Faith, Hope, and Love: The Greatest is Love
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound message found in 1 Corinthians 13:13, which states, "Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." We began by understanding the context in which Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians, a church facing divisions and chaos, much like many churches today. Paul emphasized the importance of spiritual gifts but pointed out that they are meaningless without love.
We delved into the nature of faith, described in Hebrews 11:1 as "the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not yet seen." Faith is foundational for believers, compelling us to act and move, much like Abraham did when he was willing to sacrifice Isaac. Faith without works is dead, and it should drive us to live out our beliefs actively.
Next, we examined hope, which is about the future and is deeply connected to joy and peace. Romans 15:13 describes God as the "God of hope," who fills us with joy and peace as we believe in Him. Hope is essential for maintaining our joy and peace, and its absence often leads to fear and despair. Proverbs 13:12 reminds us that "hope deferred makes the heart sick," highlighting the importance of holding onto hope.
Finally, we focused on love, the greatest of the three. Love is for others, compelling us to serve and act with patience, kindness, and humility. 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 outlines the characteristics of love, emphasizing that without love, all other spiritual gifts and actions are meaningless. Love never ends and is the essence of God's nature, making it the most crucial element in our walk with Christ.
### Key Takeaways
1. Faith as a Foundation: Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. It is a foundational element of our Christian walk, compelling us to act and live out our beliefs. Without action, faith is dead, much like a deed to a property that is never utilized. Faith should drive us to move and make a difference in the world around us. [47:28]
2. Hope for the Future: Hope is about the future and is deeply connected to our joy and peace. It is the expectation of good things to come, grounded in our faith in God. When we lose hope, our joy and peace diminish, leading to a sick heart. Holding onto hope is essential for maintaining our spiritual and emotional well-being. [55:10]
3. Love as the Greatest: Love is the greatest of the three because it is for others and encompasses both faith and hope. Love is patient, kind, and selfless, and it never ends. Without love, all other spiritual gifts and actions are meaningless. Love is the essence of God's nature and should be the driving force behind all we do. [01:05:08]
4. The Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit empowers us to live out our faith, hope, and love. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overflow with hope and demonstrate God's love to the world. The Holy Spirit enables us to be the hands and feet of Jesus, serving others with patience, kindness, and humility. [01:00:12]
5. Serving with Love: As followers of Christ, we are called to serve the world around us with love. Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and we are to follow His example. Our service should be marked by patience, kindness, and gentleness, reflecting the love of God to those around us. [01:09:52]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[36:16] - Introduction and Prayer for Pastor David and Leslie
[38:44] - 1 Corinthians 13:13: Faith, Hope, and Love
[39:26] - Context of 1 Corinthians
[41:14] - Divisions in the Church
[42:09] - Gifts of the Holy Spirit
[43:35] - A Better Way: Love
[44:23] - Faith: The Substance of Things Hoped For
[45:39] - Understanding Faith
[47:28] - Faith in Action
[50:12] - The Story of Abraham
[52:04] - Faith Accounted as Righteousness
[54:03] - Hope: Faith in the Future
[55:10] - The God of Hope
[57:23] - Joy and Peace Connected to Hope
[59:42] - The Power of the Holy Spirit
[01:02:47] - Love: The Greatest of These
[01:05:08] - Characteristics of Love
[01:09:52] - Serving with Love
[01:11:03] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Corinthians 13:13 - "Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."
2. Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not yet seen."
3. Romans 15:13 - "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does 1 Corinthians 13:13 say about the relationship between faith, hope, and love? [39:26]
2. How does Hebrews 11:1 define faith, and what imagery is used to describe it? [45:39]
3. According to Romans 15:13, what are the results of being filled with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit? [55:10]
4. What were some of the issues the church in Corinth was facing that Paul addressed in his letter? [41:14]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Paul consider love to be the greatest among faith, hope, and love? How does this align with the characteristics of love described in 1 Corinthians 13:1-8? [44:23]
2. How does the story of Abraham in Genesis 15 illustrate the concept of faith as described in Hebrews 11:1? [50:12]
3. What is the connection between hope and joy and peace as described in Romans 15:13? How does this connection impact a believer's life? [55:10]
4. How does the Holy Spirit empower believers to live out faith, hope, and love according to the sermon? [40:16]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: How has your faith compelled you to act recently? Can you think of a specific instance where your faith led you to take a significant step? [47:28]
2. Hope is described as essential for maintaining joy and peace. When was the last time you felt a loss of hope, and how did it affect your joy and peace? What steps can you take to restore hope in your life? [55:10]
3. Love is described as patient, kind, and selfless. Think of a recent situation where you struggled to show love. How can you approach similar situations differently in the future? [01:05:08]
4. The sermon emphasized serving others with love. Identify one person in your life who could use your help this week. What specific action can you take to serve them with patience, kindness, and humility? [01:09:52]
5. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live out our faith, hope, and love. How can you be more open to the Holy Spirit's guidance in your daily life? Is there a specific area where you need His empowerment? [40:16]
6. Reflect on the divisions within the church mentioned in the sermon. How can you contribute to unity within your own church community? What practical steps can you take to bridge gaps and foster a spirit of love and cooperation? [41:14]
7. The sermon mentioned that fear is the absence of hope. Identify a fear you are currently facing. How can you replace that fear with hope, and what role can your faith play in this process? [01:00:45]
Devotional
Day 1: Faith as a Foundation
Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. It is a foundational element of our Christian walk, compelling us to act and live out our beliefs. Without action, faith is dead, much like a deed to a property that is never utilized. Faith should drive us to move and make a difference in the world around us. [47:28]
Hebrews 11:1-2 (ESV): "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation."
Reflection: Think of a specific area in your life where you have been hesitant to act on your faith. What steps can you take today to put your faith into action in that area?
Day 2: Hope for the Future
Hope is about the future and is deeply connected to our joy and peace. It is the expectation of good things to come, grounded in our faith in God. When we lose hope, our joy and peace diminish, leading to a sick heart. Holding onto hope is essential for maintaining our spiritual and emotional well-being. [55:10]
Romans 15:13 (ESV): "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."
Reflection: Identify a situation in your life where you feel hopeless. How can you invite God into that situation to restore your hope and bring back your joy and peace?
Day 3: Love as the Greatest
Love is the greatest of the three because it is for others and encompasses both faith and hope. Love is patient, kind, and selfless, and it never ends. Without love, all other spiritual gifts and actions are meaningless. Love is the essence of God's nature and should be the driving force behind all we do. [01:05:08]
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 relationship in your life where you struggle to show love. What practical steps can you take today to demonstrate patience, kindness, and selflessness in that relationship?
Day 4: The Role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit empowers us to live out our faith, hope, and love. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overflow with hope and demonstrate God's love to the world. The Holy Spirit enables us to be the hands and feet of Jesus, serving others with patience, kindness, and humility. [01:00:12]
Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV): "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Reflection: Reflect on the fruits of the Spirit. Which one do you feel is lacking in your life? How can you ask the Holy Spirit to cultivate that fruit in you today?
Day 5: Serving with Love
As followers of Christ, we are called to serve the world around us with love. Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and we are to follow His example. Our service should be marked by patience, kindness, and gentleness, reflecting the love of God to those around us. [01:09:52]
Mark 10:45 (ESV): "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Reflection: Identify one person or group in your community that you can serve this week. What specific actions can you take to serve them with the love and humility of Christ?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It is the certainty. It is the confidence. It's what we hold in our hands now that gives us confidence in things hoped for. It's what we hold in our hands now that gives us confidence in things that we may not see yet. Does that make sense? Faith is a foundational part of the walk of a believer because there are so many things in our life that we don't see yet, but we have confidence in now because of faith." [47:28] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Faith without works is dead. So what that means is this faith and this confidence that I have as a foundational part of my walk as a believer should compel me to move. That faith should compel me to do, to go, to say. That faith should cause me to act. So we're not saved by these actions, but the actions that come out of this faith that we have, it compels us to move." [48:37] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Faith is a foundational thing that you need to successfully follow Christ. Hope is fundamental in your walk with Jesus. But the greatest of these is love. I have the privilege of serving this community as the city manager. I don't know what that means. I don't know that anybody else really knows what that means. It's just the title on a door. But I get to work with a team of incredible men and women that serve this community every single day." [01:08:31] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "So whatever Jesus said was his role in this earth, probably is our role in this earth too. Does that make sense? And Jesus said, I didn't come to be served, but to serve. So our call as believers, our call as followers of Jesus is to serve the world around us. And you do that in love. Love is patient. Love is kind." [01:09:21] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "What the world needs today, more than our gifts, more than our presents, more than our money, they need God's love. And God's love is shown to this world through us, the way we live and the way we serve." [01:11:03] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not yet seen. Some of your translations say faith is the substance of things hoped for. It is the evidence of things not seen. So if faith is one of the foundational platforms that we as believers, as followers, as followers of Christ stand on, that we walk in, it's helpful to understand what is faith and how does it operate and roll in my life." [46:22] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It is the deed. It's the title. And so faith is the deed and the title of things that you hope for. If you've ever done a real estate transaction and purchased land, the land is over there somewhere. But in your hands, you have a piece of paper that is the deed. And that deed gets filed in the court of records. And so everybody knows and nobody can argue and contest. You have the deed. That land that's over there is yours because in your hands you have that deed. That is faith." [46:57] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Faith is for you now. Hope is for the future. Hope is faith in the future, if you will. And so hope kind of has two components. First is desire. There's something that you want and it's in the future. So you have an expectation that this thing will come and this thing that's going to come is something that you want. That desire and that expectation creates hope." [55:10] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick. Well, what does a sick heart look like? No joy, no peace. And so hope is fundamental to us walking in joy. What does the Bible say about joy? The joy of the Lord is our strength. So if I need joy to be strong enough to walk through what is a crazy life, full of bills and full of kids and full of jobs and coworkers and all kinds of craziness, I need joy to have the strength to get through that. The presence of joy in my life is anchored in hope." [59:10] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Faith is now. Hope is in the future. I would submit faith is for me. Hope is for me. We'll see that love is for others. It's one of the reasons why love is the greatest. Hope is for me. Faith is for me. Faith is for me now. Hope is for me in this expected future. Love is for others. So love compels me to serve others." [01:02:47] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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