1 Corinthians 13:1-71 Corinthians 13:1-7

God’s #1 IngredientGod’s #1 Ingredientfor Your Homefor Your Home

• An ingredient that, as the “more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31), exceeds all others

• More important than anything I SAY (13:1)• More important than anything I HAVE (13:2)• More important than anything I DO (13:3)• God calls it the “greatest” (13:13)

— “Agape” Love

– Unconditional, sacrificial devotion

– Self is forgotten as the betterment of one being loved is put first

– Does not come & go – it “never fails” (13:8)

God’s #1 IngredientGod’s #1 Ingredientfor Your Homefor Your Home

• LOVE IS KIND! (1 Cor. 13:4)– Love is patient!

Gk – ‘macrothumia’—macro (long), thumia (anger)

Long in coming to anger (cf. Jas. 1:19; 1 Th. 5:14)

– Love is kind! Gracious, gentle, having a servant’s heart

– Love does not envy! Strong jealousy, fervent, “boil over” Anger & hatred with another’s good fortune

– When mistreated, love is kind (Rm. 12:20-21).

God’s #1 IngredientGod’s #1 Ingredientfor Your Homefor Your Home

• LOVE IS HUMBLE! (1 Cor. 13:4)– Love does not brag (parade itself, boast)!

Showing off for display our accomplishments or drawing attention to our needs & our wishes in order to receive praise & be the center of attention

– Love is not arrogant (puffed up)! An inflated opinion of self & our own

importance Allow others to stroke our ego—get puffed up

– Love diverts attention away from self (cf. Phil. 2:3-4; Rom. 12:3) & to the one loved!

God’s #1 IngredientGod’s #1 Ingredientfor Your Homefor Your Home

• LOVE IS SACRIFICIAL! (1 Cor. 13:5)– Love does not behave rudely!

Disgracefully shame, embarrass or hurt others

– Love does not seeks its own! Insists on having its own way upon its own rights

– Love is tactful, courteous, polite, helpful & respectful. “edifies” (1 Cor. 8:1); “does no harm” (Rm.

13:10) unselfishly sacrifices self for others (1 Cor.

10:24) does not have a “ME-first” attitude

God’s #1 IngredientGod’s #1 Ingredientfor Your Homefor Your Home

• LOVE IS FORGIVING! (1 Cor. 13:5)– Love is not provoked!

Irritable, touchy, bad-tempered, short-fused

– Love does not keep a record of wrong! Gk – accounting term: entering an item into a

ledger so that it is not forgotten Stores up resentment; holds and nurses a

grudge

– Love keeps a record of kindnesses received!

– Love learns to forgive like God (Eph. 4:32)! Not place on probation or keep under suspicion

God’s #1 IngredientGod’s #1 Ingredientfor Your Homefor Your Home

• LOVE IS TRUTHFUL (1 Cor. 13:6)– Love does not rejoice in wrong-doing

Rejoice when harm comes to one who harmed you

Laugh with joy when enemies have problems Snicker when hear of another’s misfortunes Gleefully join in the gossip-mill

– Love joins in rejoicing in the truth Finds no pleasure in evil-doing or anything

wrong Rejoices at good fortune of others (cf. Luke

15) Rejoices when right, truth and goodness win

God’s #1 IngredientGod’s #1 Ingredientfor Your Homefor Your Home

• LOVE IS PROTECTIVE! (1 Cor. 13:7)– Love bears ALL things (lit. covers)!

Protection that comes by placing a cover over it—carports over our cars, pavilions over picnic tables.

Mercifully and quietly protects/covers the flaws, imperfections, faults & mistakes of others rather than dig them up and drag them out for display

“Above all…have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins’” (1 Pet. 4:8).

Love does not condone sin but it does whatever is necessary to protect each other from sin & conseq.

God’s #1 IngredientGod’s #1 Ingredientfor Your Homefor Your Home

• LOVE IS TRUSTING! (1 Cor. 13:7)– Love believes ALL things!

Believe in and trust each other until verified evidence forces us to think otherwise

Give each other the benefit-of-the-doubt Place the best connotation possible on

events, actions & words of another Gracious, not suspicious; careful, not critical

God’s #1 IngredientGod’s #1 Ingredientfor Your Homefor Your Home

• LOVE IS ENCOURAGING! (1 Cor. 13:7)– Love hopes ALL things!

To hope is to desire something and expect to receive that something.

Love moves us to desire and expect only what is best from each other and for each other

Hoping for the best involves encouragement:– Looking for the best– Expecting the best

− Finding the best− Encouraging the best

God’s #1 IngredientGod’s #1 Ingredientfor Your Homefor Your Home

• LOVE IS PERSEVERING! (1 Cor. 13:7)– Love endures ALL things!

Despite ingratitude, bad conduct and problems from others, love patiently endures and doesn’t give up and run away.

Love puts up with more than a lot! Love does more than just wait for better

times and a cessation of mistreatment, love eagerly works to positively shape, even the worst circumstances, into a blessing for all involved.

God’s #1 IngredientGod’s #1 Ingredientfor Your Homefor Your Home

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““If you love me, keep My If you love me, keep My commandments” (John commandments” (John 14:15).14:15).

• Believe Jesus is God’s Son – John 8:24

• Repent of your sins – Luke 13:3

• Confess your faith in Jesus – Matthew 10:32

• Be immersed in water – Mark 16:16

– Sins are forgiven – Acts 22:16

– Added to His church – Acts 2:47

– Registered in heaven – Hebrews 12:23

• Love & serve Him faithfully – John 14:15