from pure nard. After breaking open the jar, she poured it on his head.
4 But some who were present indignantly said to one another, “Why this waste of expensive ointment?
5 It could have been sold for more than 300 silver coins and the money given to the poor!” So they spoke angrily to her.
- Anointing the feet of your guest was an act of honoring that person.
- Anointing your guest’s feet with a pound of perfume is also very expensive!
- Mark gives us some essential details about the cost of this perfume, “For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.’ And they scolded her” (Mark 14:5).
- In all four Gospel accounts, everyone in the room knew how expensive the gift these women poured out on Jesus cost.
- Sometimes, I wonder if those in the room were more jealous of the random act of kindness the women showed more so than the cost.
- John offers some insight in his account.
John 12:4–6 NET 2nd ed.
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was going to betray him) said,
5 “Why wasn’t this oil sold for 300 silver coins and the money given to the poor?”
6 (Now Judas said this not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money box, he used to steal what was put into it.)
- Love dispenses deeds of gentle kindness, and in the anointing of Jesus, the women in question expressed their love for Jesus when they performed their gentle deeds of kindness.
- Kindness suggests that love is not merely an abstract feeling but is expressed through concrete actions and behaviors.
- These women did not tell Jesus they loved Him, they showed it at great cost to themselves.
- Love emphasizes the importance of being considerate and supportive of others, especially in challenging circumstances.
- In Luke’s account of a Pharisee who invited Jesus watched the anointing take place through the following.
Luke 7:39 NET 2nd ed.
39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”
- So Jesus offered a lesson about two debtors: one owed a lot, and it was forgiven, and another owed little and it was forgiven.
- Jesus asked Simon which person would love the one who forgave them more.
- Simon said the one who owed the largest debt.
Luke 7:44–47 NET 2nd ed.
44 Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45 You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered, she has not stopped kissing my feet.
46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil.
47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.”
- Kindness highlights the contrast between genuine love and superficial displays of affection or concern.
- Kindness emphasizes love’s active role in conferring blessings and doing good instead of passively enduring evils.
- Let’s move to our third observation.
John 12:3 NET 2nd ed.
3 Then Mary took three quarters of a pound of expensive aromatic oil from pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus. She then wiped his feet dry with her hair. (Now the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil.)
SLIDE #4
III. Kindness makes an impact.
- Mary’s act of kindness was one of those displays that impacted others around her as the perfume permeated the entire house.
- John underscores the fact that Mary’s act of kindness was lavish and extravagant!
- She poured out all that bottle contained and lavished Jesus with love through kindness.
- Jesus was moved and impacted by the act of kindness bestowed upon Him.
- Mary was not looking to show off; she simply wanted to show Jesus kindness.
- When we are kind to others, it can have a deeper impact than we can ever know.
- What kind of fragrance are you sharing with others, is your fragrance a blessing, and inspiration to others, or does your fragrance turn people off?
- Whether you know it or not, your acts of kindness can and will impact people.
- Sometimes, kindness invites criticism.
- Why are you paying for the person’s order behind you at Dutch Brothers?
- Why did you stop to help someone?
- Sadly, our acts of kindness sometimes turn the hardest hearts even harder.
- In Matthew's account of the woman who did something similar to Mary, the disciples did not respond well.
Matthew 26:8 NET 2nd ed.
8 When the disciples saw this, they became indignant and said, “Why this waste?
- Judas was very vocal in opposition to what Mary did in John 12.
- Why were they so upset?
- This was primarily due to their differing values and priorities.
- These reactions highlight the tension between spiritual acts of worship and practical concerns such as economics and social welfare.
- Judas' objection to Mary’s act was a thinly veiled attempt to mask his greed and self-interest.
- Let’s look at the final blessing of kindness.
Matthew 26:13 NET 2nd ed.
13 I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
SLIDE #5
IV. Kindness can be illustrious.
- Look at what Jesus said concerning the act of kindness shown to Him.
- The act of kindness would not be forgotten through the ages.
- Do you remember acts of kindness shown to you throughout your life?
- Kind people are remembered.
- Can you think of someone right now who made a positive impact on your life because they were kind to you?
CONCLUSION
SLIDE #6
- Show empathy.
- Put yourself in the other’s shoes to understand their feelings and needs.
- Give generously.
- Offer your time, talents, and treasures to help those around you.
- Speak kindly.
- Use words that uplift, encourage, and inspire others.
- Show appreciation to others.
SLIDE#7
- Kindness has the power to transform relationships, create lasting impact and kindness reflects Divine love, showing kindness in love reflects the nature of God’s love for us.
