THE GREATER GIFT
1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-13
In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians Paul he is continuing a thought from the previous chapter in reference to the people of Corinth and their beliefs about spiritual gifts. It seems they had become obsessed with them. They felt it made some better than others because of their abilities. Paul says that in 12:12 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Paul was starting a train of thought to help them understand that love was the most important gift of all. He was not discounting spiritual gifts because he practiced them as well, but it was more important that they have love in their hearts. Do you truly have love in your heart for your brothers and sisters of this world? What does it mean have charity (love) for others? Let’s share together what God’s word says about the topic, of what is the greater gift?
Let’s open with prayer
Charity in the Greek is didomi -- pronounced: did’-o-mee - bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver (up), give,
I. Paul uses the word charity (some versions say love)(1-3)
A. The word he uses here is not exactly in the context we use it today
B. It is love in its truest and fullest meaning
i. Love to the fullest to God and man
ii. An unconditional love if you will
C. Without this all other gifts are meaningless
D. They are of no meaning to God at all
i. Without love God counts other gifts as without merit
ii. If we cannot love we are of no use to our fellow man
E. All the knowledge and understanding in the world are of no value without a loving and caring heart
F. Love without regard to, “what’s in it for me” is the only love
i. Too many times we expect return for our giving or generosity
ii. We have no concept of this kind of love God has for us
iii. If it is not from the heart it will do us no good at all
a. When was the last time you gave without expectations?
b. Helped someone in need without greed in your heart?
G. If it is not out of love but of works it is defective and out of selfishness.
II. Love has many different effects on us we will know if we have it (4 – 12)
A. If we do not have this grace we need diligence until we do
i. We need to search our hearts and seek God’s intervention
ii. We need to stay in prayer seeking God’s help
B. It is positive proof of our regeneration of our lives to be Christ like in love
C. It is the cornerstone of which we can build our faith
D. It shows the Corinthians conduct had, in many respects, been a contrast to love
i. Their emphasis on spiritual gifts and other worldly actions
ii. God’s word through Paul also states that spiritual gifts do exist
a. All believers by the power of The Holy Spirit are gifted with at least one spiritual gift
b. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
iii. No one spiritual gift is a requirement; but love is n action required of all
E. Charity is an extreme enemy of greed and selfishness
i. Love is the exact opposite to inner peace and fleshly selfish desires
ii. Love is the heart of Christ that we should long to have and display
iii. We should never desire or seek praise, or honor, profit, or pleasure for love
F. It is not that charity destroys all regard to ourselves or that the charitable man should neglect himself and all his interests
i. Charity never seeks its own to the hurt of others, or to neglect others
ii. It never seeks for self gratification
iii. It never seeks to build a self-pride
iv. We should always seek to build up the body of name of Christ
v. It prefers the welfare of others to its private advantage
vi. Good-natured and amiable is Christian love
G. How wonderful would Christianity be to the world, if those who profess it would live by this principle
i. That is a problem with many believers today
a. They seek to build up and edify themselves instead of the church
b. They have a self-pride that comes through
c. The “What’s in it for me” attitude
H. We need to ask whether this Divine love dwells in our hearts in all ways
i. Do we use this principle and behavior toward all men?
ii. Can we lay aside our own selfish objects and goals?
iii. Can we lay aside our own gains and fleshly desires
I. This chapter is a call to us as a warning to change our ways
III. Charity is highly preferred to the gifts of which the Corinthians prided themselves (8-13)
A. Some people make spiritual gifts too important
i. They are just that spiritual gifts and not “spiritual priorities”
ii. As Paul says in V. 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
iii. 1 Corinthians 14:18-19 I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; 19 however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.
a. Those sounds are a distraction to what our focus should be; on Jesus/Love
b. They keep our focus off the real issue of love for each other
iv. Yes Paul has the gift of speaking in tongues, but Love is much more vital, important, acceptable, and pleasing to God which is the way we should think
B. Our present state of understanding is a state of childhood, with future that of adulthood.
i. Our current thoughts are unclear and childlike in nature
a. We are immature and not clear in our spiritual walk and love for others
b. We become spiritual adults we should become adult in love towards all
ii. What will we think of our most valued gifts of this world when we go to heaven?
a. We do not see things clearly now
b. We see things of this nature like you would through a frosted glass
c. Hazy and unclear
iii. They can only be seen as by the reflection in a mirror
a. As we see other earthly people see them
b. We need to see things through the eyes of Christ
C. V. 10-12 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
i. When we are side by side with Jesus we will understand all
ii. We will no longer think of this world and its distractions
iii. We will no longer think in an immature way
iv. We will no longer have earthly thoughts and desires
v. Our minds will be clear of all unacceptable things
vi. We will see clearly the ways of our Lord and Savior
vii. We will have full knowledge just as Jesus knew us before our birth
viii. Love will surround is in every aspect of our heavenly being
a. We will feel love inexpressible
b. We should feel His love inside of us today
c. We need to emulate this feeling to all that we come in contact with
D. Love is preferred not only to spiritual gifts, but to other graces, to faith or hope
i. Faith fixes on the Divine revelation, relying on the Divine Redeemer.
a. Faith is as it says in Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
b. We may not see in a physical sense but we know we serve a living loving God
ii. Hope fastens on future happiness, and waits for that
a. Hope is the anticipation that something is true
b. It is a desire of ours that something will transpire in the future
iii. In heaven, faith will be swallowed up with actual sight
a. We will have glorious victory in the sight of Love
b. Victory over selflessness, greed, and fleshly desires
iv. There will be no room to have hope, when we can see and enjoy
a. But there, love will be made perfect.
b. There we shall perfectly love God.
c. There we shall perfectly love each other.
1. 1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
2. 1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
v. Where God is to be seen as he is, and face to face, there love is in its greatest height; there and there only will we be perfected in His perfect love.
Do I believe in spiritual gifts? Do you believe in spiritual gifts? That’s not why I am here today. I am here sharing how as believers of Jesus Christ the preeminence of God’s love for our brothers sisters is a greater gift. For now we need a never-ending faith and hope in our Lord and Savior to help keep us focused on Him and His love for us. He is our hope and our solid rock that we lean on. 1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all that ye do be done in love. Do we live each day with the love of Christ in our hearts? Can we say we truly say we love our brothers and sisters? Do we sometimes look for, “What’s in it for me”? Are we selfish with our talents and gifts that God has provided for us? V. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Closing Prayer.
