Message for THE LORD'S DAY MORNING, January 5, 2014 Christian Hope Church of Christ, Plymouth, North Carolina by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister TOPIC: LOVE THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY I Corinthians 12:31-13:1-3 Please turn with me in your Bibles to our scripture text this morning in I Corinthians, the twelth chapter, starting with verse 31 and let's read over to chapter 13, verse 3 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:1-8 a (NKJV) 12:31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. P R A Y E R >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I N T R O D U C T I O N I L L U S T R A T I O N The story is told about AN ACTOR who was playing the role of JESUS in a Passion Play out in the Ozarks of Missouri. As the actor carried the cross up the hill one of the tourist started heckling him. Well finally the actor had all he could take so he threw down the cross and walked over and punched the guy right in the mouth.
After the play was over that night the director pulled the actor aside and said, Listen, I know that guy in the audience was an obnoxious pest, but you've got to remember you are playing the part of JESUS and JESUS would never punch someone in the mouth. The next night that same heckler was back and sure enough he started taunting the actor even worse than the night before. Once again, the actor threw down the cross and walked over and punched the guy. The director came to him after the play that night and said, That's it...you're FIRED! I can't have a Jesus who beats up people in the audience. The remorseful actor begged and pleaded with the director to give him one more chance, assuring him he would keep his temper under control. Reluctantly the director agreed to hire him back. Well sure enough, the next night the heckler was back and this time he was more obnoxious than ever. The director watched anxiously to see what the actor would do. When he was about to reach his breaking point, the actor walked over to the heckler and said, I'll deal with you after the resurrection buddy! **************************************************************** The Bible teaches us that as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are to exercise love TOWARDS ALL PEOPLE...AT ALL TIMES...IN ALL SITUATIONS. The apostle Paul refers to this in verse 31 of chapter 12 as the more excellent way. What does Paul mean by the more excellent way? He is telling us The way of CHRIST is the way of LOVE. LOVE trumps everything else. The way to CHRIST-LIKENESS is to LOVE. The way to build a strong relationship with GOD is to LOVE. The way to build a strong relationship with PEOPLE is to love. LOVE IS THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY!
As we look more closely at VERSES 1-3 in chapter 13, the apostle Paul teaches us that LOVE IS MORE EXCELLENT than five other things we think are important in the Christian life. *********************************** First of all... I. LOVE Is More Excellent Than SPIRITUAL GIFTS (v.1) v. 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 1. If you will remember in our study of the Book of Acts, on the day of Pentecost, when the very first gospel message was preached, God gave each of the apostles a very special gift to be able to speak in languages they had never learned so that those gathered in Jerusalem that day might be able to understand the gospel in his or her own language and dialect. 2. In I Corinthians 12, Paul had spent a great deal of time writing to the Corinthian Church about various gifts of the Spirit. One of those gifts Paul mentioned was the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues, meaning to be bi-lingual or to be able to speak in foreign languages as the apostles had done on the day of Pentecost. 3. The desire to have this gift had become a source of contention in the Corinthian Church. Some believed if they had the gift of being able to speak in other languages it would make them spiritually superior to others in the Church.
4. How did Paul deal with this problem? By pointing the Corinthians to THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY...THE WAY OF LOVE. Look again at what he said in VERSE 1... v. 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 5. In Paul's day there were numerous pagan temples all over the Roman world. And at the entrance to most of these pagan temples there were huge gongs. When someone would enter the pagan temple, one of the temple servants would bang on that gong to awaken the false god so as to hear the prayers of the temple goer. 6. Using that familiar image, Paul is saying to the Corinthians, If I had the gift of being able to speak in other human languages, and even in the heavenly language of angels, but don't have love, then my speech would be as abrasive sounding as banging on a gong or cymbal. 7. The exercising of spiritual gifts without love is meaningless. What good is it if I have the GIFT to preach,, but I don't love those to whom I preach? What good is it if I have the GIFT to teach,, but I don't love those whom I teach? What good is it if I have the GIFT to lead others,, but I don't love those whom I am responsible to lead? 8. Spiritual gifts are important, but to exercise my spiritual gifts in LOVE is THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY!
II. LOVE Is More Excellent Than KNOWLEDGE (v. 2a) v.2a And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understanding all mysteries and all knowledge...but have not love, I am nothing. 1. Probably every one of us here knows at least one person we would label a know-it-all. It may be that person at work who knows more about your job than you do and they don't mind telling you how to do it. It may be that over-bearing relative who thinks they're an expert on everything and they always have to put their two cents worth in on every conversation. How many of you here this evening enjoy being around someone who loves to flaunt their knowledge? 2. The Church has its fair share of know-it-alls. It seems like in most Churches there's always at least one person who considers themselves to be an expert on the Bible. -They've studied Bible prophecy. -And they've read all kinds of Christian books. -And they've listened to Bible teaching CD'S by well-known speakers. -And they love to get into debates over the Bible with others so they can flaunt their knowledge of the scriptures. 3. While it should be our aim to be diligent students of the Bible, Paul cautions us about keeping biblical knowledge in proper perspective.
4. He says, And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, but have not love, I am nothing. 5. BIBLE KNOWLEDGE is important. But to have BIBLE KNOWLEDGE WITH A LOVING SPIRIT IS THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY. III. LOVE Is More Excellent Than FAITH (v.2b, v. 13) v. 2b Though I have all faith, so that I could move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. v. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest is love. 1. Paul is by no means implying that FAITH is not important. 2. The scriptures teach us that FAITH is absolutely essential in the Christian life. -Hebrews 11:6 says, But without FAITH it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 3. But we need to understand that FAITH without LOVE is nothing more than COLD, RITUALISTIC RELIGION.
4. Do you want to see what FAITH without LOVE looks like? Look at that PRIEST and LEVITE in Jesus' Parable of The Good Samaritan in LUKE CHAPTER TEN. Both of those men were perceived in the community as men of faith and religious pillars in the community. But when they passed by that dying man on the road to Jericho that day, ALL THE FAITH IN THE WORLD could not compensate for their lack of LOVE and COMPASSION. 5. You see, it is one thing to believe in GOD and believe in the BIBLE, but if our FAITH is not accompanied by LOVE our FAITH means nothing. 6. FAITH WITH LOVE IS THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY. IV. LOVE Is More Excellent Than GENEROSITY (v. 3a) v. 3a And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 1. Notice Paul didn't say, If I bestow some of my money and goods to feed the poor, He said, Though I bestow ALL MY GOODS to feed the poor. If I empty out my checking account...if I sell my house, my car, and my boat...if I cash in all my stocks and bonds...if I cash in all my insurance policies...and give every dime of the proceeds to the poor, BUT I DON'T HAVE LOVE, then I haven't gained anything!
2. Paul is hitting on a recurring theme in the New Testament and that is that the LORD isn't just interested in WHAT WE DO, but WHY WE DO IT. 3. It is very possible for someone to be GENEROUS and CHARITABLE, but not for the right reasons. -Sometimes we give out of a sense of duty. -Sometimes we give because we're afraid of what others will think of us if we don't do it. -Sometimes we give out of guilt. -Sometimes we give because we don't want to be out done by someone else. -Sometimes we give because we love to have people pat us on the back and tell us how generous we are. 4. But what Paul is saying is, I can be the most generous giver in the Church, but if I give for any other reason than out of my LOVE for GOD and love for GOD'S PEOPLE, my giving means nothing. 5. GIVING IN A SPIRIT OF LOVE IS THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY.
V. LOVE Is More Excellent Than SACRIFICE (v.3b) v.3b Though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 1. Boy this is a tough one isn't it? I mean Paul is talking about being so committed to Christ that he would be willing to give up his life. But being willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of Christ, without love, is meaningless. 2. What was it that made JESUS sacrifice on the cross so meaningful? It was the fact that HE LOVED those who put Him to death. What was it that made STEPHEN'S martyrdom so meaningful? It was the fact HE LOVED and FORGAVE those who put him to death. If you ever read FOXES BOOK OF MARTYRS you will find one account after another of Christian martyrs, who in their dying breath, expressed LOVE and FORGIVENESS to their executioners. 3. SACRIFICE WITHOUT LOVE may be perceived as noble. BUT SACRIFICE WITH LOVE is THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
C O N C L U S I O N The story is told about a preacher who was riding a bus one day, when a drunk man boarded the bus and came staggering down the aisle and sat down beside the preacher. The preacher pulled his New Testament out of his pocket and started to rebuke the man for his drunkness. He pointed his finger in the drunk man's face and said, Sir, do you know you are on your way to hell? The drunk man said, Dad-gummit, I got on the wrong bus again! Brothers and sisters, the best way to lead our lost loved ones and friends to Christ is NOT by ramming scripture down their throat or preaching them into hell. The best way to win them is to LOVE THEM INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WITH THE LOVE OF CHRIST. That is The More Excellent Way!