Love Is the Answer 1 Corinthians 13

Devotional

Day 1: Godly Grief Leads to Repentance and Salvation

True repentance is born out of a godly grief—a sorrow over sin that is not merely regret or shame, but a deep recognition of our need for a Savior. This kind of grief is not meant to crush us, but to turn us away from sin and toward the life and freedom found in Christ. When we allow ourselves to feel the weight of our wrongdoing, it is not to wallow in guilt, but to be moved to genuine change, leading to salvation without regret. God uses this process to draw us closer to Him, freeing us from condemnation and offering us new life in Jesus. [16:08]

2 Corinthians 7:8-10 (ESV)
"For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death."

Reflection: Is there a sin or area of your life where you have only felt regret, but not true godly grief? Ask God to help you see your sin as He does, and to lead you to repentance that brings freedom.

Day 2: Love Is the Cause—The Motivation Behind All We Do

Every act of service, every gift, every sacrifice loses its eternal value if it is not motivated by true, self-giving love. The kind of love God calls us to is not just a feeling or a nice gesture, but a deep, sacrificial commitment to the well-being of others. Without this agape love, even the most impressive acts are empty and meaningless. God desires that our actions flow from a heart transformed by His love, so that what we do is not just good, but godly—reflecting His grace and purpose in the world. [39:08]

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (ESV)
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 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. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."

Reflection: Think about a way you serve or give—at church, at home, or in your community. What would it look like to do that same thing purely out of Christlike love, rather than obligation or recognition?

Day 3: God Is Love—The Source and Example of True Love

God Himself is the very definition and source of love. All true love flows from Him, and our ability to love others is rooted in His love for us. This love is not abstract or distant; it is visible, active, and sacrificial—most clearly seen in Jesus laying down His life for us. As recipients of this love, we are called to reflect it to others, making the well-being of those around us our chief concern. When we love as God loves, our actions become a testimony to His presence and power in our lives. [44:59]

1 John 4:7-11 (ESV)
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

Reflection: Who is someone in your life who needs to see God’s love through your actions this week? What is one specific way you can show them visible, sacrificial love?

Day 4: Love Is the Greatest and Most Enduring Gift

Of all the gifts and virtues we might pursue, love stands above them all—eternal, unfailing, and the greatest of all. Spiritual gifts, knowledge, and even faith will one day pass away, but love endures forever because it is grounded in the very nature of God. As we mature in Christ, we are called to grow in love, building up the body of Christ and seeking what is eternal rather than what is temporary. Love is the mark of true spiritual maturity and the foundation of a healthy, unified church. [53:24]

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 (ESV)
"Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 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. 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. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to shift your focus from temporary achievements or recognition to pursuing the kind of love that lasts forever?

Day 5: Open the Door—Responding to the Call of Christ’s Love

Jesus stands at the door and knocks—not just for those who don’t know Him, but for believers who have been going through the motions without truly letting Him in. He desires a relationship, not just religious activity. The greatest gift is not the things we do for God, but God Himself—His presence, His love, and His transforming power in our lives. Today, you are invited to open the door, to let Christ in fully, and to let His love be the center and motivation of all you do. [01:03:25]

Revelation 3:20 (ESV)
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."

Reflection: Have you been serving, worshiping, or living out your faith without truly inviting Jesus to be at the center? What would it look like for you to open the door to Him today?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered to reflect on the true nature and power of love as revealed in 1 Corinthians 13. In a world that often confuses love with fleeting feelings or self-serving acts, we are reminded that love is not just an emotion or a virtue among many, but the very foundation and motivation for all that we do as followers of Christ. The church in Corinth, much like our own, was filled with people longing for spiritual gifts and recognition, but Paul’s words cut through the noise: without love, all our gifts, sacrifices, and service amount to nothing of eternal value.

We explored the different kinds of love described in Scripture, but it is agape—sacrificial, self-giving love—that Paul calls us to embody. This is the love that God has shown us in Christ, who died for us while we were still sinners. It is not enough to do good things or serve in the church; our actions must be rooted in this divine love, or they become empty gestures. God is not only the source of love—He is love itself. When our motivation is anything less than God’s love, even the most impressive acts lose their meaning.

Love is also the greatest gift, surpassing all others. Spiritual gifts, knowledge, and even faith will one day pass away, but love endures forever because it is grounded in the eternal nature of God. As we mature in our faith, we are called to grow in love, building up the body of Christ and reflecting God’s heart to the world. This love is not reserved for a select few; it is available to all who would receive it. No one is beyond the reach of God’s love, and no act of service is too small when done with the right heart.

Ultimately, we are challenged to examine our motives: Are we seeking the gifts, or the Giver? Are we content with outward acts, or are we allowing God’s love to transform us from the inside out? The invitation is open—to receive the greatest gift, to open the door to Christ, and to let love be the answer in all things.

Key Takeaways

1. Godly grief leads to repentance and transformation. True sorrow over sin is not meant to leave us in shame, but to draw us to repentance and the freedom found in Christ. This kind of grief is a gift, prompting us to turn from our old ways and embrace the new life God offers, free from condemnation. [16:46]
2. Love must be the cause, not just the catalyst, for all we do. Our service, gifts, and sacrifices are empty if they are not motivated by agape love—the selfless, sacrificial love of God. Even the most impressive acts lose their eternal significance if they are not rooted in genuine love for God and others. [39:08]
3. God is love, and our actions must reflect His character. The world often misunderstands or rejects the church because it sees rules without relationship, or service without warmth. We are called to make love visible, not just verbal, ensuring that our motives and actions align with the heart of Christ, who loved us first. [49:48]
4. Love is the greatest and most enduring gift. Spiritual gifts, knowledge, and even faith will one day pass away, but love remains because it is grounded in the eternal nature of God. As we mature in Christ, our lives should increasingly reflect this enduring love, building up the body and drawing others to Him. [53:24]
5. The invitation to receive and live out this love is open to all. No one is too far from God’s reach, and the greatest gift—His love in Christ—is available to everyone. We are called not just to do more, but to open the door to Christ, allowing His love to transform our motives, our service, and our very lives. [58:20]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[10:16] - Announcements and Opportunities to Serve
[11:38] - Camp and VBS Updates
[13:01] - Mission Trip Fundraiser Thanks
[13:36] - Call to Worship: Godly Grief and Repentance
[14:49] - The Purpose of Godly Correction
[16:46] - The Freedom of Repentance in Christ
[28:14] - Introduction to 1 Corinthians 13: The Love Chapter
[29:17] - Context: Corinth and Paul’s Letter
[31:37] - Reading 1 Corinthians 13
[33:49] - Love is the Cause
[37:36] - Understanding Agape Love
[41:30] - God is Love: The True Motivation
[46:12] - The Attributes of Love
[52:13] - Love is the Greatest Gift
[53:59] - Maturity and Building Up the Body
[58:20] - The Invitation: Receiving the Greatest Gift
[64:47] - Closing Challenge and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 13 (ESV) — > If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 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. 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 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.
>
> Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 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. 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.
>
> So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Observation Questions

According to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, what is the value of spiritual gifts, knowledge, or even great acts of sacrifice if they are not motivated by love?
What are some of the specific attributes of love that Paul lists in verses 4-7?
In the sermon, what was the main problem with the Corinthian church’s desire for spiritual gifts? [[35:38]]
What does Paul say will remain when all other gifts and knowledge pass away?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul emphasize that love must be the cause, not just the catalyst, for all we do as followers of Christ? How does this challenge the way we think about serving or using our gifts? [[39:08]]
The sermon mentions that “God is love” and that our actions must reflect His character. What does it look like for a church or a believer to make love “visible, not just verbal”? [[49:48]]
The pastor said that even the most impressive acts lose their eternal significance if they are not rooted in genuine love. Why do you think God cares more about our motives than our actions themselves? [[39:08]]
The sermon described agape love as “sacrificial, self-giving love.” How is this different from other types of love, and why is it important for the Christian life? [[37:36]]

Application Questions

The sermon challenged us to examine our motives: Are we seeking the gifts, or the Giver? Think about a time you served or gave in the church. Was your motivation love for God and others, or something else? How can you check your motives going forward? [[01:04:27]]
Paul says love is patient and kind, not irritable or resentful. Is there a relationship or situation in your life right now where you struggle to show this kind of love? What is one step you could take this week to practice patience or kindness in that area? [[46:23]]
The sermon said, “No one is beyond the reach of God’s love, and no act of service is too small when done with the right heart.” Is there someone in your life who feels far from God or hard to love? How might you show them agape love this week? [[58:20]]
The pastor mentioned that sometimes we do good things in the church but not with the right motivation. Can you think of a time when you served out of obligation or for recognition? How can you invite God to transform your heart so your service is rooted in love? [[58:55]]
The sermon talked about “godly grief” leading to repentance and transformation, not shame. Is there an area where you need to let God’s love move you from regret to real change? What would repentance look like for you? [[16:46]]
As we mature in Christ, our lives should increasingly reflect enduring love. What is one practical way you can build up the body of Christ in love this month—either in your small group, your family, or your workplace? [[53:24]]
The invitation is open to receive and live out God’s love. If you have never truly received this love, or if you feel distant from it, what is holding you back from opening the door to Christ today? [[58:20]]

Sermon Clips

See, it's more important to know who is love than what is love. See, when we know the who of love, then we can truly understand what that love is. And we can't truly understand this agape without knowing who is love. [00:41:26] (19 seconds) #GodIsLove

God is patient with you because he loves you and longs for you to return to him or come to him for the first time. He longs for you to seek repentance. See, God is this love. He's the love that motivates. He's the cause. He encourages sacrifice in a loving way. [00:47:42] (18 seconds) #LoveSacrificeForgiveness

See, Dr. Tony says this, and when love is being expressed, the well-being of the one loved is the chief concern of the lover. Because God loved the world, he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross as our substitute in our place for our sins in order to provide forgiveness and give us the gift of eternal life. That is the most visible love that one could ever see. [00:50:17] (31 seconds) #ServeForGodsGlory

We love Southside. We love this church. We want to help carry the burden of loss. We want to help carry these burdens, but for the glory of God, not ours. But our motives, too, must be aligned with God's love as well. See, God is the cause. God is that love. [00:51:50] (21 seconds) #LoveIsEternal

When we are mature in our faith, when we're material in our faith, we're not just a unit of God. We're a whole group of God. We're a whole in the body of Christ, then we will no longer be weak against the enemy's schemes, but we will grow up together to make a healthy body in love. We are all to be being equipped for the work of ministry. [00:55:56] (17 seconds) #GreatestGiftOfAll

Christianity is different from every other religion. If you've been seeking other religions and you're here today, look, other religions are man trying to get to God by some means of their own. Christianity is man realizing they can't reach God on their own means. So God came down and he put on flesh. [01:01:12] (20 seconds) #JesusIsLife

Salvation is not inviting Jesus into just your life. It's him becoming your life and taking over your life. Those are two radically different things. [01:01:53] (15 seconds) #AnswerTheCallToLove

As a non-believer, I ask you, will you answer the call? Believers, followers of Christ, what is your cause to love? Are you showing the overflow of love that has been showed to you so graciously? Have you answered the call to love because of the love that has saved you? [01:02:08] (24 seconds) #LongForTheGiver

Don't long for the gifts without the giver. Long for the giver and take the gifts that he gives you. Because when our love is pointed upward, all the rest will fall into place. Love is the greatest gift and it's available for God is love. Love is ultimately the answer. [01:04:33] (22 seconds) #GodMeetsYouWhereYouAre

You don't have a weak testimony. You have a God of all creation who left heaven, left glory for you to take a cruel cross, to have to learn to be fed, to have to learn to walk, all of glory for the lowest. Do you understand that? He came down so that he might meet you where you are to ultimately bring you up. That's a gift worth being thankful for. That's a gift worth praising and worshiping him for. [01:05:47] (40 seconds) #LifeIsVaporObeyToday

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