Understanding Love 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Lesson for April 21-22, 2018 By Charles Lyons

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1 Understanding Love 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Lesson for April 21-22, 2018 By Charles Lyons Introduction In the state of Texas there is a county with the unusual name of Loving County. Many people may be unaware of the land that for the most part today is somewhat desolate and isolated. At one time land developers became interested in it in the late 19 th century. Later oil was discovered in 1925 and the county created in 1887 named Tom Green County, later reorganized in 1897 and finally reorganized and renamed in 1931 as Loving County, named after a trail driver named Oliver Loving. There are not a lot of people in loving today. In 2016 only 1 death, 2 marriages but on the bright side, no divorces! i You could say loving has gone out of fashion. Yet more likely it is a case that people have moved on looking for a place more exciting, modern and different. Which in an odd way brings us to the believers in the city of Corinth at the time of the Apostle Paul. God s Word offered His people in Corinth stability, comfort and strength in their lives. Real Christian love. Yet, enamored with the world, they wanted something exciting they could experience that was novel and unique from what others had. Corinthian believers were focusing on the spiritual gifts. They were as focused on their personal gifts as people in the secular world were with their experiences and false gods. As you read 1 Corinthians chapter 12 we see that Paul is having to show that priority for true believers is the Christian walk together, not a manifestation of private gifts for self-edification. As we move to 1 Corinthians 13, God through Paul will help his people, as well as believers today, to value real love. Some today leave the promises found in Scripture for the allures of the world. Those who left Loving County in search of other diversions, may have been surprised to see that they had similar challenges wherever they moved to. We need to learn that real love focused in God can be found wherever we are when we keep our desires in harmony with those godly gifts that are truly lasting. I. Comparison to Love 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 The Corinthian believers, as we have addressed in previous lessons, were heavily influenced in a secular culture. We may not know Corinth, but if we were told we were being transferred to New Orleans or Las Vegas we might have some concerns about our finding a new local church home. (Vs 1) The Corinthian church valued the gift of tongues highly, Paul uses this as his first contrast. It is a powerful contrast when you consider the Corinthians were finding a degree of self-pride and recognition in the gift, while in contrast love puts others first. Regardless if we use the word love or charity the reality is that as God uses it, love is emphatically a Christian term. ii This passage is admired both for literary style and the beauty of its message of love. It has been used at countless marriage ceremonies. Yet in all of this if that is all we see we have missed the message. The contrast of God s love and everything else! Regardless if we could communicate with angels and earthly people, void of love it

2 would be without value. Our Savior Jesus Christ never demonstrated the gift of tongues yet He is synonymous with the greatest love of all. (Vs 2) Paul now expands his analogy and comparison of love and other gifts of The Spirit of God. In teaching this verse it is important not to confuse that it is a comparison and not an attack on prophecy, knowledge and faith. In the life of Paul we can easily see these elements used in his ministry. However, Paul is comparing the value of these powerful gifts to the value of God s love in us and manifested through us. To have the gifts but not love, I am nothing. Understand that the gift of prophecy was the ability for the individual to tell something that has yet to happen through the empowerment of God. Understanding and knowledge, as a divine gift, likewise is based on God being the source not just extensive study or natural talents or insight of the individual. Faith here is a clear confidence in what God not only can but will do. The apostle Paul had such gifts either in his life or he clearly accepted the truth of their existence. He had seen God work. Yet to him his love to the Saviour, and his devotion to those for whom that Saviour died, were of far more consequence and value than all his supernatural gifts. iii (Vs 3) The activities identified in verse 3 are true signs of commitment in the Christian walk. Not mere generosity but total sacrifice of all positions to help the poor could be recognized and honored. However, outside of love, we need to ask ourselves is this act done with questionable motives? Is it for the purpose of recognition? In our charitable acts of giving of belongings, finances or time we should ask ourselves is our driving passion to help and represent Christ in the life of those in need or to be recognized publically for our sacrifice? Do we donate to receive a plaque or is the act its own reward? Or, do we give to an individual to create a sense of indebtedness by that individual to us? Where is love in such an act? II. Description of Love 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 In these first three verses we compared the Gifts of the Spirit that we might highly value or obsess on to the love of God in and through us. Now as we progress to the next four verses Paul clarifies the qualities or ramifications that spring forth from love that is in us to others. (Vs 4) Verse four begins with love is patient, or in the King James it, suffereth long. The Greek word for patient or long here has the meaning to not lose heart. If you have had someone in your life that you have tried to help, long term, only to see them not turn their lives around you can appreciate the power in this word. God may have used you to be the person that continued to love that person while not losing heart. Albert Barnes, Christian preacher, writer and teacher wrote that, a man that loves the whole world, and desires its salvation, is not filled with pride and vanity on account of it. iv Lesson for /22 Page 2

3 There is a tone to love that the receiver feels our love, our compassion and kindness in a way that encourages the receiver without building up the giver. Over the past year, the prayer ministry of the Winning Walk, the television and radio outreach of our church has had ongoing contact with a homeless man in the northeast named Daniel. In that time we have tried to encourage and pray for this older gentleman through the many adversities of his life. Yet, each time we receive a note from him expressing his gratitude, we are the ones who are greatly blessed. Recently he was spending a night in the chapel of a rescue mission, amidst the single digit cold outside. He wrote us a note and explained that in the middle of the night he went up and knelt at the altar and felt God speak to his heart and said, alone with me here at the altar you are no longer homeless this is your home right here with me. That made me feel so loved that the LORD knew how lonely I was feeling and took that time to comfort me! Real love lets us be used of God without our being boastful. Consider and perhaps share with your class these examples from God of real love and compassion, Exodus 33:19, Psalm 103:13 and the prodigal Luke 15:20. Also consider the description in Colossians 3:12 of how we, as His people, should demonstrate His love in us, how the world would see us as part of our testimony. (Vs 5 and 6) The apostle Paul describes love as something that is selfless, does not have an explosive temper and doesn t assume the worst. People who have experienced or lived with an abusive person knows what it is to live with a ticking time-bomb. There is never a sense of peace only turmoil and stress. God s love brings to us a sense of peace that eliminates fear. Remember that when God forgives our sin it is covered by the blood of Christ and He never brings it up to us again, 1 John 1:9. (Vs 7) The expression in this verse, beareth or bears, has two elements to it as used in the Greek. It means to cover like a roof, and then to hide or conceal and not make known. v This love and forgiveness is both a blessing and a comfort. It is a practical application of what we have seen in verses five and six already. Our sins or failings are covered by the blood of Christ under a roof of forgiveness never to be seen or for us to be reminded of ever again. There is a story about Thomas Edison of an incident that took place when he was perfecting the light bulb. A young person who was assisting was given the task to take a test bulb to the bench to be tested. With everyone s patience near exhaustion and nearly a thousand attempts to get it right, the young man stumbled and dropped the light bulb shattering it. We can only imagine the stress, frustration and fear the young man had at that moment. After a long period the replacement bulb was made. Much to everyone s surprise, Thomas Edison had the same young man carry the new bulb, he placed and restored confidence in him. This is powerful and yet it pales in comparison to the cleansing and restoration we receive when God shows His love to us when God, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Lesson for /22 Page 3

4 III. Transition to Love 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 Now Paul begins a transition. A transition that indicates that so many of the gifts of the Spirit that the Corinthian believers were obsessing over would draw to a close having served their purpose while only three would remain. (Vs 8) Certainly this message had to come as a shock to those in Corinth that had perhaps established their sense of value in their ability to exercise these gifts in their lives. To hear that prophecies, speaking in an unknown language, supernatural knowledge and prophecies would be drawing to a close might not be something that you and I can immediately relate to. However, there is a something that many in our classes might identify with. An analogy of these special gifts that transitioned could be compared to members in the class who have volunteered or served in the church or other churches at varies times. Perhaps in that process they were a leader in any number of capacities. For that period they provided leadership, helped to distribute resources and perhaps powerfully impacted lives of people in distress or need. When that time of need drew to a close and the operation closed down, was their sense of self-worth impacted? Did they feel no longer valued or were they able to be thankful for the opportunity to have served? Often this is not a question they would ever express publically but it might be one they and God would discuss. This may also be a small snapshot of how some Corinthians believers were feeling. (Vs 9 and 10) Paul describes that we have something that is not complete at this moment in history, this time that he and the Corinthians were living. We are told that when they have that completion these transitional gifts would come to an end. There are three possible explanations as to what this completed phase would be. One view would be that when the Gospel had been preached to all nations that those transitional gifts would draw to a close. Another position is that such gifts are needed here on earth but love, faith and hope would transcend time and continue on when we are eternally in heaven. Finally there is a view that such transitional gifts helped to fulfil prophecy and confirmed the divine presence in the growth of the church while the completed Word of God was coming into completion or fulfillment. Then those transitional gifts or sign type gifts would not be needed. vi (Vs 11-12) Paul now makes two analogies to emphasize that one phase is closing down and a new one beginning. He compares the growth a person experiences as they mature from child to adulthood. When we are children there are things we are convinced we need and in truth some support items that we truly do need. Yet, when we become adults and gain experience and maturity we transition. We set the toys aside and no longer feel a need for the supports we once had. Now as adults, we are more confident that we have in place what we need to succeed with. Perhaps as a child when first learning to ride a bike you had training wheels. As you first began it seemed beyond comprehension that you could ride balanced upright without the Lesson for /22 Page 4

5 Conclusion safety of those extra wheels. As you grew you couldn t imagine why you would have them at all, you had matured. At one point it would have been impossible to imagine traveling a great distance alone, perhaps out of your front yard. Now as an adult you travel great distances without any more thought than checking the fuel in your car or that your plane tickets are with you. Paul describes that as a child he only knew childish things and spoke and reasoned as a child. He then says that as an adult we put those things away. Compare this description to the way the apostle Paul spoke to the Corinthian believers in 1 Corinthians 3:2, when he said had to feed them milk like children rather than meat like adults. Then again later we find a similar analogy in Hebrews 5:12, here Paul indicates the believers should have matured to a point of deeper teaching and yet they couldn t handle it, they needed milk, spiritual child level teaching. The mirror analogy of verse 12. The glass mirror of today is something we almost take for granted. Yet in the days of Rome, most mirrors were a highly polished brass or similar metal. vii To see through a glass darkly was a comparison to the mirrors of the day. Paul felt that utilizing the spiritual gifts as the Corinthian church was, would be similar to the limited reflection in the mirror of the day. Paul, through God s leading, looked to a time when Christians would have a clarity in their understanding and witness that would, like the mirror, be a clear reflection of God through them. (Vs 13) Paul concludes this passage with a final declaration that the lasting gifts are faith, hope and love. He finally identifies that the greatest of these three is in fact, love. The Greek word here for abide or remain indicates permanence. When the need for other gifts such as tongues or prophecy would come to an end, the need for love, hope and faith would live on. Their need is lasting. Albert Barnes stated it well when he wrote, the great design of the plan of salvation is to restore confidence in God among alienated creatures; and heaven could not subsist a moment without confidence; and faith, therefore, must be eternal. viii Author, statesman and adventurer, James Hudson Culver, wrote a book in 1981 titled, Through a Glass Darkly. In the book he chronicled a significant portion of history of the Culver family. They were a unique blend of statesman and missionaries who had been greatly used of God in times of conflict through America, India and North Africa. His title, which of course comes from our passage, was used to describe how those in his family who had been used of God in so many different ways, may not have had a perfect vision of what would happen when they stepped out by faith, but ultimately God would bring to clarity His perfect will. ix Each of us today can still greatly benefit from this powerful passage in 1 Corinthians 13. We may not be the apostle Paul, live in ancient Rome or ponder if we have the extra better gift of God than our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can however, step out by faith each and every day. We can have such a love for God that we can trust and hope in Him that He will sustain us in times that we barely have a Lesson for /22 Page 5

6 blurry image of where He is leading us. Ultimately our walk of faith boils down to our commitment to the God who so loves us, based on the faith we have found in His Word and the hope we have gained from our experiences of His continuous reliability! As we apply these verses and endeavor to faithfully follow our Savior day by day, let us demonstrate to other believers and this world that God s faith, hope and love are still remaining and active in our day. i Texas Almanac, Texas State Historical Association, Austin: Texas A&M University Press, 2016, p ii H.D.M. Spence and Joseph S. Excell, The Pulpit Commentary Volume XIX, (Peabody:Hendrickson Publishing Maketing, LLC, 2011), p.439 iii Ibid., p.441 iv Albert Barnes, Barnes Notes, Corinthians to Galatians, Grand Rapids:Baker Books, 2005, p.248. v Ibid., p. 251 vi Ibid., pgs vii Hand Mirror, Pompeii, Ancient Rome, Replica, viii Albert Barnes, Barnes Notes, Corinthians to Galatians, Grand Rapids:Baker Books, 2005, p.257. ix James H. Culver, Through a Glass Darkly: A Family History, Washington, D.C.:University Press, 1981, p. 27. Lesson for /22 Page 6