The Epistles Series

INTRODUCTION

·     SLIDE #1

·     Today, we almost come back full circle to where started this series back in the first two messages.

·     In the Pentateuch and in the Historical Books, we touched on the subject that is the central theme throughout the Bible, the subject of love.

·     Today we are continuing our journey through our Binge Reading the Bible series as we land in the Epistles.

·     The word Epistle is a fancy word for a letter. An Epistle is writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually elegant and formal.

·     In your New Testament, the Epistles consist of letters written to different churches and individuals; in these letters, early church leaders taught how we are to live as Christian and the theological framework for Christ’s work, and gave pastoral guidance.

·     This section of the Bible is important because it showcases the issues people dealt with after the resurrection and includes teachings on day-to-day living, as well as the importance of our future hope.

·     These letters are highly personal, written to particular congregations and people groups dealing with specific issues in some cases; but on the whole, these twenty-one books of the Bible (Romans to Jude) consist of real-life descriptions of faith, behavior, and future expectations.

·     The Epistles focus heavily on teaching Christian communities about proper living as followers of Jesus, as well as how to interact with believers and unbelievers.

·     Proper life as a Christian is built on the idea of love; specifically, the love of God, self, and neighbor (Mark 12:30–31).

·     The list in 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 provides many ways to know what a lifestyle of love is or isn’t. These verses encompass much of the broader teaching throughout the Epistles.

·     In a Peanuts cartoon strip from 1959, Lucy is seen tormenting Linus about how he could never be a doctor because he has no love for mankind.

·     To which Linus responds, “I love mankind … It’s people I can’t stand!”

·     Have you ever felt like Linus? Does loving your neighbor feel like an obligation or an honor?

·     Today we are going to focus on one of the most important marks of one who calls themselves a follower of Jesus MUST DO!

·     1 Corinthians 13, which many call the LOVE CHAPTER, is sandwiched between chapters 12 and 14. NOW THAT IS DEEP SAID CAPTAIN OBVIOUS!

·     The context of those chapter deals with the use of spiritual gifts within the Corinthian church.

·     The church was missing the point of focus for these gifts, and that was causing problems, fighting, envy, and jealousy within the church.

·     Spiritual gifts were meant for the building up of the church; instead, they degenerated into a source of pride.

·     This is the context we need to remember as we examine the passage today.

·     Let us begin with 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

·     SLIDE #2

·     1 Corinthians 13:1–3 (CSB) — 1 If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

·     SLIDE #3

SERMON

I.              The importance of love.

·     We spend a great deal of time on the subject of love, as Jesus did. Ever wonder why?

·     Look at what Jesus says about this subject.

·     SLIDE #4

·     John 13:34–35 (CSB) — 34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

·     Now amid all the fighting, dissension, and strife, Paul offers us 1 Corinthians 13!

·     Look carefully at the passage again.

·     SLIDE #5

·     1 Corinthians 13:1–3 (CSB) — 1 If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

·     This passage speaks of the gifts of tongues, prophecy, wonder-working faith as well as giving everything I own away.

·     In chapters 12 and 13, we are given three principles concerning the exercising of the Spiritual gifts.

·     Tests by which the Holy Spirit’s leading can be discerned, the need for diversity of gifts within the church, the need for unity of purpose as the different gifts are being exercised within the church, and THEN, the principle this chapter covers, LOVE MUST BE THE MOTIVE THAT CONTROLS THE USE OF THE GIFTS!