January 28, Annual Church Meeting and Potluck Dinner, Ecumenical Sunday

Lesson: 1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:2

Sermon Title: Love Is Not A Workout

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Nearly Finished (1)

On Sunday morning. New Year's Day, 2006, a drunk wandered into the back of a church during the sermon.

"How long has the pastor been preaching?" he asked an usher.

"About 30 years," the usher replied.

"Well then I think I'll just stay" the drunk said. "He must be nearly finished."

INTRODUCTION:

I'm Nobody! Who are you? (288), Emily Dickinson

I'm Nobody! Who are you?
Are you--Nobody--Too?
Then there's a pair of us?
Don't tell! they'd advertise--you know!
How dreary--to be--Somebody!
How public--like a Frog--
To tell one's name--the livelong June--
To an admiring Bog!

XXX

Episode of All In the Family

Gloria is screaming at her mother Edith.

You never stand up for yourself.

Dad always gets his way.

You are something.

No you are only a half something.

No you are nothing.

Edith is deeply wounded.

Is she a nothing?

Edith asks Archie if she is a nothing.

He replies, with a sly smile on his face, "Yes."

  1. Who wants to be nothing?

    1. We resent that designation.

    2. I am not nothing.

  2. I am somebody.

    1. I am always trying to be somebody!

    2. I am always attempting to prove that I am somebody!

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MAIN BODY:

  1. The Apostle Paul reveals the differences between a Nobody, a Nothing, and a Somebody.

    1. The contrasts are to be found in the second verse of First Corinthians.

    2. Paul is not opposed to prophesying, the understanding of mysteries, the development of knowledge, or the power of faith.

      1. These traits or accomplishments are necessary for the productive development of the Church.

      2. These are all valuable traits for the growth of the members of a congregation.

  2. If I have prophetic powers, but do not have love, I am nothing.

    1. Prophetic powers.

      1. The gift of speaking as God's messenger

      2. Passing along information from God to humanity.

      3. Bob Hulteen, in a magazine article "Once a Millennium" (2) wrote:

Within the Christian tradition, rarely is a concept more misunderstood than prophecy. Unfortunately, this misinterpretation wreaks havoc on our society in the form of doomsday soothsayers, apocalyptic dreamers and militant revolutionaries.

The crux of the misunderstanding is this: Prophecy is not the result of seeing into the future. Instead, prophecy is the faithful declaration of the implications of current actions on the future, with the hope of having an impact on both.

For instance, one need not be a rocket scientist to figure out that increasing economic inequities lead to social dissolution and fragmentation. So someone with the courage to say that wealth accumulation leads to the destruction of community, and that the result will be a future awash in violence, isn't looking into a crystal ball. They're simply sensitive to inevitabilities.

      1. Prophecy is speaking for the mind and intentions of God.

    1. You can do this and still be nothing.

      1. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke about self-deception.

      2. He said:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers,' (Matthew 7:21 through Matthew 7:23, NRSVA).

      1. I never knew you.

  1. If I understand all mysteries, but do not have love, I am nothing.

In the words of the hymn Be Still My Soul written by Katharina A. von Schleel,

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

    1. All now mysterious shall be known at last.

    2. In Ephesians 3:8-10 (NRSV) Paul writes:

Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

    1. You can become a world famous GURU

    2. I may have the capacity to be the vehicle of truth, yet the truth may pass through me without affecting character or life-style.

    3. In this case I am nothing.

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  1. If I understand all knowledge, but do not have love, I am nothing

    1. Knowing is not enough.

    2. You must be able to practically apply knowledge and thus acquire wisdom.

      1. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1.18-:

18For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written,

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."

20Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

      1. This lack of knowledge, wisdom is well-illustrated by the parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

1"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' 10And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' 12But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' 13Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour, (Matthew 25:1 through Matthew 25:13, NRSVA).

    1. I do not know you

  1. If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

    1. As the Interpreter's Bible notes:

      1. "The reference of the apostle in this passage is not to faith in Christ as a Savior, but to that special faith in a special promise which was the means of enabling the possessor to perform great marvels-in the figurative language of scripture, to remove mountains.

      2. To be able to remove mountains may be a figure of speech for removing difficulties.

    2. There are many who claim to be able to help you to remove difficulties.

    3. It takes a great deal of wisdom to able to discern the true from the false.

  2. There is one thing more that we need to understand.

    1. That is the Nothing part.

    2. Nothing is related to Knew/Know

      1. This is the word that is used by Jesus to refer to those who prophesied in his name.

      2. This refers to the Five Foolish Bridesmaids.

    3. In Strongs Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries First Edition, Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 1998, Parsons Technology, Inc. Strong, James (1822-1894) the word is ånäù (eidoô - i'-do

A primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent, G3700 and G3708; properly to see (literally or figuratively); by implication (in the perfect only) to know:--be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) known (-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wist, wot. Compare G3700.

      1. It means to see.

      2. If I do not see you, you are not known.

      3. If you are not known you are nothing.

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  1. I am nothing.

    1. I am something; I am someone

    2. You can be something, someone, and still be nothing.

    3. Nothing is not nothing.

      1. Nothing is something, but it is still nothing.

      1. Nothing = worthless, meaningless, invalid.

  2. Who decides the difference between nothing and something.

    1. We can attempt to make that decision.

    2. How can I become a something?

    3. There are a lot of people seeking to be something.

    4. Something is sought through the exercise of personal or corporate power.

      1. One of our needs is the need for power.

      2. Working out can be a metaphor for developing power.

        1. The advantages may include

          1. reduces stress.

          2. Helps to maintain weight

          3. builds muscle

          4. develops flexibility

        2. Becoming more physically powerful.

        3. Power is about taking control

        4. It is about developing the power to be recognized.

          1. Growing up with Charles Atlas ads in comic books.

            1. Kicking sand in the face.

            2. 98 lb weakling.

            3. loss of face and female companionship.

          2. Working out created muscle which allowed one to meet the challenge of the bully.

      3. Working out is not only physical.

        1. It may also be mental, psychological, or even theological.

      4. We do not want to think of ourselves as being powerless.

        1. We are constantly engaged in large or small power struggles.

      5. The outcome of power struggles is inconclusive and dissatisfying.

        1. You may be able to defeat me, but what have you proven, except your power to defeat.

        2. You have said or done nothing to change me.

      6. The corrupting influence of power can negatively impact other people and ourselves.

  3. Any something, without love, is nothing.

    1. Remember nothing is = worthless, meaningless, invalid.

    2. We can become something in the eyes of humanity.

    3. All of the things we use to become something can be taken away.

  4. God offers us an alternative that allows us to be something, not only now, but for eternity.

    1. Love is not a source of power to be used to gain dominance over anything.

    2. We know a lot about the use of power, but not a lot about the use of love.

    3. Love is that which allows the person to use power in creative and constructive ways.

      1. Love inhibits the destructive use of power.

      2. Love encourages the constructive use of power, not for the individual, but for the other person.

        1. There are so many examples, biblical and otherwise.

        2. Galatians 5:13-15 (NRSV)

          1. For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. {14} For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." {15} If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

        3. James 2:8-12 (NRSV)

          1. You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." {9} But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. {10} For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. {11} For the one who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. {12} So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.

        4. Romans 13:8-10 (NRSV)

          1. Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. {9} The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, "Love your neighbor as yourself." {10} Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

      3. Love is a principle of relationship.

      4. The relationship is between two intelligent and conversing beings.

      5. The relationship is for the purpose of spiritual growth.

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CONCLUSION:

  1. Wayne Rice (3) reminds us of an ancient parable which tells of an ugly man who wanted to win the heart of a beautiful girl.

because the man's face was severely disfigured, he had a mask made that gave him the appearance of a handsome man--

and he vowed never to take it off.

He eventually won the heart of the beautiful girl, and they were married.

Years later, his wife ventured to ask him if he'd remove the mask.

She could have demanded that he take off the mask.

She could have told him that if he didn't take off the mask, she was going to leave him.

Who want's to live with a man, or woman, who wears a mask?

There is a way in which we all do .

Fearfully, yet out of love for his wife, he did.

When the mask came off, he found that his face, no longer disfigured, had taken the handsome appearance of the mask.

  1. I know, there are a lot of questions raised by this story.

    1. These are questions that are not germane to the use of the illustration.

    2. We are illustrating the actions of love.

But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

      1. It is true.

      2. Without love we are nothing.

Amen!

1. 2007 January Humor Joyful Noiseletter

2. Bob Hulteen, "Once a Millennium," Sojourners, July-August 1998, 65.

3. Wayne Rice, "Spirituality Is Not Spontaneous," Youthworker, Spring 1993, p. 52.

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