The Qualities of Love Part 1 | 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Scripture

• 1 Corinthians 13:4

About this sermon

Introduction: There is a quality that runs through every answer given to any problem the people of God are experiencing. Whatever the problem is, you can be sure that what I’m about to mention is necessary to the solution. THAT QUALITY IS LOVE. Not just any kind of love — THE LOVE OF GOD. And not just the love of God in name. THIS IS ONE OF THE GREAT PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOVE. More people talk about love than rightly understand it. More people talk about love than consistently define it properly. More people talk about love than REQUIRE OF THEMSELVES. The requirement necessary to honor God in any challenge is love rightly defined, consistently chosen, and faithfully practiced. Love that is only known in Christ. ESV Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Love that is poured out in a human life by the Holy Spirit. ESV Romans 5:5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Love that we GROW in. ESV Philippians 1:9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, Love that is the fruit of God’s own work in a soul. ESV Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, And so, for the next two Sunday evenings, I want us to focus on THE PRACTICE OF LOVE. Overview: The context for our verses is a large section that deals with the subject of love. The larger section deals with: *The priority of love (vs.1-3) *The permanence of love (vs.8b-13) Sandwiched between the two – Paul describes THE PRACTICE OF LOVE What is interesting is that his description of its practice serves to DEFINE IT. When you take note of what it does, and you take note of what it does not do — if you will be honest with yourself — you come away with a convicting sense of its supernatural nature. *Love is powerful *Love brings change *Love is a great testimony to the reality of the living God IT IS SUPERNATURAL. IT IS ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF SALVATION. The goal of this section is not just INFORMATION, or EXAMINATION. The goal of this section is TRANSFORMATION. Paul describes 16 Qualities that you find in God’s love: 1. Love is patient 2. Love is kind 3. Love is not jealous 4. Love does not brag 5. Love is not arrogant 6. Love is not rude 7. Love does not insist on its own way 8. Love is not irritable 9. Love is not resentful 10. Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing 11. Love rejoices with the truth 12. Love bears all things 13. Love believes all things 14. Love hopes all things 15. Love endures all things 16. Love never ends

Topics

• Love & Compassion