What's Love Got To Do With It? - [1 Corinthians 13:1-7]

The Context of 1 Corinthians 13 and the Need for Love

Ever been startled. I Was super startled last night. Went out a long hike yesterday with Ken took almost all day to hike and when I got home I quickly washed the dog because I brought the dog on this Seven hour hike and I thought you know what I want to get rid of the poison ivy off the dog and stuff like that I washed myself to get the poison ivy off of me.

Then did some things around the house, and then at one o 'clock last night. I thought to myself I Forgot to check for ticks. Since Kim and the kids are gone. I now let jetty sleep up on this one little corner of the bed cordoned off.

Yes, but she's up there, and I thought oh no, so I brought her over into the light got the flashlight out. 27 ticks. I Was startling. Makes you kind of want to itch doesn't it. So it's hard to go back to sleep after that.

In light of what this passage Says today in light of what people say about this passage today in a light of how much this Passage just yanked out of context in a startling way. Let's turn to 1st Corinthians chapter 13 as we go verse by verse.

Some time ago someone said to me that I Said every time someone cast out a demon in the Bible it went out. And then they showed me Matthew 17 where because of the disciples lack of faith it didn't and I said to this person Yes, you're correct, and I need to stand corrected in that but nonetheless after Pentecost when God gave the gift of miracles every time someone who had the gift cast out a demon it left.

So just an update on that wanted to make a correction 1st Corinthians chapter 13 we'll get through verse 7 this morning as we march verse by verse through this book now. Remember just think big picture for a second I'm standing back from the pulpit in the sense to get you to stand back and look at the passage before you dive into it.

Paul is trying to correct the church they've got all kinds of issues and now they've got an issue with spiritual gifts and There's a division going on in the church, can you imagine the Church of Christ Jesus he bought with his blood purchased by God and The bride should be one yet because of sin and because of pride and ego the Corinthian Church is becoming divisive and Now they're starting to divide about tongues.

Speaking another language that they never learned as a sign gift that people with tongues are saying look at us. We're at the top of the totem pole at the pecking order and look at you poor thing. You don't have tongues.

And so there's a division and Paul is trying to correct that in chapter 12. Then along comes chapter 13 and we tend to think of chapter 13 as something that we hang on our wall. So I embroidered pillow the love chapter.

What man has brought together let no man call asunder and we do it for weddings. Now if I come to your house and I see the Ten Commandments I'm glad if I see the fruit of the Spirit as a little Throw pillow the fruit of the Spirit.

It usually is a typo and it's got the fruits of the Spirit. I'm glad for that and I'm glad if I come to your house and you have some wedding vows and you have first Corinthians 13 I'd be glad because it's still the Bible.

But when Paul wrote first Corinthians 13 to Corinth, it wasn't for weddings. It wasn't for marriage. It wasn't for embroidered facial towels. For husbands and wives his and hers it was to correct them.

It was to rebuke them. No wonder the world loves first Corinthians 13 because by itself. Ripped out of context. It has nothing to do with Christianity at all has nothing to do with substitution atonement the death of Christ.

What self-sacrificial love is. Mormons could subscribe to it? Atheists could say yeah love that's probably what you should do. Buddhists would like it. Moralists would like it. So what we want to do as Christians is when we parachute into chapter 13 to know what comes before it and know what comes.

What after because context is king? So what is the context. Let's go back to chapter 12 verse 31 and it gives us a little idea. He says in chapter 12 verse 31 of 1st Corinthians, but earnestly desire the higher gifts.

Now before the smoke start coming out of your ears and you say how do I desire a gift if God? Sovereignly gives me a gift at salvation. First Corinthians 12 has already taught that you can't desire to have a gift of teaching if God saved you.

You don't have the gift you get what you get. So how could Paul say desire these gifts earnestly and zealously. Well, but the answer is because he's talking to the church and their plural pronouns church at large.

Don't you want to have people who have the top of the list gifts? And he says you should desire that you guys the Corinthians are desiring tongue speakers. I'm telling you Paul said there's something at the top of the list.

What is at the top of the list verse? 28 of chapter 12 you want a list of gifts and how they're ranked. Paul ranks them in chapter 12 verse 28, which we saw last Sunday night and God has appointed in the church the highest gift of all first Apostles.

Corinth you want tongue speakers desire apostles. If you want to desire something as a collective body go for apostles second prophets third teachers. Then comes the showy stuff that you guys Corinthians are desiring.

But you shouldn't because there are three things more important than that apostles prophets and teachers then miracles then gift of healing helping administration are Administrating and then like Paul always does puts tongues that the Corinthians had at the top of the list.

He puts at the bottom of the list for D emphasis and various kinds of tongues back to verse 31, but earnestly desire the higher gifts. Apostles prophets teachers you want tongue speakers you as a church should desire Apostles.

But there's a way to go about using your gifts and he leads into that at the end of verse 31 and I will show you a still more what? Excellent way I'm going to show you a way of life. So that when you use your gifts you do it with the right motives and in the right manner.

And if you don't do it with love as a motive our love is the manner. It doesn't matter who you are so big picture chapter 12. Paul is trying to correct what they think about the gifts and then 13 Supposed to be there.

It's so odd some commentators the Liberals say Paul didn't write it. Added in later. No, it's supposed to be there because he's trying to show you that if you use your spiritual gift of teaching here.

You Bethlehem Bible Church teaching helps encouragement. Administration if you use your gifts in a way, that's not thinking about the other person and what's best for them. You're just like the Corinthians so as we analyze the passage.

It'll be good for us to see what Paul says to the Church of Corinth, but this is good for us, too. Everyone here needs to operate more in love and a gap a love which is first Corinthians 13 is an other oriented love.

Think about our society today when I say love if I was playing a word association game with the media or Are the entertainment societies and I said love their response back is going to be some kind of sensual sexual selfish kind of love.

Now that is a Biblical word Eros that in marriage. It's fine and healthy and God-glorifying. There's another Greek word for love is Philadelphia love the city of what brotherly love. Filet-o, that's that's a good love.

There's many instances in the Bible. That's used of with commendation. There's family love you should have a good dose of family love today for your dad. Right family love store gate, but this is different.

This is a gap a love and the world doesn't know what it's like and Corinth didn't know what it was like. So Paul wants to make sure they know. It's like three years ago driving down the street with my son and two other men in the back two other young boys they're probably 14 15 years old taking them to a skate park and We drove past a church now when I used to drive past churches when I was younger I never even really paid attention, but now I'm in ministry, and I just want to see Unitarians universally accepted for unity.

You know and I look at them or this particular Baptist Church freewill Baptist. And I just kind of like to look at churches, so we drove past this one and my son said look at it's in Taunton a gap a fellowship and my son's friend said It's a gape you idiot.

And of course I was a pastor and Wanted to make sure I was loving and everything so I turned my head over my shoulder. I said it's a gap a I Said something else after that. We think of love as I get. Paul says Love is going to be based on what God does for God so loved the world he Gave it's a giving love.

When you say in counseling, I don't love my wife anymore. Then my response is then repent and get going. You're saying the words. I don't feel romantically inclined to my wife towards my wife anymore, and I'm saying the biblical word is Do things for her benefit?

It's a command love your wife. And it is a command to not only love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength. But love your neighbor as yourself. This is an other oriented love. This is I want what's best for you at my cost many times and think about Calvary at the cost of God.

At the cost of his own son the father's son. He gives his son for us. Now this a gap a love before we look at it any closer is. Not a love that says you're lovable therefore. I'll do it. Oh. You know what you've got so much value so much worth.

I will love you because you're lovable now think about how God loves us. While we were yet dead in our trespasses and sins. Right we are hostile to God unable to serve God. Loving our sins would kill God if our arms were long enough and powerful enough and yet God based on his own Sacrificial love gave himself for us.

Not because we were lovable never fall for that trap God. Don't make no junk. You know I'm somehow this lovable person that demeans God. By saying do you know what you've got love in you? That's why God loves you now.

You've got nothing in you. That's good, but since he is love incarnate since he is The excellent one who loves he loves not because of you he loves you in spite of you. That's the kind of love you can't offer me anything, but I'm going to love you anyway.

So that's what I got a love is and so let's read this more excellent way for Corinth and for our church as well. And I'll read verses 1 through 7 for our passage today. If I speak in the tongues of men notice how Paul is talking lots of singular first person I.

Men of angels men of because of let me start over if I speak in the tongues of men and of angels. But have not love. I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 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'm nothing and Sam next to nothing. I'm nothing. If I give away all I have and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind.

Love does not envy our boast. It is not arrogant are rude. It does not insist on its own way. By the way as I read these this is exactly what Corinth was but the opposite. Right so if it's love is patient.

They weren't patient and here. It says it does not insist on their own way. They are insisting on their own way. The context is Corinth. There's more to be said about love a lot more, but Corinth needed to hear this.

There's a checklist 15 things about love that they weren't doing that they need to check off by the Spirit's power because after all the fruit of the Spirit is. You know you know how Corinth would answer that question the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 522 is now they'd answer that question tongues, but the fruit of the Spirit is. Love verse 5 are rude. It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful does not rejoice at wrongdoings, but rejoices with the truth.

Love bears all things believes all things hopes all things and endures all things. If the title of the message today is what's love got to do with it it's got to do everything with using your spiritual gifts for other people with the motive and method and manner of love.

Having an interest for one another how many people have the word charity is. Anybody have the word charity is it's a diff some have charity. I know what kind of translation you use and charity Was used by Wycliffe originally because when he looked at Jerome's Vulgate Jerome knew not to put a more in because it was more like Eros.

So he put Caritas in which was more like agape. But he was going from Latin to Greek and so if you see charity and its fruits the Jonathan Edwards book. You'll know it's talking about love. Leon Morris the great scholar said Agape is a love lavished on others without a thought whether they are worthy or not.

It proceeds from the nature of the lover not from any attractiveness in the beloved. Forget the sensual love of the world and think about the sacrificial love of Christ Jesus on Calvary. Then you've got the idea of what love is it is a reflection of the love of God.

Ephesians chapter 5 husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church, and what's the next word and What's the word after that gave himself up for her first Timothy 2. Jesus gave himself as a ransom for all Titus 2 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all Lawlessness and so when you have spiritual gifts because you're a Christian you do have them.

Your gifts are for other people and you want what's best for them by the way as I? Before I get into this any further this kind of thinking love will forever set our minds straight, so we don't say. You know what I serve at the church, but nobody ever notices.

Nobody's ever thanked me. I've never got a gift certificate. I've never got a card. Not even you know. Thanks a lot. I notice you I didn't get any of those things. Now should we encourage one another yes, but that's not love if you do it wanting that in return.

Say well, you know I Just don't know about church anymore. I run into people like this all the time. I don't know about church anymore. You know a lot of people let me down. There's a lot of people that they just let me down.

Here's what this beacon is telling me right now. You're not thinking biblically and according to love because you're going there because you're getting something and when people don't measure up and by the way Nobody measures up.

People are gonna let you down. And if we want to talk fleshly, I've got more people who have let me down that I've let you down. It's a long line of list of people, but friends. I don't do ministry when I'm thinking rightly for ultimately you Ultimately is for the glory of God, and then it trickles down into your good, and if you respond I'm happy.

I like to be encouraged, but I don't say to myself. I've really been burned by church. How about have you burnt yourself out loving other people? Because if you say I've been burned by church, and then you have one of two options.

Three options stay where you are and be bitter. That's not love go someplace else, and it'll all happen again to you because There's sinners at that other church, too, and there's a third one, but I can't think of it right now.

It's not good. Oh, are you stay at home, and you do TV Church? Which is the Antithetical of love because how do you serve other people there if you're sick? And you can't get out you want to turn on you know and watch John MacArthur on satellite TV.

I don't care about that, but I'm saying for Sunday after Sunday after Sunday. No, no, I won't go and by the way for people who say I'll go to church once every eight weeks. That's unloving. You think you're only gonna go because once in a while you got to throw in a chip to God or something.

But it's for other people. God you love them you gave your son for them, but I'll go when I want to go. I I've got other things to do. I met with somebody this week, and they said to me. My life is full of frustration.

And as we got talking I found out that this particular person is not prioritizing things rightly. And then they said well, you know what? But I have some commitments on Sunday that aren't church-related and aren't I'm an emergency doctor at a trauma center kind of commitment or in the military.

And I said well if you want to keep having your own personal Priorities. Trump the worship of Jesus Christ the Almighty God. Enjoy your continued frustration. Because you're built to serve others and when you do you feel good and When you pour yourself out for other people and reflect the love of Christ in you you feel good.

And when you don't feel good, you ought to recheck yourself and say the more I Turn inwardly in the black hole of myself the worse I feel. It's the goodness of God to give you Nerves so when you touch the oven you go out and when you feel bad, then you can say do you know what?

I want to make sure I pour myself out in an agape way. For other people because when I act like a pagan I feel like a pagan. So Paul's argument in 1st Corinthians 13 is essential. This is not some digression.

It's essential for the argument of Paul and the way you do things is more important than what you do. So let's take a look at verses 1 to 3 to start and he gives three hyperbolic statements. So you understand that love is necessary if I were to put this in preaching terms.

Your love for the body is necessary. Loving other people is needful for you to do at Bethlehem Bible Church. What we're after is not power like the Romans or intellect like the Greeks. We're after love like Christians.

Love Is Necessary in the Gifts

Three hypothetical Illustrations. The first one is found in verse 1. Now again, it's hypothetical. He says if I speak in the tongues of man a language of man and of angels. There's no such thing as angelic language that we know of in the Bible, but that's not Paul's point.

Paul says you speak in tongues. What if I speak in tongues of men and angels? What if I can do more than you? What if you're here at k2 and I'm up here at Mount Everest. I can do more than you. But if I don't have love what's he say?

I'm a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Don't waste your time. What's angelic language? When you're in heaven, you'll figure it out. And my guess is it's gonna sound pretty much like the language that you're talking up there.

If the angels say around Isaiah 6, holy, holy, holy, so Lord God Almighty. The whole earth is full of his glory. My guess is you'll probably understand what the angels are saying in heaven. Now notice what Paul does here in verse 1 if I speak in the tongues of men.

Oh, finally Paul put tongues at the top of the list. Finally, it's up there and he puts at the top of the list so he can take the rug and go like that. I Always admire those people that could set the kitchen table and then pull the tabletop off and everything still seated sitting there.

Finally, they're mentioned first, but He brings them back down to their own area code by saying, you know, what if you don't have love you're nothing. He uses himself as an illustration. The point is not what's an an angel sound like.

The point is if you don't have love no matter what you're doing here at this church. You sound like a noisy gong. See the text there a noisy gong. Corinth was famous for their bronze gongs. Noisy gongs.

Reverberating gongs. The gong show. Some of you who are old enough to watch the gong show or a clanging Cimbalon. It sounds just like our English word cimbalon. No tune. One note. Hit it over and over and over and over and over and over the dog across the street.

That will not stop barking. Bugs you you want to put some kind of white noise fan on in your room and some earplugs to boot because it is bugging you and. So for our church, we say oh someone has the gift of of teaching.

But they're not looking out for other people in love and want what's best for them. Clashing cacophonous. Bang on the drum and on the gong. It's torture, isn't it after an hour or two of that? Gong. So Paul is using this illustration because he knows the love of God in Christ Jesus first.

John 4 10. This is love not that we loved God. But that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice or propitiation for our sins. He gives another hypothetical found in verse 2 again trying to show us and them love is needed.

And if I have prophetic powers, it wasn't that interesting. It's all about tongues and prophecy for the Corinthians. So he starts off with tongues now. He's talking about prophecy and I understand all mysteries.

I mean Paul understand understood a lot of mysteries, but even if he knew more than what he does a mystery is not mysterious. Like an island it is you can't figure something out unless God tells you. So now God tells Paul a lot.

But what if God told Paul more than what he did, but if he didn't have love he says I am nothing. He says I could even have all faith as to remove mountains, but if I don't have love I am nothing. Again.

Trying to get the people to think through with this hyperbolic Statement hypothetical statement is probably what I should say. I've got the best prophetic gift. I've got faith to move the proverbial mountains, but I don't have love.

I'm nothing. Third hypothetical is found in verse 3. Love is needed. We need love here at our church. Why? Because it is the more excellent way verse 3 if I give away all I have. By the way, that is an ongoing giving.

Jesus said to the rich young ruler pretty much give everything that you've got that would have been a lump sum one-time giving. This is an ongoing tense if you just keep on giving and keep on giving in your whole life.

You just give and give and give and give and give and give and give that's just what you do. Is you give. And if you deliver up your body to be burned, but have not love. You think you're gaining it all but you're really losing it.

Other people might be gaining in spite of you, but you're losing. Now if I give away all I have that's easy to interpret but the textual Apparatus we used to study Greek manuscripts in this second part says if I deliver up my body to be burned.

That's not the best translation. That's not the best manuscript. That's not the oldest manuscript. That's closest to the New Testament. The best translation is give over my body that I may boast that I may boast.

NAS doesn't have both. ESV doesn't have boast and It's really a one-letter difference if we transliterate it. How case am I is to be burned cow case am I is to boast. Catch the difference? It wasn't really much of a difference.

I could have just used a little more guttural spitting sound and he would have got that to burn word. Now certainly burning Christians martyring Christians with something that happened, but it didn't happen until later on.

They crucify Christians then a little bit later on pass a New Testament. Then they'd end up burning Christians. So certainly it would be true if you give your body to be burned, but you didn't have love you have nothing.

That's true. But what Paul is really saying is if I give over my body that I may boast. What do you mean give over your body? Do you know what they would do back in those days? You know what people at Corinth did 30 years after this letter was written.

They gave themselves into slavery and the money that they got from selling themselves into slavery. They gave to their family for food. Listen to Clement writing to the church at Corinth. Towards the end of the first century.

We know many among ourselves who have given themselves up to bonds in order that they might ransom others. Many to have surrendered themselves to slavery that with the price which they receive for themselves.

They might provide food for others. Both are true. The textual evidence is clearly if I'm gonna give myself up to slavery and Then boast about it. Oh, you might have benefited from the money for food.

But I didn't benefit anything because it wasn't done for your good. It was be done for me to look good. They were wrong side up the Corinthians were. One scholar said the totality of the gift giving yourself.

Contrasts dramatically with the nothingness of the result. I can even give my entire being for slavery or for martyrdom and then my return is if it's selfish is zero. That's worse than Facebook stock for sure.

Dedicate my life to seeking gain. For others is the right way to go about it. Paul says love is necessary and then he describes what love is. Let's go to verses 4 through 7. You've got to have love if you want to minister effectively here based on what Jesus the risen Savior has done for you.

You've also got to know what it's like. And how to define it and that's what we have here. Maybe not a district of definition but more of a description of what it does. 15 descriptions of agape love. Action oriented much more than feelings.

15 descriptions. So guess what our outline is going to be today. How many points we're gonna have? Well, it's Baptist Church. So three points in a poem. No, 15 points. 15 descriptions of love some negative some positive and don't forget this.

Specifically for Corinth we could learn husbands and wives can learn. Our church can learn. But it's because Corinth did the exact opposite. There's more to be said about love in the Bible much more but for the Corinthians, this is what they needed.

They didn't need some kind of well love your neighbors yourself and the Corinthians are like, well, that's a little too vague. Could you define it more? Could you describe it more and Paul does that very thing an other regard if God is for us?

We ought to be for other people. Now one of the things you'll notice as we start going through this list. Is it's going to be hard to live up to this list. It's a demanding list. And you're going to start noticing right away that Corinth needs this and God is just like this.

If they would have done these things. Their problems would have been solved. The unity problem would have been solved the immorality problem would have been solved. Civil ligations would have been. They would have been solved.

Everything would have been solved if they would have loved one another. Like Christ loves his church. There's something rotten in Denmark except here it's rotten in Corinth. And so this is the solution by the way.

If your life here in the church is bad towards other people if your marriage is bad towards your spouse God loves repentance and today's the day that you can start loving your spouse. Today's the day today's a good day to start.

Fifteen Descriptions of Love

Self-originating love number one. Let me put them in the form of questions. So it is more effective for preaching first Corinthians 13 for 15 descriptions of love number one love is patient in the form of a question.

Are you a patient? Person now this word has to do with not patient during circumstances, but patient with other people. Other people bug provoke they get under your skin and love is Patient. It waits.

Well, God is forbearing. Slow to anger Exodus 34. We are his children. We ought to be the same self-restraint. Somebody's bugging you and you aren't going to fly off the handle being impatient. Romans 2 talks about the patience of God.

Do you think lightly of the riches of his patience not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? And by the way, this is a bearing up without complaint. I Know how to act in front of other people and so I can try to become patient but in my mind underneath it all.

It's the murmuring and the complaining and I can't believe I have to do this with this person and I can't believe they're saying this and it's No, love says I want what's best for you, and I'm just gonna bear up.

You aggravate me, but I'm going to love you. That didn't sound like I wanted it to come across. When people are aggravating then we need to love that's better. Number two. Love is kind. Are you kind? Now patience is this.

I'm not gonna retaliate when you're aggravating me. Kindness is oh you have a need in your life. I'll meet that need where one is more passive. This is more Initiating. You've got a need and I'll meet that need.

That's what kindness is used of God in Psalm set 24 Psalm 30 Psalm 33. Lots of times kindness is used. How about Ephesians 4 be kind to one another? Tender-hearted forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.

Luke 6, how about this? Love your enemies and do good and lend expecting nothing in return and your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High for God himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

Helping. Do you help people do you seek out their needs? Paul Harvey had a story about a man named Carl Coleman who was a kind man. Fender-bender. Both cars stopped. Young woman was crying. She said it was her fault.

It was a new car. Two days ago. She bought it and drove it out of the showroom. How could she face her husband? Mr. Coleman was sympathetic but explained he needed the driver's license number and registration.

She reached in the glove. Compartment for her registration and on the first page of paper. Written in heavy masculine scrawl the account says was these words were these words. In case of accident remember honey, it's you I love not the car.

Isn't that kind of a nice moment here at the church? That's like a Mother's Day moment on Father's Day. But that is kindness. That is kindness ahead of time. I'm going to be kind ahead of time. Now Paul goes into some negative behaviors that Corinth had number three.

Love is not jealous are envious. Do you envy. Do you see it in verse 4 love does not envy? If Corinth could have gotten this right party strife would have been over. They were envious. Cain envied. Abel killed him.

Joseph's brothers envious tried to kill him almost killed him. Jews jealous of Paul and Barnabas. Somebody's got some success and Instead of going bless the Lord for him doing that for you. You want what they've got.

S was Johnson's, right? He said when people are weeping and they've lost a loved one. It's real easy to come alongside of them and weep with them. But when they've just got some kind of great gift of money, they've got one something some great accomplishment.

It's harder to come alongside and say I rejoice with you. But love is supposed to do that be pleased with the success of others. And if Jesus has died for them if they are Christians That would be a good thing because God wants their best.

We should want their best to win. Paul goes on to say in number four love does not brag or boast. Are you a boaster? Are you a windbag? Now boasting in first Corinthians 11. First Corinthians 1 boast in the name of the Lord.

Good we're boasters. I'm a boaster in the Lord. You're a boaster in the Lord. We've been made to boast in the Lord. That's right. But when the boast is not with the object of our faith. When the boast is not of the object of our faith.

It's of us then that's not love because I'm supposed to What what's best for you, but I'm telling you how great I am and love doesn't boast and that's exactly what the Corinthians did braggarts boasting windbag like If Jesus Wouldn't commend this kind of behavior.

This isn't love. This reminds me of Muhammad Ali the great boxer. I am the Greatest. He's on an airplane. The flight attendant says sorry, sir. You've got to put your seat belt on Mr. Ali, you'll have to fix your seat belt.

Superman don't need no seat belt. Flight attendant said Superman don't need no airplane either. How can I want what's best for you and love you while I'm bragging about me. It doesn't go together these two.

It doesn't fit. Number five love is not arrogant. Found in verse four. It is not arrogant. Pretty much related the other one, but Paul sets it out here and I ask you the question. Are you arrogant? The word here is where we get the word Fusio found in chapter 4.