Where can you find
hope for the hopeless?
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Opportunity for transformation?
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Peace amid life's storms?
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Only in God's free
gift of eternal life.
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From New York, join us
on the Pathway of Hope.
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You probably
know it from memory.
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You heard it so many times
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that its meaning and message
have lost their impact on you.
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On Valentine's Day,
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it is a favorite
reference passage
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for those in love.
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At weddings,
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couples are
reminded of its significance
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in their relationship.
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At church services,
the preachers will quote,
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The Apostle Paul's admonition
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that even if you can speak
like an angel, move mountains,
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give all that
you have to the poor,
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give your body to be burned,
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but you do not have
it, you are nothing.
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A preaching passage is
familiar to most of us.
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Listen now, as Dr. A.J
Jules leads us in a study
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of this fascinating
and familiar chapter
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of 1 Corinthians Chapter 13.
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Amazing
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Grace
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How sweet the sound
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That saved a wretch
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Like me
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I once was lost,
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But now I am found
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Was blind but now
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I can see
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It was grace
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That taught my heart
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To fear
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And grace,
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My fears relieved
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How precious did
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That grace appear
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The hour I first believed
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Through many dangers,
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Toils and snares
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I have already come
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It was grace
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That brought me safe
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Thus far
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And it's grace
that's gonna lead me home
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When we've been there
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Ten thousand years
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Bright shining
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As the sun
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We've no less days
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To sing God's praise
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Than when
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We've first begun
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Let us pray.
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Gracious Lord and
loving our, Father,
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You have taught us
how to love each other.
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You have shared
Your love with us
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by sending Your Son to
die in an old rugged cross.
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We today investigate
Your teachings on love
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and we pray that You will
make us a more loving people.
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Thank you, O God, for
coming into this world
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and demonstrating Your
amazing grace and love.
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We thank You for Your
sacrifice on our part.
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We thank you for Your promises.
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We thank You for
the demonstration
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of that godly love.
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In the name of Jesus we pray.
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Amen.
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Today's message,
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what's love got to do with it.
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And our focus will be
the Book of 1 Corinthians
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Chapter 13, all 13 verses.
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We'll talk about what
God expects us to be like
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and look like and
how we ought to act.
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Corinth was the most
important trade center
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in ancient Greece.
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It was prime real estate,
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situated as it was on
the Isthmus of Corinth,
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a narrow strip of land
that traverse the Ionian Sea
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and the Aegean Sea.
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The history of the city
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dates back to prehistoric times.
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The well known Greek poet Homer
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spoke about wealthy Corinth
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way back in 850 BC.
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The city was prosperous
and famous for its bronze,
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pottery and shipbuilding.
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More than eight centuries
before Jesus Christ was born.
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However, in 146 BC,
Roman armies invaded
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and destroyed
Corinth killing its men
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and enslaving its
women and children.
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About 100 years later, in 44 BC,
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Julius Caesar ordered
the city to be rebuilt.
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It became the capital city
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of the Roman province of Achaia.
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Hundreds of thousands of people
flocked to this new metropolis.
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And by the middle of
the first century AD,
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there were some 500,000
people who lived in Corinth.
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They were merchants and sailors,
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who worked the docks
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and since the city
had two splendid harbors
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one on the eastern
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and another on the
western side of the Isthmus,
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it enjoyed a
steady flow of trade.
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Money and goods
were in abundance.
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Therefore professional
gamblers took up residence there
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even betting on the athletes
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who took part in
the Isthmian games,
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something
similar to the Olympics.
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Slaves roam the
streets day and night
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and prostitutes
both male and female
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were in abundance.
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In fact, dominating
the skyline of Corinth
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was the Acrocorinth.
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It stood some 1,500
feet above the city itself.
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Here was found the infamous
Temple of Aphrodite or Venus.
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This was a pagan temple
that had over 1,000 religious
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or sacred prostitutes
who enjoyed themselves in sex
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for religious purposes.
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All of these poisoned the
city's culture and morals.
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Corinth was lodged by
first century standards,
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being enclosed by walls
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at least six
miles in circumference
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and at the center,
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as centerpiece of the
trade and commerce its downtown,
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if you please was
the model paved agora
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or marketplace.
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Archaeology has uncovered
00:10:00.10\00:10:02.50
other magnificent
pieces of the city,
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such as an ancient synagogue
inscribed with the words
00:10:05.37\00:10:08.87
synagogue of the Hebrews.
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Possibly the very
place where Paul preached.
00:10:11.31\00:10:15.31
Nearby was a
magnificent judgment seat,
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covered with
blue and white marble.
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There was also a
magnificent amphitheatre,
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and it was to this
bustling metropolis
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having a notorious reputation
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that Paul came to do evangelism
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on his second
missionary journey in AD51,
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according to Acts 18:1-18.
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He worked with a
Jewish Christian couple,
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Aquila and Priscilla,
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who had recently been expelled
from Rome by Emperor Claudius
00:10:45.77\00:10:49.44
because they were Jews.
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Silas and Timothy
later joined Paul in Corinth,
00:10:52.18\00:10:56.69
but when Paul left
Corinth 18 months later,
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we are told that a Christian
congregation flourished
00:11:00.92\00:11:04.93
and it comprised of pagans,
00:11:04.96\00:11:07.50
many from the
lower classes, slaves,
00:11:07.53\00:11:10.67
a few wealthy
people, and some Jews.
00:11:10.70\00:11:14.10
Undoubtedly, they made
a hodgepodge of people.
00:11:14.14\00:11:18.57
There were young
Christians who were concerned
00:11:18.61\00:11:21.01
with the problems involved
in living the Christian life
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in a non-Christian environment.
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To be certain,
they had problems,
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problems such as moral
abuses, incest, gluttony,
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generating arguments
00:11:34.66\00:11:35.99
that wound up in courts
before non believing judges.
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They also had
questions concerning things
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such as sexuality, marriage,
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and eating food
previously offered
00:11:45.57\00:11:48.04
to pagan idols.
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In all likelihood,
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they probably had factions
or divisions in the church
00:11:52.01\00:11:55.28
that were causing disunity.
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Now this prompted Paul
00:11:58.05\00:11:59.71
to write about
unity in Chapter 12,
00:11:59.75\00:12:02.28
dealing with spiritual gifts.
00:12:02.32\00:12:04.99
The underlining
point that Paul is making
00:12:05.02\00:12:07.39
is that although
there is diversity of gifts,
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there is the same one spirit.
00:12:10.56\00:12:13.70
Although there are
differences in administration,
00:12:13.73\00:12:16.83
there is the same Lord.
00:12:16.87\00:12:20.07
To illustrate the
necessary functional unity
00:12:20.10\00:12:23.20
of the spiritual
gifts, he points to the body.
00:12:23.24\00:12:26.74
He said each part of the body
00:12:26.78\00:12:28.18
even though it appears to
be small and insignificant,
00:12:28.21\00:12:32.05
like a finger, is
necessary and important
00:12:32.08\00:12:35.58
for the smooth functioning
of the one or united organism.
00:12:35.62\00:12:40.22
Hence Paul teaches that
there are no distinctions
00:12:40.26\00:12:43.46
among members,
because the spirit rules.
00:12:43.49\00:12:47.66
He indicates that God
has given different gifts
00:12:47.70\00:12:50.97
to the church,
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but they are all for the one
00:12:52.37\00:12:54.44
and the same
purpose of glorifying God.
00:12:54.47\00:12:58.61
No one member has all the gifts.
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So no one church or
one person should compete
00:13:01.28\00:13:05.25
concerning the use or
the seeming significance
00:13:05.28\00:13:09.35
or importance of his or
her individual giftedness.
00:13:09.38\00:13:14.32
In order to
clearly illustrate this,
00:13:14.36\00:13:17.46
Paul points the church members,
00:13:17.49\00:13:20.76
he points them to a
moral excellent way.
00:13:20.80\00:13:24.10
As 1 Corinthians 12:31 says,
00:13:24.13\00:13:26.67
it is this moral excellent way
00:13:26.70\00:13:29.60
that he describes
00:13:29.64\00:13:31.04
in the love
chapter of the Bible,
00:13:31.07\00:13:33.04
1 Corinthians 13.
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It must be noted that
neither here nor anywhere else
00:13:35.48\00:13:39.68
does Paul call love a gift.
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It has been
mistakenly interpreted
00:13:42.62\00:13:44.95
that Paul is saying that love
is the greatest of all gifts,
00:13:44.99\00:13:49.32
and therefore
everyone should pursue it.
00:13:49.36\00:13:52.63
This is not precise.
00:13:52.66\00:13:54.60
Paul is saying that the
way the church had been going
00:13:54.63\00:13:58.87
was basically destructive.
00:13:58.90\00:14:01.20
Even with all the gifts
outside of the context of love,
00:14:01.24\00:14:04.94
members are doomed to failure.
00:14:04.97\00:14:08.58
So Paul shows them a way
that is beyond comparison.
00:14:08.61\00:14:13.95
This is not love versus gifts,
00:14:13.98\00:14:16.95
but love as the
only context for gifts.
00:14:16.99\00:14:22.62
Indeed, what the
apostle is emphasizing
00:14:22.66\00:14:26.93
is that without love,
gifts are useless, empty
00:14:26.96\00:14:31.00
and accorded no value.
00:14:31.03\00:14:33.50
Although strictly speaking,
this chapter is not poetry.
00:14:33.54\00:14:37.77
Paul uses poetic
cadence to soar to new heights
00:14:37.81\00:14:42.21
in his
description of agape or love.
00:14:42.24\00:14:45.38
This chapter,
the Apostle sets out
00:14:45.41\00:14:48.52
four important features of love.
00:14:48.55\00:14:51.29
And we do well to
listen carefully today.
00:14:51.32\00:14:53.32
First, he talks about
the necessity of love.
00:14:53.36\00:14:56.89
Listen to verses 1-3.
00:14:56.93\00:14:59.16
He says, "If I speak
in the tongues of men
00:14:59.19\00:15:02.06
and of angels,
but do not have love,
00:15:02.10\00:15:05.27
I am only a sounding
gong or a clanging cymbal."
00:15:05.30\00:15:09.20
If I have the gift of prophecy
and can fathom all mysteries
00:15:09.24\00:15:12.97
and all knowledge
00:15:13.01\00:15:14.34
and if I have faith,
that I can remove mountains,
00:15:14.38\00:15:16.71
but do not have
love, I am nothing.
00:15:16.75\00:15:20.38
If I give all
that I have to present
00:15:20.42\00:15:22.32
and possess to the poor
00:15:22.35\00:15:24.12
and surrender my
body to the flames,
00:15:24.15\00:15:27.02
but do not have love,
he says, "I am nothing."
00:15:27.06\00:15:31.66
On the first level, Paul
deals with a matter of language.
00:15:31.69\00:15:37.67
Apparently, the
Corinthian believers felt
00:15:37.70\00:15:41.64
that they had arrived
00:15:41.67\00:15:43.34
or come to a certain
heightened spiritual state.
00:15:43.37\00:15:47.14
They described this as speaking
in the language of angels.
00:15:47.18\00:15:51.85
In other words, they
held that the spirit inspired
00:15:51.88\00:15:55.95
that human speech
00:15:55.98\00:15:57.49
and they're communicated
in the dialect of heaven.
00:15:57.52\00:16:01.09
They're an exalted
view of their spirituality.
00:16:01.12\00:16:04.36
Yet Paul says that
even if that was possible,
00:16:04.39\00:16:09.76
but they did not have love,
00:16:09.80\00:16:12.07
then the end
result is nothingness.
00:16:12.10\00:16:16.54
To have love is to act lovingly.
00:16:16.57\00:16:20.38
It means to actively
seek to benefit others.
00:16:20.41\00:16:24.81
It means that
Christ has loved you
00:16:24.85\00:16:28.15
and you give love to others.
00:16:28.18\00:16:30.15
In fact, for those
who walk in the spirit,
00:16:30.19\00:16:33.42
the ethical imperative
is to love one another.
00:16:33.46\00:16:38.69
Paul says that even though
00:16:38.73\00:16:42.36
we have an exalted
view of our spirituality,
00:16:42.40\00:16:45.80
even if we could communicate
directly with heaven,
00:16:45.83\00:16:48.64
and heavenly intermediaries,
even if we are silver tongue,
00:16:48.67\00:16:53.24
artists like Chrysostom,
but do not act lovingly
00:16:53.27\00:16:56.61
then we become a sounding
gong and a clanging cymbal.
00:16:56.64\00:17:01.42
The gong and cymbal
00:17:01.45\00:17:03.08
were instruments usually
00:17:03.12\00:17:04.99
associated with the pagan cult.
00:17:05.02\00:17:08.09
So even if the Corinthians spoke
00:17:08.12\00:17:09.92
and exalted heavenly language
00:17:09.96\00:17:11.83
and even if they thought
that they were highly spiritual
00:17:11.86\00:17:14.83
but lacked love,
00:17:14.86\00:17:16.20
Paul says they
sounded like the empty,
00:17:16.23\00:17:18.83
hollow noises of pagan worship.
00:17:18.87\00:17:22.34
Real love is
necessary in order to help us
00:17:22.37\00:17:25.91
avoid such an
exalted view of ourselves.
00:17:25.94\00:17:29.84
This is nothing but pride.
00:17:29.88\00:17:32.31
Sometimes, because
we think of ourselves
00:17:32.35\00:17:35.25
as being gifted or
handsome or pretty,
00:17:35.28\00:17:37.99
we hold too high an
opinion of ourselves.
00:17:38.02\00:17:41.16
We aggregate too much attention
00:17:41.19\00:17:43.32
and importance
to our own person.
00:17:43.36\00:17:46.59
But worse than that is
00:17:46.63\00:17:48.00
when we place ourselves
on a spiritual pedestal
00:17:48.03\00:17:52.27
and start counting the
stars in our own ground,
00:17:52.30\00:17:55.94
when we thumb
our spiritual noses
00:17:55.97\00:17:58.37
at the struggling setup.
00:17:58.41\00:18:00.14
When we behave in a
holier than thou attitude,
00:18:00.18\00:18:03.31
when we wear our
religion like a new dress
00:18:03.35\00:18:05.51
from Sacks Fifth
Avenue, but show no love,
00:18:05.55\00:18:08.85
then we are
like a sounding brass
00:18:08.88\00:18:11.25
and are tingling cymbal.
00:18:11.29\00:18:15.39
But on the
second level, verse 2,
00:18:15.42\00:18:20.30
Paul cast is that wider
00:18:20.33\00:18:25.13
by dealing with
the spiritual gifts
00:18:25.17\00:18:27.50
of charismatic.
00:18:27.54\00:18:29.94
It was these very gifts
which the competing Corinthians
00:18:29.97\00:18:33.58
were using to
bring about disunity.
00:18:33.61\00:18:37.11
They saw the gift of
prophecy with greedy eyes.
00:18:37.15\00:18:40.58
To them, it had
great significance.
00:18:40.62\00:18:43.55
Further, knowledge was something
00:18:43.59\00:18:45.75
that the Corinthians craved.
00:18:45.79\00:18:49.09
Understanding
mysteries was a way of speaking
00:18:49.12\00:18:51.83
about grasping
God's special revelation,
00:18:51.86\00:18:54.96
especially in terms of
the eschatological drama.
00:18:55.00\00:18:58.90
Now mighty faith, so powerful
00:18:58.93\00:19:02.04
that it could dismiss mountains
00:19:02.07\00:19:03.97
that a whim was
held in high regard.
00:19:04.01\00:19:06.91
But Paul is insistent,
without love these are nothing.
00:19:06.94\00:19:11.35
Singly or
grouped together in force
00:19:11.38\00:19:13.92
they counted for nothing.
00:19:13.95\00:19:15.98
To emphasize this point,
00:19:16.02\00:19:17.52
Paul uses the
inclusive word all,
00:19:17.55\00:19:20.06
all mysteries, all
knowledge, and all faith.
00:19:20.09\00:19:24.66
Even if one person can embrace
00:19:24.69\00:19:26.66
and envelope the entire
range of spiritual gifts,
00:19:26.70\00:19:29.86
even if one person
has complete control
00:19:29.90\00:19:32.37
over all of them,
but still does not love,
00:19:32.40\00:19:35.30
Paul says that,
00:19:35.34\00:19:36.67
that person is
nothing zero zilch.
00:19:36.71\00:19:41.98
It is not
possession of spiritual gifts,
00:19:42.01\00:19:45.18
which demonstrates the
presence of the spirit.
00:19:45.21\00:19:48.52
It is the presence of love
00:19:48.55\00:19:50.85
that demonstrates the
presence of the spirit.
00:19:50.89\00:19:54.52
Then on the
third level, verse 3,
00:19:54.56\00:19:57.36
Paul cast his net even wider,
00:19:57.39\00:20:00.03
when he speaks about
self sacrificing deeds.
00:20:00.06\00:20:03.77
The first self sacrificing deed
00:20:03.80\00:20:06.03
is in the expression
of giving all I possess
00:20:06.07\00:20:09.20
to feed the poor.
00:20:09.24\00:20:10.84
It is best translated literally,
00:20:10.87\00:20:12.91
as if I parcel out
all my property for food.
00:20:12.94\00:20:17.71
In other words,
00:20:17.75\00:20:19.08
this is speaking about
giving everything I have
00:20:19.11\00:20:21.28
to feed the poor.
00:20:21.32\00:20:22.78
This was and
still is a noble deed.
00:20:22.82\00:20:25.92
After all, then Jesus teaches
00:20:25.95\00:20:28.36
that we should
always be doing good deeds
00:20:28.39\00:20:30.73
to all the poor.
00:20:30.76\00:20:32.13
However, if the
deed itself is done
00:20:32.16\00:20:37.07
to get the
attention of human beings,
00:20:37.10\00:20:39.17
and it's not
seasoned with real love,
00:20:39.20\00:20:41.40
it is tasteless.
00:20:41.44\00:20:43.51
If the deed itself is good,
00:20:43.54\00:20:45.37
and it's
beneficial to the recipients,
00:20:45.41\00:20:47.58
without the active
ingredient of love,
00:20:47.61\00:20:49.94
it brings no healing balm,
00:20:49.98\00:20:52.31
even if the deed itself is good,
00:20:52.35\00:20:55.15
and was commanded by Jesus
00:20:55.18\00:20:57.62
without the
savory instance of love.
00:20:57.65\00:20:59.69
That is only a pungent odor,
00:20:59.72\00:21:02.42
even if the deed itself is good,
00:21:02.46\00:21:04.66
and it's
beneficial to the recipient,
00:21:04.69\00:21:06.86
without the sweetness of
love, it is bitter like gourd.
00:21:06.90\00:21:12.57
Now the second
self sacrificing deed
00:21:12.60\00:21:17.77
points to
martyrdom or being burned.
00:21:17.81\00:21:21.18
This obviously brings
the section to the climax.
00:21:21.21\00:21:25.01
Paul is saying
that even if I make
00:21:25.05\00:21:26.75
the most dramatic
personal sacrifice,
00:21:26.78\00:21:31.15
but this does not have
love, it profits nothing.
00:21:31.19\00:21:34.76
In the end, all that we
do, all that we boast about,
00:21:34.79\00:21:37.59
all that we claim is nothing
00:21:37.63\00:21:39.59
unless it is set
within the gemstones of love.
00:21:39.63\00:21:43.73
Hence Paul climaxes
by indicating forcefully
00:21:43.77\00:21:46.87
that love is necessary.
00:21:46.90\00:21:49.27
The better way it was
Paul points the Corinthian
00:21:49.30\00:21:52.27
Christians is also
exemplary for us today.
00:21:52.31\00:21:55.98
Love is
absolutely necessary for us
00:21:56.01\00:21:58.61
to be really called Christians.
00:21:58.65\00:22:01.15
People will know
us not by what we say,
00:22:01.18\00:22:03.59
or by our theology,
or by our philosophy,
00:22:03.62\00:22:07.32
they will know us by our love.
00:22:07.36\00:22:09.96
As Jesus said,
00:22:09.99\00:22:11.33
and they will know
that you are My disciples
00:22:11.36\00:22:13.86
if you have love
one for the other,
00:22:13.90\00:22:18.10
despite the
greatness of our message,
00:22:18.13\00:22:19.87
despite the bigness
of our institutions,
00:22:19.90\00:22:22.94
despite the
worldwide nature of our church,
00:22:22.97\00:22:26.34
what makes the difference
is when we put on love,
00:22:26.37\00:22:29.74
we must not think of ourselves
as spiritually significant,
00:22:29.78\00:22:33.75
we must love.
00:22:33.78\00:22:35.12
It is not what we say.
00:22:35.15\00:22:36.92
But what we do.
00:22:36.95\00:22:38.45
If I preached with
the brilliance of Paul
00:22:38.49\00:22:40.49
and have not love, I am nothing.
00:22:40.52\00:22:44.13
If I sing with the
mellifluous voice of angels,
00:22:44.16\00:22:47.36
but do not have
love, I am nothing.
00:22:47.40\00:22:50.40
If I play with the
brilliance of David,
00:22:50.43\00:22:52.43
but do not have
love, I am nothing.
00:22:52.47\00:22:55.17
If I prophesied with
the greatness of Jeremiah,
00:22:55.20\00:22:57.91
but do not have
love, I am nothing.
00:22:57.94\00:23:02.98
I must not just preach
about love or talk about love,
00:23:03.01\00:23:07.45
or play love songs
or prophesy about love.
00:23:07.48\00:23:11.39
I must do love.
00:23:11.42\00:23:13.96
This is the direction Paul
now points us to in verses 4-7,
00:23:13.99\00:23:18.49
there he denotes
the character of love,
00:23:18.53\00:23:21.43
love first, the
necessity of love.
00:23:21.46\00:23:23.77
Secondly, the character of love.
00:23:23.80\00:23:26.03
Listen to verses 4-7.
00:23:26.07\00:23:28.30
Love is patient.
00:23:28.34\00:23:30.64
Love is kind.
00:23:30.67\00:23:32.54
It does not envy.
It does not boast.
00:23:32.57\00:23:34.84
It does not, it is not proud.
00:23:34.88\00:23:37.45
It is not rude.
00:23:37.48\00:23:38.81
It is not self seeking.
00:23:38.85\00:23:40.62
It is not easily angered.
00:23:40.65\00:23:42.78
It keeps no record of wrongs.
00:23:42.82\00:23:45.42
Love does not delight in evil,
00:23:45.45\00:23:48.52
but rejoices in the truth.
00:23:48.56\00:23:51.43
It always protects it.
00:23:51.46\00:23:53.40
Always hopes and
always perseveres.
00:23:53.43\00:23:56.93
It is interesting,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:23:56.97\00:23:58.87
that here Paul
does not present love
00:23:58.90\00:24:01.40
as a philosophy or as a
feeling or as an emotion.
00:24:01.44\00:24:06.21
Love is not an abstract quality.
00:24:06.24\00:24:08.74
In fact, love is
a concrete reality.
00:24:08.78\00:24:12.48
It is best
expressed in Jesus' death
00:24:12.51\00:24:15.42
on an old rugged cross.
00:24:15.45\00:24:17.55
So love is not an idea,
00:24:17.59\00:24:20.22
it is not merely a
motivating factor for behavior,
00:24:20.26\00:24:23.73
it is behavior.
00:24:23.76\00:24:26.19
It is an action, it is a verb.
00:24:26.23\00:24:31.83
Anything short of
action is not love at all.
00:24:31.87\00:24:36.07
In order to point
out and to emphasize
00:24:36.10\00:24:39.24
that love is a verb,
that love is an action,
00:24:39.27\00:24:42.04
Paul stacks 15 verbs,
one after the other in quick,
00:24:42.08\00:24:46.61
rapid fire succession.
00:24:46.65\00:24:48.95
The apostle
begins by casting love
00:24:48.98\00:24:51.39
in a very positive light.
00:24:51.42\00:24:53.46
He says it is patient and kind.
00:24:53.49\00:24:56.26
Patience represents
forbearance, tolerance,
00:24:56.29\00:24:59.46
being even
tempered and persevering.
00:24:59.49\00:25:02.33
Patience speaks
about the capacity
00:25:02.36\00:25:04.17
of calmly enduring
pain in trying situations.
00:25:04.20\00:25:08.60
It speaks of
calmness, composure, coolness,
00:25:08.64\00:25:11.94
equanimity, serenity and
sufferance and toleration.
00:25:11.97\00:25:16.21
In fact, the King James Version,
00:25:16.24\00:25:18.28
rendering that
love suffereth long
00:25:18.31\00:25:20.65
is one of the best
ways of describing agape.
00:25:20.68\00:25:23.92
Now, this speaks
about active goodness.
00:25:23.95\00:25:26.76
Love is not a passive thing
00:25:26.79\00:25:28.62
that waits for
something to be done to it.
00:25:28.66\00:25:31.79
As a lover, you
don't wait for the other
00:25:31.83\00:25:34.36
to do something for you.
00:25:34.40\00:25:35.96
You actually initiate,
00:25:36.00\00:25:37.77
sometimes taking the first step,
00:25:37.80\00:25:39.77
even if this does
not bring the thing,
00:25:39.80\00:25:42.90
it's not the thing
that you would naturally do.
00:25:42.94\00:25:45.51
Since love is active,
00:25:45.54\00:25:47.28
it motivates the
person to move forward,
00:25:47.31\00:25:50.15
to make attempts,
to make new attempts
00:25:50.18\00:25:52.75
and to make new
and different overtures
00:25:52.78\00:25:55.58
to bring happiness
to the other person.
00:25:55.62\00:25:58.79
When this happens,
00:25:58.82\00:26:00.76
the other person
reciprocates in kind,
00:26:00.79\00:26:03.63
that love is kind
00:26:03.66\00:26:05.39
speaks to its
value as active goodness.
00:26:05.43\00:26:09.66
Interestingly,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:26:09.70\00:26:12.03
these two words
patience and kindness,
00:26:12.07\00:26:15.87
speak about the very
nature of the character of God.
00:26:15.90\00:26:20.61
In fact, in the Greek,
translation of the Hebrew Bible
00:26:20.64\00:26:25.71
called the
Septuagint, or the LXX,
00:26:25.75\00:26:29.02
because 70 men
allegedly wrote it.
00:26:29.05\00:26:31.45
These words are frequently used
00:26:31.49\00:26:33.82
to describe the
character of God.
00:26:33.86\00:26:36.06
Moreover, these
nouns, patience and kindness
00:26:36.09\00:26:39.36
are used side by side
00:26:39.39\00:26:40.96
to speak about the
fruit of the Spirit
00:26:41.00\00:26:42.96
in Galatians 5:22.
00:26:43.00\00:26:44.93
In effect, Paul is saying
00:26:44.97\00:26:47.07
that love has the
quality of Godness.
00:26:47.10\00:26:51.21
God is patient with us.
00:26:51.24\00:26:53.68
When we are hardheaded
00:26:53.71\00:26:55.28
and going in
the wrong direction,
00:26:55.31\00:26:56.98
He simply says,
00:26:57.01\00:26:58.35
"There is a way that
seems right unto a man.
00:26:58.38\00:27:01.28
By the end thereof
are other ways of death."
00:27:01.32\00:27:04.45
Instead of writing us off,
God waits for us to return.
00:27:04.49\00:27:09.09
He is patient.
00:27:09.12\00:27:13.13
Thanks for
watching Pathway of Hope.
00:27:13.16\00:27:16.20
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00:27:16.23\00:27:18.53
or would like to
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00:27:18.57\00:27:21.67
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00:27:21.70\00:27:28.18
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00:27:28.21\00:27:35.25
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00:27:35.28\00:27:38.49
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00:27:45.43\00:27:49.20
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00:27:49.23\00:27:52.63
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00:27:58.14\00:28:03.21
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00:28:03.24\00:28:05.11
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00:28:05.15\00:28:07.68