What Is Love

INTRO: Small children were asked, “What is love?” One little girl answered, “Love is when your mommy reads you a bedtime story. True love is when she doesn’t skip any pages.”

Last week was Valentines Day. I felt the Lord put on my heart to speak on love.

TITLE: What is Love

TEXT: I Cor. 13:1-8

I. Necessity of love

II. Characteristics of love

III. Lack of love

I. The necessity of love

A. Speech - (v. 1) - Words that are meant to express the greatest possible climax. (Speech that our ears love to drink). Captivate us, grab our attention.

1. Oratory skills - speakers that move us to laughter, to tears in the same sentence (kind of like me).

2. Quality of voice - sends chills up your spines (Mom - Ricardo Montlebon).

*Paul speaking on languages of not only men but of angels (even spiritual beings).

3. Problem at Corinth - Putting to high a priority on speaking in tongues (instructions on the gifts in this letter). Paul is showing them what they should really focus on.

Key: What does it matter if you have the smoothest speech (greatest orator), if you do not have love. It does not mean anything!

ex Unfaithful husband bringing home 12 red roses for his wife compared to a young child running out and picking some dandelions (mud) running in to Mom and saying, “I love you.”

-What is worth more.

4. Resounding gong and a clanging symbol (Pastor Mark singing). Announce.

-Tongues (speech) without love is offensive, obtrusive. Does not mean anything! (Like scratching a chalkboard).

B. Knowledge (v. 1) - Have the prophecy of God and can understand the secrets of God. Intellect is beyond everyone. No one is your equal.

1. Science tells us that the only reason we are greater than the animal world is because of our minds.

-Imagine having a mind: No studying (you know it all).

At work people come to hear you just talk.

Church teach without anything (You know the mind of God).

Key: It does not matter if you can understand all mysteries and have all the knowledge of God, if you have not love.

Ex. Balaam

-Knew and worked in the spiritual realm. Soothsayer (someone who practiced divination, witchcraft, sorcery) in an attempt to gain wisdom and knowledge.

-Also a prophet (meant used by God).

-Balak, King of the Moabites, sees this mass horde of people (Israelites). Heard what their God had done to the Egyptians. So he was going to get someone who knew the spiritual realm to put a curse on them so his people would be safe.

-First couple of oracles he used witchcraft, but third oracle turned to God. Balaam never did curse the Israelites because God told him not to.

Point: Balaam knew the spiritual realm and how to reach it (by witchcraft/God). It did him no good because he gets killed by Moses and his army. (His vast knowledge did him no good.) Balaam is used as a negative example in scripture.

Matt. 7:21 - “Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name, drive out demons and perform many miracles.” Then I will tell you plainly “I never knew you. Away from me you evil doer!”

C. Faith - Able to do great things (miracles, healings, move mountains) because you have great faith.

Paul is not talking saving faith, but faith that does incredible things (power).

-By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice.

-By faith Enoch was taken from this life.

-By faith Abraham left home and went to the Promised Land.

-By faith Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt.

-By faith the walls of Jericho fell.

Hebrews 11:32-35 (READ) Great people of faith.

Point: It does not matter if you have faith that can move mountains if you have not love.

D. Sacrifice (v. 3) - Able to give everything, all, even your own body. (Shows us the degree of giving). People will give but not to the degree of destroying oneself.

1. Love and sacrifice are so closely related that we do not usually contrast them.

-Paul is doing that in this passage!

ex. Glades (Parents friend) try to buy way to heaven.

Ross Peroe (Love America, Power was real reason).

It’s not what we give but the attitude of the heart when we give!

2. Ultimate sacrifice - own bodies (lives without love).

ex Christian on his way to be martyred. Refused to forgive and be reconciled with his Christian

brother.

-Girl suicide bomber into the Marine barracks, killing herself and several hundred marines.

I John 4:20 - “If anyone says I love God, yet hates his brother, he is a liar!!!