When Love is Not There (day 1) 1 Corinthians 13

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Oh, the American dream is, boy, do the best you can. Boy, get more money this year than last and accomplish these great and mighty things. Yet Solomon long ago said it wisely. It’s all vanity. It’s just soap bubbles. It’s passing away. Did you really think it was a big deal? The thing that’s lasting is what you will do in the lives of people. The thing that’s lasting and the remembrances that will mean the most and help the most are what you do. in showing the love of God to other people.

SPEAKER 02 : 0:55

Well, it’s a blessing to have you with us on Hope for Today. And on this broadcast, we’re starting a special series in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 13. You might know this as the great love chapter. And we’re calling the series, Love is the Greatest. The book of 1 Corinthians was written to a church filled with gifts, energy, and activity, but also division, pride, serious spiritual problems. And right in the middle of it, God places 1 Corinthians chapter 13. Listen, this chapter cuts through the noise and exposes what’s missing when love is not there. Well, join us as we begin this important study of 1 Corinthians 13 on Hope for Today. First, we also want to encourage you to get David’s book titled Love is the Greatest. Love is the Greatest for your personal study and a print recording of all the lessons on godly love that we’ll be learning in this special series on 1 Corinthians 13. And the book even includes extra material that we won’t have time to include here on radio. The book, Love is the Greatest, just $15. And you can order by phone at 1-800-75-BIBLE in the U.S. or in Canada, 888-75-BIBLE. Or visit our website, order online, davidhawking.org. That’s davidhawking.org to get your copy. And here’s David.

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1 Corinthians chapter 13. Our subject is when love is not there. Let’s read these three verses together and may God bless and encourage our hearts with his word. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity or love, I am become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 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. 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. We mentioned at the end of chapter 12 that verse 31 is a key verse in this whole section of 12, 13, and 14. So would you look at it again? He said, but I show you, yet I show you a more excellent way. Let me read the whole verse. Covet earnestly the best gifts. We showed you from the grammar that it’s not a command as it reads in the English. It is a declaration, a statement of fact. It is not commending them. It is stating what was going on in this carnal church. You are desiring greater gifts, that which would be in the spiritual limelight, that which would seem more important. And they were desiring them and coveting them. But God has another way. Many of us in our search to know what our gifts might be can overlook what we desperately need. We desperately need the love of God much more than we need to know what our gifts are. The gifts are given and worked by the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. We don’t have to help the Holy Spirit out. He’s God. We just have to be careful about grieving him and quenching him. The truth of the matter is that God’s love is a more excellent way. That little phrase, a more excellent way, tells us, first of all, that God’s love is a lifestyle. It’s not simply a momentary act or feeling. Sometimes you can meet somebody and you experience what people often call vibes and chemical responses or emotional feelings. And right away you think that’s love. God’s love is a lifestyle. It goes on and on. It’s there all the time. It’s not for the moment. The second thing that we learn when he says it’s a more excellent way, that’s the Greek word that we have in English, hyperbole, which means an exaggeration, not to the point of lying, but the point of emphasis. And that means that God’s love is greater than anything that you and I might pursue. Boy, it takes a long time in life to understand that, doesn’t it? Many of us pursue what we think is important when we’re younger. We have expectations of what we want to do and accomplish. And as many sociologists say, we only wind up living to the point of the death of those expectations. It’s easy to want something so badly, never to get it, and then to think that life has treated you poorly because you actually missed the whole point. To love people is far more and worth more than accomplishing anything that you might set as a standard for success. Oh, the American dream is, boy, do the best you can. Boy, get more money this year than last and accomplish these great and mighty things. Yet Solomon long ago said it wisely, it’s all vanity. It’s just soap bubbles. It’s passing away. Did you really think it was a big deal? The thing that’s lasting is what you will do in the lives of people. The thing that’s lasting and the remembrances that will mean the most and help the most are what you do in showing the love of God to other people. We need God’s love. It’s greater than anything else. It’s a more excellent, fully exaggerated, it’s a hyperbole to say the least. And a third thing that I like about that last phrase, I show you a more excellent way, and this is encouraging, is that God’s love can be seen and understood. It isn’t what a lot of people think, kind of some ethereal gas floating through the air that strikes you every now and then. No, that isn’t what the Bible teaches. This love of God can be seen, can be understood. And that’s why the Lord takes time in the whole chapter here, 13 verses, to tell us what it’s all about. Now, by way of introduction, the Greek language has four words for love, and that’s important to understand. We use it rather loosely. We say, I love ice cream, I love my dog, I love my wife. Let’s hope they’re not all the same, okay? But we use the same word all the time. But the Greek language had different words for love. Actually, in their compound forms, we could make a whole long list. But let’s just take the big four. We have, first of all, sexual love. Sexual love is the Greek word eros, which does not appear in the Bible. But interestingly, sexual love does. But see, God can’t look at it in the erotic, crass, and carnal ways our world sees it. When he talks about sexual love, it’s beautiful, it’s romantic, it’s lasting, it’s fully satisfying, and it ministers to the heart of the individual. We have also the matter of family love. It’s a Greek word, storge. It is used in the New Testament, usually in a compound form like Romans 12.10. Be kindly affectionate one to another. A storge was used by the Greeks among animals as well as among families. It’s the love of a parent for a child. And family love is important. In sexual love, you have a sense of intimacy, whether right or wrong. And in family love, you have a sense of belonging. And think of how many kids are raised in homes where they’re treated poorly, or they don’t even have the presence of a mother and father to love them and to train them and to teach them. And so their sense of belonging is weak. And so gangs look pretty attractive, don’t they? You see, I think we need to understand the needs that are in people’s hearts that God’s love can meet. There’s sexual love, there’s family love, and a big one in the Bible is friendship love. And interestingly, God has it for us. We have our city, Philadelphia, city of brotherly love. Adelphos in Greek, brother, phile, is the word friend. Friendship love. If sexual love gives you a sense of intimacy and family love a sense of belonging, friendship love gives you a sense of value and worth. And we need friends. The Bible teaches that. And there’s a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Certainly the Lord is that, but the proverb is referring about somebody in this life. Isn’t it wonderful to have somebody that loves you even though they really know what you’re like? Amen? And how important that is to live with that person in marriage and understand that they have now invaded your space. Hello? Two people trying to act like they’re having a good time and learning to live together. There is friendship love, and it’s very important. Most people counsel folks who are going to get married and say, you’ve got to learn to be friends first. That’s wise counsel. And there’s a lot in the Bible about friendship. But the fourth kind of love is the one we’re interested in. I like to just call it spiritual love. Agape love. If sexual love gives you a sense of intimacy and family love a sense of belonging and friendship love a sense of value and worth, what does spiritual love give you? And after examining this over many, many years and even writing a book about it, it seems to me that it gives you a sense of security. God loves you no matter what. And I’ve learned about myself and others that there’s some big time stinkers in the world. Amen. There’s some awful people that go to church. Hello. And maybe you’re sitting next to one of them. And you know what I like to say about that. If you knew what was in the heart of the person sitting next to you, you would move. Thank God it’s covered under the grace and mercy and love of our Lord. So spiritual love is what we want to talk about, that sense of security. And if you’re still with me, just to open our hearts a little bit to his love, let me give you five things about how secure God’s love is, just to set you up for what you’re going to read. First of all, it is unending. How many relationships we’ve had that have shut down at some point? They quit, they stopped. God’s love is unending. In this same chapter that we’re studying now, 1 Corinthians 13, look at verse 8. It says, love, charity, never faileth. It’s actually a double negative in Greek. Might be bad English, but it’s good Greek. Never at any time under any circumstance will ever fail. Wouldn’t it be great to have something like that? It never fails at all. It’s unending. It’s eternal. Jeremiah 31.3 says, I’ve loved you with an everlasting love. Has no end to it. It goes on and on forever and ever. And God is that. God is eternal. And God is love. Everything that he does is loving in every way, shape, and form. Secondly, it’s not only unending, it’s unconditional. What a wonderful God we have. In 1 Peter 4, 8, have fervent love among yourselves because love covers a multitude of sins. In Proverbs 17, 9, when we love, we don’t try to expose somebody’s sin and faults. We try to cover their transgressions. And the Bible’s very clear. God loved us when we didn’t care anything about him. While we were yet sinners, says Romans 5.8, Christ died for us. He loved you when you didn’t give a thought about him. God’s love is totally unconditional as well as unending. But I like to say it’s also unusual. God’s love is unusual. Why? Well, you know, it seems to me that most of us We demand a response in order to enjoy our love. I love you if. You know, I was preaching at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, California, for the pastor who was gone. And I preached all the three morning services. And at the last service, I was out greeting people. And this man walked in who I’d never met before in my life. And he walked right up to me and he says, I don’t like you. That’s what he said. I didn’t know what to do, so I said, well, after that, I’m not real fond of you either. And I later called him and apologized for that remark. But you know, it’s funny, isn’t it? Somebody comes up and says, oh, I just love you with all my heart. And you think, I’ll give you 30 minutes to stop this. We love those who love us. And when somebody doesn’t, we check them off. I don’t need you. I’m out of here. Aren’t you glad God isn’t like that? God’s love is very unusual. I think the primary thing that makes it unusual, although we could go on and on about it, is 1 John 3, 17 and 18, where he concludes, let’s not love just in word or in tongue, but in deed and truth. You know, this love does things. It doesn’t just feel things. Here’s another big hypocritical doctrine held by a lot of people in our society. Well, I have to feel it first. No, you don’t. No, you have to obey God. See, we always put the cart before the horse. Well, if I feel like loving you, I might be loving. Oh, we will wait with abated breath for that moment in which you feel love. Are you kidding? God’s love acts and does what needs to be done no matter what you feel. And the truth of the matter is God rewards the obedience with that feeling you were looking for. Kind of interesting. God’s love is totally unusual. It is also uplifting. I like that. 1 Corinthians 8.1, we already read it. That knowledge puffs up, but love what? It edifies. It uplifts. It builds a person up. So this love of God that we’re going to study, we need to understand what it’s like. It’s not like normal reactions that people have that say, that’s love, brother. Is it really? Is it uplifting? Does it build you up? And just one more. It’s also very unselfish. God’s love is unselfish. He loved us and we didn’t care anything about us but care about him. But 1 John 3.16 says, in this is love, not that we love God. But he loved us. And 1 John 3.16 says, Laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. I don’t know how many people read that and think it’s talking about being a martyr for a good cause. But the word life there is not referring to physical life. It’s the word soul in Greek. Lay down your soul is something else. That means it’s unselfish. You’re not thinking about what you want, but you’re thinking about what the other person might need. That’s God’s love. Well, we all want it. Amen? I need that love. Don’t you need that love? Trust me, you do. Amen? It’d be good to say amen. It’s hard to say amen when something’s negative. You need God’s love. Amen? We all need that, desperately. And I think it’s fascinating that when you start to study it in 1 Corinthians 13, he begins with what it’s like without it. That’s how he does it. Now take a look at your Bibles and look at how 13 is organized. I think it’s somewhat obvious in English, but it’s very clear in Greek. There are three paragraphs. The first one is the one we’re studying now, verses 1 to 3. It basically shows us that God’s love is necessary for all that we say and do, and that without it, it becomes meaningless and empty. It’s not an option. It’s not a creative alternative for a few super saints. God’s love is essential. And it’s for all of us. In the second paragraph, it’s verses 4, where he starts out describing that love, down to the end of verse 7. And in this paragraph, it really shows us how God’s love is different from normal or natural human responses. You’re going to find in that section, when we get to it, a little bit of uncomfortability, I think I would call it. I know every time I study it in the Greek language, I get more uncomfortable because it’s really powerful. For instance, when it says not easily provoked, the word easily isn’t in the text at all. It’s never provoked. Oh boy, I stand guilty. How about you? It’s easy to be provoked by the slightest little turn of events or a little thing said by somebody. We need God’s love. In that section, verses 4 to 7, here’s our words. God’s love is explained. Explained in great detail, I might add. First, God’s love is essential. Second, God’s love is explained. And then in verses 8 to 13, where it starts out, love never fails and winds up saying the greatest of these is love. It shows that God’s love is greater than spiritual gifts, and greater than faith and hope, greater than anything. So let’s put it down. God’s love is exalted. Boy, is God exalted. He magnifies it beyond our ability to even understand what it is. It surpasses knowledge, said Paul in Ephesians 3, verse 19. It’s greater than any human comprehension, and we desperately need to know his love.

SPEAKER 02 : 19:13

That’s Bible teacher and author David Hawking, and this is Hope for Today. David will be back in a few moments to put the final touches on today’s study in 1 Corinthians 13, so stay right there. First, Matt’s here, and we’re going to tell you about this month’s special Bible study bundle. This is incredible. Matt, let’s talk about it.

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The Old Testament Message Series Sermon Notes Outlines is our bundle package this month.

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This is a pack of David Hawking’s sermon notes and outlines for each message in the 35 series he has taught over the years in the Old Testament.

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And I love these because the notes are already written down for you. Now, you can add some of your own, of course, but the essential and crucial points are all there for you.

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And what a tremendous tool for reviewing any Old Testament series we feature on radio or that you might watch in our website media center or that you might purchase. Yeah, let’s take a look at a couple of samples.

SPEAKER 01 : 20:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER 02 : 20:05

Matt, I’ve got one here from your dad’s series in the book of Job. Message number 12 in Job, bad comfort, more pain. I love that title. But again, these are where Job’s friends are being anything but helpful. And five key points in the message. Job proclaims the inability of his friends to understand. And boy, they did not understand his loss of hope and his cries before God. All these points are outlined with the verses that they apply to. Again, cross-references, illustrations, and definitions. Folks, if you hear the series in Job, for example, and you have these study notes, all the key lessons are saved for you. And there’s room down the side to add your own notes. Right.

SPEAKER 01 : 20:47

You know, my dad did the same thing in Exodus, the need for godly leaders. He divides them up into points. It’s amazing. Each one will really help you develop, whether it’s a problem in your church, a problem in your life, it’s all here. What you just read is from your dad’s series in Exodus. Yes, Exodus, right.

SPEAKER 02 : 21:01

These study notes, folks, are powerful. And again, listeners tell us these are so helpful in following along as your dad teaches. It’s God’s word. Enhancing understanding, saving what you’ve learned, and sharing it with others. Order the Old Testament Message Series Sermon Notes Bundle. Sermon notes and outlines for 35 Old Testament teaching series by David Hawking.

SPEAKER 01 : 21:21

And the special price? Just $75. You know, the sermon notes help you capture the lessons, applications, and encouragement from Old Testament studies in a comprehensive but concise format. And if you’re listening to David teach, they are an outstanding aid to help you follow along. And again, the sermon outlines and notes bundle for all of my dad’s Old Testament teaching series is just $75.

SPEAKER 02 : 21:42

To receive your copy of this powerful study bundle, call us in the U.S. at 875-BIBLE, in Canada at 888-75-BIBLE, or visit us online at davidhawking.org. And again, this is a special priced bundle package of David Hawking’s sermon notes and outlines from 35 of his Old Testament message series. That includes his study of Genesis, the book of Joshua, Minor Profits, and so much more. Again, 35 altogether. And these sermon outlines, they are so great for helping you get the most out of the radio series that we have, but also your own personal study. It includes notes, again, from 35 different series, and it’s available for the special package price of $75, and that’s just a little over $2 per series. Reach out today to get yours. And if the Lord has used this ministry in your life, would you prayerfully consider sending a special donation to help support Hope for Today? Or perhaps become a regular monthly supporter of Hope for Today? Call us at 800-75-BIBLE in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. You can even automate the process and contribute as long as you like. If you prefer to give by mail, write to Hope for Today, Box 3927. Tustin, California, 92781. In Canada, write to Hope for Today, Box 15011, RPO 7 Oaks, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 8P1. Your support enables us to continue teaching the Word of God clearly and faithfully. And thanks for whatever you can send our way and joining with us in ministry. As promised, here again is David.

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Well, friends, we’re just delighted to bring you a special series on the greatest chapter of love that the world has ever read and ever heard about. And that’s 1 Corinthians 13. And I hope this will bless you in a wonderful way. Just reading the opening words, when it says, Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. Now, the word charity, of course, is the word agape, the word for love. God loves us with phileo love, friendship love, as well as agapao, meaning he loves us with a sacrificial, unconditional love as well. Agape or agapao does not need a response in order to function. God commended his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. So that love is sacrificial. 1 John 4 says, And this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. My friends, God loves us. That is what the Bible teaches. He hates the workers of iniquity, so don’t think that he doesn’t have that emotion as well, because he does, that we were made in his image. But God’s love is extensive and widespread. The Bible says, 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. Even in the believer’s life, the Holy Spirit who comes to indwell the believer upon his being born again That Holy Spirit produces fruit in our life that we desperately need, the first of which is stated in Galatians 5.22, to be love. I hope you can be with us for this whole series. God bless you.

SPEAKER 02 : 25:40

Thank you, David. And friend, if you missed any part of today’s message or perhaps a recent broadcast and you’d like to listen, you can do that online at our website, davidhawking.org. There you can access this broadcast and follow our study through 1 Corinthians 13 at your own pace. Well, tomorrow we continue our series in this book again in 1 Corinthians 13 as we deal with some real issues facing the church, unity, spiritual maturity, godly conduct, and what it really means to live out the love of God through your heart and through your life. Join us as we open up 1 Corinthians 13 again tomorrow on Hope for Today.