The Highlights Series Part 2 by John Luke RobertsonSample

Before we get to I Corinthians 12 and 13, let’s look at the facts concerning the writing of both Corinthian letters. 

We know that four years before Paul wrote this letter, he had spent eighteen months in Corinth so he was familiar with the church there. It’s important to know that this letter traveled outside of Corinth and was considered authoritative beyond its Corinthian context, so this is an important letter to the church worldwide.  

Why did he write it? It seems he had been minding his own business in Ephesus when he got a report (don’t even know how that happened with no internet, but apparently you can communicate without a phone and internet) that some members of the church at Ephesus were quarreling and apparently other stuff was going on too. What resulted was a letter that addressed several problems head on. Paul was not playing. He made it clear he was willing to risk the good opinion of some in order to help clean up the sin in that church. Not only did his letter cover the quarreling, but he tackled sexual immorality, lawsuits among believers, marriage and singleness, freedom in Christ, the order in worship----he was on a roll and the people needed it!

So, that’s the background. In Corinthians 12, Paul talks about spiritual gifts. He does a masterful job of comparing our gifts to all of our body parts, helping us see we are most effective when all of them work together and each is content doing the job they are given to do. As you read, see if you can easily pick out those comparisons.

Chapter 13 is known as the love chapter. God is not a God who loves, God is love. He embodies love. He exudes love. Love flows out of Him like a fire hydrant that has been broken open. This chapter reinforces how much God values our love for Him and one other. He mentions many other things that are important, but is quick to add none of them are more important than love. 

In the end, Paul reminds us that three things are important to a good, godly life—faith, hope and love. But, the greatest of these is love.