LESSON: 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:5a

TITLE: THE COOPERATION OF LOVE

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INTRODUCTION:

Brown Paper Pete (1)

A cowboy walked into a bar and ordered a whisky. When the bartender delivered the drink, the cowboy asked, "Where is everybody?"

The bartender replied, "They've gone to the hanging."

"Hanging? Who are they hanging?"

"Brown Paper Pete," the bartender replied.

"What kind of a name is that?" the cowboy asked.

"Well," said the bartender, "he wears a brown paper hat, brown paper shirt, brown paper trousers, and brown paper shoes."

"How bizarre," said the cowboy. "What are they hanging him for?"

"Rustling," said the bartender.

  1. Now that's what I call true community cooperation.

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MAIN BODY

  1. We are called to cooperation.

    1. We are invited to a cooperative relationship with Jesus Christ.

      1. Matthew 11:28-30 (NRSV)

        1. "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. {29} Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. {30} For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

        2. The yoke is a symbol of cooperation.

      2. Matthew 18:19-20 (NRSV)

        1. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. {20} For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."

        2. Cooperation is characterized by agreement.

    2. The word agree in the Bible is soom-fo-neh'-o

      1. You know, do you not, what English word is derived from this Greek one.

      2. Symphony

        1. It is word which beautifully describes the spirit of agreement and cooperation.

          1. Different talents

          2. Different instruments

        2. Agree on one piece of music

        3. Agree to play together

          1. With the purpose of fulfilling the conductor's understanding of the purpose of the composer.

      3. When a symphony does not play together there is chaos.

    3. What happens in the congregation when there is dissension and disagreement?

      1. This is of deep concern to the writer.

      2. 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 (NRSV)

        1. Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.

        2. {11} For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.

        3. {12} What I mean is that each of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ."

        4. {13} Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

      3. The dissension and disagreement were having their effect.

        1. The community was becoming a laughing stock.

        2. Little of significance was being accomplished.

    4. Does that describe the situation of Christianity today?

      1. There are those who believe that there way is the only way.

      2. If you do not follow their way, well?

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  1. Is it possible that the solution stares us in the face, but we are not able to see it or willing to embrace it.

    1. It does not fit with the scientific method.

    2. It calls us to cooperative relationship based on mutual love

    3. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude, (1 Corinthians 13:4b-5a, NRSVA)

  2. There are some words and concepts that we ought to think about

    1. Envious = ENVY = A feeling of discontent and resentment aroused by contemplation of another's desirable possessions or qualities, with a strong desire to have them for oneself.

      1. Joseph and his coat of many colors.

        1. He did flaunt it, at least somewhat.

          1. He did talk about his dreams of the Sun, Moon and Stars and Shocks of Wheat.

        2. They threw him down a well and then sold him into slavery.

      2. There isn't that much difference between that story and what is happening today on the streets of our cities.

        1. The child had a Los Angeles Raiders jacket

        2. He was killed because someone else wanted it for himself.

      3. If it is not violence of the physical kind, it may be violence of the psychological kind.

      4. The envious will not cooperate because they are so desirous of what they do not have that they will often resort to violence to acquire it.

    2. Boastful = BOAST = To brag about one's own accomplishments, talents, or possessions. An expression of vanity. Bragging, implies exaggerated claims.

      1. There is a Peanuts comic strip in which Linus is listening carefully as his sister, Lucy, boasts about her religious faith and her potential as an evangelist.

She says to Linus: I could be a terrific evangelist. Do you know that kid who sits behind me in school? I convinced him that my religion is better than his religion.

Linus asks: How did you do that?

Lucy replies: I hit him with my lunch box.

      1. We find different ways to boast about who are and what we have acquired.

        1. My way is better than your way.

        2. My ideology is superior to your ideology.

        3. There is no room for class pride or party strife.

      2. The boastful person has no room for another.

      3. There is only room for one.

      4. How can there be cooperation, when the boaster only desires to be accepted for his boastfulness?

    1. Arrogant = ARROGANCE = Overly convinced of one's own importance, proud, haughty

      1. Puffed up like puffed wheat or rice.

        1. Van Brodie Milling Co., Clinton, MA

        2. Company where they make puffed wheat.

        3. They use a cannon with high pressure and heat.

        4. the wheat kernels simply explode.

      2. Thinking of yourself more highly than you ought to think.

        1. Thinking of yourself as you think others ought to think.

        2. Others ought to be able to see my value, my worth.

        3. Others ought to be able to appreciate who and what I am.

      3. This is like playing God.

      4. There is no room in this life for any kind of cooperation, unless it is to accept the other. Without reservations.

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    1. Rude = RUDE = Lacking in the social graces; Ill mannered, uncivil, discourteous

      1. Darylen Cote, "Whiners, know-it-alls and steamrollers! Working with people who drive you crazy," ptotoday.com/0803whiner.html. Retrieved October 13, 2005.

        1. Darylen Cote cites Brinkman and Kirschner who identify 10 different types of people and their response under pressure. Note whiners at the end:

The Steamroller (or Tank): Aggressive and angry. Victims can feel paralyzed, as though they've been flattened.

The Sniper: The Sniper's forte is sarcasm, rude remarks and eye rolls. Victims look and feel foolish.

The Know-It-All: Wielding great authority and knowledge, Know-It-Alls do have lots to offer, are generally competent, and can't stand to be contradicted or corrected. But they will go out of their way to correct you.

The Grenade: Grenades tend to explode into uncontrolled ranting that has little, if anything, to do with what has actually happened.

The Think They Know It All: A cock-sure attitude often fools people into believing their phony "facts."

The Yes Person: Someone who wants to please others so much that she never says no.

The Maybe Person: Procrastinating, hoping to steer clear of choices that will hurt feelings, he avoids decisions, causing plenty of frustration along the way.

The Blank Wall (or Nothing Person): This person offers only a blank stare, no verbal or nonverbal signals.

The No Person: He spreads gloom, doom and despair whenever any new ideas arise, or even when old ones are recycled. The No Person saps energy from a group in an amazingly short time.

The Whiner: Whiners feel helpless most of the time and become overwhelmed by the unfairness of it all. They want things to be perfect, but nothing seems to go right. Whiners want to share their misery.

        1. These are truly rude people.

      1. Rude people will not cooperate.

      2. They are number 1

      3. Everyone else is of a lesser value.

  1. If we could eliminate envy, boasting, arrogance, and rudeness, then perhaps we could create the just society.

    1. It is these negative qualities that leads to the dissension and disintegration of society.

    2. These negative qualities are so dominant that only God may help to modify or remove them.

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CONCLUSION:

  1. We could find a way to love and cooperation.

    1. We do have a way.

      1. Matthew 11:28-30 (NRSV)

        1. "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. {29} Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. {30} For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

        2. The yoke is a symbol of cooperation.

      2. Matthew 18:19-20 (NRSV)

        1. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. {20} For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."

        2. Cooperation is characterized by agreement.

    2. The word agree in the Bible is sumphoneo.

      1. You know, do you not, what English word is derived from this Greek one.

      2. Symphony

        1. It is word which beautifully describes the spirit of agreement and cooperation.

          1. Different talents

          2. Different instruments

        2. Agree on one piece of music

        3. Agree to play together

          1. With the purpose of fulfilling the conductor's understanding of the purpose of the composer.

          2. Remaining true to the vision of the composer.

1. Pastor Tim [posts@cybersaltlists.org]

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