1 Corinthians 13

Last week we began learning of the power of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  We continue today with a quick review and then continuing in the instructions from the Lord.

II. Instruction for order in the church services.

As we have learned, he corrected their misunderstanding of the –

  A.  Purpose of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Chapter 12 dealt with the Purpose of the ministry of the Holy Spirit with the words of the Apostle Paul – “…and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” 

Paul then wrote to them explaining the –

  B.  Power in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

In the coming weeks we will learn of the –

  C.  Practice of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in chapter 14:1-40

Today we continue in the –

  B. Power in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Paul, following the example of the Lord and through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, explained to them that ministry must be motivated by love. Without love, the ministry had no power.

Love is –

    1. Prerequisite (Required) 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

      a. People’s estimation must be corrected.

        1). The Greeks focus was on what men knew (Intellect) wisdom of the world
        2). The Romans focus was on what men could do (Power)

      b. God’s estimation – Paul’s focus was on what men were (Character)

        1). The gifts from God were real.
        2). The motives of the men were wrong.

We illustrated service without love with the following illustration –

1 x 0 = 0; 1million x 0 = 0 and –
Spiritual gifts exercised with fleshly motives = 0

      c. Prerequisite is love!

The works were not motivated by nor presented in love!  They were not selfless!  Behind the gift was the thought – “I am going to get something in return for this, you should thank me”.  The recipient certainly should be thankful, but this should not be one’s motive to give, to love!

You see, when God gave us the gift of His Son to give Himself for our sins, God did not receive anything from the giving of the Gift.  He did not become more gracious, more worthy, more loving, more just, more holy…..God cannot be added to or detracted from.  He is perfect and unchangeable and in giving His gift, He revealed His infinite love.

We are reminded that love is required, it is the prerequisite to all ministry unto the Lord.  Love is also –

    2. Pure        The explanation. Love –

1 Corinthians 13:4-7  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Notice that the Holy Spirit did not lead Paul to define love as an emotion, as often defined by the world, but love is that which is an action, that which we decide to give to another.  We must carefully examine the Word of God to understand the love of God that we might be able to obey His command to love others.

How do we measure up when we compare ourselves with this definition of Love?  Does our pride get in the way?  Pay attention as

Paul again gave a careful explanation to them, this time about Charity (Love) –

1 Corinthians 13:4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

      a. Love encourages patience. It does not react in anger. “…suffereth long…

Remember the Lord’s words as He looked upon the city of Jerusalem, the place where He had set His name –

Matthew 23:37  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

      Love responds with kindness. Refer to –

Mark 5:25-34  And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

How do you handle interruptions to your plans, even those most important errands (possibly life or death situations)?  Do you love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind, and your neighbor as He loves them?  Do you trust that if your encounters are by His appointment, He will see that His will be done?

To many times we are angry when our plans are interrupted because they are our plans, and not His plans for us.

      b. Love is not envious, does not seek to elevate self, without pride and is never ashamed of God.

Satan tried to tempt Jesus to envy the things of the world, power, prestige, possessions.  Satan wanted desperately for Jesus to say “I deserve better than what I am receiving”!  Satan wanted Jesus to cry out to the Father “Why does this plan call for me to suffer, going without even bread and water when all the world has plenty”.

The answer as to why Jesus willingly lived out the plan of God is that He was loved and He loved! 

John 17:13-23  And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Jesus loved God on purpose.  He loved man on purpose.  He fulfilled the will of God because of this love for God and for man.

What will our decision be as we are faced with loving God and man, as we prayerfully consider the situations we are faced with?

Will we say with the Lord Jesus as He prayed in the garden –

Matthew 26:42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

Will our love be tested when someone interrupts our plans or when others seem to have an easier time in life, or success, or possessions?

Remember –

1 Corinthians 13:4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Have you ever heard the saying “That person is living on an emotional roller coaster”.  They are forever going up one day and down the next.  They never seem to be steadfast and it is because their love is based on the world’s definition – an emotion instead of God’s definition – a decision. 

Will you decide to Love God’s way?  It begins with salvation.