Alba 9-28-2025
THE BEST GIFT
I Corinthians 13:1-3
Nik Wallenda holds eleven Guinness World Records for various acrobatic feats. He is best known for doing his high-wire performances without a safety net. In 2012, he was the first person to walk a tightrope stretched directly over Niagara Falls, and his last feat was walking across a volcano in Nicaragua in 2020.
Let me share an insight from Tino Wallenda, Nik’s uncle. Tino said, “When I was seven years old, my grandfather, Karl Wallenda, put me on a wire two feet off the ground. He taught me all the elementary skills: how to hold my body so that I remained stiff and rigid; how to place my feet on the wire with my big toe on the wire and my heel to the inside; how to hold the pole with my elbows close to my body.
“But the most important thing my grandfather taught me was that I needed to focus my attention on a point at the other end of the wire, a point that was unmoving and wouldn’t shift. That is how we maintain our balance on the wire. We need a point to concentrate on to keep us balanced.”
That technique of focusing is essential for tightrope walking, but it is also important for churches and Christians trying to accomplish God’s mission. In I Corinthians chapter 12, the apostle Paul outlines several special gifts of the Holy Spirit given to Christians. They had spiritual gifts, but were not using them well. At the end of that chapter (vs. 31) he calls on the church to “earnestly desire the best gifts”. That's where their focus should be. Then in chapter 13 he focuses on love.
Jerome, the Church historian, told this about the apostle John, that when he became old he used to go among the churches and assemblies, everywhere repeating the words, “Little children, love one another.” His disciples, wearied by the constant repetition, asked him why he always said this. “Because,” he replied, “it is the Lord’s commandment; and if it only be fulfilled, it is enough.” John knew that the greatest truth was most apt to be forgotten because it was taken for granted. And when it is, it causes divisions.
We talk about love. We love our dog, we love sports, we love music, we love baseball, we love apple pie. Someone sings, “I can’t help falling in love with you.” Someone else sings, “You’ve lost that loving feeling.” Someone else sings, “I love you. Please tell me your name.” That’s some really deep stuff.
The King James Version uses the word “charity” in this chapter which can be confusing, because the word here means a special kind of love; “agape” love. Agape love is self-giving love. There is no thought of receiving anything in return for the love given. It is “self-less” love. Pure. Clean. Without cost. Paul concluded that many of the problems at Corinth came from the lack of the right kind of love.
So he goes to the one thing that he knows will solve their problems. Paul tells them, “I will show you the more excellent way.” That way is love. Love is more important than heroic actions, and even more important than spiritual gifts. Love is the first of the fruit of the Spirit. So if you want the Spirit's gifts, you had better use them with love. That's the message we learn from chapter thirteen. Because...
Without Love I am Noise
I Corinthians 13:1 says, “ Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” Have you ever been in some place where the noise was so great you couldn't hear what anybody was saying? So much noise that it gave you a headache? What good is that? If you can't understand what is being said, it is just a bunch of noise.
The Corinthians loved to speak in tongues. Many of them had the gift of speaking supernaturally in foreign languages. If it is being done just to impress others, it is just making noise. If the Corinthians were possessed with real love for fellow believers as the outflow and overflow of God’s love in their hearts, they would not be so intrigued by mere self-gratifying noise. Instead they would speak thoughtfully so that they might edify the church. This verse tells us that without love, words are empty. Words without love are like a resounding gong or a clanging symbol.
Back in the First Century, there was a big gong or cymbal hanging at the entrance of most pagan temples. When people came to worship, they hit them to awaken the pagan gods so they would listen to their prayers. Here, Paul is saying that even if he were so blessed that he could speak with the greatest of eloquence in every language, but didn’t have love, then his words were as useless as the ridiculous act of pounding on a gong to awaken non?existent gods.
We can use all the pretty words, fancy words, promising words we want. But without love, our words are hollow, meaningless and powerless. While words themselves contain a great deal of power, they are nowhere near as powerful when they don’t contain and reflect love.
The world is impressed by great communicators. But if they are words without love, God is not impressed. Because He says that they are nothing but noise. The Corinthians were impressed with their ability to communicate. They said we speak with the tongues of men and angels. God wanted them to know that they were majoring on minors, and that anything said without love is just noise.
God also wants us to know, no matter what I can do...
Without Love I am Nothing
Verse two says, “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”
Prophesy, knowledge and faith all sound very impressive. But once again, even these are of no value if not done in love.
Prophesy? Maybe the Corinthians were going after foretelling. This is a thing that produces quick recognition and results. It can be flashy, attention getting. If someone announces that he is going to speak on “End of the World”, people will flock to the doors. But announce a subject like “God’s Requirements for a Clean Life,” and few will come. Even though the main job of a prophet is to proclaim God's will for all people in all situations.
And knowledge? This says that even if you know it all, if you know everything there is to know about nuclear science; if you know everything there is to know about medicine; if you know everything there is to know about philosophy, and psychology, and theology, and every other kind of “ology”, if you know it all, but have no love, then you are nothing at all.
It is always amazing that when people look at society and try to analyze what is wrong with us, why we’re killing and abusing one another, that those experts always seem to come back with the same answer, “We need more education. We need to get everybody educated, and then we won’t have these problems anymore.” But I don’t think education is the answer. I’m certainly not opposed to education. But listen to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 8:1, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” I don’t think we need more knowledge nearly as much as we need more love.
We need a whole lot more love, and the hearts of people need to change before society will ever change. Someone said, “Knowledge without love makes the young conceited and the aged dictatorial.” When we come before God we realize that we are not that clever and not that smart. One could be a walking Bible commentary and have the entire Bible memorized. But it would not matter one iota if there is no love. This says it is better to have a right heart than to have a right head. Knowledge must be wedded with love or we are nothing.
And faith? This says that love is more important than faith. Can you believe that? Now it doesn’t say that faith is not important. It just says that love is more important than faith. Because it says, “If I have a faith that can remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” Removing mountains sounds like amazing faith. But without love it is lacking.
Scripture tells us that faith is so important that it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 12:6). And I trust that all of you here this morning have faith. But what is your faith? What do you believe for sure this morning? Do you believe that God is the creator of the world? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is His only begotten Son who came into our world and lived a sinless life, and that He died and was buried, and on the third day rose again? Do you believe that He is now at the right hand of the Father, and is preparing a place for us? And that one day He will come again? Do you believe that the Holy Spirit is our guide, and counselor, and comforter?
If you believe all those things, then that is very good, and I commend you for it. But this text teaches us that if you believe all the right stuff, but you do not have love, then you are nothing. Because even faith is of no value unless it is backed up by love. Remember the priest and the Levite in the story of the Good Samaritan? They had faith. The problem was they had no love. So they walked by on the other side and just left the man lying there to die.
James 2:20 tells us that “faith without works is dead.” And this chapter tells us that faith without love is nothing. If you hear people say, “Yes, I am a Christian.” You could ask, “How do you know?” Many times the answer is, “I believe in Jesus.” That's good, but the response to that is, “So does the devil.” The devil doesn't care if you believe in Jesus. The Lord wants to know if you love Him, and that your faith in Him causes you to love other people.
So whether a person is able to prophesy, be full of knowledge and faith, without love, there is nothing there. Then verse three says, “though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned”...
Without Love It Profits me Nothing
Now notice that it doesn’t say, “If I give 10%.” It is saying, “If I give everything. If I empty my checking account. If I give all my retirement funds. If I sell my house. If I cash in my insurance policies. If I sit on the corner with nothing left but what I’m wearing, and I’ve given it all away to help the poor, but I don’t have love, then I am nothing at all.”
Oh, we need to care about the needs of others. In fact, Paul writes in Romans 12:20?-21, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink...Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
But generosity is not enough. Are you a generous person? But why do you give? Do you give because the preacher preached a sermon on stewardship? Do you give because you feel guilty if you don’t? Do you give because you want to impress others sitting around you? Do you give because you’re afraid that God will get you if you don’t? Do you give because you think you will get more than you give?
You see, all those are wrong reasons. If the only reason that I give is to receive or to benefit myself, then love is absent, and giving is empty. The motive for giving should be love, love for God and love for God’s people. You can give without love, but you cannot love without giving. There have been men who have given their wives everything they ever wanted, and are shocked when they are asked for a divorce. Listen, you can give her the biggest diamond ring in the world, but if you do not give her love, you can forget it.
Look how love is more important than anything you may do that seems amazing. It says, “though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” This is talking about martyrdom.
This is talking about being so faithful and so committed to God that you end up dying because of your faith. How deep is your faith? How deep is your commitment? Are you willing to lay down your life for God, if it came to that? Even if that were to happen, without love, love for God, love for what Jesus has done for you, it would mean nothing.
Did you see any of the memorial for Charlie Kirk last week? Again and again it was said that he knew the danger, but he would go out anyway to share faith and try to win hearts. And share faith he did. He constantly talked about Jesus being his Lord and Savior. Charlie's death was more than a political assassination, there is a spiritual battle going on as well. And even Elon Musk, not known for his faith, said that Charlie was killed, “Because he was showing people light. And he was killed by the dark.”
Well, Jesus was showing us the light, and the darkness comprehended it not. We didn't ask Jesus to die for us. But He did. He gave the ultimate self-sacrifice on that cross because He loves us. He loves me. He loves you.
And in John 13:34 Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” It is not a new commandment to love your neighbor. It is not a new commandment to love others as you love yourself. But the New Commandment is this: love one another as I have loved you.” We need to keep our focus on Jesus. That will keep our life in balance.
Now let me summarize these verses. God is saying that I can have the eloquence of a great speaker. I can have the intelligence of a genius. I can have the faith of a miracle worker. I can have the generosity of the kindest person in the world. And, I can have the dedication of a martyr. But if I do not have love, it does not count. The best gift is love.
CLOSE:
Dr. E.V. Hill, one of the most famous Black preachers in America, told the story of receiving a death threat about something he said in one of his sermons. His wife became aware of the threat, and took it very seriously.
The next morning, when Dr. E.V. Hill got dressed for work, he came out of the house to go to his car. His car was not there. He could not imagine where his car was. Did someone steal it? Did they take it so they could place a bomb in it? He sat down on the top step of his house.
About that time his wife came up driving his car. When she got out of the car, he asked, “Woman, what on earth are you doing.” She said, “I was thinking. This community needs you more than it needs me. If they were going to rig that car with a bomb, I wanted to be in it instead of you.”
E.V. Hill said, “I always thought my wife loved me; but now I understood what love was all about.”
I John 3:16 says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
