Where can you find
hope for the hopeless,
00:00:03.20\00:00:07.87
opportunity for transformation,
00:00:07.90\00:00:11.61
peace amid life's storms?
00:00:11.64\00:00:15.54
Only in God's free
gift of eternal life.
00:00:15.58\00:00:20.58
From New York, join us
on the Pathway of Hope.
00:00:20.62\00:00:24.72
You probably
know it from memory,
00:00:31.03\00:00:33.86
you heard it so many
times that its meaning
00:00:33.90\00:00:36.90
and message have
lost their impact on you.
00:00:36.93\00:00:41.40
On Valentine's Day,
00:00:41.44\00:00:43.04
it is a favorite
reference passage
00:00:43.07\00:00:45.07
for those in love.
00:00:45.11\00:00:47.21
At weddings,
couples are reminded
00:00:47.24\00:00:49.68
of its significance
in their relationship.
00:00:49.71\00:00:53.15
At church services,
the preachers will quote,
00:00:53.18\00:00:56.18
The Apostle
Paul's admonition that
00:00:56.22\00:00:59.12
even if you can
speak like an angel,
00:00:59.15\00:01:01.79
move mountains,
00:01:01.82\00:01:03.59
give all that
you have to the poor,
00:01:03.63\00:01:06.29
give your body to be burned,
00:01:06.33\00:01:08.93
but you do not have
it, you are nothing.
00:01:08.96\00:01:13.03
Our preaching passage
is familiar to most of us.
00:01:13.07\00:01:17.44
Listen now as
00:01:17.47\00:01:19.01
Dr. A J. Jules
leads us in a study
00:01:19.04\00:01:22.54
of this fascinating
and familiar chapter
00:01:22.58\00:01:26.38
of 1 Corinthians Chapter 13.
00:01:26.41\00:01:31.25
Seek the Lord
00:01:31.29\00:01:34.66
Seek the Lord
00:01:34.69\00:01:38.23
Seek the Lord
00:01:38.26\00:01:41.70
Seek the Lord
00:01:41.73\00:01:45.43
You love better Seek the Lord
00:01:45.47\00:01:47.44
While He may be found
Call upon Him while He is near
00:01:47.47\00:01:53.24
You got a soul
That it will be saved
00:01:53.27\00:01:56.88
Come to Jesus today
00:01:56.91\00:01:59.21
Seek the Lord
00:01:59.25\00:02:02.62
Seek the Lord
00:02:02.65\00:02:06.05
Seek the Lord
00:02:06.09\00:02:09.46
Seek the Lord
00:02:09.49\00:02:13.06
You know better Seek the Lord
00:02:13.09\00:02:15.16
While He may be found
Call upon Him while He is near
00:02:15.20\00:02:20.87
You got a soul
That it will be saved
00:02:20.90\00:02:24.34
Come to Jesus today
00:02:24.37\00:02:27.38
Seek Him Seek Him
00:02:27.41\00:02:31.18
Seek the Lord
While He may be found
00:02:31.21\00:02:34.55
Seek Him Seek Him
00:02:34.58\00:02:38.19
Seek the Lord
While He may be found
00:02:38.22\00:02:41.42
I hear the voice of Jesus say
00:02:41.46\00:02:45.16
Come unto Me and rest
00:02:45.19\00:02:48.36
Lay down, thou
weary One Lay down
00:02:48.40\00:02:52.27
Thy head upon My breast
00:02:52.30\00:02:55.57
I came to Jesus as
00:02:55.60\00:02:58.41
I was Weary and worn and sad
00:02:58.44\00:03:02.64
I found in Him a resting place
00:03:02.68\00:03:06.75
For He has made me glad
00:03:06.78\00:03:10.22
Let the wicked forsake his way
00:03:10.25\00:03:13.56
And the
unrighteous man His thoughts
00:03:13.59\00:03:16.83
Seek the Lord Seek the Lord
00:03:16.86\00:03:20.13
Come to Jesus today
00:03:20.16\00:03:23.53
Let the wicked forsake his way
00:03:23.57\00:03:26.77
And the
unrighteous man His thoughts
00:03:26.80\00:03:29.60
Seek the Lord Seek the Lord
00:03:29.64\00:03:33.01
Come to Jesus today
00:03:33.04\00:03:35.14
Seek the Lord Seek the Lord
00:03:35.18\00:03:41.68
Seek the Lord Seek the Lord
00:03:41.72\00:03:48.39
You love better Seek the Lord
00:03:48.42\00:03:50.66
While He may be found
Call upon Him while He is near
00:03:50.69\00:03:56.60
You got a soul
That it will be saved
00:03:56.63\00:04:00.50
Come to Jesus Come to Jesus
00:04:03.57\00:04:07.04
Come to Jesus Come
00:04:07.08\00:04:11.91
Come to Jesus today
00:04:11.95\00:04:17.72
Hallelujah. Amen.
00:04:23.12\00:04:25.29
Let us pray.
00:04:29.53\00:04:33.03
Gracious Lord and
our loving Father,
00:04:33.07\00:04:38.27
You have taught us
how to love each other,
00:04:38.31\00:04:43.55
You have shared
Your love with us
00:04:43.58\00:04:45.71
by sending Your Son to
die on an old rugged cross.
00:04:45.75\00:04:51.65
We today investigate
Your teachings on love
00:04:51.69\00:04:55.39
and we pray that you may make us
00:04:55.42\00:04:57.83
a more loving people.
00:04:57.86\00:05:01.06
Thank You, oh, God,
for coming into this world
00:05:01.10\00:05:04.90
and demonstrating Your
amazing grace and love.
00:05:04.93\00:05:10.64
We thank You for Your
sacrifice on our part.
00:05:10.67\00:05:15.18
We thank You for Your promises.
00:05:15.21\00:05:18.38
We thank You for
the demonstration
00:05:18.41\00:05:19.91
of that godly love.
00:05:19.95\00:05:22.62
In the name of
Jesus we pray. Amen.
00:05:22.65\00:05:27.46
Today's message
00:05:27.49\00:05:30.33
"What's Love Got To Do With It."
00:05:30.36\00:05:34.03
And our focus will be
00:05:34.06\00:05:38.07
the Book of 1 Corinthians
Chapter 13 all 13 verses.
00:05:38.10\00:05:43.64
We'll talk about
what God expects us
00:05:43.67\00:05:45.77
to be like and look
like and how we ought to act.
00:05:45.81\00:05:50.61
He's patient.
00:05:50.65\00:05:52.48
And that He does not
treat us the way we deserve.
00:05:52.51\00:05:55.35
When our sins demand our lives,
00:05:55.38\00:05:56.99
He says, "My grace
is sufficient for you."
00:05:57.02\00:06:00.72
He's long suffering
00:06:00.76\00:06:02.09
when our passions lead us
down the road of perdition
00:06:02.12\00:06:04.59
and we spiral into
a pit of moral morass.
00:06:04.63\00:06:08.06
He says, "Come unto Me,
00:06:08.10\00:06:10.10
all ye who labor
and are heavy laden,
00:06:10.13\00:06:12.87
and I will give you rest."
00:06:12.90\00:06:14.24
He's long suffering.
00:06:14.27\00:06:15.60
He does not bring His
wrath upon our rebellion.
00:06:15.64\00:06:19.51
When we are stressed
out, He gives us peace.
00:06:19.54\00:06:23.75
Hence, when
scripture tells us to love,
00:06:23.78\00:06:26.18
it is saying that we
must demonstrate Christ
00:06:26.21\00:06:29.35
like character.
00:06:29.38\00:06:31.42
Now these two
positive qualities of love
00:06:31.45\00:06:33.29
and now followed by eight verbs,
00:06:33.32\00:06:35.79
which express
what love is not like
00:06:35.82\00:06:38.26
or what love does not do.
00:06:38.29\00:06:40.63
Paul understood that
00:06:40.66\00:06:42.00
human beings
naturally understand
00:06:42.03\00:06:43.73
what is cast in the
negative light better than
00:06:43.77\00:06:47.10
what is cast in
the positive light.
00:06:47.14\00:06:50.21
Now it must be clear that
00:06:50.24\00:06:51.77
although these are
described using the negative,
00:06:51.81\00:06:55.34
in reality it pinpoints
00:06:55.38\00:06:57.15
or underlines a
positive reality.
00:06:57.18\00:06:59.95
For example, Paul says
that love does not envy.
00:06:59.98\00:07:03.82
By that he means that
love is pleasant and desirable.
00:07:03.85\00:07:09.26
It is the
opposite of being envious.
00:07:09.29\00:07:13.80
Love does not envy.
00:07:13.83\00:07:15.16
What is in view here?
00:07:15.20\00:07:17.47
It's that Paul does
not say that envy is okay.
00:07:17.50\00:07:21.57
He says, "Love
does not bring strife,
00:07:21.60\00:07:25.67
or contention, or rivalry."
00:07:25.71\00:07:28.88
It does not seek to
bring divisions among people
00:07:28.91\00:07:31.78
or between people.
00:07:31.81\00:07:33.58
In short, love is not a game
like basketball or football.
00:07:33.62\00:07:37.39
It does not include competition.
00:07:37.42\00:07:40.12
Love by its very
nature is settled.
00:07:40.16\00:07:43.43
It does not need
such competition.
00:07:43.46\00:07:46.70
The verb itself indicates
that love does not long
00:07:46.73\00:07:51.13
for the betterment of oneself
00:07:51.17\00:07:53.23
and the detriment
or downfall of another.
00:07:53.27\00:07:56.50
In short, love places
the other beyond oneself.
00:07:56.54\00:08:00.91
Hence love does not envy.
00:08:00.94\00:08:05.88
And then the King
James Version says,
00:08:05.91\00:08:07.65
love does not boast.
00:08:07.68\00:08:10.72
As a matter of fact it
says, it vaunteth not itself.
00:08:10.75\00:08:14.62
Here Paul uses a word
that is found only one time.
00:08:14.66\00:08:20.13
Literally it means
that love does not behave
00:08:20.16\00:08:22.96
like a braggart.
00:08:23.00\00:08:25.07
It's not a windbag, a boaster
00:08:25.10\00:08:28.04
who only makes
empty, vacuous noise.
00:08:28.07\00:08:31.11
Love is not a bag of hot air
00:08:31.14\00:08:33.74
calling attention to
one's action and one's self.
00:08:33.78\00:08:37.11
In short, to love and
to boast are incompatible
00:08:37.15\00:08:41.48
because boasting
draws undue attention
00:08:41.52\00:08:45.79
of others to oneself.
00:08:45.82\00:08:47.92
It cannot be quantified as love.
00:08:47.96\00:08:50.39
Love does not care for
this kind of attention.
00:08:50.43\00:08:54.30
It cares only for
the good of others.
00:08:54.33\00:08:59.97
By implication,
another powerful lesson
00:09:00.00\00:09:04.14
is brought to the foreground.
00:09:04.17\00:09:06.57
Love does not
do even good things
00:09:06.61\00:09:10.01
for the other person simply
00:09:10.05\00:09:12.11
so as to bring
attention to yourself.
00:09:12.15\00:09:14.98
You don't help so
that people may take note
00:09:15.02\00:09:17.15
of what you're doing
00:09:17.19\00:09:18.65
and then
aggrandized and compliment you.
00:09:18.69\00:09:21.69
Sometimes we do
things for people
00:09:21.72\00:09:24.09
and even baptize
these good deeds by saying,
00:09:24.13\00:09:27.00
it's for the Lord
or praise the Lord.
00:09:27.03\00:09:30.43
When what we're
really interested
00:09:30.47\00:09:34.34
in is the applause of people,
such is not an act of love.
00:09:34.37\00:09:39.74
But what I may
call baptized pride.
00:09:39.77\00:09:43.41
In such a case,
00:09:43.45\00:09:44.78
it's not
sanctified, it's just wet.
00:09:44.81\00:09:48.08
Love is not proud.
00:09:48.12\00:09:50.29
This means that
love is not puffed up,
00:09:50.32\00:09:53.69
it does not operate
under pretense of arrogance.
00:09:53.72\00:09:58.89
An arrogant person is someone
00:09:58.93\00:10:01.93
who has an exaggerated opinion
of his or her own importance
00:10:01.96\00:10:06.80
or his or her
own merit or ability.
00:10:06.84\00:10:08.74
In short, Paul is saying that
00:10:08.77\00:10:10.54
to love is the opposite of
being conceited and disdainful.
00:10:10.57\00:10:15.51
The opposite of being
full of pride and insolence,
00:10:15.54\00:10:18.71
the opposite of
being full of oneself
00:10:18.75\00:10:21.02
and short on others.
00:10:21.05\00:10:23.65
Love is not interested
00:10:23.69\00:10:26.25
in lauding
yourself over another.
00:10:26.29\00:10:28.72
This is nothing
else but pomposity.
00:10:28.76\00:10:32.09
Instead of being arrogant,
Paul is saying, by implication,
00:10:32.13\00:10:34.86
that love is modest and polite.
00:10:34.90\00:10:38.57
It shows diffidence
00:10:38.60\00:10:39.93
and gives differential treatment
00:10:39.97\00:10:41.57
to the other.
00:10:41.60\00:10:42.94
In the most basic sense,
00:10:42.97\00:10:44.34
Paul is saying
that love is polite.
00:10:44.37\00:10:47.51
Love knows how to say thank you.
00:10:47.54\00:10:49.58
And excuse me, please.
00:10:49.61\00:10:52.05
This leads us
directly to the fourth point
00:10:52.08\00:10:54.75
that love is not rude.
00:10:54.78\00:10:58.72
As the King James says,
00:10:58.75\00:11:00.16
it does not
behave itself unseemly.
00:11:00.19\00:11:03.76
The verb itself
speaks about behavior
00:11:03.79\00:11:06.36
that is shameful or disgraceful.
00:11:06.39\00:11:09.93
So the intention here is
that love does not behave
00:11:09.96\00:11:13.37
in a shameful or
disgraceful manner.
00:11:13.40\00:11:17.11
Love is mannerly.
00:11:17.14\00:11:18.91
It does not treat the
other in an unseemly way.
00:11:18.94\00:11:22.44
The opposite of
rude is to be polite.
00:11:22.48\00:11:25.51
A person who
claims to love another,
00:11:25.55\00:11:27.75
but speaks or acts
rudely is not manifesting love.
00:11:27.78\00:11:32.45
He may be
infatuated with your body,
00:11:32.49\00:11:34.52
but rude words
actually say I don't love you.
00:11:34.56\00:11:38.39
She may be excited
about what you'll look like,
00:11:38.43\00:11:41.20
but rude words
actually say, I don't love you.
00:11:41.23\00:11:44.70
He may be captivated
00:11:44.73\00:11:46.17
by your shape
and figure, your job,
00:11:46.20\00:11:48.94
but rude words
to you actually say,
00:11:48.97\00:11:51.44
I don't love you.
00:11:51.47\00:11:54.21
On the other hand,
you may not always say
00:11:54.24\00:11:56.51
those three little
words you like to hear,
00:11:56.54\00:11:58.75
but if he treats
you with respect,
00:11:58.78\00:12:00.78
his politeness is
saying, I love you.
00:12:00.82\00:12:03.42
She may not do things
the way your mother did them,
00:12:03.45\00:12:06.62
but if she takes care of
you, her politeness is saying,
00:12:06.65\00:12:10.09
I love you.
00:12:10.13\00:12:12.16
He may not be as
expressive as others,
00:12:12.19\00:12:14.93
but if he treats you
with the delight reserved
00:12:14.96\00:12:17.20
for loyalty, his politeness
is saying, I love you.
00:12:17.23\00:12:22.04
Love is action.
00:12:22.07\00:12:27.28
Love is not self-seeking.
00:12:27.31\00:12:30.35
In other words, love
does not seek our own way.
00:12:30.38\00:12:33.78
In short, love does not
behave in the modern idea
00:12:33.82\00:12:38.75
that after I am
served and satisfied
00:12:38.79\00:12:40.99
then I will turn to
give to you what is left over
00:12:41.02\00:12:45.69
or as the adage
puts it when I am okay,
00:12:45.73\00:12:48.80
then everybody and
everything is okay.
00:12:48.83\00:12:51.33
Love is not selfish.
00:12:51.37\00:12:53.67
Love is not
interested with self-gain
00:12:53.70\00:12:56.60
and self-justification.
00:12:56.64\00:12:58.74
Instead, it is interested
00:12:58.77\00:13:00.41
with the worth
of the other person,
00:13:00.44\00:13:02.74
even the enemy.
00:13:02.78\00:13:04.61
Indeed, this is the
idea of Romans 15:1-3.
00:13:04.65\00:13:08.28
When it says that
Jesus did not please Himself,
00:13:08.32\00:13:11.49
but He took the
insults of others.
00:13:11.52\00:13:14.52
He was not self-seeking.
00:13:14.56\00:13:17.63
It is selfishness in marriage
00:13:17.66\00:13:20.23
and relationships that
often brings destructions.
00:13:20.26\00:13:24.47
Because of this
green eyed monster,
00:13:24.50\00:13:26.30
people are willing to
give only 50% of themselves.
00:13:26.33\00:13:30.31
In such cases,
let me remind you that
00:13:30.34\00:13:33.71
50% plus 50%
does not equal 100%.
00:13:33.74\00:13:39.41
You have to give up selfishness
and devote 100% of yourself
00:13:39.45\00:13:44.02
in order to
derive 100% satisfaction.
00:13:44.05\00:13:48.62
Love is not easily angered.
00:13:48.66\00:13:52.93
Now this means that it
is not easily provoked.
00:13:52.96\00:13:56.56
This harks back
00:13:56.60\00:13:57.93
to the very
first equality of love
00:13:57.97\00:13:59.60
which is long suffering.
00:13:59.63\00:14:00.97
Love shows
forbearance and patience.
00:14:01.00\00:14:03.94
You see, anger
generally expresses itself
00:14:03.97\00:14:06.54
in hurtful words and ways.
00:14:06.57\00:14:09.04
So love is
incompatible with which,
00:14:09.08\00:14:11.91
that which brings
hurt and increases anxiety.
00:14:11.95\00:14:16.22
Love thinks no evil.
00:14:16.25\00:14:18.42
Literally, this means
that love does not keep
00:14:18.45\00:14:21.62
our record of wrongs.
00:14:21.66\00:14:23.66
It does not devise
evil against anyone.
00:14:23.69\00:14:28.23
Neither does it keep a
record of those things.
00:14:28.26\00:14:31.60
Now the justice
system around the world
00:14:31.63\00:14:34.24
keeps a record of anything
00:14:34.27\00:14:36.30
and everything wrong
that is reported to it.
00:14:36.34\00:14:39.57
That is the
nature of the system.
00:14:39.61\00:14:41.71
But this is not
the nature of love.
00:14:41.74\00:14:44.31
Love does not
keep records of wrong
00:14:44.35\00:14:47.92
or reminders of the
wrongs that we have committed.
00:14:47.95\00:14:50.99
In other words, love
practices forgiveness.
00:14:51.02\00:14:56.93
Even though the text
does not say directly,
00:14:56.96\00:15:00.86
the intent is clear.
00:15:00.90\00:15:02.96
Since love refuses to
bring up and resurrect the past
00:15:03.00\00:15:07.07
with its hurt
wrongs and ailments,
00:15:07.10\00:15:09.84
it means that love
is by nature forgiving.
00:15:09.87\00:15:13.34
Sometimes when people do wrong,
we refuse to forgive them.
00:15:13.38\00:15:17.98
Whenever the
opportunity comes around,
00:15:18.01\00:15:21.15
we proverbially
throw it in their faces.
00:15:21.18\00:15:24.75
Scripture intones
that this is opposite
00:15:24.79\00:15:28.56
to the character of love.
00:15:28.59\00:15:30.33
Love keeps no record of wrong.
00:15:30.36\00:15:33.19
It is forgiving.
00:15:33.23\00:15:34.60
This is the very nature of God.
00:15:34.63\00:15:36.63
It was God in Christ
00:15:36.67\00:15:38.00
who refused to
throw our sins in our face
00:15:38.03\00:15:40.40
according to the
2 Corinthians 5:19.
00:15:40.44\00:15:43.27
Instead, He chose to
reconcile us unto Himself.
00:15:43.30\00:15:46.88
To be certain, love does not try
00:15:46.91\00:15:48.68
to settle the score,
00:15:48.71\00:15:50.21
it is not interested
in vengeance or revenge.
00:15:50.25\00:15:52.61
Love attempts to reconcile.
00:15:52.65\00:15:56.58
The reconciling nature of love
00:15:56.62\00:15:58.55
is now
elaborated upon in verse 6
00:15:58.59\00:16:01.32
when Paul says, "Love
does not delight in evil,
00:16:01.36\00:16:05.39
but rejoices in the truth."
00:16:05.43\00:16:07.93
There are two sides of this.
00:16:07.96\00:16:09.36
These are two
sides of the same coin,
00:16:09.40\00:16:12.27
since the same verb is used.
00:16:12.30\00:16:15.20
Love is not
interested in the wrongs
00:16:15.24\00:16:17.01
or mistakes that people make.
00:16:17.04\00:16:19.44
Instead, love forgives
those mistakes and rejoices
00:16:19.47\00:16:23.68
in every victory gain rejoices,
00:16:23.71\00:16:26.28
in every act of
kindness that is made,
00:16:26.31\00:16:28.88
in every act of
forgiveness offered,
00:16:28.92\00:16:31.15
in every sorrow
that is forwarded.
00:16:31.19\00:16:33.82
This all brings the light
to true love and true lovers.
00:16:33.86\00:16:38.03
Love hates evil.
00:16:38.06\00:16:41.46
That's why Scripture says
that it rejoices in the truth.
00:16:41.50\00:16:45.57
Interestingly, the
Hebrew Bible the word eh'-meth
00:16:45.60\00:16:48.27
translated
truth is the same word
00:16:48.30\00:16:50.81
from which we derive
the English word amen.
00:16:50.84\00:16:53.78
So since we believe in love
that loves the truth, say amen.
00:16:53.81\00:16:58.25
Love is that
which deals truthfully.
00:16:58.28\00:17:01.55
It is the amen of the soul.
00:17:01.58\00:17:03.72
What this intense is that love
00:17:03.75\00:17:06.15
is faithful and
always remains loyal
00:17:06.19\00:17:10.39
and concreted in truth.
00:17:10.43\00:17:12.93
And when love is
tested and remains loyal,
00:17:12.96\00:17:16.33
it must be awarded a loud amen.
00:17:16.36\00:17:21.57
Verse 7 now wraps up the
finale with a machine gun firing
00:17:21.60\00:17:27.18
of verbs concerning love.
00:17:27.21\00:17:30.18
Paul says, "Love
bears all things,
00:17:30.21\00:17:33.95
believes all things,
00:17:33.98\00:17:36.12
hopes all things,
endures all things."
00:17:36.15\00:17:40.22
Now the structure of this verse
00:17:40.26\00:17:41.72
indicates that the first element
00:17:41.76\00:17:44.23
bears all and the fourth element
00:17:44.26\00:17:46.86
endures all,
deal with the present.
00:17:46.90\00:17:50.63
In other words,
00:17:50.67\00:17:52.00
Paul is saying
in the present life,
00:17:52.03\00:17:54.04
love seeks to
protect and love perseveres.
00:17:54.07\00:17:57.94
Now the second
and third elements
00:17:57.97\00:17:59.94
point more toward the future.
00:17:59.97\00:18:02.11
In other words, Paul is saying
00:18:02.14\00:18:03.75
that love will always
trust, love will always hope.
00:18:03.78\00:18:08.52
At stake are now
the then and the now,
00:18:08.55\00:18:12.09
both in the
present and in the future.
00:18:12.12\00:18:14.92
The character of
love is such that
00:18:14.96\00:18:17.43
you can put up with
everything and with anything.
00:18:17.46\00:18:22.06
When hardships come,
love can put up with them.
00:18:22.10\00:18:26.10
When difficulties come,
love can put up with them.
00:18:26.13\00:18:29.84
When strains and stresses
come, love can put up with them.
00:18:29.87\00:18:34.41
When the bills are
high and the money is low,
00:18:34.44\00:18:36.85
love can put up with them.
00:18:36.88\00:18:38.75
Why is this the case?
00:18:38.78\00:18:40.12
Because love never
ceases to have faith
00:18:40.15\00:18:43.59
and never ceases to hope.
00:18:43.62\00:18:49.16
Love is
tenacious in the present.
00:18:49.19\00:18:53.29
It is confident of the future.
00:18:53.33\00:18:56.60
And because of that
it allows the person
00:18:56.63\00:18:58.33
to deal with every kind of
circumstance and situation.
00:18:58.37\00:19:02.97
Putting it poetically,
00:19:03.00\00:19:05.04
Song of Solomon 8:6-7
captures the intentionality.
00:19:05.07\00:19:10.05
It says, "Love
is strong as death.
00:19:10.08\00:19:14.12
Many waters cannot quench love,
00:19:14.15\00:19:16.75
neither can the flood drown it."
00:19:16.79\00:19:19.55
Love has an enduring quality
00:19:19.59\00:19:22.62
that reaches beyond
the highest mountain
00:19:22.66\00:19:25.06
that goes deeper
than the deepest valley
00:19:25.09\00:19:27.53
that expands wider
than the greatest diameter.
00:19:27.56\00:19:30.53
Love is enduring.
00:19:30.57\00:19:32.13
I like how the
contemporary English version
00:19:32.17\00:19:34.54
puts this verse from Paul.
00:19:34.57\00:19:36.20
It captures the idea totally.
00:19:36.24\00:19:37.71
It says, "Love is
always supportive,
00:19:37.74\00:19:40.84
loyal, hopeful, and trusting."
00:19:40.88\00:19:44.55
The English poet Shakespeare
puts it in this famous line.
00:19:44.58\00:19:49.22
"Love is not love that alters
when it alteration finds."
00:19:49.25\00:19:54.72
Paul now leads us
00:19:54.76\00:19:56.32
into the third
important feature,
00:19:56.36\00:19:58.99
the permanence of love.
00:19:59.03\00:20:01.40
Listen to verses 8 to 12.
00:20:01.43\00:20:02.76
Today's English version
puts it in plain language.
00:20:02.80\00:20:06.13
Love is eternal.
00:20:06.17\00:20:09.30
There are inspired messages,
but they are temporary.
00:20:09.34\00:20:13.74
There are gifts of
speaking in strange tongues,
00:20:13.78\00:20:17.55
but they will cease.
00:20:17.58\00:20:19.68
There is
knowledge, but it will pass.
00:20:19.71\00:20:23.65
Five gifts of knowledge
00:20:23.69\00:20:25.12
and of inspired
messages are only partial.
00:20:25.15\00:20:29.16
But when what is perfect comes
00:20:29.19\00:20:32.63
then what is
partial will disappear.
00:20:32.66\00:20:36.26
When I was a child,
00:20:36.30\00:20:38.00
my speech feeling and thinking
were all those of a child.
00:20:38.03\00:20:42.17
Now that I am an adult,
00:20:42.20\00:20:44.94
I have no more
use for childish ways.
00:20:44.97\00:20:48.08
What we now see is like
a dim image in a mirror,
00:20:48.11\00:20:52.85
then we shall see face to face.
00:20:52.88\00:20:56.22
What I know now is only partial
then it will be complete,
00:20:56.25\00:21:01.56
as complete as
God's knowledge of me.
00:21:01.59\00:21:05.49
The permanence of love
00:21:05.53\00:21:07.50
is immediately
brought to the forefront
00:21:07.53\00:21:10.07
when it says, love never fails.
00:21:10.10\00:21:16.40
What the apostle is teaching
00:21:16.44\00:21:19.74
is that love has a lasting
00:21:19.77\00:21:23.45
and abiding quality.
00:21:23.48\00:21:25.65
By nature, it is durable,
eternal and everlasting,
00:21:25.68\00:21:29.32
immovable, impersonal,
00:21:29.35\00:21:31.09
and immortal,
perennial, perpetual,
00:21:31.12\00:21:33.92
and persistent,
stable and steadfast.
00:21:33.96\00:21:39.29
The permanence of
love is highlighted
00:21:39.33\00:21:42.30
by the following contrast
00:21:42.33\00:21:44.87
given in the rest of the verses.
00:21:44.90\00:21:47.47
This contrast is
introduced by the word but.
00:21:47.50\00:21:52.54
Notice how Paul puts it as
the original Greek testifies.
00:21:52.57\00:21:57.41
Love never fails,
00:21:57.45\00:21:58.78
but immediately
the reader understands
00:21:58.81\00:22:02.08
the impermanent
changing nature of everything
00:22:02.12\00:22:05.99
which is to follow.
00:22:06.02\00:22:07.72
Interestingly, the things
00:22:07.76\00:22:09.09
that were
important to the Corinthians
00:22:09.12\00:22:11.96
are the very
things that Paul now says
00:22:11.99\00:22:13.90
are impermanent.
00:22:13.93\00:22:15.73
The things that they cherish
00:22:15.76\00:22:17.93
are the very things
that will pass away.
00:22:17.97\00:22:21.74
So when there are
prophecies, they will cease.
00:22:21.77\00:22:25.27
Where there are
tons of languages,
00:22:25.31\00:22:28.88
they will be still.
00:22:28.91\00:22:30.98
Where there is
knowledge, it will pass away.
00:22:31.01\00:22:34.72
In other words, the
things which we cherish,
00:22:34.75\00:22:38.22
which we put our assets into,
00:22:38.25\00:22:40.86
these are the very
things that will fade.
00:22:40.89\00:22:45.99
They will certainly
dry up like the crabgrass
00:22:46.03\00:22:50.60
when the heat of
the sun stinks it.
00:22:50.63\00:22:53.07
In short, Paul is saying
00:22:53.10\00:22:55.17
that although
the spiritual gifts
00:22:55.20\00:22:56.74
are wonderful, they
are only for the present.
00:22:56.77\00:23:00.44
The nature of
things even as important
00:23:00.48\00:23:03.55
as the spiritual
gifts is impermanent.
00:23:03.58\00:23:07.42
To be certain, they are
good, they are wonderful,
00:23:07.45\00:23:11.42
but they do not
have eternal quality.
00:23:11.45\00:23:16.66
Only love has
an eternal quality.
00:23:16.69\00:23:20.66
Paul then
highlights this by pointing
00:23:20.70\00:23:23.57
to the growth factor in people.
00:23:23.60\00:23:25.97
He says in verse
11, "When I was a child,
00:23:26.00\00:23:30.31
I talk like a child,
I thought like a child,
00:23:30.34\00:23:34.68
I reasoned like a child.
00:23:34.71\00:23:37.01
But when I became a man,
00:23:37.05\00:23:38.41
I put childish
things behind me."
00:23:38.45\00:23:41.88
So everything that is
passing which is only temporary,
00:23:41.92\00:23:45.72
it's like childhood, in
comparison to adulthood.
00:23:45.75\00:23:49.52
No one remains a child forever.
00:23:49.56\00:23:51.93
The boy grows to manhood,
the woman grows to womanhood.
00:23:51.96\00:23:56.13
Childhood is temporary.
00:23:56.16\00:23:58.23
Furthermore,
everything that is passing
00:23:58.27\00:24:00.87
which is only temporary.
00:24:00.90\00:24:02.54
It's like looking
into a mirror in comparison
00:24:02.57\00:24:05.24
with seeing someone in person.
00:24:05.27\00:24:08.14
The mirror only
gives the reflection,
00:24:08.18\00:24:11.78
seeing the person face to
face shows all the detail.
00:24:11.81\00:24:17.75
Knowledge is
partial, prophecy is partial,
00:24:17.79\00:24:22.26
but love is complete.
00:24:22.29\00:24:24.79
Finally, Paul points
to the supremacy of love.
00:24:24.83\00:24:30.30
Listen to the
last verse, verse 13.
00:24:30.33\00:24:33.40
There remains
faith, hope and love.
00:24:33.44\00:24:37.61
But the greatest
of these is love.
00:24:37.64\00:24:42.51
Faith is what allows us
to exist in the present.
00:24:42.54\00:24:46.72
Without faith, it is
impossible to serve God.
00:24:46.75\00:24:51.02
Faith is what tells us that
we can move and we can walk.
00:24:51.05\00:24:55.76
When we wake up in the morning,
00:24:55.79\00:24:57.59
we have faith that our
legs can still locomote.
00:24:57.63\00:25:01.63
Faith is important
for present existence.
00:25:01.66\00:25:05.17
This is not to say that
00:25:05.20\00:25:06.53
faith has no
usefulness in the future.
00:25:06.57\00:25:09.30
In the very fact, it is a fact
that we believe or have faith
00:25:09.34\00:25:14.71
and the fact that we have faith
00:25:14.74\00:25:16.08
that allows us to
plan for the future.
00:25:16.11\00:25:18.21
But in practical terms,
00:25:18.25\00:25:19.61
faith is what allows
us to have the ability
00:25:19.65\00:25:22.88
to be involved in
life in the present.
00:25:22.92\00:25:25.35
Hope on the other hand
00:25:25.39\00:25:26.82
is important for
our future existence.
00:25:26.86\00:25:29.76
Hope allows us to
believe in the future.
00:25:29.79\00:25:33.46
Even when difficulties come,
00:25:33.50\00:25:35.33
hope says that
there will be a way out.
00:25:35.36\00:25:38.27
Hope allows us to see beyond
the darkness of the storm.
00:25:38.30\00:25:42.47
Hope allows us
to face the future.
00:25:42.50\00:25:45.44
Hope encourages us to
look into the distance.
00:25:45.47\00:25:48.84
Hope allows us to
see into the future,
00:25:48.88\00:25:52.01
but love lives
both in the present
00:25:52.05\00:25:55.08
and in the future.
00:25:55.12\00:25:58.55
Hence it is not limited
to the present like faith,
00:25:58.59\00:26:03.36
neither is it limited
to the future like hope.
00:26:03.39\00:26:06.80
Instead, it places
one foot in the present
00:26:06.83\00:26:12.93
and anchors the
other in the future.
00:26:12.97\00:26:16.37
It stands above and
beyond faith and hope.
00:26:16.40\00:26:21.14
It straddles the
now and the then.
00:26:21.18\00:26:23.81
It goes beyond the
present and the future,
00:26:23.85\00:26:25.75
hence love is supreme.
00:26:25.78\00:26:29.15
So what's love
got to do with it?
00:26:29.18\00:26:31.72
Everything.
00:26:31.75\00:26:33.99
"By this shall all men know that
00:26:34.02\00:26:36.42
you're My disciples
if you have love one
00:26:36.46\00:26:42.40
for the other."
00:26:42.43\00:26:43.77
Thanks for
watching Pathway of Hope.
00:26:51.41\00:26:54.44
If you would
like to be prayed for
00:26:54.48\00:26:56.81
or would like to learn more
00:26:56.85\00:26:58.18
about God's word, please call
00:26:58.21\00:27:01.38
1 (877) 520-HOPE
00:27:01.42\00:27:06.19
or 1 (877)
00:27:06.22\00:27:09.19
520-4673.
00:27:09.22\00:27:13.53
You may also watch more
of our programs online at
00:27:13.56\00:27:17.67
www.pathwayofhope.tv.
00:27:17.70\00:27:23.47
If you would like to make
a tax deductible love gift,
00:27:23.51\00:27:27.34
please send your
gifts to Pathway of Hope
00:27:27.38\00:27:30.88
at P.O Box, 280704,
00:27:30.91\00:27:36.42
Queens Village, New York 11428.
00:27:36.45\00:27:41.39
Thanks for
watching Pathway of Hope.
00:27:41.42\00:27:43.12
And may God's
blessings be yours today.
00:27:43.16\00:27:45.83