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Love: A Visible Ethic

Title: Love: A Visible Ethic Series: Redemption through the Cross of Christ Text: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” (1 Cor. 13:4–7). Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 13 Introduction In this magnificent love chapter, the apostle Paul calls us as followers of Christ to a life of giving. Love is something we do. In them we see both what love does do and what love does not do. I. What Love Does Do A. Love suffers long. How does this description translate into actions? Look at a small part of Abraham Lincoln’s life. No one treated him with more contempt that a man named Stanton. Stanton cruelly maligned Lincoln’s name, yet he always extended Stanton every possible courtesy. After an assassin’s bullet prematurely ended the president’s life, Stanton said, “There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen.” Suffering long had revealed Lincoln’s strength. B. Love acts kindly (v. 4). Once a layman decided that a seminary professor was a heretic. The layman conscientiously tried to get the professor fired. However, the layman explained to the professor that his actions were motivated by a love for him. C. Love rejoices in the truth (v. 6). Have you noticed that arguments often have little to do with veracity and more to do with sinning? D. Love bears all things (v. 7). No insult can sidetrack love from the pursuit of its end. God’s heart only knows how to love and to continue loving despite rejections, trouble, and heartaches. E. Love also believes all things (v. 7). Love creates a climate of trust. Some people are very suspicious because they have never learned to trust. Love prefers to be overly generous rather than overly suspicious. F. Love hopes all things (v. 7). Christians believe that sin, death, and evil have ultimately been swallowed up; it follows that we believe that the sin and evil of an individual can be transformed by a saving encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel is the good news of second chances. G. Love also endures all things (v. 7). The verb means to conquer, and it is well illustrated in the story of George Matheson, who had lost both his sight and the woman he loved. Love can wait through the stillness of silence, the darkness of night, the coldness of death. This is a palpable love. II. What Love Does Not Do Sometimes we learn what something is by understanding what it is not. A. Love does not envy (v. 4). Envy points to someone who is more concerned about the well-being of self than the well-being of others. Love does not envy. B. Love does not boast (v. 4). To boast is to lose one’s perspective. The self-made man syndrome is a laughable fallacy. There is no place for boasting in a loving life. C. Love does not puff itself up (v. 4). The Corinthians were so esteemed in their own eyes that they had become like an inflated balloon. D. Love does not behave rudely (v. 5). Love is sensitive. Rudeness displays a lack of regard for the other person’s feelings. Speaking the truth is never an excuse to criticize; we are to “[speak] the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). E. Love does not seek its own advantage (v. 5). Love focuses on responsibilities rather than privileges. F. Love does not lose its temper (v. 5). Love does not make life miserable for others. Anger is devastating. Children have been psychologically mutilated because of their parents’ wrath. Lives must be cushioned in love. G. Love does not keep a record of wrongs (v. 5). Have you ever been in a discussion and asked someone what you did wrong and they hit you with a list of eighteen things? They kept a mental record! Part of the great art of living is to learn what to forget. H. Love does not delight in evil (v. 6). Some of us just love to hear about others’ troubles and shortcomings. A gossip does not have to enjoy telling information: a gossip may be one who enjoys hearing it. Additionally, gossip is not defined by its truthfulness; gossip is defined by its negative effect on others. We should feel free to talk about other persons as long as we say good things. Conclusion There is not a person here who is too uneducated, too poor, or too simple to perform the greatest work in the world—to love. We all can make love visible. The apostle John was thoroughly drained and had the energy to say only one thing, which he repeated over and over: “Love one another.” Finally, some of the members of the congregation grew tired of hearing the same message reiterated, and they asked him why he repeated that one phrase. John replied, “If that alone is done, if you love one another, that is enough.” Let us love one another!