1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Reading:
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.
2 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, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 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.
12 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.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
INTRODUCTION
We are in the month of LOVE. Many talk about “Saint Valentine’s Day” which to them is a holiday. The 14th of February every year is tagged as Valentine’s Day. To them, it is a day of dating or a day of going out with the opposite sex. So, to some people love is always romantic. One way or the other, we are all acquainted with human love, We love, we also want to be loved, parents love their children, children love their parents back. We like our friends and relatives, but their love is fickle and falls far short of the standards of love as set forth in 1 Corinthians 13, which is called the “Love chapter of the Bible.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 is an exposition defining the love of Christ. I call this Christ’s love “The Greatest Love”.
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The word ‘SO’ is a quantitative word, so much so that I cannot even explain it. Husbands ought to love their wives, and wives are also to reciprocate by submitting to their own husbands, Ephesians 5:22 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” We are commanded by God to love. The universe is built on love. Christianity is built on love. It is of love that God sent His only begotten son, John 3:16. I want to give you five important things about love.
(1) LOVE IS ESSENTIAL
The word essential means, Condition, Basic necessary, Requisite. With these definitions of love, you will agree with me that:
- Love is more essential than prophecy. 1 Corinthians 13:2 “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, and have not charity, I am nothing.” The Bible is full of prophecies, but when combined, they are not as great as Love. Prophecy covers the whole range of eternity from creation to the end of Revelation. Prophecy is excellent, but it is useless without love.
- Love is more essential than mysteries. This includes the whole range of the unknown, Trinity, incarnation, etc. A knowledge so great that I could understand. All these are useless without Love.
- Love is more essential than knowledge. This includes the whole range of possible learning, schools, universities, and college degrees. These are all wonderful if they are accompanied by love.
- Love is more essential than faith – the whole range of the inward devotional life of a man. Faith as a mustard seed would be wonderful but useless without love.
(2) LOVE IS GENEROUS
1 Corinthians 13:3 “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”
Giving without love is useless. To give with a harsh spirit is useless. God demonstrated His love by giving. The gift of Christ to man was bathed in love. 2 Corinthians 9:7, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” Giving without love is nothing.
(3) LOVE IS ABLE TO SUFFER
1 Corinthians 13:4a “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,”. This, I believe, is the most outstanding quality of love. Today, love is not ready to suffer at all. There is a saying, “I want the food that has been cooked already”. What it means is that I don’t want to suffer, don’t want to labour, I want the one that is already made. But true love says, l love you and will go through fire, sorrow, and trouble for you. True love is able to endure suffering and yet remain sweet and kind.
The Christian pathway is one of suffering, yet the Christian learns to love. Through suffering, his/her Christian character matures and deepens. Love that turns to hate overnight is merely human love or perhaps only infatuation. 2 Samuel 13:15 “Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.”
True love involved a Calvary. Christ was able to carry the cross for us. The cross is not something pleasant, but Christ endured. We need to endure and tolerate each other for the sake of love. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
(4) WHAT LOVE IS NOT
1 Corinthians 13:4b – 6a. “4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;”.
- Love Envieth not. True love does not envy the success, gifts, talents, and possessions of others.
- Love is not boastful, “vaunteth not itself”. It does not show off. It maintains humility.
- Love is not Conceited, “is not puffed up”. True love always prefers the other one to self.
- LOVE is not rude. Love “does not behave itself unseemly.” It is never coarse or offensive. True love is courteous at all times. ( lovers should remember this at ALL times ).
- Love is not selfish. “Seeketh not her own”. Love sacrifices and gives generously.
- Love is not irritated. Love “is not easily provoked.” True love is not touchy. It absorbs much.
- Love is not Censorious. Love “thinketh no evil”. It is not critical, reproving, carping, nagging, suspicious, or blaming.
- Love “Rejoiceth not in iniquity”. True love hates and abominates sins.
(5) WHAT LOVE IS
1 Corinthians 6b – 8a “6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”
- Love is Truthful. Love rejoiceth in the success of another. Love delights to tell the truth. Lovers or married couples are not afraid to confide their weaknesses to their partners for mutual benefit.
- Love is Sustaining. “beareth all things”. True love does not collapse under strain; emotional, mental, or physical.
- Love is Trusting. LOVE “believeth all things”. True love thinks good motives (not suspicious).
- Love is Hopeful. “hopeth all things”. True love always expects the best.
- Love is Enduring. “endureth all things.” It endures through time, deception, and even death.
- Love is Successful. Love never faileth. This is true because of Romans. 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
- Love is Eternal. 1 Corinthians 13:8b – 12, “8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 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. 12 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.”
- Love will outlive Prophecy. Prophecies will fail. Love will outlive tongues. Tongues will cease. Love will outlive knowledge. knowledge will vanish away. God is LOVE. 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.” Love is an attribute of the Almighty God.
- Love is Supreme. 1 Corinthians 13:12, “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.” Love is greater than faith. Salvation is wrapped up in faith, yet love is far superior. Love is greater than hope. Romans 8:24, “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?”
CONCLUSION
The world was created out of love. God loved the world. He sent His only begotten son to die on the cross for you and for me. The Son loves the world, he obeys and lays his life, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” John 10:18. Let us emulate Christ to have ‘AGAPE LOVE’; the unconditional love.
May God help us to love the way we ought to love.
Amen!!!