“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all the mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 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.”-1 Corinthians 13:1-2 (NKJV)
Everything we say, believe, and accomplish profits us nothing if we don’t have love! Love gives meaning to our faith and foundation to our hope in Christ. In fact, the Apostle Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV):
“ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
So what is love? Merriam-Webster defines love as an intense feeling of deep affection. It is often used synonymously with romance and infatuation. Biblical love, however, is much more expansive. In order to gain a proper understanding of what love is; we first must know who love is!
“ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”-1 John 4:7-8 (NIV)
God is love! It is His very nature. Many people never experience the love of God because they have confined love to an emotion, however, God is so much more than an intense feeling. In fact, as you read through 1 Corinthians 13 it is significant to note the complete absence of any emphasis on personal feelings. The Apostle Paul’s description of love is defined by action, not emotion. His description of love is focused primarily on how to live it out rather than how it feels. When we know how to live it out; we can both know how to love and how to recognize when we are being loved!
Let’s look together at the Apostle Paul’s description of love found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV):
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
Over the next four weeks we are going to focus on understanding and applying this passage to our everyday living. We will discover what love is, what love doesn’t do, what love always does, and the one thing love never does.
Pastor Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church
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