Love and the Gifts

This is the fifth sermon in the series, "What are the Spiritual Gifts all About?" This lesson was drawn from 1 Corinthians 13:1-7:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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.

First, a word about love. When I enter into premarital counseling with a couple, I generally ask them what love is. I get a lot of answers; "I just feel like I am going to explode when I see him," "O I feel so good when I am with her." Generally the answers refer to feelings. That is part of the picture. The Greek language is a little more complete than English; they have three words for love. The first one is pretty close to what I described above. The word is Eros, from which we get words like erotic. This is basically based upon feelings usually based upon our sexual/emotional responses. The second word is Phileo, like in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. This is the word that describes our feelings of relationship -- love -- of people that we associate with. We really have a love for someone that is not based upon the sexual/emotional. The third word is the one used by the Apostle Paul in this passage. It is the word Agape. This is the word used in the New Testament when the love within the church is mentioned. It is also used when the scriptures talk of God's love for us. This is a self giving loved that is not based upon emotion, but on decision. It is love that causes us to act in a certain way towards others; we aren't demanding from them, but giving to them.

If we have gifts but no love we have nothing. The Corinthians were really into the spiritual gifts, especially tongues. Paul says that if you speak in tongues, but don't act in love to the other people, you are only making a lot of worthless noise. He goes on to say that if you have prophetic gifts, gifts of wisdom and understanding, actually if you have such a faith that you can move mountains, but don't love your brothers and sisters, you are really nothing.

If we are sacrificial people but have no love we gain nothing. You might say, "well surely, if I give everything to the poor, this must count for something." Isn't that would Jesus told the Rich Young Ruler to do? Well, yes, but what is the motivation. If you are just giving it so that you will be blessed you have gained nothing. Love must be the motivation. Even if you were to die a martyrs death, just so you would be a hero, you have missed the point. The only worthwhile motivation is love.

What is love like? Look at the characteristics listed above (and paraphrased below):

• Patient -- we love enough to hang in there with the person we love
• Kind -- we sneer at the concept of "just be nice," but isn't that the kind thing to do?
• Doesn't envy the one we love -- If we love someone we want them to get ahead. We don't pout because they got ahead of us, we cheer them on.
• Doesn't boast about getting ahead our selves -- This is not one-upmanship, this is love.
• Pride doesn't get in the way -- we aren't insulted if they don't seem to recognize how wonderful we are.
• It isn't rude -- Being rude is not nice.
• It isn't about us -- It is about the one we love.
• It isn't easily angered -- this goes along with patience.
• It doesn't keep score -- Keeping score dooms a relationship.
• It isn't happy when bad things happen to another -- Remember, we want them to succeed.
• It really wants the truth -- Too many relationship are built on webs of lies.
• It always protects the loved one
• It always trusts the loved one
• It always hopes for the best
• It always hangs in there
  

Who are we to love? An easy answer is "everyone." But really the first order of love is to God. It actually starts with his love for us. His love is what makes us able to love. Then of course we are to love our family. This whole passage is telling us to love the people in church. Since everyone is a potential member of the church, they are to be loved. Actually since God loved the whole world, and we want to be like Jesus, we also should love the whole world. Jesus really gets down to the real nitty gritty however, when he says that we should actually love our enemies.

How are we to love? This is the real question. None of this really comes naturally to us. It depends on change from the inside out. We are changed when we accept the love that Jesus has for us and ask him into our heart. We begin to change. We are loved and we become loving. This is the difference between the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit. Love is a fruit -- not a gift. Fruit grows in us because life has come into us. Pray that the seed within us grows into the lovely fruit of love.

We are that Body

This is the fourth in the series, What are the Spiritual Gifts all about? We are continuing our study of 1 Corinthians, looking at chapter 12, verses 27-31:

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.

Last week we discussed the Church as the Body of Christ. We learned of the diversity as well as the unity of the church. This week we affirm that we are that body. The body of Christ is made up of believers -- all believers. In fact, not belong to the church is not an option. All Christians are a part of the church whether like it or not. This is part of the definition of Christian -- and the definition of church. Now, we can decide to stay away from an local expression of the church. Certainly if you are "Lost" on a Pacific Island you have no option to be a part of a local congregation. But, we are still a part of THE CHURCH. The gifting of people by the Holy Spirit and the use of those gifts are in the context of being part of a local congregation.
Once Paul has expressed this truth, he proceeds to deal with the issue of the diversity within the church in a little different way. He lists some of the positions defined by gifting as well as some giftings that are not connected to a position. He starts with Apostles. Now Paul was an Apostle. Usually we think of Apostles (note the capital A) as those who are a part of the 12 who had been with Jesus during his life on Earth. The word apostle in the Greek merely means "one sent out". This word is used for people like missionaries or church planters who have a foundational ministry. There are people who have positions of apostleship (note the small a) within the church and they hold this position because God has gifted them to fulfill this role. Second are Prophets. These are people who really function in the role of people who continually speak forth the word of God. We need these people in the church. Third are those who are teachers. Specifically here Paul is writing about those who are able to take the Word of God and explain it to the rest of the church. He goes on to talk of workers of miracles and healers. These are not necessarily positions, but they are people who are gifted and used of God to be channels of His power to heal and demonstrate His mighty works. He then moves on to those gifted to be helpers. This is just as it sounds, people who are able to be helpful to those in need. Then there are those with gifts of administration -- the are able to set things in order. Finally he lists speakers in tongues, those who speak mysteries only understood by God.
When we get to chapter 14 we will give a fuller discussion of the gift of tongues. It is an important gift, but it probably is listed last here because the People of Corinth acted as if it were the dividing line between those who we "spiritual" and those who were not. Paul makes it plain that this is not the sign of spirituality. But, he also doesn't downplay the importance of the gift.
After listing these diversities, Paul states that none of us are all of these parts. He does this by going through the entire list saying are all ______________? The Greek construction demands that the answer is "of course not." Therefore each of us is only a part of the whole and none of us is sufficiently gifted to be the church in and of ourselves. All of the parts are needed. None of us has it all.
Finally Paul tells us to seek the gifts. There are essentially three fallacious ways to look at the gifts of the Spirit:

• Look down on the gifts -- they aren't for today anyway. They ceased after the Apostolic Era. They aren't needed today, because we have doctors and education etc.
• Pride in our gifting -- My gifts better than your gift! I'm more spiritual than you. This was prevalent in Corinth.
• Guilt at not having certain gifts -- Many people feel this when taught that anyone filled with the Spirit will speak in tongues, for example.

What is the proper attitude toward the Gifts? Well, recognize that they are truly for today and that they are valuable. We need God's power working in us to really be effective as a church for today. Therefore seek the gifts, don't neglect them. But we must also appreciate the gifting we have. Don't have the attitude that says I can't serve because I don't have the gift of _________. Use what God has given you -- for the Glory of God.
Finally he gives us a peek at where he will go in the next chapter. There is something even more important than these gifts -- but that is for next week.