First Corinthians Chapter Thirteen is the famous chapter about love, and so it is often read at wedding services. Of course love is the theme of a wedding, but love is the theme of life, life in the family, in the church, and in society. Because this is a well know, beloved chapter in the Bible, today let’s take a closer look at First Corinthians Chapter Thirteen.

First of all, let me just warn you. Even though the theme of this chapter is love, there is no gospel in this chapter. It does not talk about Jesus or God, and so we have to supply the gospel from earlier chapters in the Letter to the Corinthians. There we will find the pure gospel love of Christ that forgives our sin and reconciles us to God the Father so that we know what love really is and so can make God’s love a powerful force in our lives. But God’s love is more than a model for our love, it is the source and power for our love. Keep that in mind, or else we will be overcome by the tremendous demands of love. Now let’s look at our Bible passage. Please open to the Bible passage and follow along.

(Read Verse 1.) If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

Beautiful words without love are just noise. A pretty valentine is a waste of paper if there is no love behind it. A love song is just a bunch of noise if it is not sung from a heart of love.

(Read Verse 2.) If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

It may indeed be the truth that someone is ugly. But it may not be love that tells that truth. Think of Martin Luther’s explanation of the Eighth Commandment when he says that we should “put the best construction on everything.” The truth must be spoken in love, to build up the other person. A strong faith and belief in God, so strong to remove mountains, is no excuse to hurt another person.

(Read Verse 3.) If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Charity when given from love is great. Charity or a helping hand given from a guilty conscience or a feeling of duty or obligation, is great for the person receiving the food or money, but it gives the giver no status before God.

From verses 4 to 7 there are listed 15 characteristics of Christian love. (Read verse 4-7.) 4. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

4. Patient and slow to anger, kind, content with what God has given, not boastful, not proud or conceited,

5. not rude but graceful, not self-seeking at the expense of others, is cool and does not lose its temper, forgives and forgets wrongs so no grudges or revenge,

6. does not rejoice in evil or gossip, rejoices in the truth and complements success or good work,

7. always bears up, always trusts, always hopes without giving up, and always endures.

8-10. (Read verses 8-10.) Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

Love is permanent. The things of this world change. If love is based on things of this earth, that love is bound to fail. This Bible passage is often read at weddings. But people change. As we warn in the marriage ceremony, beauty and strength and wealth fade. So love must be based on eternal things. Even our worship on this earth will fade away. Prophecies are like preaching and evangelism, speaking in tongues is one style of worship, and knowledge is part of this world. But these things too will pass away in heaven. There will be no need of these things. Our heavenly worship will be different. But, love will endure forever!

(Read Verse 11.) When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

Love must mature. It must grow. As a child grows, the relationships with other people grow and change. As new situations arise in life, love matures. As a child moves into school and meets other kids, or into middle school and meets new challenges, love must mature. Childish behavior must stop. Adults and adolescents must not play the same games as kids: must not be rude or arrogant or conceited or bully others or look down on others. People of all ages must be kind and helpful and gracious in speech and deeds. Everyone must quit loving gossip and holding grudges. We have to build love and or relationships with others that have hope and trust and patience and faithfulness.

(Read Verse 12.) Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

I read that the old city of Corinth was famous for manufacturing mirrors. But unlike modern mirrors since the Thirteenth Century, they were not glass but rather highly polished metal, and even at best they could never give a perfect reflection. In this world, we often only see a dim reflection of God. God’s creation is still a mystery and riddle. We know Christ and the Gospel, Christ came to reveal God, but we can only grasp and understand that in part. We see the love of God in Christ on the cross. We see the suffering and pain and sin and death. This is the love of God, but it is hard to understand. It is like looking in a cracked, dirty mirror. Even the Resurrection of Jesus will only be fully understood when we see the Resurrected Christ returning in glory.

(Read Verse 13.) And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Faith and hope and love get us through life, help us to survive. But, faith without love is cold. Hope without love is grim. It is love that keeps faith and hope burning in our hearts for eternity. Therefore, love is truly the most excellent way.

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church

---

Home Index Page