Excellence of Love

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul spoke of God's love being the most important thing in the life of a believer--which must have been a shock even to the believers to whom it was addressed.  Paul began the chapter with examples of radical personal sacrifice and supernatural power, yet without God's love it such acts were empty and worthless.  Let us consider Paul's claims one at a time to see how exquisite and amazing God's love truly is above what is commonly valued in the world and church alike.

1 Corinthians 13:1 says, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal."  In Paul's day, the Greeks were known for their famous orators who were masters of the "persuasive arts."  In public speaking, they utilised the pillars of credibility, emotion and logic to develop persuasive arguments to sway men to their side.  For all their skill in rhetoric these men did not speak in the tongues of angels, yet even if they did their powers of persuasion would be like a clanging cymbal without love.  People drew near to orators at Mars Hill to hear a new thing out of curiosity, but their fine words without love were jarring, senseless noise that would drive people away.

Paul continued in 1 Corinthians 13:2, "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."  Prophets were revered and respected in Israel, for the LORD instructed, warned and spoke to His people of what was to come through their testimony.  To operate in a prophetic gift, to understand all mysteries and have all knowledge would be most notable, for even Solomon in His glory did not reach such heights.  The person who had all faith and could miraculously remove mountains would be treated as a god by some, yet without love this one with all faith in God would be nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3 concluded, "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."  People who do not do so themselves respect those who gives generously to people in need.  Paul said if he was to give all his goods to feed the poor and even gave his body to be burned to death, without love it would not profit him at all.  All the respect and honour he may receive from men would be worthless, and he would gain no heavenly position or reward from his torment.  Without God's love, all his giving and sacrifice would not benefit him at all.  He could save lives from starvation and sacrifice his own body with great pain, yet without love it would only mean loss.

It is amazing how the love of God in the life of a believer affects the words we speak, the things we do, and how we give.  Having received the love of God through the Gospel and the indwelling Holy Spirit, all Christians are able to walk in love towards all--even our enemies.  Not all have the same role in the church, and everyone does not share the same spiritual gifts, but we all are blessed to love God and love one another.  Loving others persuades others to consider Christ who first loved us, and though we may not be gifted in prophecy, we lack knowledge or faith, we are still useful servants of God by His love shown through us.  Because Jesus so loved us and lay down His life for our sakes, we benefit greatly presently and in the life to come by loving and serving others as we walk in His ways.  God's love guides us in the most excellent way to live. 

Thanks and Worship

Because we are people with needs and desires, we need to be intentional to express thankfulness to God.  If we are primarily focused on what we lack, we might not consider how God has always been faithful to meet our needs--regardless how we feel at the moment.  When we focus on what others have and we do not have, we can become bitter and without gratitude for all God has done for us.  Should we focus on what we have, we are easily lifted up with pride when our possessions exceed others or we can feel down when we have little by comparison.

I was reading through ministry material today that reminded me how thankfulness is worship.  When we worship God, freely giving Him the honour and glory He is due, it works to humble our hearts before God.  Those who humble themselves with thanksgiving and gratitude to God are those He will lift up.  We do not express gratitude to God with the aim to gain but with contentment and joy for who He is, all He has done and given us according to the riches of His grace.  What do we have that we did not first receive? (1 Corinthians 4:7)  How good it is for us give God the praise and thanks He is due!  In exalting the almighty God, we are encouraged in faith.  By proclaiming publicly what God has done for us privately, we delight to make Jesus our boast.

Psalm 100:4-5 exhorts God's people, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. ⁵ For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."  To know God by entering the Door--by grace through faith in Jesus--means to enter His kingdom and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy and peace, very sweet fruit indeed!  We have been thankful to people for kindness shown to us:  hasn't God's goodness and kindness to us been infinitely greater?  Shouldn't we thank God and bless His name because He is always good?  All the resources on this planet are limited and soon gone, yet God's mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 95:6 says, "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker."  How blessed we are to be called and chosen as children of God, the people of His pasture.  Our awesome God is good, and we ought to express our eternal gratitude every day.  As we bow our knees before our LORD God in adoration, may we thank Him with our lips from the heart.

Hearing and Doing

Have you ever given thought to what it would have been like to have lived during the season Jesus walked through Jerusalem and Israel with His disciples?  They were blessed to have heard Him teach, see the miracles He performed and know He was the promised Messiah and Son of God.  It would have been interesting for Joseph and Mary to have Jesus grow up as their son, and for your older brother to be the anointed One of God and to hear Him speak of repentance for sin and the kingdom of God.

After Jesus cast out a demon and gave insight concerning the spiritual realm as God who knows all things, Luke 11:27-28 says:  "And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!" ²⁸ But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"  Mary was blessed to be the mother of Jesus, for the angel Gabriel and her cousin Elisabeth said this before she gave birth (Luke 1:28 & 42).  Mary was blessed to bond with Jesus as His mother and see Him grow into a man, but Jesus said there was a greater blessing for anyone who heard the word of God and kept it.  Some would be content to merely identify with Jesus as a mother or brother, yet there is a more blessed relationship possible today with Jesus Christ by faith and obedience today.

This statement by Jesus that emphasised the blessed relationship people can have with Him followed on from a circumstance that occurred a couple chapters earlier.  After Jesus explained the Parable of the Sower to a great gathering, Luke 8:19-21 says:  "Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. ²⁰ And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You." ²¹ But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  Even as the seed that fell on good ground would sprout and bear much fruit, so those who hear the word of God will demonstrate having heard and believed God by obedience.  Their loyalties and convictions would be outwardly plain.  Jesus taught all who hear the word of God and keep it have a closer relationship to Him than His mother or brother related by blood.

A blessed relationship with God is freely offered by Jesus Christ who shed His blood to redeem sinners and adopt us into His own everlasting kingdom as beloved children.  Rather than wishing we could have been in Jesus' inner circle, by faith in Him we are new creations in whom the Spirit of Christ dwells (Romans 8:9).  Jesus likened the one who hears and obeys His words to a wise man who built his house upon the rock, and when the rains came and the winds blew it would stand firm.  Since He is our LORD, we ought to do as He says--and we are indeed blessed when we hear and obey Him.

Heeding and Receiving More

Jesus taught His disciples in Mark 4:23-25:  "Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. ²⁵ For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  This teaching is affirmed in a parable Jesus told of a master who delivered talents to his servants according to their ability, and while he was away two of his servants doubled the amount given while the lazy, wicked servant buried his talent in the ground.  It was given to the servant who had 10 talents, and it is wise management of resources to take away the talent from the lazy servant and give it to the one who had been faithful.

In this passage, Jesus taught those who hear Him--and the implication is to heed all He says--will be given more from Him.  Those who do not listen, however, what he has will be taken away from him.  In discussing this recently, I was reminded of an experience I had in a trade as an illustration of this principle.  When I ran a small crew on a jobsite, a new apprentice was sent to work who was the son of a current foreman in our shop.  He was young, arrogant and acted like he knew everything despite having no practical experience.  As a pre-apprentice I was taught the most important qualities for an apprentice was to arrive early, have a good attitude, and do what you were told.  I don't believe any of these had sunk in with this lad.

I took the apprentice to a wide open area of duct with the intention of giving him a little demonstration with tips that would help him.  I showed him the rolls of duct wrap, wire and tape.  He was bored with everything I said, assuming he knew what to do because his dad was a duct-wrapping legend.  I decided since this punk already knew everything, there was no use wasting my breath on giving him pointers and tips.  What followed was 30 minutes of tradie hilarity at his expense.  As I slammed on material like a well-oiled machine, from across the room I watched him struggle and fumble with the most basic things.  His wire was a tangled mess, his pieces of duct wrap insulation were hacked crooked with a dull knife, and because he did not consider the thickness of the material all the pieces were cut too short and wasted.

Finally, having been soundly beaten by his failure to successfully install one piece of insulation, he sheepishly came over and asked for help.  That's what I had been waiting for.  He was far more receptive to instruction the second time, and I showed him exactly what to do.  Whenever I had an apprentice who was eager to learn and put into practice my directives, I was much more apt to give more pointers, tricks and opportunities to do better work.  These quality apprentices were groomed to do finish work with an aim to retain them throughout their apprenticeship, continue to develop as journeyman and even run work as a foreman.  But lazy, late and arrogant apprentices would not be working for a local shop very long.  Journeymen were not interested to teach apprentices a valued skill who had no intention to learn.  Before long, even the job they had would be taken away.

My interaction with my apprentice illustrates how God speaks of the true riches of His kingdom in the Bible, He will be more inclined to say more to those who listen and are faithful to obey.  If we will not waste our words on those who are bored by them and will not obey them, should God do differently if we are bored by Him?  Those who value and treasure God and all He has to say will be given more from His word to understand.  God did this concerning Abraham in Genesis 18:17-19:  "And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, ¹⁸ since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? ¹⁹ For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."  God went on to converse with Abraham who believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness.  His faith in God was shown by his works, and the wise will walk humbly in his steps with our Saviour Jesus.

If we heed God much, more wisdom and responsibility will be given us from Him.  However if we refuse to heed what God has said, we ought not to expect to hear much from Him.  Our peace, joy and rest can be taken from us by circumstances of life.  The arrogant apprentice did one thing admirable that day worthy of emulation:  he humbled himself and came to me and asked for help.  If we are struggling and realise we need God's help, let us be those who come to Him humbly with intent to do all He says.