1 Corinthians 15:12-19

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. -1 Corinthians 15:12-19

---

Today’s passage speaks of the importance of Jesus’ resurrection.  There are two important components to God’s salvation plan for humanity.  The first is Jesus coming to earth to die for our sins.  The second part is Jesus being raised from the dead to triumph over death.   His resurrection is proof to us that he can resurrect us one day and transform us to something more than we are presently.

Jesus’ resurrection is a sign to us that we have access to the most powerful being in reality.  If he can conquer death, nothing that we have to deal with in life, not even sin is a problem for him.

As you think about all the problems you’re facing right now, remember that the God who conquered death is on your side.  May that give you comfort and peace.

1 Corinthians 15:9-11

9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed. -1 Corinthians 15:9-11

---

God can change anyone.  The Apostle Paul called himself the “least” of the apostles because he persecuted Christians before he was transformed by God.  He had a supernatural encounter with Jesus and it changed him from a persecutor of Christians to the greatest Christian missionary of all time.  The Apostle Paul penned more New Testament books than any other Bible author.

Think of someone in your life who just seems so far away from God.  That person could be a “Paul.”  Don’t ever give up on someone based upon what you see now.  If God can change Paul, God can change that person.  God can change you.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. -1 Corinthians 15:3-8

---

There are two main points to this passage written by the Apostle Paul.  The first is to summarize the Gospel.  We’re messed up by sin which separated us from God.  Jesus came down to earth to die for our sins and to give us new life.

The second is that the believers in the early church of Corinth can trust that the stories of Jesus are true because the people who experienced them were still alive to talk about them.  It’s almost like the Apostle Paul is challenging the church to go and ask these people who were with Jesus and saw Jesus to confirm the miraculous stories.

But what about us today living in the 21st century?  Everyone who saw Jesus and interacted with him on earth have been dead for 2,000 years.  How can we trust the authenticity of Biblical stories about Jesus?

One way is experientially.  As we grow in our relationship with God and begin to see Him intercede in our lives, it increases our faith to trust Him more, including the faith to believe in aspects of Scripture that seems fantastical and miraculous.

Another way we trust in the authenticity of the Bible is we see it’s positive impact upon Christians for generations.  This is the proof of tradition.  For two thousands years, spiritual giants who changed the world have trusted in the truth of the Bible.  I encourage you to read famous biographies of Christian giants like Amy Carmichael, Jim Elliot, George Muller, Hudson Taylor, and the list goes on.

Lastly we increase our trust in the truth of Scripture when we immerse ourselves in Scripture.  The more we spend time in God’s Word, the more we realize how it is more truthful and more powerful than anything else we can ever read.  

Are you reading your Bible?

1 Corinthians 15:1-2

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. -1 Corinthians 15:1-2

---

There are two important points that the Apostle Paul makes in this passage.  The first is that we are forgetful people.  For those of you who attended virtual church yesterday, what did your pastor preach about?  See what I mean?  It’s hard to remember stuff, especially spiritual truth.  It’s almost like there’s someone actively at work to help us forget the things we learned about God.

This is why the Apostle Paul uses the word “remind.”  We need to be reminded of things we already learned.  There are times when you sit at church and think, “Oh, I already know that,” and then you check out mentally.  You shouldn’t!  We need to be reminded of the truth over and over again because we are a forgetful people.

How do we remind ourselves of the truth?  The Apostle Paul tells us to “hold on firmly to the word.”  That means we need to develop our spiritual disciplines of reading the Bible and meditating on it’s truths.  Only regular time in Scripture will help us to remember.

If you’re reading this devo, that’s a great start!  Keep it up!

1 Corinthians 14:34-38

34 Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. 

36 Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38 But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.

-1 Corinthians 14:34-38

---

Is the Bible misogynistic?  Is the Bible sexist as it seems like it is limiting women from church leadership and teaching?

The answer is certainly “no” to both questions.  Jesus had women followers with him and even the Apostle Paul who wrote this passage started the Philippians church with a wealthy woman merchant named Lydia.  Even in the Old Testament during the time when judges ruled Israel, there was a female judge named Deborah. 

So why in the world then is Paul asking women to be silent in church?  Many scholars believe that this command was specific to what was happening in the Corinthian church.  Yesterday, I mentioned that the church services in Corinth were getting chaotic because everyone wanted to show off their “speaking in tongues” skills.  

Some scholars believe that many if not most  of the women in the congregation were contributing to these chaotic services.  So when the Apostle Paul was writing to encourage women to remain silent, he was doing so in the context of “speaking in tongues” or perhaps even “prophesying” in an unorganized manner.

According to Paul, if they want to speak in tongues or to prophesy, they should do so privately at home where it would not affect the flow of the church service for the sake of unbelievers who might be visiting the church and be confused by what is going on.

Reaching outsiders who are curious about Christianity is Paul’s utmost concern.

When it comes to difficult passages, it is often a good idea to reach out to a good commentary where smart people who studied these passages their entire lives can give you some great insight that you couldn’t have gotten on your own.  If you’re interested in reading commentary about this passage, you can check out The New American Commentary on 1 Corinthians.  You can purchase it on Amazon or on Google Books.

Keep wrestling with Scripture!

1 Corinthians 14:26-33

26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. 

-1 Corinthians 14:26-33

---

It’s not about you.  That’s the focus of this passage.  In the Church of Corinth almost 2,000 years ago, their services were very scrappy.  It was very formal or planned.  During their church serve, people just jumped in to share a thought or to pray or to prophecy or to “speak in tongues.”  It must have been pretty chaotic.

What made it more chaotic was the fact that everyone was trying to jump in to speak in tongues to show off how spiritual they were.  The Apostle Paul was basically discouraging from doing so because it was making the service crazy long and disorganized.  He was pleading with them for the sake of the community to stop trying to show off your “spiritual” gifts.

When people in the church or a faith community only care for themselves, the community begins to break down and feel chaotic.  But when the people begin to care for one another and put others first, the community becomes strong and healthy.

I’m so grateful that you are all part of the Harvesters / AYL family!  May we be a community that puts others first and not ourselves and our own egos.

In what ways can you put others in Harvesters or AYL first?

1 Corinthians 14-22-25

22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” -1 Corinthians 14:22-25

---

Do we make our gathering places inviting to those who may not come from a Christian background?  Look at the Apostle Paul’s concern  here.  He was worried if the church had visitors and everyone is “speaking in tongues” they would scare away these visitors who might be interested in Christianity.  Our fellowship groups or gatherings must always take into consideration how we can better help our visiting friends feel comfortable.  We need create safe spaces for people to explore their faith at their own pace.

This is why the Harvesters House was so important to us.  It’s a place where yes, we learned about Jesus, but we also where we played the Voting Game, Smash Bros, sing karaoke (this one’s for you Ryan), eat birthday cakes, and just hang out and have fun.  We try to make it as comfortable as possible for people.

In your life, you will be involved in many different Christian communities.  May all of them be open and welcoming to those who have questions about the faith.

1 Corinthians 14:6-21

“Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. In the Law it is written: “With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”” -1 Corinthians 14:6-21 NIV

---

The purpose of spiritual gifts is not to glorify oneself but to be a blessing on others.  But too often, we use our gifts for us.  When we use our skills or talents that God has given us just for ourselves, we’re being spiritually immature.  This is why the Apostle Paul is telling the church of Corinth to stop thinking like infants.  All they cared about is showing off their ability to speak in tongues.  All they cared about was how spiritual they appeared to others, when in fact, their desire to do so showed instead how truly un-spiritual they were.

Are you being spiritually mature in the way that you look at the gifts God has given you?

1 Corinthians 14:1-5

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified. -1 Corinthians 14:1-5

---

The word “prophecy” have different interpretations.  Some Bible scholars believe they are talking about actual predicting of the future events that were supernaturally revealed to an individual.  Other scholars say that the word “prophecy” is talking about Christian teaching or Christian truth.

Regardless of the interpretation it is clear that Paul see prophecy as something that benefits others.  If you received a supernatural revelation, you share it with the community o build them up.  If you are teaching Christian truth, you are building up the faith community.

This is in sharp contrast to the “speaking of tongues,” which was a practice where someone becomes so overwhelmed by God’s Spirit that they start speaking in an unknown language.  The Apostle Paul was discouraging this because the ability to speak in tongues have become a spiritual status symbol in the Corinthian church.  People think they are godly or better than others because they have the ability to speak in tongues.  This gift has become all about them and not about God or about helping others grow in God.

My personal pet peeve is when people go on missions trip to a different country and take pictures of themselves with kids who are living in poverty.  I don’t want to sound overly jaded but sometimes I wonder if they are there to really help or just for a photo op they can post on their Insta to show the world how altruistic they are.  Is it really about those kids or is it about their own reputation?

Today in our churches, we have our own version of “speaking in tongues.”  A lot of people want to be on the church’s praise team or leadership team because they get a lot of visibility.  If you’re playing music on stage, you’re literally in the spotlight.  Or if you’re sharing with people, you’re up front and the focus is on you.  We need to be careful that we’re not doing “spiritual” things for our won ego as oppose to for God’s glory.

That’s what the people in Corinth were doing—the speaking tongues was for their own glory, not for God’s and that annoyed the Apostle Paul as it should.

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. -1 Corinthians 13:13

---

This last verse in the “love” chapter wraps up the emphasis on love above all things.  We need to have faith now in God, but in heaven faith won’t be required because we will see God face to face.  

We need to have hope in God now, but in heaven all that God wants to accomplish will be accomplished.  All evil will be vanquished.  All wrongs will be righted.  Everyone will be made more like themselves than they ever were.  There will no longer be need for hope because what we hope for will be true.

But love is something different.  We need love know and in heaven love isn’t tossed away because it’s no longer needed, but rather it is fulfilled to it’s fullest extend.  It’s the opposite of what happens to faith and hope.  Faith and hope’s usefulness disappears in heaven, but love’s finds it’s ultimate fulfillment in heaven.  It expands infinitely outward to encompass all of God’s creation and reality.  Faith and hope disappears but love is no everywhere in heaven.

This is why the greatest is love.  When we love here on earth, we are but mirroring and inkling of what love will look like in heaven.

Are you loving people here on earth?  Are you mirroring heaven?

1 Corinthians 13:8-12

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. -1 Corinthians 13:8-12

---

In the church of Corinth, people were all trying one-up each other by showing off their “spiritual” gifts.  People who spoke in tongues or were able to prophesy considered themselves better than those who can’t.

The Apostle Paul was putting all of them in their place.  In heaven, there is no need to speak in the tongues of angels because everyone will be communicating with one another in ways we can’t even imagine right now.  In heaven, there’s no need to predict what is to come because we will know and understand reality and a completely different way than we do now.

So speaking in tongues will cease and predicting the future will cease, but not love.  Love will still be around in heaven and that’s what makes it so much more important than anything else.  Our love here on earth has the power to stretch into eternity.

Love never fails. 

1 Corinthians 13:7

“...always perseveres...” -1 Corinthians 13:7

---

What does it mean that love always perseveres?  It means two things.  The first is that our love is bound to be tested.  Perseverance suggests hardships.  It suggests resistance.

Think about someone you love.  There must have been times when it was difficult to love that individual.  As Christians, we know fundamentally every person has a sinful nature and thus are bound to sin against others—even against those who love the individual, especially against those who love the individual.  The people who love the most have the greatest potential to hurt us with their sin.

But love perseveres.  Love endures even when it is hard and tough.  Even when there seems like it’s running on empty, love continues to love.

Jesus is the ultimate role model for this.  He went to the Cross for the very people who put him there—that’s you and me!  Jesus didn’t just die for people who needed him, he died for people who hurt him and yes, even killed him.

If you think about, because of our sin, all of us are responsible for Jesus’ death.  And yet, love perseveres.  Despite our sin and despite how much we hurt him and even killed him, Jesus continues to love us.

And when we accept his love, we become conduits of his love toward others.  When we allow Jesus into our lives, our love becomes invincible like his love because it is really his love flowing through us.  And because his love perseveres, so do ours.

Does your love persevere?  Is the love of Jesus flowing through you? 

1 Corinthians 13:7

“...always hopes...” -1 Corinthians 13:7

---

What does it mean that love always hopes?  It means that love doesn’t write people off as unredeemable.  We all have people in our lives that we think, “Wow, this person is pretty bad, will he or she ever change?”  God’s power to change hearts and transform people is bigger than our sinful natures.

That’s why love hopes.  Love can only hope because it rests upon the power of God.  It hopes to change the worse sinner to a lover of God and a lover of people.  The Apostle Paul once persecuted Christians and even watched them get murdered.  God took Paul and transformed him to become the greatest missionary who has ever lived.  Paul wrote more books in the New Testament than anyone else.  Love always hopes.

Think about someone in your life you can’t stand.  Now pray for yourself and then pray for this person.  Ask God to help you love this person.  Ask God to use his power to change this person’s life.

Love always hopes.

1 Corinthians 13:7

“It always protects...” -1 Corinthians 13:7

---

What does it mean that love protects?  Love is thinking of others’ needs before your own needs.  To protect someone is to shield them even at great cost to yourself.  Love thinks of others first.

Jesus is the ultimate example of how love protects.  We’re all headed to a place of compete separation from God, and Jesus protected us by coming down and making the ultimate sacrifice.  He took on the punishment so we wouldn’t have to.  That’s a love that protects.

The way Jesus’ love protects us, may it inspire us to do the same for others.

Do you think of others needs before your own?  Are you so wrapped up in worrying about your own issues that you never think about the needs of others?  Does your love protect others?

1 Corinthians 13:5

“...it keeps no record of wrongs...” -1 Corinthians 13:5

---

This is oft misinterpreted verse.  To keep no records of wrong doesn’t mean you forget about it.  God keeps no record of our wrongs doesn’t mean that He’s thinking, “What did Gerald do again?  I forgot.”  To keep no record of wrongs means that you treat that person AS IF the person didn’t commit the crime or the offense.  It’s another way of saying, “Love forgives.”

When we DO keep a record of wrongs, we still allowed what the person did to us to bother us and to shade the way we treat the offender.  That’s not true forgiveness.  When God forgave us of our sins, He doesn’t say, “I forgive you but I’m still going to condemn you a little bit.”  There’s no condemnation.  When God forgives, it’s a true and complete forgiveness.

That’s what we ought to do when we are wronged.  We need to ask God to help us be like Him—to forgive fully and completely, not keeping a mental record of wrongs that we keep going over and over again in our minds.

Are you keeping a record of wrongs from those who have offended you or hurt you?  Or, are you asking God to help you forgive people in the same way He has forgiven us?

1 Corinthians 13:5

“...it is not easily angered...” -1 Corinthians 13:5

---

Anger is not necessarily a bad thing.  Jesus got angry plenty of times at people while he was still on earth.  So why does it say here in the “love chapter” that loves i not easily anger.   The anger here is referring to a selfish anger—an anger that someone has wronged you or robbed you of your glory.  It’s inward focus.

Jesus’ anger was always out of concern for others.  He was angry at sin because of how sin hurts people.  He was angry when people sinned not to condemn them but because how those people were enslaved by sin.

Are you hothead?  When someone makes a joke at your expense do you get immediately offended?  Perhaps your anger is inward focused.  Pray and ask God to help you to focus not on yourself but on others.  When we begin to focus outside of ourselves, it becomes much easier to forgive and to bear with others.

If you find it difficult to forgive people, remember God forgave us.  If he was easily angered, we’d all be in trouble.  But because God is slow to anger, we are able to enjoy His forgiveness.  As such we should mirror God’s love as others wrong us or offend us.

How is your disposition?  Do you get angry easily or are you slow to anger?

1 Corinthians 13:5

“...it is not self-seeking...” -1 Corinthians 13:5

---

For the past couple of days we’ve been talking about how love looks away from the self toward others.  This is what it means to say that love is not self-seeking.

As a Christian, this is one of the most difficult things for me to practice.  Because of my sinful nature, almost anything that I do is tainted with ulterior motives.  It’s so easy for pride or self-gain to seep into even the most altruistic and seemingly selfless act.  The Bible actually says that even our best deeds are like filthy rags before God.  It’s because our hearts are inherently selfish and always seeks to glorify itself.

Part of being a Christian is to tease out and recognize the selfish motives behind your actions.  This takes a lot of time with God because we’re good at deceiving ourselves.  We lie to ourselves about our motives and our agendas.  But when we spend time with God, His light brings to the surface all our ulterior motives and selfish intentions.  It’s super uncomfortable, but also incredibly freeing.  

Once our selfish motives are recognized, we can lift them up to God for forgiveness and cry out to Him for help.  And God listens to our prayers and begins to help us purify our motivations.  As long as we live on a fallen world, our actions will always be tainted with selfishness, but hopefully as we grow in faith, that taint becomes less and less.  Our motivations become more and more pure.

Are you talking with God about your motivations?   Can you pray this prayer to God:

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. -Psalm 139:23

1 Corinthians 13:5

“It does not dishonor others...” -1 Corinthians 13:5

---

The Christian is so satisfied in God’s love for her that she does not need to find her sense of self-worth from others.  When we diss people, talk behind their backs, or damage the reputations of others, we’re doing so to build up our sense of self-worth.  They think, “At least I’m better than this person because...”  You can fill in the blank.

And that cycle of sin continues because when we dishonor someone, they get hurt and start to feel insecure and start to question their sense of self-worth so they start damaging other people’s reputation to feel better.  It’s a vicious cycle and as a youth leader, I’ve seen it so many times.  It’s heartbreaking.

You can break that cycle and the only way you can do it is to first receive God’s love and second, to channel God’s love toward others.  When you receive God’s love you feel completely satisfied despite your flaws and shortcomings.  Your blemishes don’t scare you or make you insecure anymore because you know you are fully loved by the God of the universe!  And we stop feeling insecure, that is when you can channel God’s love toward others.  Your desire is to build people up because you’re no longer comparing yourself to them to fulfill your sense of self-worth.  You know and believe you are already worthy in God’s sight.

Have you received God’s love?  Have you accepted God’s love?  Are you channeling His love toward others?

1 Corinthians 13:4

“...it does not boast, it is not proud.” -1 Corinthians 13:4

---

There is no boasting in the Christian life.  We know that anything and everything we possess from our material positions to our abilities came from the hands of a loving God.  How can we boast about something that was really never ours but lent to us by God?

True love starts with the author of love—God Himself.  Out of His love He blesses us with gifts.  Only when we see our possessions and our talents as gifts from God are we able to love properly.   

First, we recognize that what we have doesn’t belong to just us.  As we learned in the last chapter of 1 Corinthians, God gives us things to be a blessing to the community.  Seeing our talents and possessions as God’s talents and possessions helps us to have a communal perspective on our gifts.

Second, it helps us in practicing humility.  If you’re athletic, it’s because God blessed you with that.  If you’re smart, it’s because God blessed you with that.  If you have a lot of material possessions or wealth, it’s because God blessed you with that.  When you begin to recognize that everything you have is from God, it eliminates pride.  You begin to realize that you’re not the source of your own glory, God is.  If God is the source of everything great about you, there’s no boasting about yourself since it’s all God.

Do you struggle with humility?  How do you see your abilities, talents and possessions?  Do you see them as gifts from God?

1 Corinthians 13:4

It does not envy... -1 Corinthians 13:4

---

Love does not envy.  True love doesn’t think of itself.  Love’s concern is always for the other.  Envy is the focus on what one is lacking in comparison to others.  When envy someone else’s stuff, or position, or abilities, what we’re really doing is casting a spotlight on our own hearts and our own insecurities.

How do we combat envy?  By filling our hearts and minds with the love of Christ.  Jesus tells us that we are more loved as we are than we ever dare hope.  When we know and believe that we are fully accepted by God, the creator of the universe, our deficiencies and insecurities melt away.  We have nothing to prove because God already loves us.

Only when we know we are fully loved are we able to turn our eyes away from ourselves and onto others.

Do you know and believe that you are fully loved?  If this is something that you struggle with, bring it up with God.  Tell Him your insecurities.  Pray through your insecurities.  Give Him space to fill your heart and to heal you.

1 Corinthians 13:4

“...love is kind...” -1 Corinthians 13:4

---

Kindness is in short supply these days.  It is especially in short supply in the public discourse.  There’s a lot of talk these days about justice and fighting for justice.  There’s a lot of talk these days about the importance of racial reconciliation and gender equality.  There’s a lot of talk these days about  climate change.  But those discussion oftentimes filled with negativity and meanness.

As Christians we are called to engage everyone with kindness, even those who don’t agree with us—especially those who don’t agree with us.

Jesus displayed the ultimate kindness on the Cross.  The pastor from the 1800s named Octavius Winslow wrote this:

“So completely was Jesus bent upon saving sinners by the sacrifice of Himself, He created the tree upon which He was to die, and nurtured from infancy the men who were to nail Him to the accursed wood.”

If anyone should be angry and filled with negativity, it would be Jesus.  He made the very people who cried out “Crucify him!” and condemned him to death.  Yet, his prayer was of kindness.  He prayed to God, the Father, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

We need Jesus’ kindness in our lives and in the way we live our lives.  People won’t be changed by being yelled out and called names.  They will only be transformed by the way we love them.

Are you kind on social media?  Are you kind in what you’re posting on your Insta stories?  Are you kind in the way you defend what you believe or support?

Love is kind.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 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. 3 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. -1 Corinthians 13:1-3

---

We can do all these things for God or for others, but if our actions are not backed by love, then it’s meaningless.  It doesn’t matter if you’re a Harvesters leader, on your church’s praise team, or even a pastor.  If how you serve others is not motivated by love then it is just empty noise.

For those of us who are serving or who have some type of leadership role at church, we need to examine our own hearts.  In prayer, we need to ask God to reveal our true motivations and ask Him to help us surrender our ulterior motives to God.

To be fair, we know that while on earth we will always have to wrestle with our motivations.  Nothing we do will ever be 100% pure.  But our desire should be to strive for a purity of heart and that can only happen through time with Jesus.  He reveals to us our selfish wants, forgives us, heals us, and frees us.

In what ways are you serving others these days?  Are your actions out of love or out of some self-serving motive?

1 Corinthians 12:27-31

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

-1 Corinthians 12:27-31

---

Spiritual pride is dangerous for the Christian.  The reason why the Apostle Paul is reminding the believers in Corinth that they need one another is because there are some who think they are better than others because they have certain types of spiritual gifts that make them better.  One of those gifts for example is the ability to speak in tongues—it’s the ability to speak the language of angels that humans cannot understand.

To be able to speak in tongues was seen as a sign that you must be godly so everyone wanted to have this gift.  It good comparison today would be like people at church wanting to be on the praise team because it makes them look godly or they get to be the center of attention.  That’s what’s happening with this speaking of tongues thing.  It’s not about God anymore, it’s a selfish desire to make yourself look better than others.

So Paul is reminding them and us that each member of our faith community is important.  Every job is important, not just the praise team playing music, but also the people who fold the chairs after church is over.  I would argue that folding chairs and cleaning up away from the spotlight can be more godly than being up front on the praise team.

In the end the most important gift we should all strive to have is the gift of love.  That’s going to be the next thing Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 13, but this whole section is leading up to that.  People are fighting over who has the better spiritual gift but instead they are lacking the most important gift—love.

Are you struggling with spiritual pride?  Do you have a desire to serve God and to serve others in any position?  Would you clean bathrooms for Jesus?  Or do you pick how you served based upon how it will improve your social standing or status?

1 Corinthians 12:21-26

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. -1 Corinthians 12:21-26

---

Our understanding of what it means to be part of God’s people is revealed by the way we treat our “weakest” or least popular member.  It’s easy to be friends at church or even at Harvesters with the most amiable, kind, nicest member.  But what if there is someone at your church who’s just super difficult to get along with?  What if there is someone at Harvesters who happens to be going through rough time faith-wise and perhaps even making unwise choices in his or her life?

Part of being the body means that we go out of our way to help, assist, and honor every member of our spiritual family—even the ones that are hard to honor.  I’ll be candid with you, as a Young Life leader, I’m human, too.  And just like everyone else, there are students I get along famously with and there are others that are much harder for me to connect with.  But God has called me to love everyone.  Every student, regardless of my own personal chemistry with him or her, is valuable in God’s sight and so I serve them in whatever capacity I can given my relationship with them.

I’m a sinner and I’m not perfect so there are definitely times when I fall short of this.  But God doesn’t give up on me.  Even though I’ve failed Him and failed the “body of Christ” over and over again, He still picks up and helps me to continue to seek Him.  This is what God wants us to help others to do.

Do you care about every member at church or at Harvesters OR do you only care about who is in your clique?  God calls us to do our best in loving each and every person that’s part of our faith community.

1 Corinthians 11:12-19

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

-1 Corinthians 11:12-19

---

Some of you are talented at sports.  Others are really good at specific academic subjects.  Some of you have wonderful musical abilities.  Others have the gift of compassion.  Some of you are blessed with material and financial abundance.  The list can go on and on.  The point though is that there isn’t a single person who is good at everything and has everything.  We were made to be interdependent on each other.  

This is why the Apostle Paul compares us to different parts of the human body.  Just like how every organ is required for the whole human to survive and thrive, the same is true for the church—the Christian community.  We need each other.

Our society tells us that we need to be self-sufficient and self-reliant.  Even our movie heroes like James Bond  speaks to self-sufficiency.  James Bond works alone and has enough talent, wit, sexual attraction and athleticism to stand against global villains wanting to destroy the world.  That’s pure fiction.  No spy program in the world has just one agent who does it all.  The CIA or MI-5 have thousands of agents all working together to defend their respective nations.

Self-sufficiency and self-reliance is one of the greatest spiritual lies of all time.  That’s why Adam & Eve ate the fruit in the Garden of Eden.  Satan promised them self-sufficiency.  “Eat this and you will be like God.”  Which means, they won’t need God anymore because they can be self-sufficient.

Don’t fall into the trap of self-sufficiency.  We need our faith community and our faith community needs us.

Are you depending on your faith community?  Are you allowing your faith community to depend on you?

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

-1 Corinthians 12:4-11

---

The purpose of God’s gifts to us is to be a blessing to our community.  We live in such an individualistic and capitalistic world that we have been conditioned to think selfishly of our gifts—spiritual, material, or otherwise.  The common selfish mindset is always, “How can this benefit me?”

So when we pray, we pray often for ourselves in mind and not for others in mind.  For example, we oftentimes pray, “God help me to get into a good college” because we want to get into a good school and get a good job and make good money for ourselves.  There are very few people, even Christians, who pray, “God help me to get into a good college so I can be a blessing to others.”  I’m not sure I’ve even heard that prayer prayed out loud before.

As Christians, we can’t see our gifts as only for us.  The sole purpose of God’s to us is always to benefit the community.  Think of all the gifts God has given you.  Start asking Him, “God, how can I use this for the community?  What do you want me to do?”