Love is the Criterion
Text: 1 Corinthians 13
Aldersgate UMC
I.
Love is the
criterion for all our action
a.
Paul writes to a community that is divided
i.
Chapter 12
speaks about different members have different gifts
1.
each has different gifts
2.
and need each other
ii.
In this chapter,
Paul is trying to reform the practice of spiritual manifestations in worship
1.
Corinthians could be doing the right things for wrong
reasons
2.
could be doing right things and lacking love in other
aspects of their lives
iii.
Paul affirms
faith community does excellent things because of God’s gifts
1.
gifts of tongues, prophecy, and understanding all
related to relationship with God, yet if love is missing …
2.
even if one hands over one’s body
a.
i.e. surrenders legitimate right for sake of gospel
b.
as Paul boasts in
3.
but unless loving each other they mean nothing
b.
love is not a higher or better gift
i.
rather a way in
which all gifts find place
ii.
not speaking
against spiritual practice of sharing gifts
iii.
rather placing
in context
iv.
linked to God’s
will of love and mercy
v.
all placed
within framework of love
c.
Love is ground of being
i.
When we love,
1.
it is the result of having been loved
2.
1 John
ii.
Encouraged to
ask “Why am I doing this?”
1.
a religious practice
2.
a business practice
3.
What is the grounding of any political practice?
4.
an academic practice
a.
on Friday, culminating dissertation
b.
seven years ago, selected dissertation question
i.
love of
scripture
ii.
love of laity
iii.
love of theater
c.
find my passion
iii.
Do we do what we
do because of love
1.
fixed the floors and did not invite Scouts to use the
hall
2.
install an elevator, but fail to put up signs to
inform newcomers
II.
Love is the
hardest lesson
a.
Paul’s statements about love in vs. 4-7
i.
Culmination of
his message
ii.
Antithesis of Corinthian
behavior
1.
in 3:3 we read about Corinthian’s jealousy [zelos]
and now hear love is not envious [zeloi]
2.
in chapters 1, 3, 4, and 5, Paul reprimands for
boastful behavior, now he writes love is not boastful
3.
twice in 4, and in 5:2, Paul tells us that we should
not be puffed up or arrogant
4.
in 8:1 we read knowledge puffs up, but now we hear
love is not puffed up
5.
love has no shame, is not easily angered, keeps no
record of wrongs
b.
agape love,
this principle of Christian unity that Paul urges on the Corinthians
i.
not the same as
other good ways of treating one another
1.
as good gift from God, the strong sexual desire that
marriage partners have for each other
2.
as good and natural feelings mother has for baby
3.
as liking another person because like the same things
ii.
three other
Greek words, eros, phlia, and
all translted to love in English
iii.
not a
sentimental feeling, but the desire for the other’s well-being more than one’s
own
iv.
the way in
which we treat each other when we realize how God in J.C. treated us
v.
love is generic
name for specific actions of patient and costly service to others
1.
willing to suffer for the other
2.
story of Archbishop Luwum of
c.
character formation
i.
agape is offered here as a quality or character attribute
to be learned and shown in our actions
1.
straight forward, ethical behavior
2.
model of love
ii.
Love is the
antidote to factionalism
1.
Brother Roger
a.
Sad @his death
b.
Yet community continues to pray
c.
Continues to welcome guests
d.
Love wins
iii.
Love persists in
a hostile world, awaiting the coming of the Lord
III.
Love is the only
lesson.
a.
Day will come when human beings no longer need gifts
from God
i.
Vs. 8-10 speak
of a time in future when God will be fully known
ii.
Since spiritual
gifts are to help us know God
1.
when God fully known
2.
the need for the gifts will be gone
iii.
not because
allied with hostile forces
1.
rather because not needed
2.
gifts have a role to play, but time of usefulness
will pass
b.
But never be a time when we do not need to love
people.
c.
Once there was a man who had a beautiful garden
i.
Went away on
holiday and when he returned children playing
ii.
Put up a fence
to keep children out
iii.
Winter came and
never left
1.
after several months the man realized that something
was wrong
2.
wondered why god of winter never left his garden
3.
why the north wind blew all the time, rattling the
shutters of his home
iv.
one day he heard
and saw a small bird sitting on his window sill
1.
looked out into garden
a.
saw that a small child had found a hole in his fence
b.
and ice was beginning to melt
2.
others followed him
a.
climbed into trees and they were blossoming
b.
far end of garden tree was still frozen because the
smallest child could not reach branches
v.
man went out
into his garden lifted the small child and the tree began to vibrate with music
vi.
the child turned
and kissed his cheek
vii.
man tore down
the fence
1.
welcomed the children year after year
2.
seasons passed, man grew older
3.
always looked for little boy who had kissed his
cheek, but never saw him
4.
after many years found he could not play with
children
5.
but enjoyed watching them play in his garden
viii.
in the middle of
winter, one sunny morning the man looked to the far end of the garden and saw
that one tree was covered in white blossoms
1.
branches were golden and silver fruit hung from them
2.
little boy stood below it
ix.
man rushed out
with great joy
x.
face grew red
with anger as he came close
1.
“Who hath dared to wound thee?”
2.
“Tell me that I may take my sword and kill him.”
3.
“Nay, but these are the wounds of love.”
4.
“Who art thou?”
5.
“Once you let me play in your garden, to day you
shall be with me in mine called
xi.
This man reached
the end of his life having let God love and shape him.
xii.
May we be as
blessed as he. Amen.