“What Love Won’t Do”

Feb.14, 2010 1Cor.13   Play AUDIO (mp3)  Play VIDEO (wmv)

●    “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR” - BUT NOT THIS WAY

    ○    loving others very important in Christianity (1Jn 4:16; Jn 3:16; Jn 15:17)
    ○    well-meaning but inconsiderate evangelistic visitors can leave a sour taste

●    LOVE’S EXCELLENCE - ESSENTIAL AND ENDURING

    ○    Biblical love ‘agape’ not ‘eros’
    ○    other gifts useless without the essential ingredient - love (13:1-3; Mt 17:20)
    ○    other gifts pass away when perfection comes - love endures (13:8-12; 1Jn 3:2; Rev 22:4)

●    AGAPE’S KEY DYNAMIC

    ○    not defining love abstractly, but in context of Corinthian misbehaviour (Jn 15:13; 1Jn 4:10; Rom 5:8; 1Cor 3:21, 5:1f, 8:11f, 11:1-16,21f, 12:21f)
    ○    love DOESN’T: envy, boast, be proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, keep record of wrongs, delight in evil, fail (13:4-8)
    ○    love DOES: be patient, kind, rejoices with the truth, protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres, remains (13:4-7,13; Mt 23:37)
    ○    opposite of love here not hate but pride - requires death to self

●    LOVE, OLYMPIC-STYLE

    ○    Christian love to be distinctive, deep/fervent (Jn 13:35; 1Pet 1:22)
    ○    like athletes stretching forward to the tape