The Qualities of Love - Love Perseveres | 1 Corinthians 13:7

Scripture

• 1 Corinthians 13:7

About this sermon

Introduction: Something to remember as we look at each of these qualities is that each one finds its best explanation and visualization in the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, if you replaced the word “love” with “Jesus”, and you put each one of these into the past tense, focusing on the earthly ministry of Jesus, notice how it would read. Jesus was patient Jesus was kind Jesus was not boastful Jesus was not arrogant Jesus was not rude Jesus was not selfish Jesus was not easily angered or irritated Jesus was not unforgiving or resentful Jesus did not rejoice in unrighteousness Jesus rejoiced in the truth Jesus was protective in His love Jesus was encouraging and hopeful in His love Christ is the perfect model of the life of love that we have been called to live. So that, if we desire to walk in the WAY OF LOVE, we simply concentrate on walking IN THE WAY OF CHRIST. We walk in the way of Christ by COMMUNING with Christ, OBEYING CHRIST, and IMITATING CHRIST. ESV Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Tonight, we finish our look at 1 Corinthians 13 by being reminded that LOVE IS ENDURING. Love perseveres. I. THE MEANING OF LOVE’S ENDURANCE What does Paul have in mind when he says that love endures all things? (Present, active, indicative, 3rd person singular) ὑπομένω ① to stay in a place beyond an expected point of time, remain/stay (behind), while others go away ἐν w. dat. of place (Jos., Ant. 18, 328) Lk 2:43. ἐκεῖ Ac 17:14. ② to maintain a belief or course of action in the face of opposition, stand one’s ground, hold out, endure (Il. et al.; remain instead of fleeing: Pla., Tht. 177b ἀνδρικῶς ὑπομεῖναι … ἀνάνδρως φεύγειν) in trouble, affliction, persecution (of Christ: ἐν τῷ νικᾶν καὶ ὑπομένειν Iren. 3, 19, 3 [Harv. II 104, 4]), abs. Mt 10:22 (s. PJoüon, RSR 28, ’38, 310f); 24:13; Mk 13:13 (all three times w. εἰς τέλος); 2 Ti 2:12 (TestJob 4:6 ἐὰν ὑπομείνης); Js 5:11; 1 Cl 35:3f; 45:8 (ἐν πεποιθήσει=full of confidence); 2 Cl 11:5 (ἐλπίσαντες=in joyful hope); IMg 9:2 (διὰ τοῦτο, ἵνα); MPol 2:2 (w. μέχρι and inf.); τοῖς ὑπομείνασιν vs. 3; D 16:5 (ἐν τῇ πίστει αὐτῶν=in their faith, i.e. endure the fiery trial). Hence of Christ simply = submit to, suffer B 5:1, 12 (in both cases w. εἰς τοῦτο=for this purpose); 14:4: IPol 3:2 (both w. διʼ ἡμᾶς); Pol 1:2 (ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν). κύριος ὑπέμεινεν παθεῖν B 5:5a; cp. 5b and 6; 2 Cl 1:2.—The purpose of the endurance is indicated by εἰς παιδείαν Hb 12:7 (cp. Nicander in Anton. Lib. 28, 1 εἰς ἀλκήν).—The affliction under which one remains steadfast is expressed in var. ways: τῇ θλίψει in tribulation Ro 12:12; 8:24 v.l. (here perh. ‘put up with’, cp. Plut., Mor. 503b). By a ptc. (Jos., Ant. 12, 122) εἰ κολαφιζόμενοι ὑπομενεῖτε 1 Pt 2:20a; cp. vs. 20b. By acc. of thing (Hdt., Thu. et al.; ins, pap, LXX; TestJob 26:4; TestDan 5:13; Philo, Cher. 2; Jos., Ant. 3, 53; Just., A I, 39, 5 πάντα; Tat., Mel.; Orig., C. Cels. 8, 26, 5 πᾶν; Hippol., Ref. 10, 34, 3 πάθη; Did., Gen. 101, 13 κάματον) ταῦτα Dg 2:9. πάντα 1 Cor 13:7; 2 Ti 2:10; ISm 4:2; 9:2; IPol 3:1; Dg 5:5; of Christ πάντα διʼ ἡμᾶς Pol 8:1. σταυρόν Hb 12:2. τὰς βασάνους 2 Cl 17:7. δεινὰς κολάσεις MPol 2:4. τὸ πῦρ 13:3; cp. Dg 10:8. τὴν θλῖψιν Hv 2, 2, 7. τὴν ἐπήρειαν IMg 1:3. ἄθλησιν Hb 10:32. ἀντιλογίαν 12:3. παιδείαν vs. 7 v.l. πειρασμόν Js 1:12; cp. AcPl Ha 8, 22. τὴν ψῆφον τοῦ μαρτυρίου Phlm subscr. v.l.—W. cognate obj. ὑπομονήν Pol. 9:1.—In a weakened sense μηδὲν ἀηδὲς ὑπομείνατος without experiencing anything unpleasant Papias (2:9).—S. Leutzsch, Hermas 399 n. 185 for lit. on endurance of God’s people. ③ to wait for with persistence, wait for τινὰ someone (X., An. 4, 1, 21; Appian, Bell. Civ. 5, 81 §343; Sb 4369 II, 22; Ps 24:3, 5; 26:14 al.; Jos., Ant. 5, 121) 1 Cl 34:8; abs. 35:4. In a difft. sense Ox 840, 6, s. ἀπολαμβάνω 1.—PGoicoechea, De conceptu ὑπομονή apud s. Paulum, diss. Rome ’65.—M-M. TW. Spicq. The basic meaning of the word has to do with waiting.

Topics

• Love & Compassion