The Church at Mesquite 1 Corinthians 13. The Church at Mesquite Back in 1984 Tina Turner asked this...

The Church at Mesquite

1 Corinthians 13


Back in 1984 Tina Turner asked this question: What’s love got to do with it? What’s love by a second hand emotion? What’s love but a sweet old fashioned notion?


At face value it seemed that Ms. Turner was diminishing the actual value of love.


At face value it seemed that Ms. Turner was diminishing the actual value of love.

Maybe this song that brought Tina Turner so much notoriety and publicity was just lyrics that had no real meaning.


Maybe this song was a snapshot of what was left of her emotional well being after a rocky marriage and a subsequent bitter divorce.


Regardless which of these or possibly other reasons Tina Turner sang this song, I can not concur with her proclamation that love was ultimately a second had emotion or an old fashioned notion.


As a follower of CHRIST and a servant of GOD I have no choice but to offer this rebuttal:


As a follower of CHRIST and a servant of GOD I have no choice but to offer this rebuttal:

LOVE IS MUCH DEEPER THAN THAT!


If you are a Christian, Love has everything to do with it:



You can love without being a Christian, but you can not be a Christian without loving.




Love is the foundation of everything we do.




Love is the foundation of everything we do.

We serve GOD because we Love HIM.




Love is the foundation of everything we do.We serve GOD because we Love HIM.We serve our brethren because we Love

them.




Love is the foundation of everything we do.We serve GOD because we Love HIM.We serve our brethren because we Love

them.We serve our fellowman because we Love

them.


As we consider our individual Christianity and our congregation of Christians we do well to make sure that the effort we are giving in GOD’s name are sustained by Love.


Love is:The foundation of every ministry we

promote.



promote.The idea behind every dollar that we

give.



promote.The idea behind every dollar that we

give.The spirit behind every song that we

sing.



promote.The idea behind every dollar that we give.The spirit behind every song that we sing.The power behind every prayer that we

pray.


Love is:The foundation of every ministry we promote.The idea behind every dollar that we give.The spirit behind every song that we sing.The power behind every prayer that we pray.The essence of every meditation we

experience.


Love is:The foundation of every ministry we promote.The idea behind every dollar that we give.The spirit behind every song that we sing.The power behind every prayer that we pray.The essence of every meditation we

experience.The gift of every Scripture we contemplate.


Thus we have no choice but to conclude that as it relates to our Christianity:


Thus we have no choice but to conclude that as it relates to our Christianity:

LOVE HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH IT.


The Scriptures reveal that GOD is the epitome of love (cf. John 3.16)



If GOD is our FATHER we should have HIS spiritual DNA.




IF GOD begat us by the power of HIS WORD and lives within us through HIS HOLY SPIRIT we have no choice but to resemble HIM.




IF GOD begat us by the power of HIS WORD and lives within us through HIS HOLY SPIRIT we have no choice but to resemble HIM.

If we fail to love the way GOD loves then we can not call HIM FATHER (cf. Rom 8.9).


JESUS noted in John 8.44 in a conversation with the Pharisees, “You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do.”


JESUS noted in John 8.44 in a conversation with the Pharisees, “You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do.”

JESUS’ point: If the Pharisees were truly seeking GOD they would not do the things that they did as their actions did not align themselves with GOD’s SPIRIT.


What is Love?


What is Love?

The dictionary shows the word “Love” to be both a noun and a verb.


What is Love?


But the noun essence of the word merely describes the verb form of the word.


What is Love?


But the noun essence of the word merely describes the verb form of the word.

Hence we discover that Love is not something merely spoken but rather also shown.


The issue among CHRIST’s church is that for years we have shown a lack of Love.



Examples of lacking Love:



Examples of lacking Love:Hypocrisy



Examples of lacking Love:HypocrisyJudgmental



Examples of lacking Love:HypocrisyJudgmentalSubsequent lack of growth


Apparently some forgot that we were saved by the mercy and grace of GOD and not by our own merit.



This is why GOD removed certain aspects from the law…



This is why GOD removed certain aspects from the law…for an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth would leave us all blind and in need of dentures.



This is why GOD removed certain aspects from the law…for an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth would leave us all blind and in need of dentures.

At our very best, without CHRIST we are filthy rags in the sight of GOD (Isa 64.6).


A lack of Christian Love has led to:


A lack of Christian Love has led to:Us not being concerned about those

addicted to drugs and alcohol.



addicted to drugs and alcohol.Us not being concerned about those who

lack education and political strength.




lack education and political strength.Us not being concerned about our youth

cultivating their minds with video games while they have trouble reading.




lack education and political strength.Us not being concerned about our youth

cultivating their minds with video games while they have trouble reading.

Us not being concerned about parents refusing to raise their children in The LORD.


Where is the Love?

Mankind is crying for help.JESUS called us to be Salt & Light.But the very people that are suppose to

bring GOD’s solution to man’s problems have eyes dimmed by a lack of Love and a lack of concern.


Where is the Love?

We wonder why the world is getting worse.

We wonder why no one is doing anything about our turbulent times.

Apparently we forgot that when we were born into CHRIST’s family, we became the ones that were supposed to be making a difference in HIS name.


Possible reasons we do not Love:

We forgot that we did what others are still doing (substances, crime, stolen fruit).


Possible reasons we do not Love:

We forgot that we did what others are still doing (substances, crime, stolen fruit).

We forgot that it was GOD’s grace that snatched us out of the hand of the devil.


The result:

People do not even like to visit many churches as no one wants to be around perfect folk.


The result:


Who wants to set next to someone who judges them and looks down at them as if they have never done anything wrong?


The result:


Who wants to set next to someone who judges them and looks down at them as if they have never done anything wrong?

Romans 3.23—All have sinned and come short of the glory of GOD.


The Text: 1 Corinthians 13.1

Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not love, I am become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.



Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not love, I am become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

Paul’s preaching is only mere noise if Love is not coupled with it.



And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and thought I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.



And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and thought I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

Spiritual gifts are meaningless if Love does not accompany them.



And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.



And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.

Sacrifice is worthless if Love is absent from the sacrifice.



Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up.



Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up.

Love is patient, benevolent, not covetous or jealous, not boastful, not proud or haughty.



Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil.



Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil.

Love knows how to act, looks after others, is not easily stirred up, has no ill will.



Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in truth.



Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in truth.

Love does not rejoice in wrong doing or when someone is done wrong; Love rejoices in truth or righteousness.



Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.



Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love suffers with you regardless, trusts regardless, hopes regardless, is patient regardless.



Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.



Paul’s words in verse 8 are better understood when considering them with verses 9-12 which relate to certain gifts given by The HOLY SPIRIT early in the history of the church so people would know that the apostles were sent by JESUS. When these ended people would still know because how Christians loved (cf. John 13.35).



And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.



And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Simply stated, love is the greatest Christian virtue for it is the foundation of all other Christian virtue empowered by our Love for GOD and our Love for one another. The first Fruit of The SPIRIT that Paul mentioned in Galatians 5.22 was “Love.”


1 Corinthians 13

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