| | | | All You Need is Love - 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 On July 7th, 1967, the Beatles released their hit single "All You Need Is Love." To this day that song is one of the most widely known and listened to songs of of the past two generations. Why was the song such a smashing hit? Because it resonates with our most powerful emotional need: The need to be loved!
But if I may, the Beatles only had it half-right, in that they were right that love is important, but they were wrong in their idea of love. These young idealists idea of love was the "free love" that permeated 60's and 70's, which instead of resulting in a blissful nirvana of love and happiness, resulted in a "laissez faire" form of love; A Love that was transient, casual, and damaging to our culture. It was a love that didn't last.
In his letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul gives us the true picture of love:
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Paul is pointing out that it doesn't matter if you're the most spiritually powerful, mature, and active person in your church, if you're not loving others, your missing the mark. So what does real love look like? Paul tells us in verses 4-7:
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.1 Corinthians 13:4-7
What does that look like in practice? - Patient and kind: It means I don't get angry if someone's not doing something as fast or as good as I think they should.
- Not jealous or boastful or proud: It means that I'm not concerned with what the other guys has that I don't, or what I have the the other guy doesn't.
- Does not demand its own way: I'm more concerned with they other person getting what they want, rather than me getting what I want.
- Not rude, not irritable: I don't dump my bad mood on someone else.
- Keeps no record of being wronged: Even though that person slandered me last week, I'm not going to hold that against them.
- It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out: I' more concerned with truth than I am revenge.
- Love never gives up: I believe that people can change, and that God will work in their lives.
- Never loses faith, is always hopeful: I'm going to believe that God is going to complete the work He started in others.
- Endures through every circumstance: I'm going to stick with that person no matter what.
I don't know about you, but this description of love goes against everything in my human nature. That's why I believe the love Paul is describing is only possible through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus told His disciples:
Love each other in the same way I have loved you. John 15:12
"Lord, help me today to love others the way that you've loved me."
Pastor Clay | | | | | | | |
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