I Corinthians 13 Status Update: Jesus is God's Gift of Love to Us

Proposition: IS GOD'S LOVE AROUND YOU OR IN YOU?

“1 ¶ Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 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, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing. 4 ¶ Charity suffers long, and is kind; charity envies not; charity braggs not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; 6 Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 ¶ Charity never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now stays faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1Co 13:1-13 AKJV)

Has God Poured His Love Nature Into You?

God gave us Jesus because you and I have a problem we cannot fix by ourselves.  We are nowhere near as loving as we think we are. Love is far more than a feeling or something we do.  Love is first a nature which humans are not born with.  True Godly love does not come naturally to us.  All of us are born with a nature which keeps us from loving God and others as ourselves.  We have a sin nature which falls way short of God's definition of love. 

1John 4 tells us God is love...Love is God's nature.  God poured love, His nature, into a human body and called it Jesus.  Jesus came, lived, died and rose again so that we could also have God's new love nature.  Having the new love nature does not cause us to love perfectly. Sadly, even believers (like the Corinthians and you and I) struggle to perfect the new love nature.  We will continue to grow in our love until we see Jesus face-to-face (vs. 9-13). 

CHALLENGE

How loving to you think you are? Ask those who are closest to you in order to receive an honest look at your character.

Songs With This Sermon

Emmanuel, Emmanuel
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Joyful Joyful We Adore You
Joy To The World