Tough Love
May 8 - 1 Corinthians 13.4-8a
Open It
What to you is an unmistakable demonstration of love?
Who is the most loving person you know? Why do you think so?
What qualities do you associate with love?
Explore It
What makes speaking in tongues, faith, generosity, and even martyrdom worthless? (13:1-3)
How could a person use spiritual gifts in a useless manner? (13:1-3)
What do we gain if we don't have love? (13:3)
Why is love important? (13:3)
What qualities does love have? (13:4-8)
Why will prophecy, tongues, and knowledge pass away? (13:8-9)
How will we be different when we see Christ? (13:10-12)
What is our spiritual imperfection like? (13:11)
How do adults and children act and reason differently? (13:11)
How will our knowledge of God change when we see Christ? (13:12)
What is the greatest of all gifts? (13:13)
Get It
Why do you think Paul wrote about love to the Corinthians?
Why might it be easy to use a spiritual gift without love?
How can a person demonstrate love?
How should Christians demonstrate love for each other?
In what practical ways can you show a love that never fails?
How did Jesus exemplify love?
When have you received the love described in this passage?
What is difficult about loving?
Apply It
What will help you to remember to use your gifts in a loving way?
How could you show love to a difficult person this week?
Notes
1 Corinthians 13:1ff: In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul gave evidence of the Corinthians' lack of love in the utilization of spiritual gifts; 1 Corinthians 13 describes real love; and 1 Corinthians 14 shows how love works. Love is more important than all the spiritual gifts exercised in the church body. Great faith, acts of dedication or sacrifice, and miracle-working power produce very little without love. Love makes our actions and gifts useful. Although people have different gifts, love is available to everyone.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7: Our society confuses love and lust, love and like, and love and hate. Unlike lust, God's kind of love is directed outward toward others, not inward toward ourselves. It is utterly unselfish. This kind of love goes against our natural inclinations. It is possible to practice this love only if God helps us set aside our own desires and instincts, so that we can give love while expecting nothing in return. Thus the more we become like Christ, the more love we will show to others.
1 Corinthians 13:10: God gives us spiritual gifts for our lives on earth in order to build up, serve, and strengthen fellow Christians. The spiritual gifts are for the church. In eternity, we will be made perfect and complete and will be in the very presence of God. We will no longer need the spiritual gifts, so they will come to an end.
1 Corinthians 13:12: Paul offers a glimpse into the future to give us hope that one day we will be complete when we see God face to face. This truth should strengthen our faith-we don't have all the answers now, but one day we will. Someday we will see Christ in person and be able to see with God's perspective.
1 Corinthians 13:13: In morally corrupt Corinth, love had become a mixed-up term with little meaning. Today people are still confused about love. Love is the greatest of all human qualities, and it is an attribute of God himself (1 John 4:8). Love involves unselfish service to others; to show it gives evidence that you care. Faith is the foundation and content of God's message; hope is the attitude and focus; love is the action. When faith and hope are in line, you are free to love completely because you understand how God loves.