Lord's Love is the Way to Go - 1 Corinthians 13:8-13
“Love never ends.
But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known.
Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love — but the greatest of these is love.”
Because divine love is never failing and eternal, we should be united in the pursuit of it as a most important virtue.
1. Unite on priorities
2. Adjust practices
3. Grow in the “better way”
Context:
“But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.”1 Cor 12:31
“Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy.” 1 Cor 14:1
1. Unite on priorities
• Worldly priorities (none of political leaders, religions, including Judaism, philosophers and psychologists demanded to love) Love is a mark of Jesus followers. ““You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”Matt 5:43,44
““I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another John 13:34,35
• Churches with wrong priority choices (Corinthian on spiritual gifts, Ephesians on faithfulness to the truth, ministry, expository preaching, mission…particular language Ukrainian speaking, oriented churches) “I know that you have persevered and endured hardships for the sake of my name, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first.”Rev 2:4,5
• Prioritize Love. There are many gifts that are given to the church (Holy Spirit, bold of Jesus, Bible, body of Christ, confession, forgiveness, lords, supper, adoption, baptism, prayer, grace, peace, fruit of the spirit, gifts of the spirit, love, hope , faith, they are of different categories, some are given only for earthly life and some start here and go to eternity
Corinthian church had all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, they were true gifts, healings happened, prophecies came true, true other languages, wisdom of mysteries, however these gifts can be used only in the context of love.
He says it’s a better way, love is essential, love has special characteristics, it lasts. Gifts are temporal (earthly existence of church), partial, some of them childish( only for the early stages of the church development ( prophecies, knowledge until we have cannon) some could be used in particular contexts, gift of languages for the unbelievers but love has to be percent everywhere
(“loving church” is the greatest pursuit)
Why? It is better way, love is essential, it is eternal (not time limited), it is complete ( not partial), sign of maturity ( not childish). If church to choose one gift from Gods gifts, it must be Love as a priority.
When God gave Solomon a choice to ask something that he wants from God, he chose Wisdom. We as LWBC need to choose Love - it’s that lasts
But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known.”
2. Adjust practices – love that adopts
• Taught by Holy Spirit ( not Slavic practice to have open Christian fellowship, openness, humility, care, trust, hospitality, confection, forgiveness, acceptance, compassion, accountability.
• People oriented, not ministry (new members to enjoy fellowship – know and be known, gifts will be noticed and required, we don copy ministries of other churches, we provide trellises to the growing vine, soccer, sports ministry, teens ministry, mission for young adults, Russian ministry, men’s and ladies breakfasts, counseling ministry, outreach, theology classes, leaders development.– respond with love to need
• Response to hurts and to Joys (Roxy, Ira Chernomorets got in car accident – response, prayers, meal train, car was offered as a lender)
• Lord’s will for LWBC to become English speaking church ( required a lot of love, pastoral readjustments) step of faith.
Pioneer Missionary C.T. Studd, to China, India Africa understood the truth of Christ love and said
“if Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him”
• New good challenges (more people, different people, difficult situations), after some research, we came to conclusion that it’s not worthy for us to add anything to this existing building, we are mow looking for new building, Scott is already on the mission church building swap, might have to move to two services.
Past year elders had to adjust to how we can serve now in different context, who is going to do what in terms of teaching, pastoring and overseeing. It was interesting process. In case we go two services, pastors want to be present on both in order to know everyone who comes new, to keep contact with all.
Key is Love never ends, it doesn’t fail, we can adjusts, but with love.
3. Grow in a “better way”
• Increase and duplicate / be fruitful and multiply 1 Thess 3:12, “And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone, just as we do for you.”
By becoming English speaking church we don’t want to loose what we have learned, stay together, love each other, fight sin, encourage each other, build each other, care for each other. We want to duplicate what we have, but be open to new suggestions.
• Pray for Holy Spirit enabling
• Love God - worship, spend time, share your heart – Martha and Maria, not to be busy working but sit by Christ
• Teach love 1 cor 13:4 what love does and doesn’t do. Speak of love often, devote several months to teaching on love. Premarital, Margie counseling
• Get rid of sin – love can grow cold or weakened by neglect, sin, worldly destructions, false teaching. “Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins 1 pet 4:8
• Walk in love – every step is to be one of love – imitate Father as beloved children “Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.” Eph 5:1,2
• Christian home – love that initiated by husband instead of men’s selfishness, laziness, passivity, but Christ self giving atmosphere of Christian home. Tragic if we show love to people at church, strangers but fail to practice it at home. Love begins at home. Love atmosphere for children to see it modeled. Devine love doesn’t need to be used only in difficult situations, it has to be use in every situation, love is kind, not irritable, does not keep record of wrongs“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her” as well as wives “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything.”Eph 5:25
• Love for kids. We want training and teaching, effective discipline but we should use love a lot. There is deficit of true love in the world. Deficits in love, greatest need, we give attention to babies but not as much to older kids, give hugs, kind words, use love when they throw disobey, wining, fighting siblings, when he is saturated with love he will quit asking
• Love at church place where brothers and sisters totally committed to display God's love by loving and caring for one another. We need to meet regularly and encourage each other for love and good deeds. Growth in love is not just individual exercise, it’s corporate learning experience. Christian can’t develop love by sitting home watching service online. To grow in love we need stresses and tests. “And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works,” Hebrews 10:24
Believers need to take responsibility for churches growth in love or it’s loss of love. It is not only responsibility of leaders but of every member
• Love for all people – loving unlovable, who hurt us (tough marriages, people who don’t like us, who critiques us, who are different
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful Lk 6:32,35
“Love never ends…. Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love — but the greatest of these is love.”1 cor 13:8,13