Date:   1/07/07

Text:   1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Title:   The Preeminence of Love

Theme: Since God is love, therefore this love must permeate every aspect of His followers' lives.

Introduction:

  This is the time of the year when we think of changes we want or need to make in 2007 and to resolve to follow through. We plan vacations, we want to get better jobs or purchase a house, or a renewed effort to study harder this year. Some wants and needs to rid of the extra weight we are carrying with us. At work and church alike, we may have planned out what we want or need to accomplish this year. It is a long list of to dos or what not to do.

  This morning I would like to study with you 1 Corinthians 13 to see how it can bring meaning to us individually and church wise in this new year.   

  This chapter is often chosen for reading or singing during weddings. Bringing to it a ring of romantic, warm and fuzzy feeling. But to truly understand this chapter, we have to review the context in which it is written.

  In our study of 1 Corinthians, we learned of the many strengths of the church at Corinth . There were strong leaders among them, well-versed in the OT teachings, endowed with many spiritual gifts including, speaking in tongues, prophecy and healings. It appeared that speaking in tongues was common in this particular church. However, such strengths also turned into their weakness. Their strong leadership brought about division and disharmony. The use of gifts, especially speaking in tongues caused confusion during their gatherings. Their familiarity with the OT scriptures created pride and arrogance among them. Their strength and confidence drove them to be accountable to no one, therefore leading to all kinds of sexual immorality. It is against such a background we read and study the truth in chapter 13.

  In this chapter we'll see that even though we have great talents, abilities and spiritual gifts, one day they will all fade away. The only gift, or the gift above all gifts, is love and this will last into eternity.

I •  Love is the ground of all meaning.

  Seeking meaning in life is a universal phenomenon that transcends age, culture and generations. In the 50's Camus, the well known French existential philosopher is known for his conviction that life is without meaning. However, he was very much bothered by the pain of a suffering world, so he tried to create meaning by showing compassion to the suffering and encouraging others to do likewise.

  I think of an established professor in a well known university. He had his tenure and was recognized in his research field. He asked, is this all there is in life? I also think of many young adults or adults unhappy and unfulfilled with their career. They, too, are seeking meaning in life.

  1-3, “ 1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” The Corinthian believers were seeking meaning, fulfillment in life via knowledge, special spiritual gifts, charitable works, doing the impossible. Outwardly, they must have been a very vibrant community. Yet, Paul's indictments were: you may speak the language of angels, if without love, it is like a noisy gong. Just a lot of noise. You may preach and teach well, with all kinds of knowledge, you may do the impossible, yet without love, it is nothing. It is still meaningless. If you give away all you have to the poor, doing great charitable works, yet without love, it is still nothing, meaningless.

  Here Paul is saying that love, must permeate all of our life. this is Agape. The divine love. Love that is sacrificial and loving the unlovable ones. This Love gives meaning to everything we do.

  On the first Sunday of 2007, it is so easy for us pastors to tell you all the great works or vision we have for this church. But the scriptural focus seems to be somewhat different, right? Yes, we can accomplish great ministries, doing the impossible, yet without love, it is nothing. God is not looking for what we will do or what we'll accomplish for Him, but he looks for love. He wants to see love permeating all areas of our life and ministry. He wants to see love as the foundation for meaning in life.

  Again, this is getting close to home, right? We may be very busy in ministries. We teach, we oversee departments to make sure the church will carry out its mission in Houston and in the world. Yet, are we doing it out of duty and responsibility? You see, without love, its nothing. Without love, its like that noisy gong. It's very loud, but after a few seconds, its gone, its empty.

  I think of Bob Pierce, former founder and president of World Vision. He is also known for these words: Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God. In a recent book written by his daughter, we know that in the late 50's he became an angry man. Easily irritated and rude to his office staff, he drove many of his devoted staff away. One of his daughters committed suicide and his wife had a nervous breakdown. He died a very lonely man. He ruined his ministry, his family, and himself. Yes, he did great works for the Lord, yet in later years, he was without love. May this serve as a warning to us all. We are to let love permeate everything we do. Love must be the foundation of all meaning.

II •  Love leads to character formation.

  There is more than doing all the great ministries with love. Paul continues to explain to us what this love is. vs.4-7, “ 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ” Let's look at these verses from a different perspective. If a person is without this love, he/she becomes, “impatient, unkind, envy, boastful, arrogant, rude, insist on his/her own way, irritable (meaning easy angered or throwing a temper tantrum), resentful, enjoy the wrong doings, intolerant, cynical and skeptical of others.” So, what kind of person is this? Yes this person can be very capable and smart. He/she can do great things for the Lord. However, these traits are considered as alienating character traits. Such characters are not conducive to community living. They drive people away. They create tension, causing disharmony and destroying unity in the Christian community.   

  Later on in vs 11, “ 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ” If we look closely at these traits, they are really childish behaviors, isn't it? They are evidence of individuals that have not grown up. It is so easy for us to point fingers at those with such alienating behavior traits. We talk about those who are rude, impatient and unkind. But wait a minute, how about me? Am I growing in the area of patience, kindness, not envy, boastful or arrogance? Am I rude, insisting on my own way? Am I so confident of myself that i can do no wrong, therefore I only expect others to listen to me? Am I easily angered with people at church and at my spouse and children when they don't agree with me? Do I focus on truth more than I am pragmatic? Is my ministry and life driven by results or by truth, by love?

  We don't just claim we have love. This love must be seen and experienced by people around us. As we continue to grow and mature in 2007, such character trait of love is to radiate from our lives and touch the lives of those that God will bring to us. This love promotes harmony and unity in the community of believers. A closer look at these character traits of love, reveal to us that they are really a description of Jesus Christ. He is the one who embodies all these traits. For He is Love. You see, as we develop such characters of love within us, we are also become more Christ-like.

  Love is the foundation of all meaning, it leads to character formation. This agape love is also permanent.

III •  Love is permanent.

  The Corinthian believers boasted in their knowledge, their ability to speak in tongues and proclaiming the word. Paul in vs 8-10 pointed to them, “ 8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ” These abilities and spiritual gifts will all come to an end one day. For when the written word is completed, when we stand before God, the knowledge and tongues will all cease. However, love never ends. Why? Because God is love. Since there is no end to God, therefore there is also no end to love. All other gifts are transitory. He gave 2 illustrations:

  One is about a child's growth. Vs.11, “ 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ”. Paul explains that our gifts and abilities are like children. When we come before God one day, we are adults. All the childish behaviors, like the spiritual gifts, knowledge will be put aside. They are all transitory.

  The other example Paul used is mirror. Vs.12, “ 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” Mirror in those days are not as clear as what we have today. So when they look at a mirror in the 1 st century, the image they saw was unclear; it was imperfect. Paul is saying, don't think you know God very well because of the spiritual gifts you have. No, what you had and saw is just a part of the bigger picture. There will come a day when we stand before God, we'll then know him completely just as he knows us completely. Therefore don't take pride in what is temporary.

  For over 24 years I have been maintaining the importance of preaching in my ministry. However, from time to time I also need to remind myself that preaching and all the preparation that goes with it must not become an end in itself. This must not become an idol in my life. I have to remember that preaching, like the spiritual gifts and other abilities we may posses are all transitory. The only things that last forever is love , faith and hope. And of the three, the greatest is love. If I am able to come up with the best and most insightful sermons, but without love, it is nothing. Even with the best of sermons anyone has ever preached, they are only transitory. They are here today, gone tomorrow.

  I think of a minister once wrote that after he dies, he wanted his wife to burn all his sermon manuscripts, so it will not become an idol for others. More and more I begin to identify with this. Everything we do will fade away. The only thing that has true permanence is Love.

Conclusion:

  I feel many of us have plans for 2007. You have already listed objectives that you want to accomplish. You may not have 10, but at least one or two.

  In light of what we have studied today, it is my desire that we include love into our plans for this new year. Love is the best gift we are to seek and acquire. It is the basis for all meaning in life. It gives meaning to everything we do. Love leads to character formation, transforming us into Christ's likeness. It is permanent. Our work, ministry and spiritual gifts will all fade away one day, but Love lasts forever, because God is love. This love doesn't come naturally, but requires our determination to develop it in life.

  May we, with God's help, pursue this love in the days and months to come. Each one of us may have different weak spots. Some may be prone to being rude, or impatience, or being easily angered. Others may be prone to pride and arrogant. Whatever our weakness is, we can ask God to grant us the grace and strength we need. So that by the end of 2007, we can see that we are more loving than the beginning of the year.