January 31, 2019
“The Love Text” (1 Corinthians 13)This chapter is a popular reading at weddings because it talks about love. This ‘Love Text’ really begins in chapter 12 where Paul has been teaching that the various gifts of the Spirit have been given to built up the whole body of believers. He was addressing a conflicted congregation, where people were trying to outdo each other in Spiritual gifted-ness. So in 12:31 he makes a transition…”But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.”
Then he tells them that all the Spiritual gifts in the world are useless unless a person is motivated by love. He describes love as an active influence in the community. He reminds them that love never fails (the Greek meaning here is that Love never falls or falters). He ends with these immortal words…”And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Paul names 3 things which are of central value to the church: faith, hope, and love. These three form a brief summary of the life of the church, repeated elsewhere in the New Testament. Faith will one day become sight, and hope will end in fulfillment. Love will still remain, however, because God’s love will not fall, fail, or falter. We are drawn into that love of God, and we are remade by that love so that we become lovers.
This means that Love is the identifying mark of Jesus’ community. Elsewhere (Ephesians 5:2), Paul instructs us to “…live a life of Love, just as Christ loved us.” No matter our differences or opinions or worldly position we are called to love others as Jesus loves us. This takes love beyond the ‘feel good’ promises of our commercial world and places us in the loving direction of the Holy Spirit.
Blessings,
Pastor Mike
“The Love Text” (1 Corinthians 13)This chapter is a popular reading at weddings because it talks about love. This ‘Love Text’ really begins in chapter 12 where Paul has been teaching that the various gifts of the Spirit have been given to built up the whole body of believers. He was addressing a conflicted congregation, where people were trying to outdo each other in Spiritual gifted-ness. So in 12:31 he makes a transition…”But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.”
Then he tells them that all the Spiritual gifts in the world are useless unless a person is motivated by love. He describes love as an active influence in the community. He reminds them that love never fails (the Greek meaning here is that Love never falls or falters). He ends with these immortal words…”And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Paul names 3 things which are of central value to the church: faith, hope, and love. These three form a brief summary of the life of the church, repeated elsewhere in the New Testament. Faith will one day become sight, and hope will end in fulfillment. Love will still remain, however, because God’s love will not fall, fail, or falter. We are drawn into that love of God, and we are remade by that love so that we become lovers.
This means that Love is the identifying mark of Jesus’ community. Elsewhere (Ephesians 5:2), Paul instructs us to “…live a life of Love, just as Christ loved us.” No matter our differences or opinions or worldly position we are called to love others as Jesus loves us. This takes love beyond the ‘feel good’ promises of our commercial world and places us in the loving direction of the Holy Spirit.
Blessings,
Pastor Mike