The best among them is Love! ( 1 Corinthians 13:1-7)

 

The best among them is Love! ( 1 Corinthians 13:1-7)

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

² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 

Corinthian church was full of trouble, even though God gave them so many bless, they didn’t seem satisfied. They didn’t love each other, but they fought each other.

Why did God bless and give powers of Holy spirits to saints (to us)? It is for to serve church well which is the body of Jesus. But they didn’t use it to serve church but just for show off.

Apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians chapter 13 to fix their wrong point of view for the spiritual gift.

  Today’s text gives us very important message to us which is “Every spiritual gift is unless an less you have love.” Many saints of Corinthian church knew how to speak tongue, and prediction. However they missed most important piece “Love.” We can say that is like a hamburger without a petty.

So, Paul said “ Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” In other word there is no reason to exist.
  The short story “One wish” is one of Hermann Hesse’s works. Plot is like this, When a baby born some old man came to baby’s mom and ask what is her wish. The mother said “ I wish this baby would love by every people in the world.” The wish came true as the baby grow up the baby loved by everyone, but he became arrogant because he only knows to be loved by someone, but don’t know how to love someone else. When the baby’s mother meets the old person again she asked her baby’s to learn how to love others. Like this story love others is important.

 ▶There is an engraving titled “The just man, like sandal wood, perfumes the blade that cuts him down” by Famous artist Rouault. How beautiful way of express love? To perfumes someone tries to hurt him.

Today’s text have specific list of true love.

 

▶Verse 1 says  “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”

This means if you have spiritual gift that makes you look great and admirable still you are useless like a cymbal without love. Hitler was the one of the greatest speakers, but he had no love in him. He made countless young souls to go to war and terrifying world. on the other hand, Livingstone who spread Gospel to the Africa was by his love towards natives not by his great speech. 

▶Verse 2 says “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

Ability to predict future, move a mountains, what a great power? But miracles without love makes him only good liar or first class religious con man.

 Like Moses turned his staff into a snake, Egyptians also knew how to do that, but those power were not from God and it cannot save a single soul. In Acts, Simon the magician also trying to by Spiritual gift with money, but he end up cursed. Spiritual gift without God’s love is good for nothing.

▶Verse 3 says “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

 What is this mean? If you spend all your money for poor people without love it is useless. When we see people donates their wealth to poor people or build a school for people it seems like miracles, especially these days it is very rare. But those miracles could be self-satisfying, and could be for one’s proud without love. When Pharisees do charity work they blew a horn before they do why? To show off and let world know they are helping people in result they were criticized by Jesus.

In past history of Korea, many university students killed them self by pour gasoline on them and light it up because they hated the wrong society system and politics. They only had hate, resist, despair in their mind there was no love of salvation.

In Korean War, 300000 Chinese soilder were died for their ideology, communism. People can die by their belief and faith. But without God’s love it is not good why? Now the communism is crushed.

Some people die because of money or for the name of one’s family but there is no salvation or eternal life. 

▶Through verse 4~7 we can see the 15 characteristics of the true love.  The love that Paul said is called Agape it is very different from Eros which is love between male and female. In Agape there are sacrifice, endure. So what are the characteristics in Agape love?

 
  ⑴Agape love endures. 

Endure here means endure without complaining, and endure with know the reason and endure with joy.

One of the father of the churches Johannes Chrysostomus said “Agape love is not avenge to people who harm you when you able to.”

We might lack of this, endurance, we complain to easy, we give up so easy, but Gods love is different. If God didn’t endure for good towards human, we will not be in God’s grace.

 

⑵Love is gentle.

Gentle means gentle, generous, and kindness. It is not only represent mental statement but also the act towards others. The greatest president in U.S history Abraham Lincoln had many friend but also many enemies. one of his political arch enemies Stanton called Lincoln as “Low cunning clown, or Original Gorilla.” However, when Lincoln elected as the president he made Stanton as the Minster of National defense. Some of Lincoln’s friend were mad and asked him why he did that. Then Lincoln answered “Because he is the right person for that position.” When Lincoln was assassinated Stanton cried and crawled upon his body and said “Here, the greatest leader in the world history is lying.”

 

  ⑶Love doesn’t jealous.
 Definition of Jealous is Anger which created by seeing other’s success, wealthy, fame, and happiness.

  ▶Adam and Eve had two sons, they separately offered sacrifice to God. But God didn’t take older ones. So, older one was mad at him and eventually killed his brother. Who was the older one? It is Cain. Jealousy caused the first murder of history. 

 Joseph’s brothers also had this jealousy in their mind, because Joseph was their father’s favorite. They sold Joseph to Egypt as a slave, Jealousy is evil. 

 ⑷Love doesn’t bragging.

The focus of Jealous is other people, and focus of boast is oneself. Boast maximize one’s work. There is old saying “Empty vessel makes most sound.” Please, how far can human go anyways?
 

  ⑸Love is not arrogant.
  Arrogance is ignoring, underestimates others in obvious way. An arrogant person thinks he or she is the best.

  ⑹ Love is not rude.

We can hurt others feeling by being rude and think “it is okay to be act like this because we are close, well I still love them.” But love is not rude. 

  ⑺ Love doesn’t follow one’s benefits.

One of the characteristics of the apocalyptic era is people becoming selfish. They don’t care about others, what they care is themselves need. But true love agape shares and gives.
 In the book ‘Nine the three’ by Victor-Marie Hugo there are story about mother.

When the France revolution is going on, group of solider were travelling through the forest.

They saw a mother and three children. Then the mother took the breed and breaks it into three pieces and gives it to her children. one of the soldiers saw that and said “Doesn’t she hungry too?” then the sergeant said “You idiot, that is how mother is.” Love of mother doesn’t want a benefit, which is why the love of mother is higher than sky and deeper than the ocean.

⑻Love doesn’t get mad.
  Nowadays people easily get mad at something, maybe because we are living in completion based society system. However we shouldn’t follow the trend, why because sprit of God never stays with someone angry. When we see the Act, Stephen was killed by stones thrown by his enemy, while he was hitting by the stones he prayed for the enemies. True love doesn’t get angry.
 

⑼Love doesn’t think evil.
  Evil acts are come from evil thoughts. Crimes are coming from the thought that wants to get some benefit from the others. Love doesn’t like that.

 

  ⑽Love hates injustice.
  

  ⑾Love enjoys with truth.

Truth means Jesus here that is why Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” 

 ⑿Love endures everything.

Endure also means covering or hiding. Love is like a roof that covers everythings. Love doesn’t criticize or reveal other’s weaknesses but protects other by cover and hide it.
1 Peter 4:8 says” And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” 
 

 ⒀Love trust everything and believes.사랑은 모든 것을 믿고 신뢰합니다.
  True love Comes from relationship based on the trust. Like husband trust wife and wife trust husband, children trust parents and parents trust children. Brothers and sisters in the church should trust each others.

 ⒁Love wishes everything and endures.

Human changes all the time, believing that possibility of someone can change(in a good way) is love. 

 
  Love gives a power to endure even if we are damaged. Jesus endures hardships because He loves us and His love will never ever go away.

  ▶Verse 13 said, “ And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”  There is no bible text saying wealth, fame, and enjoyment can make you happy. Bible says “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

 

⑴  but the greatest of these is charity! 

Human’s love is more likely to be the love with conditions. When the condition is change, love also changes. But what is the real love? It is love of God who also loves sinners. The agape love of God is great love and it will never change.

Isaiah 49: 15 says”  Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” God never forgets us.

Conclusion)

▶ 'Augustine' once said “There is the simple way to see who is God’s children and who is Satan’s children.” He concludes a person with love is God’s and person without love is Satan’s. So today, this moment what is my life? How do I live? Does the ture love of God is coming out from bottom of my heart or is there only fake, imitated love? Let us ask ourselves.