“When Giving Everything Means Nothing”
1 Corinthians 13:1-13(KJV)
1 John 3:18 (KJV)
28 January 2007
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
Presidio of Monterey (ORD Military Chapel)
Monterey California, 93940
BIG IDEA: On God’s Love Scale, if two Christians weigh-in and one has all of his CHRISTIAN WORKS combine with SACRIFICING AND GIVING-UP his CHIRSTIAN LIFE against another who ONLY HAS SINCERE CHRISTIAN LOVE in his HEART, the Christian with sincere love in his heart WEIGHS THE MOST.
References: Romans 12:1(KJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service; 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (KJV) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 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, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing; John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life; 1 Corinthians 16:1 (KJV) Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the curches of Galatia, evn so do ye.; Matthews 25:31-46 (KJV) The Parable of The Last Judgement (Jesus sets his seal on the grace of charity in his vivid parable fo the last assize.
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (KJV)
II. READ THE PERICOPE: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (KJV)
III. READ THE TEXT: 1 Corinthians 13:3 (KJV) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to sincerely love one another from the heart.
V. INTRODUCTION:
Paul says, …when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. The greatest of the three (faith, hope, and love) is LOVE.
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MOVE 1: My brothers and sisters, On God’s Love Scale, if two Christians weigh-in and one has all of his CHRISTIAN WORKS ….
a. … combined with SACRIFICING AND GIVING-UP his CHIRSTIAN LIFE …
b. …. against another who ONLY HAS SINCERE CHRISTIAN LOVE in his HEART, the Christian with sincere love in his heart WEIGHS THE MOST.
c. Love out weighs anything and everything we do.
d. For God so loved the word, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16);
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MOVE 2: Humankind has many and multiple expression of LOVE, because TO US love is fascinating.
a. It grips US and it moves US.
b. Love is the compendium of the heart.
c. It causes one to sally forth and another to do nothing.
d. Love is an emotion.
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MOVE 3: It’s responsible for one hearing the phrase, I love You over and over again;
a. And another being victimize, by physical or mental abuse, over and over and again. Love is quixotic;
b. It can be driven by romantic idealism.
c. It’s something we can feel and ultimately see or desire to see.
d. It’s something that humankind has always been fascinated with, but is yet UNABLE to master.
e. Theologians have tried to explain it, but words along doesn’t do it justice.
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MOVE 4: Our literary expressionist have have written thousands of books on love;
a. And we have produce an unbelievable number of movies, songs, and poems on the topic of LOVE.
b. Yet, in my humble opinion, we are today as far apart from God’s intent and definition of love as we have ever been.
c. As most of you can attest to, the New Testament is written in Greek, and in the Greek language the word LOVE is broken down into three parts:
d. The first part is Agape. It’s the strongest of the three.
e. It’s basically love that emanates or derives from God Himself.
f. When this love is sincerely connected to any of the others, it breaks barriers and builds and motivates individuals, communities, cities, states, and countries.
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MOVE 5: The second part is Eros. It’s the exotic version of love.
a. This is the love perhaps a man has for a woman and vice-versa.
b. It’s partly why man and woman, since creation has always been so fascinated with and attracted to one another.
d. It’s this lustful attraction called Eros that causes men heads to turn when a beautiful woman pass by.
e. This is the love that many exotic movies are made of.
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MOVE 6: The third part is Philos.
a. Philos when combined with AGAPE builds communities of people and fortifies cities, states, and countries.
b. It’s the love the City of Philadelphia’s name is taken from.
c. It means to have brotherly love or to love brotherly.
d. This is the love which causes the haves, in our society, to give to the have not (s). e. e. This is the LOVE which causes folk that don’t really know one another to sincerely care about one another.
f. This is the love combined with AGAPE which causes folk to want others to do well.
g. It’s observable, but yet emotional.
h. You can see it, and you can feel it.
i. You can tell when it’s full and you can see the consequences of emptiness.
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MOVE 7: The Greek writer writes, in Aesop Fables between 620 and 560 B.C.: No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
a. A great writer, by the name of John Allston, once said: the only thing you take with you when you’re gone is what you leave behind.
b. Saint Basil, the Bishop of Caesarea between 329 and 379, was quoted once as saying: A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.
c. Still, my brothers and sisters, it was Emily Dickinson (the great American poet) who said and I quote:
“If I can stop one Heart from breaking
I shall not live in vain
If I can ease one Life the Aching,
or cool one Pain,
Or help one fainting Robin
into his Nest again,
I shall not live in Vain.”
d. Finally, my brothers and sisters, it was our Lord and Savior, Jesus who said it best …
e. ...( In Matthew 7:12) when He said: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” In other words, TREAT others in the manner that you would want them to treat you.
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MOVE 8: In our Text this morning, we find that the greatest performance of love is in vain without love.
a. In other words, the Apostle Paul says to us this morning, in spite of all we do:
b. feeding the less fortunate on thanksgiving; giving of our personal funds to those in need;
c. providing temporary shelter to the homeless while teaching them to provide permanent shelter for themselves;
d. Visiting the sick in the hospitals and nursing homes; and working diligently in the church – OUR PERFORMANCES ARE IN VAIN WITHOUT SINCERE LOVE in our hearts.
e. Paul teaches us this morning that NOT ONLY are our performances IN VAIN, without sincere love, BUT all of our SUFFERINGS are also in vain WITHOUT SINCERE LOVE.
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MOVE 9: A closer peek at our text this morning reveals that Pastor Paul is writing to the Corinthian Church during a time when Christian Believers were often called upon TO NOT ONLY GIVE OF THEIR SUSTANCES, …
a. … BUT TO ALSO GIVE of THEIR BODIES FOR CHRIST SAKE.
b. For Christians were being persecuted for their FAITH in Christ.
c. The persecutors were gathering the believers and BURNING them alive because of their faith.
d. For who could ever forget Daniels three friends of the Old Testament: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo?
e. And how they stood up for what they believe, AND THEIR FAITH IN GOD, even to the point of PERSECUTION BY FIRE.
f. All because they refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar, the Old Testament, Saddam Huessein prototype
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MOVE 10: My brothers and sisters their FAITH WAS UNDER FIRE.
a. Still, they believe in Jehovah God and what Jehovah God stood for in spite of their circumstances.
b. You know the story, so I won’t belabor the point.
c. In the New Testament, the Romans persecution of Christians begin under Nero.
d. According to Biblical Historical Research, and the great fire of Rome, Nero like Nebuchadnezzar in the Old Testament, made a spectacle of Christians upon the confession of their faith.
e. Many were nailed to crosses and when night came they were burned to serve as lights by night.
f. For don’t you remember, Paul wrote to the Church and believers at Rome in Romans 12:1 … I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
g. Now, history teaches us that many believers gladly rendered their confession of their faith;
h. but In our scriptures today, Paul says even though the believers suffered in life and endured the most agonizing death.
i. It was in vain if they didn’t SINCERELY LOVE one another IN THE HEART.
j. My brothers and sisters, Paul in our text, was earnestly yearning for the church to love each other, to bear with each other, and to build each other up in Jesus name.
l. In other words, Paul says (1 Corinthian 13:3b) though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it avails me nothing.
*********************TAKE 5 BEATS*********************
CELEBRATION: When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
1 Cor 13:11-13 (KJV)
