Please turn in your Bibles to, I was about to say Revelation, but we're not in Revelation.
We're in 1 Corinthians 12, 27 to 14.1.
We're taking a break from our regular series in the book of Revelation
to talk about the Holy Spirit and his gifts,
because today is Pentecost Sunday commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon God's people
after Jesus' ascension.
This was on the 50th day after Easter,
and that's usually when Pentecost is,
but we celebrate it for our purposes, 7th Sunday after Easter, which is Pentecost Sunday.
We're going to read from 1 Corinthians 12, 27 to 14.1.
Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's Word.
Heavenly Father,
we thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ,
and for the gift of your Holy Spirit.
Exalt the name of your Son and fill us more with your Spirit as we dive into 1 Corinthians 12, 14.
Teach us how to understand the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit in their proper place
as you teach us in your Word,
so that we might be a church that pursues love and eagerly desires the spiritual gifts.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
If you are able, please stand for the reading of God's Word from 1 Corinthians 12, 27 to 14.1.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it,
and God has appointed in the church first apostles,
second prophets,
third teachers,
then miracles,
then gifts of healing,
helping,
administrating,
and various kinds of tongues.
Are all apostles?
Are all prophets?
Are all teachers?
Do all work miracles?
Do all possess gifts of healing?
Do all speak with tongues?
Do all interpret?
But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels,
but have not love,
I'm 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.
Pursue love
and earnestly desire
the spiritual gifts,
especially that you may prophesy.
This is God's holy
and authoritative word.
You may be seated.
Amen.
When the Holy Spirit
moved in power
during the first great awakening,
1700s,
the gifts of the Holy Spirit
that was manifested
among the people
was deeply polarizing.
And it divided people
into old lights
and new lights.
And Jonathan Edwards
there kind of emerged
as a bridging force,
someone to bridge
the old lights
and the new lights,
people who denied
the gifts
and saw these
as kind of a
manipulative
and sensationalist
acts
versus people
who saw it
as an essential
and important part
of the life
in the Holy Spirit.
And even today,
the manifestations
of the Spirit of God
and the gifts
of the Spirit
tend to have
that polarizing effect.
On the one hand
are what we call
cessationists
who believe
that the gifts
of the Holy Spirit
have ceased,
that's why cessation,
cessationists,
since the time
of the apostles.
And they often point
to the excesses,
manipulative tactics
and the disorderly practices
of charismatics.
And they accuse
the charismatics
of, quote,
zeal without knowledge
from Romans 10 too.
On the other hand
are the charismatics
who accept
the spiritual gifts
and denounce
what they see
as rigid formality
and spiritual lethargy
of those people
who deny
the spiritual gifts.
And they accuse them
in turn
of these verses,
1 Thessalonians 5,
19 to 20,
of quenching the Spirit
and of despising prophecies.
And our local church
and the denomination
we are part of,
Sovereign Grace Churches,
we believe
that the gifts
of the Holy Spirit
continue
to this day.
That's why we're called
continuationists.
And 1 Corinthians 12 to 14
teaches us
about the purpose
of the gifts
and the priority
of the gifts
so that we can put
the gifts
in their proper place
in our ministry.
And the main point
of this passage
is this,
pursue love
and eagerly desire
the spiritual gifts,
especially those
that build up others.
That's going to be
my main point,
which is almost
word for word,
14.1.
Or in short,
you could say,
chase the fruit
and crave the gifts.
Crave the gifts
of the Spirit
and chase the fruit
of the Spirit.
We're going to first
talk about craving
the gift,
deeply,
earnestly desiring
the gifts.
It says in verse 27
of chapter 12,
now you are
the body of Christ
and individually
members of it.
We are all
part of the
one body
of Christ.
There's only one body.
Christ does not have
multiple bodies
that would be monstrous.
He has one head,
one body,
one church,
the gathering
of his people.
But our unity
in Christ
does not negate
our individuality
because it says
we are individually
members of it.
And Paul is here
summarizing what he has
said up to this point
in chapter 12,
that God has designed
the church to be
an interdependent
body of believers,
not just a jumble
of independent limbs
that have been
put together.
the eye
can look at
a delicious
piece of fruit
all at once,
but the body
is not going
to get full
unless the hand
grabs the fruit
and brings it
to the mouth.
And the hand
can bring as much
fruit as it wants
to the mouth,
but unless the mouth
does its part
and chews it up
and swallows it,
it will bring
no nourishment
to the body.
And the mouth
can chew and swallow
as much food
as it wants,
but if the digestive
tract refuses
to digest it,
then you'll just
get indigestion
and die.
In some way,
you need the
digestive juices
to be able to
bring,
absorb the nutrients
into your body.
If any of those
members of the body
fail,
then you are
destined for
malnutrition
and eventual death.
The church of Christ
likewise,
Paul says,
using that same
analogy,
is an interdependent
body.
Paul restates
that same principle
in a different way
in chapter 12,
verse 7,
to each is given
the manifestation
of the Spirit
for the common
good.
To each is given
to each one
various gifts
for the common
good.
These gifts are
not meant to be
self-serving
or self-promoting,
but others building
for the common
good.
And that means
when a Christian
brother or sister
possesses a gift
that we do not
have,
it's no reason
to be jealous
or envious.
It's reason
to rejoice.
Thank you,
God,
for giving that
brother that gift
because now
that's going to
build me up.
You rejoice
in that.
Because of the
corporate nature
of the church,
a spiritual gift
that is given
to one of us
is given
for all of us.
And you've heard
the motto
of the three
musketeers
used earlier
by Shakespeare,
one for all
and all for one.
Each member
works for the
common good
and the whole
looks out
for the part.
Each member
works for the
common good.
As Paul says
in 1226,
if one member
suffers,
all suffer together.
If one member
is honored,
all rejoice together.
One for all,
all for one.
Then in verse 28,
Paul lists some
of the gifts
that God gives
to the various
members of the church.
And God has appointed
in the church
first apostles,
second prophets,
third teachers,
then miracles,
then gifts of healing,
helping,
administrating,
and various kinds
of tongues.
You can notice
that Paul numbers
the first three
gifts in order,
first,
second,
third,
to set them apart
from the other gifts.
And in doing so,
he also sets out
an order in which
these gifts function.
We see this exact
order of apostles,
prophets,
and teachers
functioning in the
life of the church
in the book of Acts.
As scattered Christians,
evangelized,
and Christian converts
are born in Antioch,
the church in Jerusalem
sends Barnabas
to Antioch
to establish the church
in Acts 11, 22.
And then Barnabas
recruits Paul
to join him
in this church
planting work,
and that's what
we call apostolic
or the word apostle
simply comes from
the Greek word
that means to send.
It's the same word
from which we get,
it's the same meaning
for the word missionary
which comes from
the Latin word
that means to send
or sending.
Nowadays,
when we hear
the word missionary,
we only think of
cross-cultural missionaries,
generally speaking,
or foreign missionaries,
but Paul was not
actually a cross-cultural
missionary
because he ministered
to other Greeks
and to other Greek-speaking
Romans
and to fellow Jews.
And so the Bible
uses the term
apostle or missionary
in a much more broad way
and it's referring
to pioneering
church planting work
in an area
that does not have
gospel witness.
And so after the apostles
are sent evangelize
and establish the church,
it says in Acts 11, 27
that the prophets
came down
from Jerusalem
to Antioch.
First the apostles
and then the prophets
to minister to the church there.
This is what
this is referring to.
This is the sense
in which the church
is built on the foundation
of apostles and prophets,
Christ Jesus himself
being a cornerstone
as it says in Ephesians 2, 20.
And we see that same pattern
repeated later
in Acts 15, 32, 35.
First there's the apostolic work
by Paul and Barnabas
and then it says
in Acts 15, 32,
the church in Jerusalem
sent Barsabbas and Silas
leading men among the brothers
who were themselves prophets
once again
to encourage
and to strengthen them.
First you send the apostles
and then you send the prophets.
So after the apostles
are dispatched
and the prophets
are dispatched
and then
after those prophets
return to their home church,
it says that
in Acts 15, 35,
Paul and Barnabas
remained in Antioch
teaching and preaching
the word of the Lord
with many others also.
So there's teachers
who continue
the ongoing instruction
of the word.
So first apostles,
second prophets,
third teachers.
This is the church
planting timeline
according to the book of Acts.
We see a slightly different
fuller list
in Ephesians 4, 11 to 12
where Paul writes
that God gave the apostles,
the prophets,
the evangelists,
the shepherds and teachers
to equip the saints
for the work of ministry,
for building up
the body of Christ.
I think 1 Corinthians 11, 28
is just an abbreviated
version of that list.
Now a few caveats
for those who are new
to our church.
While we believe
that the gifts
of apostleship
continue to this day,
we don't believe
as a church
that there are
modern day offices
of apostles.
Likewise,
while we believe
that the gift of prophecy
continues to this day,
we don't believe
that the prophets
of today
carry the same authority
as the scripture
prophesying
Old Testament prophets.
I think that's clear
from 2 Peter 3, 2
where Peter exhorts
believers to remember
quote,
the predictions
of the holy prophets,
referring to Old Testament prophets,
and the commandment
of the Lord and Savior
through the apostles.
Peter sees
the New Testament apostles,
not New Testament prophets,
as standing in the tradition
and authority
of the Old Testament prophets.
So I don't have the time
to go into this
in any more detail,
but if you're interested
in learning more
about this distinction
between gifts and offices,
please listen to my sermon
on Ephesians 4,
1 to 16 from 2017.
That's a long time ago.
In 1 Corinthians 12, 28,
Paul sets the gifts
of apostles,
prophets,
and teachers
apart from the others
using these ordinal numbers,
first, second,
and third.
And that's because
these are gifts
that pertain
to the proclamation
of the gospel
and the establishing
of churches.
These are the higher gifts
that Paul mentions
in chapter 12, verse 31,
but earnestly desire
the higher gifts.
This verse has a parallel
in chapter 14, verse 1.
Pursue love
and earnestly desire
the spiritual gifts,
especially that you may prophesy.
In chapter 14,
Paul teaches us
that prophecy
is a higher gift,
especially in comparison
to the gift of tongues,
and he tells us
exactly why in verse 4.
The one who speaks
in the tongue
builds up himself,
but the one who prophesies
builds up the church.
Tongues is a gift
of speaking
in the tongues
of angels,
as Paul says
in chapter 13, verse 1,
in a heavenly language
to God.
The gift of tongues,
apart from the gift
of interpretation
of tongues,
is unintelligible
to the rest of the church
and therefore useless
for edifying the church,
while prophecy
is intelligible,
understandable
for the people
and therefore beneficial
to the church.
Corinthian believers
were unduly impressed
by and unhealthily
obsessed with
the gift of tongues
because they saw it
as a sign
of spiritual arrival.
But Paul flips
their view
on the gifts
on its head.
The gifts are not meant
for self-aggrandizement.
They are meant
for selfless service.
This is precisely
why he lists
the gift of tongues
last on this list
in order to de-emphasize it
for the sake
of the Corinthians.
If you have
the gift of tongues,
this is not to discourage
you from using the gift.
You should pray
for the gift
of interpretation
so that your gift
may be used
for the upbuilding
of the body.
That's what Paul says
in chapter 14, verse 13.
But it is notable here
that in Paul's ordering,
spectacular gifts,
supernatural gifts
like miracles
and gifts of healing
are not first.
And it's also notable
that seemingly ordinary,
natural gifts
like helping
and administrating
are listed before
the gift of tongues,
which is perhaps
the most otherworldly gift.
Why?
It's all about
the purpose
of the gifts
to build up
the church.
One for all,
all for one.
The pertinent question
is not
how supernatural
is my gift
or how special
or spiritual
is my gift.
Rather,
the pertinent question
is how edifying
is my gift
for the church.
God designed
the church
intentionally
to be interdependent.
We see this clearly
in verses 29 to 30.
Are all apostles?
Are all prophets?
Are all teachers?
Do all work miracles?
Do all possess
gifts of healing?
Do all speak with tongues?
Do all interpret?
These verses
reproduce
the same order of gifts
in verse 28,
but he omits
helping
and administrating,
interestingly enough.
I think because
they're less helpful
to the point
that he's trying
to make here.
The gifts
of helping
and administrating
are more
natural gifts,
so it may seem
like everybody
has those gifts
to varying degrees,
though that's not
actually true.
For example,
when I was a young boy,
I saw this motivational
Michael Jordan poster.
I'm sure you guys
have seen this.
He's sticking his tongue out
and dunking the ball
and printed next
to the picture
is this quote.
I've missed more
than 9,000 shots
in my career.
I've lost almost
300 games.
26 times I've been
trusted to take
the game-winning shot
and missed.
I've failed over
and over and over
again in my life
and that is why
I succeed.
You know,
very inspirational,
right?
It motivated me
to practice basketball
really hard
when I was in high school
and to try out
for my high school team.
Many of my friends
were on the team
and I had one thing
going for me
is that the coach
was my history teacher
and I was his
favorite student.
I worked really hard
whenever we ran lines
I was the first.
Anything that required
effort and grit
I was the first.
And then as soon
as we started doing
stuff that required
hand-eye coordination
and actual athleticism
I was last.
And I was mercilessly
cut from the team
by my teacher
and I felt deceived
by Michael Jordan.
Even on my high school
tennis team
I won the most
improved player
back-to-back years
but never the most
valuable player.
No matter how much
I practiced
I could never attain
the level of
physical athleticism
that some people
are just naturally
gifted with.
That's why it's a gift.
I'm not saying
your effort doesn't matter
you can keep trying
but there is a limit.
So even with helping
and administrating
there are people
who are gifted
with them
in a way that
other people aren't
even though it seems
seemingly more natural gift.
But because it doesn't
serve his purposes
that he's trying to illustrate
he leaves that out
because the implied
answer to these
rhetorical questions
are all apostles
are all prophets
do all prophesy
do all speak in tongues
the implied emphatic
answer is no.
No not all our prophets
not all our apostles
not all our teachers
no single person
has all the gifts
because God intended
for us to need each other
and depend on one another.
As Proverbs 18
one says
whoever isolates himself
seeks his own desire
he breaks out
against all sound judgment.
If you isolate yourself
if you declare
your independence
if you go rogue
then you're just
seeking your own
selfish desires.
Your independence
is an expression
of your selfishness
in that case.
And if you do that
you break out
against all sound judgment.
Christian maturity
does not lead
to independence
it leads to interdependence.
Sometimes people
mistakenly think
that a more mature Christian
has nothing to learn
from a less mature Christian
or that an older Christian
has nothing to learn
from a younger Christian.
But if that's the case
what are you going to do
when you're 70
or 80 years old?
Look for a church
that's full of centenarians.
The older and more mature
you get
you ought to grow
in humility
so that you can learn
and benefit from those
who are younger than you.
I think Lance and Shelley
are good examples of this
in our young church.
Yeah.
People in the church
young and old
have different gifts
like different parts
of the body
and therefore
we need each other.
Even someone
who is less mature
than you
in some ways
can be more mature
than you
in other ways.
The person
who lacks the gifts
you have
is going to have
gifts that you lack.
This is by divine design.
1 Corinthians 12 11
all these gifts
are empowered
by one and the same spirit
who apportions
to each one
individually
as he wills.
That's why Paul says
in verse 31
earnestly desire
the higher gifts.
Similarly in 14 1
he says
pursue love
and earnestly desire
the spiritual gifts
especially that you may prophesy.
Why does Paul
consistently use
the language
of earnestly desiring
when it comes
to spiritual gifts?
He doesn't tell us
to pursue the gifts
like he tells us
to pursue love.
The word pursue here
is a Greek word
that means to run after
to chase.
It's the same word
that's used
to describe sometimes
how unbelieving world
persecutes Christians
how they chase Christians.
Chase after
the fruit of the spirit
the love
of God.
But it doesn't use
that word.
That word is
very proactive.
In contrast
earnestly desire
is a very receptive word.
And that's intentional
because it's the spirit
of God
who apportions gifts
to each one
individually
as he wills.
And that means
we can't choose
or demand
or earn
any of these
spiritual gifts.
It's the Holy Spirit's
sovereign prerogative
to distribute his gifts
among whom he wills.
This is the important
distinction between
the fruit of the spirit
and the gifts
of the spirit.
Galatians 5,
22 to 33
lists the fruit
of the spirit
love,
joy,
peace,
patience,
kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness,
gentleness,
and self-control.
And if you pay attention
to that passage closely
you'll recognize
that there's actually
one fruit.
It's not eight fruit
or nine fruits.
It's one fruit.
Fruit in the singular
because all of them
actually comprise
one fruit.
and it's headed
by love
because love
really encompasses
all the fruit
of the Holy Spirit.
Love is the fulfilling
of the law
as it says
in Romans 13,
8 to 10.
For the whole law
is fulfilled
in one word
you shall love
your neighbor
as yourself.
Galatians 5,
14.
The fruit of the spirit
is something
that every Christian
has.
If you're not
bearing the fruit
of the spirit
then you don't
have the spirit
which means
by definition
you are not
a Christian.
Jesus says
in Matthew 7,
16 to 18
you will recognize
them by their fruits.
Are grapes
gathered from
thorn bushes
or figs from thistles?
Just as grapevines
bear grapes
Christians who are
born of the spirit
of God
bear the fruit
of the spirit
to varying degrees.
So you can tell
a Christian apart
by the fruit
that they bear.
But this is very
different from
the spiritual gifts.
Christian theologian
Alistair McGrath
uses a helpful
illustration in his book
I Believe
which is about
the Apostles' Creed.
He says this,
now think of
two fir trees.
One is growing
in a forest.
The other is a
Christmas tree
inside a home
with presents
around its base.
Those presents
have nothing to do
with the tree.
They didn't grow there.
They were placed
there by someone.
They are someone's
gifts
not the natural
fruit of the tree.
Not every fir tree
becomes a Christmas tree
and gets surrounded
by presents.
But that doesn't deny
that they are fir trees.
Spiritual gifts
are gifts.
They are not all
given to everyone.
It is no stigma
to lack
a charisma
that's using
the Greek word
for these spiritual gifts.
A particular
spiritual gift.
This is why
the command
is to earnestly
desire
and not pursue
or hone
the gifts
or practice
the gifts.
Spiritual gifts
are gifts
to be freely received
not rewards
to be earned
or a skill
to be honed.
Sure,
you can grow
in your faith
in stepping out
of your comfort zone
to exercise
those gifts
but you either
have the gift
or you don't.
It's what the Spirit
of God sovereignly gives.
So all you can do
is earnestly desire it
and pray for it
as Paul says
in chapter 14
verse 13.
It's up to God
to decide
whether to give it
to you or not.
That's why
it's well intentioned
but misguided
and unhelpful
that happens
in certain church circles
to teach people
that they can have
get the gift of tongues
by repeating
the word hallelujah
over and over again
really fast.
How many of you guys
had that growing up?
Okay,
a few of you.
You're too embarrassed
to raise your hands.
Yeah.
Because if you do that
fast enough
you start speaking gibberish
and it sounds sometimes
like the gift of tongues.
That's why
it's well intentioned
but misguided
and unhelpful
to teach
that anyone
can quote
activate
their prophetic gift
with some guidance
and training
which a lot of you
hear this a lot
on YouTube
and some books.
I've met plenty
of people
who already had
the gift of prophecy
for example
but had no idea
that they had
the gift of prophecy
because they had
never been taught
and they could
start to use
the gifts
more effectively
because now
they know
what it is.
I've seen that happen
but I've never
seen it happen
that someone
who didn't have
the gift of prophecy
simply hears teaching
about it
and then starts
having gift of prophecy.
Now that's the spirit
of God's prerogative
not something
we activate
or train.
this is why
even though
Christian maturity
is necessarily
marked by growth
in the fruit
of the spirit
it is not
necessarily
marked by
the gifts
of the spirit.
The gifts
are not connected
to spiritual maturity.
The spirit of God
simply gave them
to you
like presents
around the Christmas tree.
This is why
in 1 Corinthians 1
4-7
Paul can give
thanks to God
for the Corinthians
saying because of
the grace of God
that was given
to them in Christ Jesus
so that in every way
they were enriched
in him
in all speech
and all knowledge
so that you are
not lacking
in any gift.
That's what Paul said
about the Corinthians.
This grace of God
they have all speech
all knowledge
these prophetic gifts
they're not lacking
in any gift.
The most gifted church
in the New Testament.
But then later on
in that same letter
to the same people
he says in
chapter 3
verses 1-3
But I brothers
could not address you
as spiritual people
but as people
of the flesh
as infants in Christ.
I fed you with milk
not solid food
for you were not ready
for it
and even now
you are not ready
not yet ready
for you are still
of the flesh
for while there is
jealousy and strife
among you
are you not of the flesh
and behaving only
in a human way?
The Corinthian church
was gifted
but immature.
This is why
sometimes we see
the most gifted
and the most successful
pastors and ministers
fall into sin
and scandal.
They're gifted
but immature.
In fact
the most gifted people
should be especially careful
because people often
mistake giftedness
for maturity
and because you are gifted
they assume
oh yeah
he must be doing fine
spiritually
oh yeah
she must be doing great
spiritually
but that's not
necessarily the case.
Love is the mark
of Christian maturity.
This is why
it's all the more important
that we pursue love
as Paul says
in 14.1
you don't simply
desire
and pray for love
you pursue it
you chase it down
you make use
of the means of grace
that God has given to us
in order to grow
in love
you cultivate
the fruit of the spirit
you crave the gift
but you chase the fruit.
That's why Paul says
in 12.31
but earnestly desire
the higher gifts
and I will show you
a still more excellent way
there's a still more excellent way
than even the higher gifts
that build up the church
and that paves the way
for chapter 13
where Paul teaches about love.
Now I do want to note
well actually I'll mention that later
look at chapter 13 with me.
In order to demonstrate
the priority
and primacy of love
the fruit of the spirit
Paul contrasts it
with several of the spiritual gifts
that he has just mentioned.
He says in verse 1
if I speak in the tongues
of men and of angels
but have not love
I am a noisy gong
or a clanging cymbal.
A noisy gong
or a clanging cymbal
unaccompanied by other instruments
together represent
these harsh discordant sounds.
A cacophony of noise.
You think yourself important
Paul is saying to the Corinthians
because you're speaking in tongues.
If you don't have love
it's all a bunch of meaningless noise.
Paul continues in verse 2
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.
Prophecy is a gift
that Paul regularly
tells us to seek.
It's one of the most significant gifts
for building the body of Christ
and yet
even that
you could have all prophetic powers
and mysteries and knowledge
understand all of it
and if you have all faith
so as to remove mountains
notice the contrast
between all, all, all
and nothing.
If you have not love
I am nothing.
In verse 3
Paul goes even beyond
the spiritual gifts
to expound the absolute necessity
of love.
He says
if I give away
all I have
and if I deliver my body
to be burned
but have not love
I gain nothing.
These two phrases
describe
what we might consider
the two of the most
total examples
of self-sacrifice.
The sacrifice
of all our belongings
on the one hand
and sacrifice
of our body itself
on the other.
First
giving away
all I have
refers to giving away
all our possessions
to the poor.
Voluntarily
impoverishing oneself
in order to enrich others.
Similarly
the second expression
refers to a form
of self-sacrifice.
If you have footnotes
in your ESV
it says
that there's
an alternate translation
it says
that if I give up
my body
in order that I may boast
that may be
the accurate translation
if you have NIV
that has that also
but you don't have to worry
about the textual variations
because in the end
the essential meaning
is the same.
If you give up
your own body
for the sake of the Lord
whether that's
in giving your body away
in martyrdom
in serving God
or as some
early Christian writings
have examples of
for example
1st Clement
of Christians
surrendering themselves
to slavery
that with the price
which they receive
for themselves
they might provide
food for others.
Some Christians
in the first century
did this.
They intentionally
enslaved themselves
so that through the money
that they get from that
they can pay for others
who need food.
It's that kind of
self-sacrifice
or even martyrdom
that Paul has in mind.
even the greatest
possible thing
that we can imagine
that a Christian
can do for God
and for the church
is nothing
without love.
If I
I'm never going to
do this
nor can I do this
but if I start
and run
a Fortune 500 company
and give away
billions to charity
but have not love
I am nothing.
If I leave
all my possessions
behind
and go somewhere
to be a missionary
and I plant
hundreds of churches
where previously
there were none
but have not love
I am nothing.
If I grow my church
to thousands
of members
and write books
that land
on the bestseller list
and pack stadiums
full of people
and speak at conferences
to tens of thousands
of people
but have not love
I am nothing.
If I become
a Christian
social media personality
with millions
of subscribers
but have not love
I am nothing.
If I can interpret
all tongues
and have all
prophetic knowledge
so that I am
sought after
globally
as a prophet
but have not love
I am nothing.
Do you get the point?
Do you see
how extreme this is?
Remember that
these are not
bad things.
All of these
are good things.
The spiritual gifts
are good.
Giving to the poor
is good.
Giving away
your life for God
is good
but if you do
any of these things
without love
it's pointless.
So Paul's not saying
pursue love
instead of the gifts
he's not saying
pursue love
and forget about
the gifts
leave it or take it
he says
earnestly desire
the gifts
that's the problem
in some search
church schools
they're like
well a gift
it's too scary
too unpredictable
out of control
forget about it
let's just focus
on these things
but that would also
be unfaithful
to what scripture
teaches
it says
to earnestly
desire
the gifts
so let's not
throw the baby
out with the
bath water
but what he is
saying here
is that instead
is that all
the spiritual gifts
must be pursued
or must be
rather to use
the biblical language
must be used
and desired
in the context
of love
as expressions
of love
love is the context
in which the gifts
are to be used
and if love
is so important
what then is it
Paul describes love
in verse 4
with these two
positive words
love is patient
and kind
these two words
describe love
in its passive form
and its active form
the first word
is patient
it's literally
a combination
of two words
that mean anger
and a long time
it means that
you don't get angry
for a long time
you're patient
it means that
you are long suffering
this is the passive
expression of love
how it responds
to the offenses
and the provocations
of other people
the second word
kind
refers
it's a more active
expression of love
it refers to
doing good
seeking the good
of others
it commonly used
the word is used
to describe the goodness
of God
in scripture
scripture also
describes God's rules
as good
and that God
is good
and does good
and that's what
this word is here
kind
it's the disposition
to do good
to others
even to our enemies
as God does
so if patient
describes the passive
posture of love
kind describes
the active posture
of love
to love then
we could define it
according to 1 Corinthians 13
is to suffer long
and do good
to others
suffer others
for a long time
and do good
to others
are you patient
with others
are you long
suffering
when others
offend you
or hurt you
or do you flare up
quickly
in anger
seeking vengeance
in canceling them
after the two
positive descriptions
of love
as patient
and kind
Paul continues
with what love
is not
he says
love does not
envy
the same word
used earlier
in chapter 3
describe exactly
what the Corinthians
were like
they were characterized
by envy
and rivalry
with each other
envy is a covetous
desire
for something
or someone
that belongs
to another
it means to begrudge
the status
or blessing
of another
and therefore
it's contrary
to love
if we love someone
we delight
in their blessing
we rejoice
with them
when they rejoice
but if we're envious
we begrudge
their good
are you envious
of others
prosperity
blessings
giftedness
status
or position
envy
is a failure
of love
and we are rightly
alarmed
when we start
to feel envy
rising up
in our hearts
I wish I had the time
to go through
all these words
in detail
but I don't have
the time
if you want
to look at those words
in more detail
you can listen
to my sermon
on 1 Corinthians 13
I don't remember
when I preached that
love is not
love does not boast
these are all
related words
love is not arrogant
love is not rude
these are all
these contrasts
a self-oriented
disposition
versus others
oriented disposition
seeing others
regarding others
is more significant
than for ourselves
higher than ourselves
rather than being
self-sufficient
and self-promoting
love does not insist
on its own way
in chapter 10
Paul corrected
the Corinthians
because they were
disregarding the
consciences of others
and insisting
on their own way
and he told them
there to seek
to please others
by seeking out
their interest
and not insisting
on your own way
people who insist
on their own way
they're willful
and stubborn
they don't take
counsel well
they don't take
criticism well
when they are
proven wrong
they are reluctant
to admit fault
they're resistant
to reforming
their ways
even with relation
to God
they're like this
sometimes
those who are
arrogant
they insist
on their own way
when God's doing
what they think
he should be doing
they're really happy
with him
and they praise him
but as soon as
God starts doing
things in their life
they don't like
or they don't think
is the way
things should be
they become bitter
and resentful
which shows
that they were
never submitted
to God
in the first place
and his rule
and his sovereignty
now this doesn't mean
that loving people
necessarily makes
people
pushovers
Jonathan Edwards
mentioned before
17th century
pastor and theologian
writes in his sermon
on 1 Corinthians 13
humility disposes
people to be
of a yielding spirit
to others
ready for the sake
of peace
and to gratify others
to comply in many things
with their inclinations
and to yield
to their judgments
wherein they are not
inconsistent with truth
and holiness
a truly humble person
is inflexible
in nothing
but in the cause
of his Lord
and Master
which is the cause
of truth
and virtue
in this
he is inflexible
because God
and conscience
required
but in things
of lesser moment
and which do not
involve his principles
as a follower
of Christ
and in things
that only concern
his own private interests
he is apt
to yield to others
I think that's what
it means
that we do not
insist on our own way
I've known people
like this
and I hope you have too
because they're
a pleasure to know
they're like lions
when it comes
to the things
of God
and defending it
when it comes
to their personal preferences
they're
they're like a doormat
love is not irritable
not easily provoked
to anger
it's patient
and forbearing
it's not resentful
that literally means
that it does not
count
or reckon
evil
the NIV puts it
as keeps no record
of wrongs
it's what God
does for us
2 Corinthians 5.19
in Christ
God was reconciling
the world to himself
not counting
their trespasses
against them
but entrusting to us
the message
of reconciliation
God sees
all our evil
but when we put
our trust
in Christ
and repent
of our sins
he does not
count those sins
against us
likewise
if we love
one another
we're not going
to keep
a record
of wrongs
we don't count
those things
against them
in the way
we deal with them
and relate to them
love covers
all offenses
as Proverbs 10.12
says
love does not
rejoice in wrongdoing
it rejoices
with the truth
the fact that
you love someone
doesn't mean
that you say
everything that they do
is okay
even when they do wrong
it does not rejoice
with wrongdoing
it speaks the truth
in love
and after describing
at length
what love is not
he says in verse 7
love bears all things
believes all things
hopes all things
endures all things
and that verse
is structured
chiastically
the first item
and the last item
match each other
bearing all things
and enduring all things
and the middle two items
match each other
believe all things
and hope all things
love
believes all things
and hopes all things
the word all things
is repeated
for rhetorical effect
now it doesn't mean
that we should become
credulous people
who believe everyone
and everything
we need to be discerning
what it does mean
is that we should be
disposed to trust people
to give them
the benefit of the doubt
to believe the best
about them
as an expression
of our love for them
instead of suspecting people
and distrusting them
love believes all things
do we love one another
in this way
or are we suspicious
of one another
skeptical toward one another
inclined to distrust
one another
similarly love hopes
all things
not in the sense
of naive optimism
but in the sense
that we never despair
of people
we never give up
on people
I called a friend
of mine recently
he used to be a pastor
and had a family
and three kids
like me
but now he's divorced
and he's lost custody
of his children
and because he's also
no longer able
to minister
in the church
and he was not
guiltless in the matter
but what's happened
to him
was way beyond
what should have happened
and I think
the custody situation
is really really unjust
and I called him
and to talk to him
and he was just
so thankful to me
in the whole call
we talked for about
50 minutes
and like saying
oh you're such
a faithful friend
you're such a
good friend
and all that
and it kind of
was embarrassing
to me
because I felt
really guilty
because I see him
like once
every two years
even though he lives
in New England
and then
and then I
and he had called me
like four months ago
before I called him
and it took me
four months
to call him back
and so I wasn't
the greatest friend
to him
and yet he was
so thankful
and so I told him
like you're being
really generous
to me
you know
I really could have
been a much better
friend
and I'm sorry
that I haven't
been a better
friend to you
and then he said
Sean no
I'm not
I'm not being
overly generous
to you
because you didn't
give up on me
I had many friends
who gave up on me
but after a decade
you still haven't
given up on me
I think that's what
I don't point to myself
as a shining example
of love
I fail every day
but I think that's
what this hope
all things
looks like
you don't give up
on people
you keep persevering
and then Paul
concludes in verse 8
love never ends
which sets up
the contrast
between the gifts
of the spirit
that will cease
and pass away
versus love
which never ends
as for prophecies
he says
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
this is
representative
of all the gifts
that he's been talking
about so far
in chapter 12
contrary to
the thinking
of the Corinthians
that the spiritual gifts
are a sign of arrival
oh we're there
I already speak
in the tongues of angels
we're there
instead Paul says
no it's not a sign
of arrival
the gifts are actually
a sign of awaiting
the perfect
has not come yet
we know in part
we prophesy in part
we have partial knowledge
of God
and partial prophetic revelation
and that's
the characteristic
of our present age
that will pass away
eventually
we will know God fully
and we'll have
his revelation fully
and when the perfect
comes the partial
will pass away
as Karl Barth
the 20th century
theologian says
because the sun rises
all lights
are extinguished
we turn on the lamps
at night
because there's no light
but when the sun rises
we all turn our lights off
there's no need
for lesser lights
Paul also uses
this analogy
to explain this
and in verse 11
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 my childish ways
he's using this example
to tell the Corinthians
you think that you are
grown up and mature
because of your gifts
when in fact
the gifts
are a sign of
our childlike state
and when we're fully grown
we will give up
these things
in the same way
as we grew up
as adults
we gave up
our childish ways
the gifts exist
to build up the church
but when Christ returns
and our union with him
is perfected
the gifts will no longer exist
because the church
will no longer need
to be built up
it will already be complete
Paul continues
in verse 12
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
the word translated dimly here
can be more
literally translated
as indirectly
or by riddle
and that's referring to
in alluding to
numbers 12
68
where God says
when there is a prophet
among you
I the Lord
reveal myself to them
in visions
I speak to them
in dreams
but this is not true
of my servant Moses
he is faithful
in all my house
with him I speak
face to face
clearly and not
in riddles
he sees the form
of the Lord
why then were you
not afraid
to speak against
my servant Moses
this is why Moses
is considered
the greatest prophet
of greatest
of the Old Testament prophets
God spoke to him
face to face
and not in riddles
God addressed them
directly and not
indirectly
through dreams
and visions
or through prophecies
that we need to decipher
and interpret
so the contrast
is not merely
between a low resolution image
and a high resolution image
but between a mediated view
of God
and a direct
unmediated
face to face
view of God
we don't have that yet
just like when we're away
from our loved ones
we talk to them
on the phone
we might zoom call
do a zoom call
with them
but you put away
those things
when you can sit
with them face to face
and embrace one another
that's what will be
when Christ returns
and we see him
face to face
and we will know fully
and until then
we pursue love
and eagerly desire
the spiritual gifts
especially those
that build up
the body of Christ
but we can't
love one another
in this way
in our own strength
I realize I just
faith, hope, and love
it says in verse 13
so now faith, hope, and love
abide these three
but the greatest of these
is love
faith is the assurance
of things hoped for
a conviction of things
not seen
when we see Christ
faith will be no more
because faith
will give way to sight
Romans 8 24
for in this hope
we were saved
now hope that is seen
is not hope
for who hopes
for what he sees
right now we have hope
because our hope
is not yet realized
but when Christ returns
our hope will be
fully realized
and hope will be no more
but when faith
is no more
and hope is no more
love will abide forever
it endures forever
and that's why love
is the greatest
of the three
cardinal Christian virtues
of faith, hope, and love
but how can we love
one another
we can't love
one another
in this way
unless we have
first love of God
1 John 4 19
says we love
because he first
loved us
the love that we see
in chapter 13
that is patient
and kind
is the very love
with which
God has loved us
Romans 2 4
says do you presume
on the riches
of his kindness
same word
and forbearance
and patience
same word
not knowing
that God's kindness
is meant
to lead you
to repentance
God has been
long suffering
with us
through all of our
sins and evil
he has suffered
long with us
and he has
and has been
kind to us
seeking to do
good to us
he has kept
no record
of wrongs
instead he sent
his only son
Jesus to die
on the cross
to pay for our sins
so that our record
can be cleansed
cleared
that's the way
in which God
has loved us
in Christ
and it's only
when we receive
that love
from God first
and we're
transformed
by that love
that is love
is patient
and kind
that we can
love one another
in this way
so let's pray
together
that God's love
would be poured
into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit
as we trust
in Jesus
so that we might
abound in love
let's pray
Father
just as the gifts
are the gifts
of your spirit
the fruit
is the fruit
of your spirit
we can have
neither
apart from your spirit
so give us
more of your spirit
Father we ask
as we
abide in Jesus Christ
our Lord
and Savior
who loved us
and gave himself
up for us
in love
fill us more
and more
with his spirit
that we might
abound in love
toward one another
so that we might
use the gifts
you have given us
appropriately
in a way that
builds up one another
we pray this
in Jesus name
amen
Thank you.