Summer of Love: A Series Through 1 Corinthians 13 Love is Patient and Kind 1 Corinthians 13:4b (ESV) Love does not envy Sermon Synopsis: In this sermon on 1 Corinthians 13:4, we see how envy is poison to the soul and to community, and what we can to do about it. What does envy feel like? Illustration: Pete Best original drummer for the Beatles, gets fired by the band six months before Beatlemania hits. Loses out on something special that the other four had and he didn t. Envy Envy vs. Jealousy - Jealousy is the feeling of anger when someone or something is competing for someone or something in your life (i.e., God is jealous 1) Something you have - Envy is the sense of discontentment over something you are lacking 2 Something you don t have 3 Context: Corinth envious of other s gifts The next 7 verbs are negatives what love is not 5 out of those 7 verbs are straight out of the Corinthian file 4 real situations in that church 1 Corinthians 3:3 (ESV) For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, I follow Paul, and another, I follow Apollos, are you not being merely human? Envy is a problem in Corinth. You can see that it is not a godly jealousy over someone else s good or for God s glorious reputation or from love, but competition who is with who? He must be pinpointing the envious motivations in these retorts. Example: I go to CC, or I go to Reality, or I go to Comm, or IVC, etc. And the subsequent feelings of lack it s greener on the other side of the fence syndrome. Paul says: You re being controlled by your sinful (human) nature, no different than the world, and can t progress in spiritual maturity because of it. You re stuck. Spiritual immaturity is spiritual stagnancy. 5 Why do we envy? 1 Exodus 20:5 2 Envy is ingratitude for what someone already has but jealousy is anger or mistrust over someone or something that is competing with something or someone in their lives. Jack Wellam. Patheos. September 13, 2014. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2014/09/13/what-is-the-difference-between-jealousy-andenvy-in-the-bible/ 3 Gordon D. Fee. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Revised Ed. (NICNT, Eerdmans, 1987). Footnote 337, p. 706 4 Ibid. 706 5 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren t ready for anything stronger. 1 Corinthians 3:2 (NLT) By Chris Lazo 7.16.17 Reality Santa Barbara 1 of 5
Lack vs. Overflow Matthew 27:18 (ESV) For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. John 12:19 (ESV) So the Pharisees said to one another, You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him. I. If you feel you ve been blessed, you don t mind letting go to give is better than receive (Jesus) II. If you feel lacking in something, you want to fight to keep it, or take more from others That Paul in a conversation with Timothy referred to as an unhealthy craving within 1 Timothy 6:4-10 (ESV) He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. See that? Envy comes from discontentment lack of gratitude. Paul cautions Timothy that this isn t a cute little vice, it s harmful snare of ruin. Envy (a posture of lack) is poison to your soul Proverbs 14:30 (ESV) A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. AP! Pete Best: depression (note: depression is not inherently sinful 6) Sometime intense feelings are symptoms of something else. In this case, we see that envy rive Best mad. But who here can blame him? Have any of us lost on being in a world-famous band Yet, smaller slights from others can still ruin us. How may of you can t sleep? How many of you have no joy? Self-medicate? Depressed? Busy for busyness sake? Now can any of you trace it back to a situation where you didn t get what you wanted or thought you deserved? How powerful is envy? It s ruining some of your lives right now. But envy doesn t live in a vacuum 6 Some Biblical characters displayed what we might describe today as symptoms of clinical depression, and yet were close to God, deep in character, and full of love. Examples are David (Psalm 42-43) and Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-8). Throughout history, men and women of the faith that we laud as heroes also struggled with what we might call depression, such as John of the Cross, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, and Mother Theresa. Depression is not inherently sinful, what matters is what we do in the midst of that depression with what we can or are able to do. In Scriptural history, God met people intensely in their depression, rather than outside of it. By Chris Lazo 7.16.17 Reality Santa Barbara 2 of 5
Envy (a posture of lack) makes you defensive therefore not able to love others 1. Lack of margin Envy is what is driving many Santa Barbarans to live a particular lifestyle a four bedroom house, fifteen hobbies, two Teslas (cause you know, the environment), a garage for those Teslas, Tibetan Mastiff, 4 luxury gym memberships, frequently eating out, and a daily taste of the night life. Now, that s cool if you can afford it. But many can t, and still try, in order to attain the status that they don t have (envy). Because of this, we have many (not all) people who are busy no margin. Wondering why they have no community let alone time with God. Envy has sucked your soul and relationships and dry. And therein lies the irony. That sinful defensive mechanism within you that promises more, more, more, has actually depleted your resources and left with you with far less than you started with 2. Cliques If you are lonely, you might be trying hard to meet new people. But once you break into some new friendships, you don t want to expend the effort of meeting new people anymore. You are operating from a place of lack I have what I need, and I don t care about the people who were in the same exact place as me. You might also be afraid of bringing new into your group, maybe cause you don t want to lose what you worked so hard to get (lack). Hospitality suffers a clique is born. Envy is poison to communities. Envy has deep roots in our city: 1. Mid-1700 s Santa Barbara couldn t manufacture it s own goods. Smuggling 2. Also the polarization between the rich and poor. We were meant to work from a place of rest, margin, creativity, purpose, and God-given fulfillment. Instead, we work to keep up with the proverbial Jones s. Some of us have made it, gained the world, and are slowly losing our soul, and shutting our lives off to others who need us, and whom we ourselves need. Ecclesiastes 4:4 (ESV) Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. The problem I have suffered from all these aspects of my own envy, and am weary and tired. You? Mark 7:21-23 (ESV) For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person. The problem is us! Not other people s affluence, success, or happiness. 8 The problem: our misplaced desire 7 7 Gayle Baker. Santa Barbara: Another Harbor Town History. (Hignell, 2003). 20 8 Says D.A. Carson, Lovelessness breeds thousands of variations on inferiority complexes and superiority complexes. It almost seems as if verses 4-5 respond directly to such traits. Showing the Sprit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14. (Baker Academia, 1987). 62 By Chris Lazo 7.16.17 Reality Santa Barbara 3 of 5
And it s a bigger problem than we think. Not only detrimental to soul and community, but our relationship with God A posture of overflow Galatians 5:19-23 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. You might find that you re saying all the right things, believing all the right things and ding all the right things, but not changed on the inside by love you are completely enslaved to envy. You need to be saved from the limited nature of your own abilities, and brought to the infinite resources of God s relentless love. It is through our union with God, that we can be freed from a posture of lack (and envy) and live from a posture of overflow. The overflow is God s, who gives from deep wells of grace to the undeserving us 2 Corinthians 8:9 (ESV) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. Jesus dies on the cross and rises three days later to defeat the stranglehold of our sin upon us, thereby freeing us to live in union with him. That s why Peter worshipped 1 Peter 1:3-5 (NLT) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. And Paul prayed for more. Ephesians 1:11,18 (ESV) In him we have obtained an inheritance having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints Ans thanked Colossians 1:12 (ESV) giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Because as they were being enlightened to the hope of God s unending love, they were getting glimpses of what David already saw thousands of years earlier when he said Psalm 23:5 (NLT) You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. By Chris Lazo 7.16.17 Reality Santa Barbara 4 of 5
You cannot beat lack unless you first receive abundance You cannot beat envy until you learn to receive love. No wonder Paul says, without love you have nothing, gain nothing, are nothing. Flip-side: with love, it doesn t matter what you lack, God says you lack nothing. Love enables you to cheer others on, and build others up Because you are no longer threatened by any perceived lack. You are full and can give away. Mark Manson, writing on a Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life Pete Best pulled a switcheroo. Despite being depressed and distraught by getting kicked out of the Beatles, as he grew older he learned to reprioritize what he cared about and was able to measure his life in a new light. Because of this, Best grew into a happy and healthy old man, with an easy life and a great family things that, ironically, the four Beatles would spend decades struggling to achieve or maintain. 9 Conflict: I felt threatened by someone, so I was always in attack mode. When I was enabled to receive the unmerited grace and love of God, something changed in my perception of the other person. I was able to empathize with them. Today we are friends again. It s the working of God s power to release the captives and set them free to love and be loved. Does this resonate with you? Is there some envy or posture of lac or discontentment that you want to be free from? Free to love and delight? Where do you start? 1 Peter 2:1-3 (ESV) So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Start with filling up where you lack most: Slowing down to taste and see for yourself that God is good. 9 Mark Manson. The Subtle Art of Not***********: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life. (Harper Collins, 2016). 84. (I first heard this story from Rankin Wilbourne given at Pacific Crossroads Church in his sermon, New Self Old Self January 29, 2017. http://subsplash.com/pacificcrossroads/v/jtytksz By Chris Lazo 7.16.17 Reality Santa Barbara 5 of 5