|
|
|
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 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 do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
New International Version (NIV)
| |
|
Where did you learn to love? As we watch our nearly five month old granddaughter, we can see in her eyes that she already loves her mother and father. (I’ll be glad to show you pictures, on demand!) Where did she learn to do that? From the moment her parents knew she was coming into the world, they started loving her. So she first opened her eyes in a room filled with the love of her parents. Every day since she has been reminded.
Paul wanted to be sure the Corinthian Christians learned to love. The Greek culture prided itself in being a source of great wisdom. This seeped into the church. So the Corinthian Christians talked about their gifts of wisdom and knowledge. Paul showed them “a more excellent way.” What if they could speak other languages, but didn’t love? They would just be noisy in other languages. What if they had gifts of prophecy and knowledge and faith? Without love they would be nothing. But what if they had the gift of giving and gave everything they had including their own bodies to hardship? Without love they would gain nothing.
The Christian boast is not finally in our gifts of languages, prophecy, knowledge, faith and giving. Paul goes on, “Love is patient. Love is kind . . .” As Jeremiah 9:23-24 put it, “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches.” That pretty much covers and rules out all of our reasons for bragging. No. Jeremiah said, “Let them boast who have understanding to know me that I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on the earth. ‘In these I delight,’ declares the Lord.” Why is kindness listed first? To know the Lord is to have relationship with him. The first thing God teaches us when we meet him is that his kindness leads us to repentance. Because he is kind, whatever else we are, we ought to be kind. Wouldn’t it be odd for any preacher to say, “I am so right in my pursuit of the truth that I don’t have to be kind.”
I know it is easy to simply say, “Truth is all that matters.” Throw love in if you can, but be sure you have the truth. But truth, not spoken in love may never be heard. It is not spiritual to be angry proclaimers of truth. If you want to know who really knows the Lord, you will know them Jesus says, by their love. Love is patient. Love is kind. And of course love tells the truth, patiently and kindly.
On this Good Friday we remember again how God taught the world to love. Was it by trumpeting the truth through cosmic loudspeakers blaring through the universe? No. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” God loved by giving up his one and only Son who gave up his one and only life so that we might receive his love. Let’s learn to love from the source: Jesus on a cross.
| |
|
Pray with me:
Father, we thank you for this Good Friday. We know all in our world is not good. People are not in good health. All is not well with the world’s money. But even on a bad day, you are good. You are good all the time. “So, how can we call 'Good Friday' good? - A term too oft misunderstood - We, who were bought by the blood of His cross, we can call 'Good Friday' good.” In Jesus’ name. Amen.
| |
|
Join us in memorizing the Word. Scripture for this week:
Matthew 5:29-30
If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
| |
| Our 2020 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations New Testament reading plan. Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy at REPLICATE.ORG
We would love for you to join us as we read the New Testament through this year, five chapters a week. In addition I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year. Use Robby Gallaty’s H. E. A. R. plan to study each chapter (also found at REPLICATE.ORG). Highlight verses which speak to you, explain what they mean in your own words in a journal, apply them to your own life, then respond by doing what God tells you to do.
Joyfully,
Duane
| |
|
|
|
|
