Love (permanence of love)

Part 3 of 3. Two posts in one this is a first for me lol.
The fact is love is here to stay; it is not going to go away. Paul is trying to explain to us that other things will pass away. He starts in verse 8, with love will never fail or as some version say never ends. He then talks about things which will end gifts,and knowledge. The problem the Corinthians had was that because they spoke in tongues they thought they had arrived. But Paul tries to teach them of their spiritual immaturity. He tries to show them when they get to heaven, when they are with Christ any knowledge, any great thing wont matter, but love will always remain. Lets make Christ love our spiritual necessity because it will be our spiritual permanence.

The great things we do for God, or the knowledge, or abilities God has blessed us with our good. But they are like outside lights. What do I mean by this? I mean in the sense that while we are here in this world they are great and they bring glory to God they light up the darkness, but when Christ returns it will be day and the lights will be pointless In fact you will not be able to even see that the lights are on. In the full light of the sun, the lights are not necessary.

Love is like a light inside the house, which will always be noticeable, and you will always be able to see it. For all eternity we going to basking in the Love of the father, is this not fantastic. Paul finishes with this fact faith, hope and love remain. You know you can have hope without love and you can have faith without love but you if you have love you have faith and hope.

Let us strive on in thankfulness and praise to our God. Lets live a life of love to honour and serve him and one another. That we may know and enjoy the love he has given to us right now today and for all eternity.

Love (character of love)

Part 2 of 3.
Now looking at the verses 4-8. Paul shows us the quality of love and what love does. It is interesting how Paul uses more negatives of what love isn’t than what love is. This is to put strong emphasis on what it does not do, to show us the sins in our lives. When we read these verses we so often feel warm and emotional, as so often we hear these words in weddings and sit there thinking love is great. The actual reality is the passage shows us love is not just an emotion, it is an action. Agape love, which is the love Paul is referring to, means a love where we seek the best for an individual or person no matter what we gain out of it ourselves. This is about what we do to show love.

Love is patient, it is prepared to wait, it puts up with others inefficiencies. It is kind, friendly, generous, it seeks to help people, say kind words to people. Are you one of those people who seeks to be kind to others? Love does not envy, it is not defined by competition, and rivalry. Can we be effective Christians if we allow rivalry and jealousy to come into our lives? The answer is no we can’t; we are not at peace with each other. So often we forget we are on the same team, we are on God’s team! Love does not boast and is not proud; it does not bring attention to itself. Love is not rude. How often are we rude about each other and so often behind each other backs? Love does not gossip. As Christians we are often the worse for gossiping about one another. It does not anger easily, it does not keep record of others wrong doing, nor does not hold it against them. It rejoices in the truth. The truth is when God's will is done no matter where or what.

It goes on to say it is not self seeking. I really believe this is a sin in our lives which goes so unnoticed. It is something God has been teaching me. So often we think we are ok because we think about others or do things for others. But self-centeredness is deeper than that. I so often think about me and what I am going to do in my life, what can I get out of this opportunity this friendship, this relationship. So often we have friends because they make us feel good about ourselves. We are so often guilty in thinking me me me. Have we ever thought if I kiss my girlfriend or boyfriend then I feel secure, I get the emotion I need. I have come to realise in the relationship I am in, that actually showing my girlfriend love I need to not be trying to get what I can out the relationship, but what I can put in. I want to do this God way, the true way of love, to honour God and Esther (my girlfriend).

How can we counter this and live in love. Firstly look at the cross, and see what Jesus did for us, that was not selfish, that was love in it's purest. His life was perfect he lived to serve others and God. Jesus is our greatest example. Let us see what we can do for one another and how we can support, and focus our lives on the gospel. You know serving God means serving others and serving others means serving God. Is God not great in this, in his kindness, mercy and his wonderful grace he has allowed it to be the same thing in one.

Does not the character of love show how superficial so many love songs we listen too are? They tell us about an emotion how you can fall in and out of love, but this is not what our bible tells us. When we read this we should think of real human beings, not someone running slowly on a beach. We should not just think of people we like but also people who annoy us. Do you ever ask God are you sure you are calling them? How often have you asked that? I know I have. You know so often we find it so hard to love one another. People will let you down and we will get hurt, because we are a fallen people. We need to seek to live a life of love, and if we look at our lives and if we see a lack of love, then we need to pray for Gods forgiveness and that he will help us love one another. You know Jesus call us to serve like he did with his disciples he washed their feet. Jesus lived a life of serving others. Let us look this week at the different aspects of love and apply them to our lives.

Love (necessity of love)

Part 1 of 3
I recently been reading a book called Knowing God by J I Packer and came across a chapter about the Love of God. It got me thinking about Paul's letter to the Corinthians and especially Chapter 13 the one we hear so often at weddings. I read this chapter and three things stood out to me the first and the one we are going to look at today is the necessity of Love for the Christian. I also noticed the character of love and the permanence of love which we will look at a later date.

Our Bibles tell us God is Love; not God has love, but is Love. So without God in our lives we cannot truly understand or experience true love. The purpose of the Gospel is about how God has come down to rescue and save unworthy sinners, not how man can earn his way to God. 1 Corinthians 13 points us to the cross just while we read these words remember what God has, done for us. The gospel is what we glory in right now today. So if we are gospel centered people we should use this description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 as a reminder of God love towards us in Jesus. So whenever you read this passage instead of starting with self evaluation, start with thankful praise and worship. love is patient, love is kind hasn’t God been patient with us, hasn’t he been active in his kindness. Jesus our saviour humbled himself even to death on the cross. We could continue through all of what love is and see what incredible graceful, and loving God we have. Jesus took our place, suffering, the anguish, and the pain all for me, and all for you. So we no longer have to live in guilt but live in love. You know when we read this passage we know this is not even a possibility without the gospel of Jesus Christ which has set us free. We can only love like this because God first loved us.

The passage is 1 Corinthians ch12 v31- ch13 v 3.

In verses 1-3 Paul shows the necessity of love and the importance of love in a Christian life. Paul is telling us it is essential, that love is not an optional extra. It goes on to say if my life is not characterised by love then I am just an empty noise I am a pointless symbol. Paul in the first 3 verses is writing about some amazing things, great faith, being able to understand all mysteries, and then he goes on to use exaggerated examples to push home his point. It does not matter how incredible your life has been or what you can do, if you lack love you are nothing. What a statement I am nothing if I do not have love.

What is the most important thing you have to do this week? Many of us have busy lives, with projects, work, university, social lives, and family. The most important thing we are actually going to do this week is breathe. It is kind of a trick question but we all agree that breathing oxygen is right up there as the most important things we have to do. If we forget to breathe it does not matter how important your schedule is you will be dead very soon. In the same sense Paul is saying the same thing, living a life of love is like breathing for a Christian. If you truly know God you are living a life of love, and if you are not living a life of love then you are showing no evidence of truly being alive in Christ.

Consider what the bible teaches about the necessity of love in Mathew 22 when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is he said "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind and continued to say also; love your neighbour as yourself". In 1 John it also says "anyone who does not love, does not know God because God is love".

I have often found we use our abilities or knowledge, good works to point at and hide the fact we are missing love in our lives. I am not saying these things are not good but we should stop using these things to hide the fact there is a lack of love in our lives. We could say if I attend church every Sunday and read my bible every day, I also give to charity, and once a week I cook for my friend then I feel like I am good. We tell ourselves we are covered I have done enough, you notice all these things are good and right but we cannot participate in these things without examining whether we are living a life of love. Are our good deeds shaped or flowing from a love for God and one another.

So often we differ on our views on the spiritual gifts but what Paul is saying here you cannot be a Christian and not love. This is certainly a challenge in my own life, I hope and pray that it will challenge you also. Lets pray Gods love shines out of each one of us.