Rev. David Holwick ZH
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
October 21, 1990
1 Corinthians 13
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I. Popular understanding of love.
A. Popular topic. Favorite passage in weddings.
1) Sometimes this means we don't listen to its meaning.
B. Our culture confuses love with romance (or even more basic drives).
1) Movies and songs glorify romantic love.
2) On way to mission conference, two of most spiritual women in
the church (who shall remain unnamed) admitted they watch
soap operas.
I doubt a single episode of any of them forgets to put in a
steamy romantic love scene.
3) Personal experiences. (meeting my wife)
Autumn, 1978.
Crowded lunchroom at my seminary.
I didn't realize a Sunday School convention was being held.
I wasn't even supposed to be in line.
I sat down at the only empty space at a table.
One young lady sat across from me.
She had on a Jolly Green Giant green dress and green leotards.
Not love at first sight, but I was desperate for a date.
I called her up (with my spontaneous conversation written down
word for word on paper) and set up a time to visit her.
When I arrived, she had forgotten who I was.
God works in mysterious ways!
#1296
4) Problem with romantic love - it ebbs and flows.
a) It is an emotion, a feeling that depends on circumstances.
II. The Bible's definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13.
A. Uses a special Greek word for love - agape.
1) Meant a spiritual kind of love.
2) Almost exclusively used by Christians.
B. Not primarily an emotion, though it can be felt, but an action.
1) Love is something you do.
C. Passage has rhythm and structure like a Greek poem:
1) The necessity of love. 13:1-3 (also 12:31b)
2) The character of love. 13:4-7
3) The permanence of love. 13:8-13
III. The Necessity of love. 13:1-3
A. Religious good deeds are not enough.
1) Supernatural gifts.
2) Supernatural power.
3) Even martyrdom or charitable giving.
a) (Note that KJV's "charity" had a wider meaning back then.
It is now limited to giving to the poor.)
B. Spiritual emptiness results from religious deeds without love.
1) Young Christian asked his successful pastor if he really
knew Jesus.
He sadly admitted he wasn't experiencing him.
[see CT 5/15/87, p24]
IV. The Character of love. 13:4-7
A. Positive - two characteristics to imitate.
1) Patient and kind. (KJV - "suffereth long")
a) Describes God's character in Romans 2:4.
b) One person can make a difference through patient kindness.
In December 1983, 11-year old-Trevor Ferrell saw a TV
news report on Philadelphia's inner-city homeless.
The young boy couldn't believe people actually lived on
the streets.
When he questioned his parents, Frank and Janet reluctantly
agreed to broaden their son's sheltered horizons -
- and their own.
They left their home in an exclusive suburb and drove
downtown.
One block past city hall, they spotted an emaciated figure
crumpled on a sidewalk grate.
While his parents watched a bit apprehensively, Trevor got
out of the car and approached the man.
"Sir," he said, "here's a blanket for you."
The man stared up at Trevor at first.
Then, he softly said, "Thank you, God bless you."
That encounter altered the Ferrells' lives forever.
Night after night they drove downtown, trying in small ways
to help the street people.
They emptied their home of extra blankets, clothing, and
dozens of peanut-butter sandwiches.
When others learned what they were doing, someone donated
a van and volunteers started helping.
Young Trevor found himself explaining what they were doing
to the local media, then to the nation.
Pat Robertson, Merv Griffin, Mother Teresa, Ronald Reagan
- all wanted to meet the small boy with the big mission.
He told them simply,
"It's Jesus inside of me that makes me want to do this."
#731
2) Consider this quote:
"Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.
You don't need a college degree...
When evil men shout words of hatred, good men must commit
themselves to the glory of love."
By Dr. Martin Luther - the one who lived 500 years ago.
#848
B. Negative characteristics to avoid. (Notice how many there are)
Many of them echo problems in the church of Corinth.
1) Doesn't envy or boast. (draw attention to yourself)
2) Not proud or rude.
3) Not self-seeking.
4) Not easily angered, no record kept of wrongs.
a) Literally, "doesn't reckon the evil."
b) God doesn't "reckon our sins against us." 2 Cor 5:19
c) Compare Jesus' forgiveness from cross. Luke 23:34
5) Doesn't delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth.
C. Positive conclusion: always trusts, hopes, perseveres.
1) But love is not blind.
Daughter to father before date: "Don't you trust me?"
Father: Yes, I trust you.
But I know what it is to be tempted, and I want to spare
you from it.
2) Love keeps on loving.
V. The Permanence of love. 13:8-13
A. Love never fails. 13:8
1) Love is for now and forever.
B. Supernatural gifts will cease.
1) Perfection = Bible. (fundamentalists who don't like tongues)
2) Perfection = Glorification.
a) Know as an adult.
b) See all things clearly.
c) Know as we are known by God.
C. We know in part right now. [see CT 5/15/87, p24]
1) Our fallibility clouds everything.
a) One reason we need to emphasize love, which
"covers over a multitude of sins." James 5:20
2) Illustration of "seeing through a glass darkly."
a) "Seeing through a glass darkly." [more on Eph 5:8]
1> Ancient mirrors were polished metal. Dim, distorted.
b) All we see is distorted, but we can still see some.
Robert Fulghum visited an institute on Crete devoted to
reconciling Germans and Cretans.
At the end of a lecture he asked the director, Alexandros
Papaderos, what the meaning of life was.
Laughter followed, and people stirred to go.
Papaderos looked at him for a long time, asking with his
eyes if he was serious and saw that he was.
"I will answer your question."
Taking his wallet from his hip pocket, he fished out a
small round mirror, the size of a quarter.
Then he said, "I was a small child during the war.
One day, on the road, I found the broken pieces of a
mirror.
I kept the largest piece. This one.
I began to play with it and became fascinated that I
could reflect light into dark places where the sun
would never shine -
- deep holes, crevices, dark closets.
"I kept the little mirror, and as I became a man, I grew
to understand that this was not just a child's game
but a metaphor for what I might do with my life.
I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design I do not
know.
With what I have, I can reflect light -
- truth, understanding , knowledge - into the black
places in the hearts of men.
I can change some things in some people.
Perhaps others may see and do likewise.
This is what I do."
#1101
3) We should seek to truly know God, be hungry for him.
a) Love is the way to find him.
VI. Greatest love.
A. Some have said his passage of Paul's best reflects the message
of Jesus.
B. He told his disciples he loved them, and would continue to love
them to the bitter end. He did. On a cross.
C. As his disciple, how are you loving?
D. [How to build a caring church...]
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Romantic love - Christianity Today, 2/3/84, p. 28.
Experiencing Christ in a genuine way - CT, 5/15/87, p. 24.
How to have a caring church - CT, 9/19/80, p. 21.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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