SCRIPTURE: 1 CORINTHIANS 13
BIBLE VERSES:
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7(
“ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” ( 1 Corinthians 13:13)
LOVE (vs. 1-13)
Without love, all the gifts below amount to nothing:
- Speaking in tongues without love is noise like a resounding gong or a clanging cymbals (v. 1)
- Able to prophesy and fathom all mysteries and all knowledge without love is nothing (v. 2a)
- Having a faith that can move mountain without love has no effect (v. 2b)
- Giving to the poor without love for show (v. 3a)
- Sacrificing body apart from love amount to nothing (v. 3a)
DEFINITION OF LOVE:
LOVE IS:
- Patient
- Kind
- Rejoice with the truth
- Keeps no wrong record
- Protects
- Trust
- Hope
- Persevere
LOVE DOES/IS NOT
- Envy
- Boast
- Proud
- Rude
- Self-seeking
- Easily angered
- Keep wrong records
- Delight in evil
In summary: LOVE NEVER FAILS.
THOUGHTS
Love is more important than all the spiritual gifts exercised in the church. Great faith, dedicatIon, sacrifice and miraculous power have little effect without love. Love involves action that shows your unselfish service and evidence that you really care. It is the greatest motivating power to lead people to Christ. Faith, hope, love abide and love is the greatest, for God is love. Therefore, we must practise love in our Christian life.