Are you sick
of the presidential election campaigns yet? If not, you will be. It’s
540 days from now until November 8, 2016; almost exactly a year and a half and
already you have nearly a dozen people clamoring on every news channel about
how they should be the next U.S. president and why all the others are
completely unfit for the job. For the next year and a half we will have
to hear people bragging, stretching the truth, claiming they were misunderstood
and flat-out lying – and that is just from the media covering the election!
Don’t you
wish somebody would come along who was well-spoken, extremely smart and wise
about the ways of the world; somebody that could genuinely unite our country;
somebody that could solve the tax problems, education, religion, healthcare,
infrastructure; somebody that could speak multiple languages and able to unite
not just the U.S but the world? I would vote for that guy to be king of
the world, wouldn’t you?
Well…congratulations.
We just voted for the antichrist. That is what the antichrist is going to
be like, at least for a while. Scary, huh? The Bible teaches that
we as believers will not be here when the antichrist comes on the scene in
power. We will already be raptured or gone on in death. But the
antichrist will be a great presidential candidate because he will have the gift
of being able to do everything I just said and more. He will be a
wonderful leader for a few years but then his true dark side will come out and
will lead ultimately to the end of the world.
So what
makes the difference in a world leader with all those gifts being a great
leader…and one that is the worst ever? The difference is love. The
antichrist will have everything in the world going for him. I suspect he
will be tall, dark and handsome with lots of good camera hair. He will
have all the right answers and be able to solve all the world’s problems.
But he will have no real love.
It’s easy
for us to hate the antichrist. As the bride of Christ, we as His church
hate anything that is against Christ, right? But what if we look at
ourselves real closely? Do you have gifts? Of course you do.
Everybody is gifted in at least one way. Some people are able to do some
things that others can’t and in doing so allow the church as a whole to
minister to those around us. But the question is, do you have love?
As we conclude
our series on how to be “True Disciples in the Real World” in 1 Corinthians, we
see that Paul says in chapter 13 that even if you have all of the best and
greatest gifts that if you don’t use those gifts in love then you- are
-nothing.
But none of
us are like that, are we? Nobody would say they don’t love people.
We all love folks, right? Well, Paul includes in this passage a little
test that we can all take to just see the status of our love. Just how
much do we love? Are we doing it right? Are we doing it at
all? Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 13, – the love chapter – and
let’s read this beautiful hymn of love Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. 1
Corinthians 13:1-7
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. 4 Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does
not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps
no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
This has
been called the most beautiful passage in the Bible. It is the most
popular passage read at weddings, and for good reason. Chrysostom, who
lived in the third century, adds that here Paul makes an outline of love’s
matchless beauty, adorning its image with all aspects of virtue, as if with
many colors brought together with precision. Or, as we say in Wise
County: That’s real purty writin’ right there!
So, is it
just “real purty writin’” or is there something that we can learn from
it? Well, let me answer that question by pointing out the description of
two different types of people here. Verses 1-3 describe one type of
person and verses 4-7 describe another. Look back at the first type in
verses 1-3.
This person
is described as speaking in the tongues of men and angels. We know that
men speak all different kinds of languages but what language do angels
speak? The Bible doesn’t tell us but if anybody might know it would be
Paul. In 2 Corinthians 12:4 Paul says he was caught up to
paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to
tell. We don’t know if that included the speaking of angels but I
believe what Paul is really trying to say is that even if he could speak and
minister to every person and being ever created, if he didn’t have love he
might as well be just making noise.
But he goes
on to describe this type of person as having the gift of prophesy and
commentaries tell us this word properly means to predict future events, but it
also means to declare the divine will or to be the mouthpiece of God.
Paul says this type of person has all knowledge and all faith as well.
That’s pretty big talk. This hypothetical person Paul describes would be
an incredible person. He might replace that guy in the commercial who
claims to be the most interesting man in the world.
Or he might
be describing a great boss or a great leader. He is describing someone –
this great person who does not have love – who does have religion. As a
pastor I see religion a lot. But you might be surprised by where I see it
and where I don’t. The most common place I see religion is outside of
these walls. I see religion in the guy who tells me how long he has gone
to church when I ask him about his salvation experience.
I see
religion in the lady who tells me “the man upstairs” told her she didn’t need
to go to church. I see it in the businessman who donated $100 to our food
pantry but then bad-mouthed anybody that might use it. Religion shows up
when people want God to do something for them. Karl Marx may have
said, “Religion is the opium of the masses” and I think that may be true
as we are talking about religion.
Religious
people take pride in being able to speak to all kinds of people, having the
gift of prophesy and having all knowledge and even in their sacrifices to the
poor like this passage is talking about. They like religion because
religion makes them feel better about themselves. It’s like giving a
pain-killer to a sick person. It makes them feel better but has not
treated the problem. Paul says this kind of person gains nothing.
But Paul
goes on to describe another type of person. Starting in verse 4, Paul
describes someone who has more than just religion. This person…has a
relationship. If you have ever been married you hopefully know that
sometimes you have to do things that you don’t necessarily feel like
doing. Sometimes you have to make the choice to do what is best for the
other person when you know it will not turn out well or easy for you.
A couple
drove several miles down a country road, not saying a word. An earlier
discussion had led to an argument, and neither wanted to concede their
position. As they passed a barnyard of mules and pigs, the husband
sarcastically asked, "Relatives of yours?" "Yep,"
the wife replied, "In-laws."
That is not
the kind of love Paul is talking about here. The kind of love that Paul
is talking about is agape love – the kind of love with which God loves
us. In fact, we know that God loves us because as John 3:16 says,
He sent His only Son to die for us and 1 John 4:8 says God is love but
as we read through these again you can substitute the name of Jesus for the
word love here.
Jesus is
patient. Jesus is kind. Jesus does not envy or boast and is not
proud. Jesus isn’t rude; isn’t self-seeking; is not easily angered.
Jesus keeps no record of wrongs nor does He delight in evil. Jesus always
protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. Now the
question is, can your name be put in that place?
In the
execution of your God-given gifts, can your name be put in place of the word
“love”? Notice how Paul segways from chapter 12 to chapter 13.
Chapter 12 talks about the gifts we have but then he says at the very end of
the chapter, “And now I will show you the most excellent way.” He
is saying that this is the most excellent way to utilize those gifts and that
is with love.
So, whatever
gift or gifts you may have, whether it be the gift of serving, teaching,
exhortation, giving, leadership or mercy or whatever God has given you, can
your name be substituted for love? Are you patient? The Greeks that
Paul was writing to would have felt this to be a sign of weakness but which is
more difficult; to be patient or to lose your temper with somebody?
Is a child
usually patient? I hear people sometimes give the excuse that they are
impatient or they are rude or blunt or mean or whatever because that is the way
their daddy was or their mama was and I want to say, “Oh, so your daddy was
childlike and he never taught you to grow up? I understand now.” We
didn’t read verse 11 of this chapter but Paul says, “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.”
Love is
patient. Jesus is patient. Are you patient or are you
childlike? Love is also kind. Are you kind in the execution of your
gifts? There was no more religious a man than Phillip the Second of
Spain, and yet he founded the Spanish Inquisition and thought he was serving
God by massacring those who thought differently than him. (Barclay p.
120)
“Oh
Pastor Todd, I must be ok then because I hardly ever massacre anybody!”
No? Well that’s good but how many people have you critiqued to
death? Do you criticize people unmercifully? Would you want to be
criticized like that? Love is kind. Are you kind?
What about
envy? That’s next in line here. Love does not envy. “Oh,
no, Todd, I’m never envious. Sure I struggle with being patient and kind
but not with jealousy or envy.” Really? Because a lot of times
when we struggle with patience or kindness it is because we envy. We envy
something that they have or a relationship or position that we want and we are
angry about it inside and that manifests itself as being critical or impatient
with them. (Stedman p. 252)
Paul says, “Love
does not boast.” Can you insert your name right there? Nobody
likes a braggart. When somebody starts a sentence by saying, “Now I
don’t want to blow my own horn but…” Don’t you want to say, “Well
then stop right there and don’t because nobody wants to hear you blow your own
horn!”? Or they say, “It’s not bragging if it’s true.”
That’s dumb. Yes, it’s still bragging and nobody wants to hear that.
I want you
to think about a more subtle form of bragging or boasting, if you will,
though. We all struggle with it some, I think, but it drives me
batty. One of my ultimate pet peeves is when I am in the middle of a
sentence and the person I am talking to starts to talk and interrupts me.
Nothing screams louder, “I don’t care what you are saying. I can’t
wait for you to hear what I am saying!” That is being boastful.
True love; agape love…listens.
When I was a
teenager I was really into cars and trucks and anything with an engine. I
would drag home some piece of junk and I would be out in the driveway working
on it with the hood up and I can remember my mama coming out to check on
me. I would tell her about what I was working on and how this Ford truck
has a 390 engine with dual exhaust and headers. The Holley carb sits on
top of an Edelbrock intake and blah, blah, blah on and on and she just
listened.
I thought my
mom was interested in engines! I asked her not too long ago about
that. We laughed about how many hours she had to be out there listening
to me ramble on about that stupid stuff and I told her how back then I thought
she was interested in engines. She said she was interested in
engines. She was interested in what I was interested in because she loved
me. She “agaped” me. True love
listens.
Moving on
quickly, love is not proud. I was talking to somebody this week who said
they used to work out in the same gym as W.A. Criswell, pastor of FBC
Dallas. First Baptist Dallas had thousands of members but this man I was
talking to said that every time he saw Criswell, the mighty preacher known
around the world, that Criswell made him feel like he was his best
friend. He took time to talk and fellowship with him and made him feel
special. He had that gift. Criswell
wasn’t proud. Love isn’t proud. Jesus isn’t proud. Are you proud?
Are you
rude; self-seeking; easily angered? Are
you any of these things? I’m not going
to take the time to go through this whole list.
We will talk more about them tonight.
But the difference in someone who has all these great gifts and uses
them for themselves or uses them for God’s kingdom is one has religion and one
has a relationship.
Satan and
one of his demons were walking down the road one day and they were following a
man who was walking. They saw the man
reach down and pick up something shiny.
The demon asked Satan, “What did he just pick up?” Satan replied, “He picked up a little bit of
truth.” “Doesn’t that concern you,” asked
the demon. “No, I’ll just make sure he
makes it into a religion.”
Every other
religion has some little piece of truth.
Maybe not Scientology but every other one has a little bit of truth to
it and people glob onto that little piece of truth and they make that their
religion but they don’t have that relationship.
But because we are Christians we are able to love as God loves. Because that agape love is the kind of love
that we get from God but it is also the kind of love that God gives us to love
others.
That is the
difference is using our gifts to benefit ourselves or our religion and being
able to use those gifts to further the Kingdom.
The question is do you love? Let me
just tell you that Christ Fellowship is not impressing the Southern Baptist
Convention. Christ Fellowship is not the
talk around the watercooler at Harvest Association. It’s just not. That’s reserved for the big churches with the
big money.
But do you
know who Christ Fellowship is impressing?
We are impressing; we are meeting the needs of Lake Bridgeport and of
Wise County. Because I see that in y’all. I see you using your gifts impacting and
impressing the folks we were called to minister to. We were called to minister to – not the
Southern Baptist Convention or Harvest Association but we were called to go to
Lake Bridgeport, Wise County and the world.
I see you
doing that because you have love. One
last thing Paul says is that love rejoices with the truth. It does not look for evil. The word might be used to say it overlooks
evil but it also speaks the truth in love.
As one who is working on speaking the truth in love, let me tell you
that it doesn’t matter how many times you go to church or where or what your
family has done for God in the past. If
you don’t have that relationship then it doesn’t matter how many great gifts
you have Paul says, not Todd, but Paul says you are nothing. Even if you just have one little gift you can
make a difference if you use that gift in love.
That’s the
difference. So, now I hear you saying
that you are going to try to be more loving.
You are going to try to love more and love better and not be so
impatient and you are going to try to be more kind, etc. Well you have heard me wrong because that
same love that we get from God is that ability to do these things in love. The ability to do these things in love comes
from being obedient.
Show me someone who is envious or impatient or
not kind and I will show you someone who is not obedient. I will show you someone who has a
relationship problem. I’m not saying we
shouldn’t try to be more loving. I’m
saying we should try to be more obedient because that agape love that only God
provides only comes out in obedience. If
you don’t have that relationship with Jesus then I need to talk about that
right
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