Cross City Church - North
February 27, 2022 / Love Is / Love Is Selfless
While 1 Corinthians 13 is one of the most quoted passages in the Bible, the truth it holds is often missed. Join us as we explore the truth about love in our series “Love Is.”
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Cross City - North
2775 Bobcat Blvd, Roanoke, TX 76262, USA
Sunday 10:00 AM
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4 WORDS in Greek we translate “LOVE”
Phileo...brotherly love
Storge...family love
Eros...romantic love
The one used here is Agape...unconditional/benevolent love
- Without this one, marriages fail.
- Without this one, churches fail.
- Without this one, relationships fail.
- That’s what this church lacked.
Phileo...brotherly love
Storge...family love
Eros...romantic love
The one used here is Agape...unconditional/benevolent love
- Without this one, marriages fail.
- Without this one, churches fail.
- Without this one, relationships fail.
- That’s what this church lacked.
LAST WEEK:
LOVE is the missing perspective...
LOVE is the missing ingredient...
LOVE is the missing maturity...
LOVE is the missing perspective...
LOVE is the missing ingredient...
LOVE is the missing maturity...
1. PURSUE the most ultimate goal of all!
1 Corinthians 14:1...
Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.
If love is the goal – I must pursue it with all that I am.
If love is the goal – what I desire should help accomplish that goal.
Love is the ultimate goal of every spiritual gift.
The only kind of love that will build up and edify His church is selfless love.
1 Corinthians 14:1...
Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.
If love is the goal – I must pursue it with all that I am.
If love is the goal – what I desire should help accomplish that goal.
Love is the ultimate goal of every spiritual gift.
The only kind of love that will build up and edify His church is selfless love.
The kind of love found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8...
- Patient
- Kind
- Not envious
- Not arrogant
- Not rude
- Not selfish
- Not irritable or resentful
- Bears all, believes all, hopes all and endures all.
- Patient
- Kind
- Not envious
- Not arrogant
- Not rude
- Not selfish
- Not irritable or resentful
- Bears all, believes all, hopes all and endures all.
2. PURSUE the gift that prioritizes loving people & helping them know & love God.
1 Corinthians 14:2-5...
2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. 6 Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? 8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air.
1 Corinthians 14:2-5...
2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. 6 Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? 8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air.
“The biggest reason that the gift of tongues is so controversial is because of how the church at Corinth used it. Paul addresses no other church like he did the church here. Corinth was unique in their immaturity, division and practice of speaking in tongues.”
Paul about Tongues in Acts vs. Corinth...
ACTS:
Dialects understood by those present
Supernatural signs for unbelievers (v.22)
Resulted in people coming to Christ
It was an authentic use of spiritual gifts
CORINTH:
Noone understood was was said (v.2)
Considered personal edification (v.4)
Resulted in much confusion (v. 33)
It was used incorrectly, not authentic
PROPHECY:
Speaks to upbuild, encourage, console
Builds up the church
Greater than if no one is there to interpret
Speaks to men...(v.3)
Edifies the church...(v.4)
Greater is the one who prophesies than one who speaks in a tongue...(v.5)
TONGUES:
Speaks to God, utters mystery
Builds up themselves
Without interpreter, helps no one
Does not speak to men...(v.2)
Edifies themselves...(v.4)
Had to have been two different ways of using tongues.
ACTS:
Dialects understood by those present
Supernatural signs for unbelievers (v.22)
Resulted in people coming to Christ
It was an authentic use of spiritual gifts
CORINTH:
Noone understood was was said (v.2)
Considered personal edification (v.4)
Resulted in much confusion (v. 33)
It was used incorrectly, not authentic
PROPHECY:
Speaks to upbuild, encourage, console
Builds up the church
Greater than if no one is there to interpret
Speaks to men...(v.3)
Edifies the church...(v.4)
Greater is the one who prophesies than one who speaks in a tongue...(v.5)
TONGUES:
Speaks to God, utters mystery
Builds up themselves
Without interpreter, helps no one
Does not speak to men...(v.2)
Edifies themselves...(v.4)
Had to have been two different ways of using tongues.
Corinth didn’t have:
- any other special gift than another church
- no other special knowledge than another church
conclusion...wrong interpretation/practice of their gift
Paul is trying to correct that...
Paul is saying, “I’d rather exercise prophecy than tongues so people can hear the Word of God.”
- any other special gift than another church
- no other special knowledge than another church
conclusion...wrong interpretation/practice of their gift
Paul is trying to correct that...
Paul is saying, “I’d rather exercise prophecy than tongues so people can hear the Word of God.”
“If the message of the Cross is so important and life-changing then the practice of sharing the message must be done with clarity so people can fully understand it.”
3. PURSUE any and all ways that prioritize building up the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 14:10-12...
10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
1 Corinthians 14:10-12...
10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
Why was Paul wanting them to desire prophecy or the higher gifts?
- They did NOT have the Bible we have today...
- They did NOT have the litany of those who had gone before them in church work...
He wanted people to know God, know Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit...
- Because the church today needed to learn how to be the church.
When you know Him personally, He helps you live practically.
- They did NOT have the Bible we have today...
- They did NOT have the litany of those who had gone before them in church work...
He wanted people to know God, know Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit...
- Because the church today needed to learn how to be the church.
When you know Him personally, He helps you live practically.
