What Love Is and Isn’t

Last week (13:1-3), we studied some of God’s gifts to the Church: those who

speak God’s truths with clarity and power; those who act upon great faith; those who care for the poor and needy; those who suffer even to the point of death, for the sake of Christ.

Paul’s final evaluation is that no gift, no matter how great, has value if it doesn’t exemplify God’s love [agape = self-sacrificial, unconditional, willful, resolute, active].

Jesus is the embodiment of God’s love (John 13:15), “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends,” (1John 3:16), “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”
Love is patient... The Greek verb, means to endure, “to be long-tempered,” or “not easily angered.”

The New Testament often records how patient Jesus was with His dull minded disciples; but more remarkably the Religious Leaders who openly showed contempt for Him; leading to Jesus’ arrest, flogging, and crucifixion; yet, on the cross He cried out, (Luke 23:34) "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
2Peter 3:9, “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Love is kind... The meaning here is kindred, a tender and fervent, affection like we have for our own flesh and blood (family). Kindness is a mark of true Christian love; reflecting God’s attitude toward us, His children, in spite of all our ineptitudes and idiosyncrasies.
Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

God’s love shows kindness, even when tired, hungry, mistreated. In fact, it is often when we are exhausted that we are most likely called upon to be kind and patient with others.

The love described in 1Corinthians 13 goes far beyond our understanding and ability, for it is unconditional and resolute, even in the face of rejection and aggression.

When Stephen was being stoned (Acts 7:60), “he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he fell asleep [he died].” A love that divinely forgiving and long-suffering is way beyond any natural human ability.

Most of us are not very willing to suffer even for those we get along with; let alone for those we don’t like or don’t even know .

Are you willing to put another person’s needs above your own; to give up your own comforts or wants, or to turn the other cheek, at a moments notice, on any given day without warning, probably not, like most of us.

Most of us like to stay in our comfort zones and we don’t want to suffer; but as servants of God, our main purpose is to show God’s love, to be patient and kind. Love does not envy... Godly love does not selfishly want or desire what others have or who they are.

Cain’s jealousy (Genesis 4) led him to kill his brother. Joseph’s brothers resentment of him (Genesis 37) drove them to sell their younger brother into slavery. King Saul (1Samuel 18-20) coveted David’s popularity among the people so much that he repeatedly tried to kill him.

Envy resents the good fortunes of others: it says, “if I can’t have it, nether can you!” What a contrast: the love of God is patient, kind, and concerned about others; envy is concerned only with self.

Love does not boast, it is not proud... Prideful people have an exaggerated sense of their own importance, and their primary interest is in themselves.

Our world says, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it.” “If you are good and you know it, show it!” But God’s Word says, love doesn’t brag, and it doesn’t look down on others as being lesser in value or worth.

C.S. Lewis said, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you’re looking down, you can’t see [anything] above you.”

Peter Marshall prayed, “Lord, where we are wrong, make us willing to change, and where we are right, make us easy to live with.”
Proverbs 11:2, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Pride is one of the Christian’s greatest enemies, simply because a boastful person is so full of himself he is of no use to others, and is incapable of helping anyone else.
Jeremiah 9:23, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,’ declares the LORD.”

There is only one reason for a person to boast, and that is because they acknowledge their need for, and they have received, God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith --and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.”

When we compare ourselves to God, we come up short; humility is the only right way to approach God (James 4:6), “God opposes the proud,but gives grace to the humble.” Humility is also the best way to approach one another (1Peter 5:5), “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’"

John the Baptist could easily have been boastful, even arrogant, for it had been 400 years since God sent a Prophet to speak to the people on His behalf: John was that Prophet, and he broke the long silence between God and Israel by announcing and then preparing the way for the Messiah, the Son of God (see John 1:19-29).

God’s Son is the fullest expression of God’s love; when you repent of your sins, confessing Jesus as Lord, and believing in Him as Savior, you become a recipient of God’s Love, for the purpose of using it to serve others (see 1John 4:7-21).

Jesus died for us that we might live for Him.
Ephesians 5:1-2, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

You cannot know or experience God’s love, let alone reach out to others with God’s love, if you have not come humbly to Jesus Christ, seeking forgiveness for your sins, while receiving eternal life (see 1John 5:11-13).

God’s Love [agape], is patient, it is kind, and it desires for everyone have what they need; God’s love allows us to boast only of our own weaknesses, for it is in and through our weaknesses that the love and power of God is made known, being sovereignly displayed, for God’s glory and honor, and for the benefit of others.