Christ-like Love – 1 Corinthians 13

Joy:  You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #146.  Today we’ll read 1 Corinthians chapter 13 together:  Paul simply and clearly describes the Christ-like love that we are always to strive for.

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!

Welcome

I was thinking about our little podcast here which led me to thinking about evangelism.  Now, some of us are gifted and passionate about spreading the gospel at any time and via any venue. 

However, I would venture a guess that the thought of bringing people to Christ causes most believers to break out in a sweat.  “What do I say?” “What if he has a question I can’t answer?” “What if they reject me?”  “I’m not spiritual enough….”  And, then there is the predictable beating oneself up with guilt that we’re not as good at it as we should be.  

10,000 Miles Away

Until 2012, I was always in that camp.  In 2012, after almost two years of deciding and planning, Mitch and I got onto our first KLM flight that would ultimately land us 24 hours later at Kilimanjaro Airport Tanzania about 10,000 miles away from home.  Now, believe me, the Tanzanians can show us a thing or two about outreach and evangelizing.  But we were the visiting “missionaries.”  And in Tanzania, when missionaries visit, you go out and tell people about Jesus.  

So, there I was, with a group of my African brothers and sisters looking expectantly at me as if I had any idea what I was doing.  But Jesus’ promise that the Holy Spirit would fill our mouths with His words is true.  But I am absolutely aware that most people will not choose that path to obey the Great Commission.  

That doesn’t mean, though, that we are excused from it and don’t miss simple opportunities to share our faith.   How about volunteering for the publicity committee when the next event at church comes up? (Vacation Bible School always needs some of those!)  Or you can easily share this podcast with five non-believing friends and family.  If they start with Matthew, you are literally sharing the entire Gospel with them, straight from the Savior’s mouth.  It’s bound to generate some great conversation at Thanksgiving dinner! 

Let me know how it goes at Lifting Her Voice.com.

1 Corinthians Chapter 13

Love: The Superior Way

If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known. Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love — but the greatest of these is love.

Closing Thoughts

Thirteen simple verses that say so much.  I know, I know, you’ve heard it at weddings all your life, even at weddings of unbelievers.  Yes, it was even read at my first wedding.  After fifteen minutes of being married though, most of us realize that, unless Christ is at the center of that union, the kind of love that Paul describes is unattainable.  Especially in this most intimate of relationships, the veneer of good behavior and putting our best foot forward is quickly stripped off.  Then, the unsuspecting spouse gets up close and personal with a fallible human being who, on some days, is neither loving nor lovable.  

But Christ shows us this superior way that Paul has written about.  He not only defines perfect love, but He has shown us by His own sacrifice and forgiveness how we keep that love flowing in spite of sinful, sometimes intolerable flesh.  So, we can pray fervently and seek endlessly for spiritual gifts, like speaking in a different language or healing the sick.  But unless we are diligent students of Christ’s kind of love, we’re just making noise.  Let’s pray. 

Prayer

Dear Jesus, how I want to be known for this kind of love.  But even if I can somehow fool my friends, my extended family, and co-workers, You and Mitch and my kids know personally how often I fail at this.  Please forgive me.  Please forgive me for not receiving the power that Your Holy Spirit so freely gives to exercise self-control.  Please help me to do that one thing, Lord.  Thank You for Your faithfulness toward me.  Thank You that You have promised to continue doing Your good work in me until You come again.  Thank You for Mitch who so graciously overlooks when I am mean, or grumpy, or critical, or…well, You know how long the list is, Lord.  Just thank You for his willingness to forgive me like Jesus.  We give You all praise for Your willingness to re-make us in Your image.  Thank you.  Amen.

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.