Sunday Morning - 12 October 2025

Devotional

Day 1: Love Is the Greatest Gift

True love, as described in 1 Corinthians 13, is the foundation of all Christian living and surpasses every spiritual gift or act of service. Without love, even the most impressive abilities or sacrifices are empty and meaningless. Love is not just a feeling but a way of being that shapes every action, word, and thought. It is patient, kind, not jealous or proud, and it endures through every circumstance. This love is what makes us stand out as followers of Jesus and is the glue that holds the body of Christ together. [01:08:00]

1 Corinthians 13 (Easy English Bible)
I may be able to speak many different languages that people or angels speak, but that is worth nothing if I do not love other people. I would only be making a loud noise like someone who hits a piece of metal. I may be able to speak messages from God. I may attend all God's secret things and know all the facts. I may have great faith so they trust God enough to move mountains. But I am nothing if I do not love others. I may give all my things to help poor people. I may let other people take my body to burn it. But that would not help me if I do not love others. If I love people, I will be patient. I will be kind. I will not be jealous of other people. I will not be proud and say that I am great. If I love people, I will be polite. I will not just want to please myself. I will not quickly become angry. If someone does a wrong thing against me, I will not keep it in my thoughts. If I love people, I will not be happy when bad things happen. Instead, I will be happy when things happen that are right and true. If I love people, I will accept their problems, always accept their problems. I will always believe in them. I will always hope for what is the best. I'll always be patient and troubles. Love will always continue. The gift to speak messages from God will not always be necessary. The gift to speak in different languages will stop one day. The gift to know special things will not always be necessary. At this time, we know only a part of everything. We can only speak part of God's whole message. But a time will come when everything becomes complete. When God does that, we will not need the small parts that we have now. When I was a child, I talked like a child. My thoughts were a child's thoughts. I understood things in a way that a child understands. But now that I have become a man, I have stopped being like a child. At this time, we see things as if we are looking in at them in a mirror. What we see now is not clear. But the time will come when we do not need a mirror. We will see everything clearly. Now we know only a part of what is true. But then we will know everything completely. We will understand completely just as God understands us completely. At this time there are three things that continue. We continue to trust God. We continue to hope for his good things. We continue to love other people. But the greatest of these is love.

Reflection: Think of one area in your life where you tend to focus on achievements or abilities rather than loving others—how can you intentionally choose love over accomplishment today?

Day 2: Kindness and Forgiveness as Acts of Love

Kindness is a practical outworking of love, extending even to those who may not treat us well, and is closely tied to forgiveness and compassion. Jesus calls us to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us, showing that true kindness is not limited to those who are easy to love. Forgiving others, as God forgave us, is a powerful demonstration of love and reflects God’s own generosity and grace. Acts of kindness—whether through serving, forgiving, or showing hospitality—are ways we embody God’s love to the world around us. [01:19:41]

Luke 6:35 (ESV)
But 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 he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Ephesians 4:32 (ESV)
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Reflection: Who is one person you find difficult to be kind to or forgive? What is one small act of kindness or forgiveness you can offer them this week?

Day 3: Guarding Against Pride and Comparison

Love is not boastful or proud, and it does not compare itself to others; instead, it finds contentment and gratitude in the unique way God has created each person. When we compare ourselves to others or seek to make a name for ourselves, we lose sight of God’s design and the joy He intends for us. True love celebrates the gifts and successes of others without envy and resists the temptation to elevate ourselves above God or others. Embracing humility and gratitude allows us to love more freely and authentically. [01:22:11]

Genesis 11:2-4 (ESV)
And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself comparing your gifts or achievements to others? How can you practice gratitude for the unique way God has made you today?

Day 4: You Are Wonderfully Made and Deeply Loved

God knows each of us intimately and has created us with care and purpose; even when we feel unlovable or inadequate, His love for us remains steadfast and complete. He understands our thoughts, our struggles, and our failures, yet He treasures us and calls us His own. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and God’s love is not based on our performance but on His perfect knowledge and delight in us. Embracing this truth frees us to become the best version of ourselves and to extend that same love to others. [01:31:18]

Psalm 139:1-4, 13-14 (ESV)
O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Reflection: When you feel unworthy or unloved, how can you remind yourself of God’s deep knowledge of you and His delight in who you are?

Day 5: Love in Action—Becoming Known by Our Love

Love is not just a standard to strive for but a way of life that marks us as followers of Jesus and draws others to Him. Though we may not always get it right, God’s love for us never fails, and He invites us to abide in His love and extend it to those around us. As we grow in love—patient, kind, humble, forgiving, and enduring—we become a church family that is known for love, making the world curious about the hope we have. Let us carry this love into every relationship and situation, trusting that God’s love is the gift of great price in which we abide. [01:33:14]

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: What is one intentional way you can show Christlike love to someone in your church or community this week, so that others may see Jesus through you?

Sermon Summary

Love is the foundation of everything God calls us to be and do. We are invited into God’s family, not because of our own merit, but because of Jesus’ extravagant love for us. This love is not just a feeling or a concept, but a way of living that transforms our relationships and our very identity. 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that no matter how gifted, knowledgeable, or sacrificial we may be, if love is missing, we have nothing. Love is the essential ingredient that gives meaning and value to all we do.

Love is patient and kind, not envious or boastful. It is not proud, rude, or self-seeking. It is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. These are not just ideals to admire, but practical ways to live out God’s love in our daily lives. Patience often looks like giving our time to others, even when it’s inconvenient. Kindness means extending grace and forgiveness, even to those who have wronged us. Love calls us to let go of comparison and jealousy, to celebrate the unique gifts God has given each of us, and to resist the urge to boast or seek our own glory.

True love is selfless, putting others’ needs before our own. It is slow to anger, quick to forgive, and always seeks the best for others. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth, building up rather than tearing down. It always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres, even when it’s hard. This kind of love is not natural to us; it is something we grow into as we receive God’s love and allow it to shape us.

God knows us completely—our strengths, our failures, our hidden thoughts—and loves us anyway. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and God’s love for us is unwavering. Even when we fall short, forgiveness is available, and we are invited to try again. Love is the glue that holds the body of Christ together, making us stand out in a world that often lacks true love. As we strive to love one another as Jesus loves us, we become a living testimony to the world of God’s transforming love.

Key Takeaways

1. Love is the measure of all spiritual gifts and actions. No matter how impressive our abilities or sacrifices, without love, they are empty and meaningless. Love is the true evidence of God’s presence in our lives and the only thing that endures beyond all else. [74:35]
2. Patience and kindness are the first marks of love, and they often require us to give our time and attention to others, even when it’s inconvenient. True kindness extends even to those who have hurt us, and forgiveness is a vital expression of love. This is not easy, but it is the way Jesus loves us and calls us to love others. [77:03]
3. Love is not jealous or boastful, nor does it compare itself to others. Each person is uniquely gifted by God, and comparison only robs us of joy and gratitude. Embracing our own identity and celebrating others’ gifts is a powerful act of love and humility. [80:17]
4. True love is selfless and not easily angered. It chooses to put others first, to restrain anger, and to forgive rather than hold grudges. This kind of love requires intentionality and self-control, reflecting God’s own patience and mercy toward us. [83:32]
5. God’s love for us is complete and unwavering, even when we feel unlovable or fall short. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, fully known and fully loved. As we receive this love, we are empowered to love others with the same grace, becoming a community marked by love that draws others to Christ. [91:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[66:30] - Opening Prayer and Introduction
[67:19] - 1 Corinthians 13 Reading (Easy English)
[70:37] - Why Love Matters More Than Gifts
[72:01] - Feeling Unlovable and God’s Adoration
[73:55] - The Emptiness of Gifts Without Love
[75:10] - Love is Patient: Giving Time
[77:03] - Love is Kind: Loving Difficult Neighbors
[79:41] - Love Does Not Envy or Compare
[81:32] - Love is Not Proud or Boastful
[82:50] - Love Does Not Dishonor or Seek Self
[84:11] - Love is Not Easily Angered or Resentful
[86:08] - Love Rejoices in Truth, Not Evil
[88:02] - Love Always Protects, Trusts, Hopes, Perseveres
[89:57] - Jesus: The Ultimate Example of Enduring Love
[91:18] - God Knows and Loves Us Completely
[92:35] - Love as the Glue of the Church
[93:14] - Living Out Love as Christ’s Disciples
[94:34] - Worship: Good Good Father
[99:01] - God’s Love Letter to Us
[101:03] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

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.

Psalm 139:1-4, 13-14 (ESV) — O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
...
For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.

Observation Questions

According to 1 Corinthians 13, what are some actions or gifts that are considered empty or meaningless if they are not done with love? ([01:13:55])
What are the specific qualities of love listed in 1 Corinthians 13? How are these described in the sermon’s “Easy English” reading? ([01:08:00])
In Psalm 139, what does the psalmist say about how well God knows us? ([01:31:18])
The sermon mentions that love is “the glue that holds the body of Christ together.” What does this mean in the context of the church? ([01:32:35])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul say that even the most impressive spiritual gifts or sacrifices are “nothing” without love? What does this reveal about God’s priorities for us? ([01:14:35])
The sermon describes love as patient and kind, not envious or boastful. Why do you think patience and kindness are listed first? How do these qualities set the tone for the rest of the list? ([01:15:10])
The speaker shares a personal story about feeling unlovable and experiencing God’s adoration. How does knowing we are “fully known and fully loved” by God affect the way we love others? ([01:12:01])
The sermon says, “Love is not self-seeking” and gives examples from everyday life. What does it look like to put others’ needs before our own in practical terms? ([01:23:32])

Application Questions

The sermon says, “Giving someone your time shows love.” Who in your life might need more of your time and attention, even if it’s inconvenient? What is one way you could show patience to them this week? ([01:16:26])
Think of someone who has hurt you or is difficult to be kind to. What would it look like to extend forgiveness or kindness to them, as described in Ephesians 4:32 and Luke 6:35? ([01:17:03])
The speaker admits to struggling with comparison and jealousy. Are there areas in your life where you find yourself comparing to others? How can you celebrate the unique gifts God has given you and those around you? ([01:20:17])
The sermon talks about not keeping a record of wrongs. Is there a grudge or past hurt you are holding onto? What would it take to let it go and forgive? ([01:25:28])
“Love always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres.” Is there a relationship in your life that needs more protection, trust, hope, or perseverance? What is one step you could take to build up that relationship this week? ([01:28:02])
The speaker says, “God knows us completely—our strengths, our failures, our hidden thoughts—and loves us anyway.” How does this truth help you when you feel unlovable or like you’ve failed? ([01:31:18])
The sermon challenges us to be a church family known for love. What is one practical thing our group or church could do to show love to each other or to our community this month? ([01:33:14])

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