Love  Never  Fails  (1  Corinthians  13:4-­‐8a)  

 Preface  • Talk  about  abortion  today  

 • Lead  with  grace  (Romans  5:20)      The  Problem  • We  really  don’t  understand  love.  

 • John  13:35  says  we  will  be  known  as  Jesus’  disciples  if  we  love  one  another.    • But  churches  split;  the  number  of  divorces  is  the  same  inside  the  Church  as  it  is  outside;  

people  in  the  Church  don’t  share  their  pain  with  each  other  for  fear  of  being  judged.    • We  don’t  know  how  to  love.      The  Solution  • Many  words  are  used  for  love.  God  defines  only  one  for  us:  agape.  

 • 1  Corinthians  13:4-­‐8a—Love…  

o Suffers  a  long  time;  pain  and  hardship    § Being  loving  is  different  than  being  patient—patience  is  short  term;  love  

encompasses  time.  § Genesis  12:2-­‐4—God  promised  Abraham  that  he  would  be  the  father  of  a  

great  nation.  He  was  75  years  old  at  the  time.  § Hebrews  6:15—Abraham,  after  he  “patiently  endured,”  obtained  what  

God  promised.  § Abraham  was  100  years  old  when  Isaac  is  born;  175  years  old  when  

Abraham  died.  § Abraham  patiently  endured  for  at  least  25  years,  but  really  100.  

 o Is  kind,  tender  

§ Even  when  someone  is  harsh  toward  us  and  causes  us  to  suffer,  we  are  called  to  be  kind.  

 o Does  not  envy  

 o Does  not  parade  itself  and  boast  

 o Doesn’t  get  puffed  up  with  pride  

§ “All  of  these  are  about  me!”  Love  is  about  the  other  person.    

o Does  not  behave  rudely    

o Does  not  seek  its  own  way    

o Is  not  provoked  § I’m  in  control.  I  choose  to  love  you,  and  there  is  nothing  you  can  do  about  it.  Your  

behavior  doesn’t  dictate  how  I  act  toward  you.    

o Thinks  no  evil—how  you  view  the  object  of  your  love  § It’s  often  very  subtle:  “They  don’t  deserve  my  love,”  “I  don’t  feel  like  loving  

them,”  “I’m  tired  of  trying.”  § Love  is  wanting  God’s  best  for  them.  Anything  less  is  rooted  in  sin.  

 o Does  not  rejoice  in  iniquity  

§ The  root  word  is  the  same  as  righteousness  but  made  the  opposite:  unrighteousness.  

§ In  very  subtle  ways,  we  often  rejoice  in  someone’s  unrighteousness.  It  could  be  congratulating  a  young  man  after  he  spends  the  night  with  an  attractive  woman  (iniquity),  or  wanting  to  be  included  in  the  gossip  (iniquity),  and  many  other  subtle  forms.    

o Rejoices  in  the  Truth  § Knows  what  is  true,  is  not  a  doormat,  speaks  the  truth,  rejoices  in  truth,  knows  

that  God  is  Truth    

o Bears  ALL  THINGS    

o Believes  ALL  THINGS    

o Hopes  ALL  THINGS    

o Endures  ALL  THINGS  § We  bear  and  endure  because  we  believe  God  is  who  He  says  He  is  and  that  He  

loves  us.  § We  have  hope  because  we  know  what  God  has  done  for  us  through  Christ.  § We  can  bear  and  endure  because  we  believe  and  have  hope.  

 • This  kind  of  love  never  fails.  Even  if  the  object  of  our  love  rejects  us,  we  become  more  

like  Christ.  • This  love  cannot  fail.  • This  kind  of  love  is  not  easy!  • But  they  will  know  we  are  His  disciples  if  we  love  one  another.  • Love  isn’t  easy,  but  it’s  also  not  optional.  

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