0527 A MORE EXCELLENT WAY

A MORE EXCELLENT WAY

 

Today we are going to talk about one of the most famous passages of Scripture in the Bible. The love chapter. 1 Cor 13.

 

In chapter 12 Paul had just been talking about how every gift is important, distributed by the Holy Spirit in order to build His body. He enumerated a word of wisdom, a word of knowledge, prophecy and other public speaking type gifts. All are important, and all are for building up the church, to equip and encourage the saints. 

 

And then when he has made his case and issued his challenge, Paul turns the corner and says, “I will show you a more excellent way.” This is the more excellent way for the church than is having a great preacher or highly gifted leadership. It’s not just about generating a professional program or running a food pantry in order to bring new people into the fold. It’s about WHY you do those things.

 

“If I speak in the tongues of men …

 

You might say the tongues of men is referring to those speaking gifts just listed. He is saying that the ones who speak in the gathering contribute nothing if they are not doing so with the right motive inside.

…or of angels, 

Paul is likely using this term as a way of categorizing speaking in tongues. What is the gift of tongues? I’ll tell you that I don’t think it is what we might call the language of heaven. The word ANGEL means MESSENGER. So any time that an angel is sent to earth, it is in order to deliver a clear message from God to people. So if you are thinking that people who speak in tongues are speaking in a language that only makes sense in heaven, I’ll just say that is unlikely. Though it does have a certain appeal, doesn’t it?

 

So, what IS speaking in tongues? Do you remember back in Acts 2 at Passover when the twelve were with a hundred or so others, and they were all praying together in one accord. Then there was the sound of a rushing wind, and tongues as of fire appeared over the heads of each person and they began to speak as the Spirit gave them words to say. People who had heard the sound of the mighty wind came running, and there they heard someone speaking in each person’s own language. They were each glorifying and praising God in a loud voice. Peter then got up and explained to the crowd that this was to fulfill prophecy and that it showed the Day of the Lord was at hand. This was the spirit of Jesus, whom they had crucified but whom God had raised from the dead. It convicted many there that day, and they asked what they should do, and Peter replied Repent and be baptized, each one of you, for the forgiveness of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. That was the first incident of speaking in tongues. Glossolalia in Greek. He mostly wants to limit the amount of tongues speaking in the church, since if just one person is speaking, it is likely most people in the room will not understand what is being said. In my spirit, perhaps I’m saying “Thank you Lord. Praise you for the blood of Jesus.” But if the actual words that are coming out are in Vietnamese, my words do not benefit most of the people in the room—except perhaps for the one visitor from Viet Nam who just happened to be in attendance to hear those words clearly in their own language. That would be something, wouldn’t it? Not that it hasn’t happened. But Paul is telling the church in Corinth that the majority are not edified by what is said since it is nonsense to them. So don’t be speaking in tongues in church, unless someone is there who will also interpret for the rest of the congregation.

but do not have love, 

Is it possible that you can do something profoundly spiritual, and yet not have love in your heart? Of course it is possible! We are humans, capable of saying anything while having at our core very selfish. So I can prophesy, I can give wise counsel, and I can do it without actually loving the person I am speaking to.

 

I suppose we would be wise to pause for a moment and be sure that we understand what the word LOVE is meaning here. We use the word love a lot of ways. I love hot chocolate. I love my neighbor. I love my wife. And I love God. But I don’t mean the same thing by the word each time, do I? I mean, I REALLY love hot chocolate! No. The word for LOVE is AGAPE, which refers, of course, to a sacrificial commitment to the good of another. God loved the world. Jesus loves me. I choose to serve instead of seeking my own way. This kind of love is a choice, not a feeling. This kind of love has nothing to do with me and what I get out of it, you might say. It is wholly absorbed into what is best for you. It is the strongest love.

 

Now, more likely is this: if I don’t have the strongest of love as my motive for saying something, I am probably not actually saying God’s best, truest words either. I have a little irritation in my voice or I’m rolling my eyes, or I talk a little too long, just to get my point across, you know? Here’s how Paul ended his sentence:

 

…I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 

Bong. Crash. Blah blah blah. I may as well be speaking in tongues if I have not love.

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. 

The gift of prophecy means I speak the very words of God to people. Fathoming all mysteries and all knowledge means I understand everything in the universe, which puts me on a level with Almighty God himself. Faith to move mountains, I have never known anyone with faith to literally do that. If I had that kind of faith, imagine what my prayers would accomplish? Put all these together, and I would be like Church Norris.

 

You know about Church Norris, right? 

Is Church Norris holy? Oh, yeah....

 Church Norris never says amen at the end of his prayers, because he never stops praying.

 When Church Norris tithes, he gives 110% to God.

 

Is Church Norris holy? Oh, yeah....

 Church Norris never sleeps; he lays prostrate before the Lord all night.

 No, those aren't shoes. Church Norris has glued holy ground to his feet.

 

Is Church Norris holy? Oh, yeah....

 Church Norris doesn't watch the weather forecast; he tells God what it will be.

 Church Norris knows Jesus Christ's middle name. It start with "H" but he can't tell you the rest, or he'd have to kill you.

Church Norris has seen BEFORE the Beginning.

 What do the pope, Billy Graham and Rick Warren have in common? They all preach from Church Norris sermon notes.

 

Is Church Norris holy? Oh, yeah....

 The devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking to get away from Church Norris.

Church Norris just prayed for you. That’s why you’re happy right now.

 

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. 

Notice how sacrificial and giving this person is: give away everything I own, give my body and blood for others, but if I don’t actually love them, it bought me no points. And if I don’t have love, all I have is what will I get out of this?

 

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:1-13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Faith. Because we don’t see God yet.

Hope. Because we can’t see what happens the other side of death.

Love. Why isn’t faith the greatest? Doesn’t that get you into heaven? Well, how do I know if I have faith? Because of what I do. I act as if I believed what God said, and as if I didn’t have to pursue my own agenda. I live for God and others, and that’s the most important thing I can do.