The Power of Love

The Power of Love
I Corinthians 13.1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Love

The most powerful force in the universe is the love of God.

He has lavished His Love on us. I John 3.1

Jesus showed us the full extent of His love. John 13.1

He gave us a new commandment...
John 13.34
To love one another
As the He loves us!

Paul is speaking about spiritual gifts in the previous chapter, in this chapter and in the next chapter.
Love is all important. It is called by some, “the greatest gift.”

Look with me how it’s absence in the face of great spiritual gifts make those gifts of no blessing or benefit to us and negates the blessing to others. The lack of love short circuits the flow of the Spirit through you.

1. If you could speak the languages of the all nations and even heaven itself...!

Imagine that!
I have been around the world.
Even here in New York! 80 languages spoken.
I need someone with the gift of interpretation.
It would be awesome, my mind reels! Wow! If I could speak the 80 languages of Metro NY!

Just “God bless you” in Creole 2 weeks ago when meeting with Pastor Kuadio and his church board. They all laughed. I said, “You didn’t know I could do that!” They laughed even harder. The connection you can make when you speak the language is beyond imagination.

But love is so all important that even if I could speak all the languages on the earth if I did not have love, “I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”  Now remember last week?
the common good= I Corinthians 12.7
sympherō Symphony
an elaborate musical composition for full orchestra

If I don’t have love I would just be making a lot of noise. I would not be part of the symphony. I would not be a blessing to the church.  It would do nothing for anyone but just draw attention to myself. It would not exalt Jesus Christ. It would be meaningless. It would be annoying. resounding gong or a clanging cymbal
No, I want to blend into God’s symphony.

I may even be speaking the truth but we are to speak the Truth in Love. Ephesians 4.15
There is a huge difference. I have heard it both ways. Talking about eternal things with passion and a broken heart or lecturing about them without love.


2. If you had the gift of prophecy and could understand all mysteries.
Mysteries= the hidden and secret things
You could explain the other side of the curtain.
You could unwrap all the mysteries and answer questions that people have about life.
Why are there wars?
Why do people die young?
Why are there birth defects and children born with special needs?
Why can’t some people already burdened down catch a break... Pastor Jerry and I with Lyswa Rene... suffering joyful... sick daughter. “Bro, it seems like this guy has enough to contend with, then he has a sick daughter on top of it.”
Most recently, about Haiti, why is God allowing this to continue? The theological answers don’t cut it for me. They fall far short of bringing peace to the heart, especially when you are the one suffering or if you care about those suffering.

We cannot give adequate answers for grief. Not do I believe that people grieving are looking for answers. Yet they flow freely. Nonsense!

But say for a moment you could explain to a grieving soul, a mother, an answer that would unwrap the mystery of her child’s death. You could explain it...

If you could explain all of it without love it would not touch hearts, transform lives
Knowledge= deep understanding
Knowledge

If not done with love... I am nothing.

3. If you had a faith that could move mountains.

We are impressed with mountain moving faith, very impressed.
That guy is really something!
If he does not have love, he is nothing!

This is serious. God working through me, doing great exploits, without love I am
A nobody.

Love and faith. Faith without works is dead. Faith and works without love doesn’t do a thing for me.

Look at verse three...

4. If I sell all I have and make the ultimate sacrifice...
And have not love i gain nothing.
No gain= useless, no advantage, no profit

Interesting we are told that all these things will pass away.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

Even 2 out of three things essential for our journey will no longer be necessary.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
When we see Jesus in heaven we will no longer need faith! Right now we walk by faith not by sight, but there! Fave to face!
Who hopes for what He already has? Or what he has already seen? Romans 8.24
Our hope will be fulfilled.
But the greatest of these is love.
Greatest= used  of rank and age as with elder

In closing look at verses 4-8
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.
Put your name in the place of love... how far can you get? It will show you where you need to grow in love!


Live a life of love! It is the greatest!