Embracing the Eternal Power of Godly Love
Summary
### Summary
Today, we gathered to reflect on the profound message of love as described in 1 Corinthians 13. This chapter, often referred to as the "Love Chapter," provides a detailed description of what true, godly love looks like. Paul emphasizes that love is the most important virtue, surpassing even faith and hope. He describes love as patient, kind, not envious or boastful, not arrogant or rude, and not self-seeking. Love rejoices with the truth and bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things.
Paul wrote this to the Corinthians because they were struggling with divisions, pride, and a lack of genuine love among themselves. They were arguing about spiritual gifts and who was more important, but Paul reminds them that without love, all their gifts and actions are meaningless. He stresses that love is eternal, unlike spiritual gifts, which will cease when we reach eternity. In the presence of God, love will be perfected, and we will fully know God as He fully knows us.
Paul also challenges us to mature in our faith, putting away childish things and focusing on what truly matters—loving God and loving others. This love is not just an emotion but a deliberate choice to prefer what God prefers, to act in ways that reflect His character. As we grow in our relationship with Jesus, our love should be evident in our actions, words, and attitudes. This love is what sets us apart as followers of Christ and draws others to Him.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Primacy of Love: Love is the greatest virtue, surpassing even faith and hope. Without love, all our spiritual gifts and actions are meaningless. Love is patient, kind, and rejoices with the truth. It bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things. This love is eternal and reflects the very nature of God. [47:09]
2. Love in Action: True love is not self-seeking or arrogant. It does not insist on its own way but prefers what God prefers. This love is demonstrated through our actions and attitudes towards others, reflecting God's character. It is a deliberate choice to act in ways that honor God and serve others. [41:09]
3. Maturity in Love: As we grow in our faith, we are called to put away childish things and focus on what truly matters—loving God and loving others. This maturity involves seeing others as more important than ourselves and acting in ways that reflect God's love. [43:59]
4. Eternal Perspective: Spiritual gifts are temporary and will cease when we reach eternity. However, love is eternal and will be perfected in the presence of God. In eternity, we will fully know God as He fully knows us, experiencing His love in its fullest form. [56:55]
5. Love as a Witness: Our love for one another and for others is the defining mark of a follower of Jesus. It is through this love that the world will know we are His disciples. This love addresses sin and problems but does so in a way that reflects God's grace and truth. [01:19:39]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[08:32] - Announcements and VBS Recap
[09:45] - Gratitude for Memorial Service Support
[11:11] - Opening Prayer
[37:02] - Kids' Church Dismissal
[37:44] - Introduction to 1 Corinthians 13
[38:19] - The Nature of Love
[39:54] - Cultural Misunderstandings of Love
[41:09] - Preferring What God Prefers
[42:18] - Context of 1 Corinthians 13
[43:59] - Addressing Problems in the Church
[45:22] - Love in the Congregation
[47:09] - The Eternal Nature of Love
[56:55] - The Perfect Love in Eternity
[01:02:01] - Maturity in Christ
[01:19:39] - Love as the Defining Mark of a Christian
[01:27:44] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
2. 1 John 4:19
3. Philippians 2:5-8
#### Observation Questions
1. What are the characteristics of love as described in 1 Corinthians 13? ([38:19])
2. According to the sermon, why did Paul write 1 Corinthians 13 to the church in Corinth? ([42:18])
3. What does Paul mean when he says, "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"? ([39:21])
4. How does the sermon describe the eternal nature of love compared to spiritual gifts? ([47:09])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Paul emphasize that love is greater than faith and hope in 1 Corinthians 13:13? How does this align with the sermon’s message? ([01:17:54])
2. How does the concept of "preferring what God prefers" redefine our understanding of love according to the sermon? ([41:09])
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that love should be evident in our actions, words, and attitudes? ([01:23:36])
4. How does the sermon explain the relationship between love and addressing sin within the church? ([01:21:28])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you struggle to show patience and kindness? How can you work on these aspects of love this week? ([38:19])
2. Think about a recent conflict or division you’ve experienced in your church or community. How could applying the principles of love from 1 Corinthians 13 have changed the outcome? ([42:18])
3. The sermon challenges us to put away childish things and mature in our faith. What are some "childish" behaviors or attitudes you need to let go of to grow in love? ([39:21])
4. How can you make a deliberate choice to prefer what God prefers in your daily interactions? Give a specific example of how you can do this in your workplace or home. ([41:09])
5. The sermon mentions that love is the defining mark of a follower of Jesus. How can you demonstrate this love in a way that draws others to Christ? ([01:19:39])
6. Consider the eternal perspective of love. How does knowing that love is eternal influence the way you prioritize your relationships and actions? ([47:09])
7. Identify a person in your life who may feel unloved or overlooked. What specific steps can you take this week to show them the love of Christ? ([01:07:15])
Devotional
Day 1: The Primacy of Love
True love, as described in 1 Corinthians 13, is the greatest virtue, surpassing even faith and hope. Without love, all our spiritual gifts and actions are meaningless. Love is patient, kind, and rejoices with the truth. It bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things. This love is eternal and reflects the very nature of God. Paul emphasizes that love is the foundation upon which all other virtues and actions should be built. It is not merely an emotion but a deliberate choice to act in ways that reflect God's character and preferences. This love is what sets us apart as followers of Christ and draws others to Him. [47:09]
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV): "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
Reflection: Think of a recent situation where you acted without love. How can you choose to respond with patience and kindness in a similar situation today?
Day 2: Love in Action
True love is not self-seeking or arrogant. It does not insist on its own way but prefers what God prefers. This love is demonstrated through our actions and attitudes towards others, reflecting God's character. It is a deliberate choice to act in ways that honor God and serve others. Love in action means putting others' needs before our own and seeking to serve rather than be served. It involves humility, selflessness, and a commitment to living out God's love in practical ways. [41:09]
1 John 3:18 (ESV): "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."
Reflection: Identify one person in your life who needs to experience God's love through your actions. What specific act of kindness or service can you do for them today?
Day 3: Maturity in Love
As we grow in our faith, we are called to put away childish things and focus on what truly matters—loving God and loving others. This maturity involves seeing others as more important than ourselves and acting in ways that reflect God's love. Maturity in love means moving beyond selfish desires and immature behaviors to a deeper, more sacrificial love that mirrors Christ's love for us. It requires intentional growth and a commitment to living out our faith in tangible ways. [43:59]
Ephesians 4:15 (ESV): "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ."
Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you need to grow in maturity. How can you demonstrate a more mature, Christ-like love in this area today?
Day 4: Eternal Perspective
Spiritual gifts are temporary and will cease when we reach eternity. However, love is eternal and will be perfected in the presence of God. In eternity, we will fully know God as He fully knows us, experiencing His love in its fullest form. This eternal perspective helps us prioritize love over temporary achievements and gifts. It reminds us that our ultimate goal is to reflect God's eternal love and to prepare for the day when we will experience it in its fullness. [56:55]
1 John 4:16-17 (ESV): "So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world."
Reflection: How does knowing that love is eternal change the way you prioritize your daily actions and relationships? What can you do today to focus more on eternal love rather than temporary achievements?
Day 5: Love as a Witness
Our love for one another and for others is the defining mark of a follower of Jesus. It is through this love that the world will know we are His disciples. This love addresses sin and problems but does so in a way that reflects God's grace and truth. Love as a witness means living out our faith in such a way that others see Christ in us. It involves being a light in the darkness and showing the world the transformative power of God's love. [01:19:39]
John 13:34-35 (ESV): "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
Reflection: Think of someone who may not know Christ. How can your love for them be a witness to God's love? What specific action can you take today to show them the love of Christ?
Quotes
1. "If your love for your spouse is simply for what you can get out of them, let's just be clear, that's not love. The love that Paul talks about here in 1 Corinthians chapter number 13, I would argue that every time we read the word love in the New Testament, the argument for believers to love in the New Testament, that the definition that is intended by every author inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the definition. The word love that's used here is, it means to prefer what God prefers." [41:09] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "If we find completion in ourselves, if we find completion in our giftings, if we find completion in our talents, we have missed it. If we find completion in our gifts, if we find completion in our gifts, if we find completion in our gifts, we have missed the point of their existence. We've missed why they were given. They were not given for me to be complete in myself. They were given to be used for the benefit of the body, for the care of others, for the ministry of other people." [54:04] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When we realize what is most important, we will stop fighting about the silly things. Paul is emphasizing to the church in Corinth that love is the defining marker of who they are as followers of Jesus. It's a funny thing that's happened in our culture. It's a funny thing that's happened in our culture. It's a funny thing that's happened in our culture. I've heard this. I've heard this for decades. And to say I've heard this for decades is not an exaggeration. Some of you in this room have probably heard this for a lot longer than I have." [01:02:01] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "When we emphasize love, as opposed to other things of who God is or what we're supposed to do as followers of Jesus, you're just, you're going liberal. You're abandoning the Bible. You're abandoning Christianity. I would argue the opposite. If we say that anything in the life of a follower of Jesus is more significant than the way we live out love to one another and to the people around us, anyone who argues that is the one who has gone progressive, is the one who's gone liberal, is the one who has abandoned the word of God." [01:02:01] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The mark of a follower of Jesus, all through scripture, we find is love. Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. The defining mark we find is love. Now, it's not to say that any of those other things are unimportant. They're important. But the defining mark is love. As followers of Jesus, do we live love?" [01:19:39] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Love addresses what's wrong. Love addresses sin. Love holds one another to who Jesus is. This letter was written in love to the church in Corinth to address problems. Love confronts sin, but it confronts it in the right way. I think far too often, the church does not address sin in a loving way. Paul calls the church to deal with sin within the church. And he says, God will deal with what's outside the church." [01:21:28] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Loving like this, loving like Jesus, is not something we do by accident. It's something we work on. It's something we learn. It's something we get better at. And that's why sometimes chapters and verses in the Bible mess us up. Because look at chapter 14, verse 1. Pursue love. The greatest is love. Pursue love. Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts. Desire them. But what do I pursue? Love. That's what we're encouraged to do. That's what we're called to do as followers of Jesus." [01:23:36] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "I hope we've been encouraged. Man, we can live what Christ has demonstrated to us. We can show people who Jesus is by the way we love each other, other believers, and by the way we love our neighbor and love other people. That's my desire, is that as a church, we've been both challenged and encouraged to pursue what we need to pursue, to get better in the areas we need to get better, but to be encouraged that he's given us the ability to do this, and that that loving well, loving like Jesus loved, living his love is what tells the world that we know and follow Jesus." [01:23:36] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "That's what changes Carson City. That's what changes the world. Man, I want people to know Jesus. I want people to see Jesus in me. I want people to see Jesus in you. That's how they meet him. That's how they believe him. That's how they know him. They're not saved by that. They're not saved by our actions. They're not saved by us demonstrating love. But our actions, he uses to draw people to himself." [01:25:34] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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