WITHOUT LOVE, WE HAVE NOTHING

1 Corinthians 1: 1-3
July 30, 2023 Preaching

“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. 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. 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

The verses above came from what we call the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13.

“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. 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. 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.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not
dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.

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. For we know in part and
we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 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. 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.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

We will focus on the first three verses.

"Do everything with love and speak with love! No matter how skilled or capable you are,
if you lack love, everything else loses its meaning. Even if you have great wealth, health,
strength, power, or prestige, it won't bring fulfillment if love is absent. Life would feel
empty, chaotic, and unhappy without genuine love in it.

Having money, power, or fame won't make you truly content if love is missing. Without
love, relationships become superficial and joyless. Your actions and words might even
become bothersome and harmful to others, including those you care about. Real love is
essential for meaningful and joyful relationships.

Even if you achieve remarkable feats, become famous, or possess incredible faith, it
won't matter if you don't experience and share genuine love. Even acts of great
philanthropy or sacrifice lose their significance without love. Love is the core of a
meaningful life.

The key question then is: what exactly is love?"

Let’s make a few observations about these verses in Paul’s letter:

1. It’s possible to say all the right things, but be absent of love. Love is the one thing that
makes the right thing hearable. The content of what we say matters, but the heart with
which we say it is determines the effectiveness of our words.
2. It’s possible to have a faith that is powerful (it moves mountains), but love is the only
thing that makes our lives influential. Faith that is absent from loves hallows people out,
“they are nothing.”
3. It’s possible to go through the right motions (even to the extent of martyrdom), but
without love there is nothing (no gain) that comes of it; for ourselves or for anyone else.
We could even say that love is the only thing that makes for a substantive and influential
life.

Many people, including those who may not believe in our faith, hold dear the words we
often hear quoted at weddings, and they have inspired numerous poems and songs.
However, these beautiful words are not merely sentimental expressions. They carry
strategic and practical significance. The apostle Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, wrote
these words for a specific purpose: to address a serious issue among the born-again
Christians in ancient Corinth.

You see, the Corinthian Christians had been misusing their spiritual gifts—special
abilities given to them by the Lord Jesus Christ to serve and strengthen one another
within the church. In 1 Corinthians 1:7, Paul acknowledged that they had every spiritual
gift they needed, but they were not using them properly. They were wrongly elevating
certain gifts above others and using them selfishly instead of for the greater good of the
community. This imbalance needed correction.

In Chapter 12 of his letter, Paul explained the theology of spiritual gifts and the purpose
behind them. In 1 Corinthians 12:31, he encouraged them to earnestly desire the best
gifts, but then he introduced them to a more excellent way. This excellent way is the
subject of the beautiful chapter on love that follows. Paul wanted them to embrace the
principle of love as the guiding force in identifying the most useful gifts for the entire
church family and how to use them effectively.

So, this passage teaches us that love should be at the heart of how we understand and
exercise our spiritual gifts within the Christian community.

To truly grasp the meaning of this passage and to derive the intended benefits from it,
we must understand the concept of 'love.' Even the Beatles sang, 'All you need is love,'
but their understanding of love differs from what the Bible teaches in this chapter.
In the ancient Greek language, there were three fundamental words for 'love.' One of
them is the word 'eros,' which represents the love that most people in the world think
of, often associated with romantic or sexual love. This word doesn't appear in the New
Testament, possibly because over time, eros had come to imply unholy aspects of
romantic and sexual love.

Another frequently used word for 'love' in the New Testament is 'phileō,' which refers
to the strong affection that binds friends together. For instance, when friends or family
members gather and share a sense of fondness for each other, that's the kind of love—
phileō —they are experiencing. You might be familiar with this word from the name of
the city of Philadelphia, known as the city of brotherly love—a place characterized by
phileō , affectionate love among brothers and sisters. May God bless us with an
increasing measure of this love toward one another!

The third word used in the New Testament for love is 'agape,' which represents the
highest form of love. This type of love is willing to make sacrifices, even to the point of
giving up one's own rights or life, for the benefit of others. It describes the love that God
has for us and the love that we, as believers, are called to have for one another.

In a particular instance, someone once asked Jesus about the greatest commandment in
God's law, and Jesus used the word 'agape' to emphasize the importance of this
sacrificial love.

“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love
your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two
commandments.” – Matthew 22: 37-40

Indeed, you are absolutely right! This love is characterized by its active and selfless
nature. It gives everything for the well-being of the one who is loved. It's a love that
engages the entirety of one's being, not holding back anything. This very word, 'agape,'
is the one the Bible uses to describe how God loves us.

A perfect example of this divine love can be found in John 3:16-17, where it says:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in
him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3: 16-17

The self-sacrificing and self-giving love, known as agape love, is the very love that the
Lord Jesus demonstrated toward us. It is this love that He commands us to show to one
another as well. As He said:
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than
this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15: 12-13

Dear brothers and sisters, I firmly believe that the most profound way for us to grasp
the true essence of agape love, and for it to profoundly impact our lives, is to look at
Jesus Himself. He is the perfect embodiment of agape love toward us. His very presence
in this world was a living expression of the agape love that God the Father has for all of
us. It was Jesus' agape love for us that motivated Him to willingly offer His life on the
cross, becoming the atonement for our sins and providing salvation.

We must remember that He has risen from the dead, and He lives eternally for us,
continuing to pour out His agape love upon us without end. His agape love is
unwavering, unconditional, and everlasting. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and allow His
agape love to transform our hearts and guide our actions, that we may love one another
as He has loved us.

Absolutely, let's focus on understanding the different parts of 1 Corinthians 13. In

verses 1-3, Paul emphasizes the absolute necessity of love. He makes it clear that even if
someone possesses remarkable spiritual gifts or talents but lacks genuine love, those
gifts are meaningless. Love is the foundation that gives meaning and purpose to the use
of our spiritual gifts.

Moving on to verses 4-8, Paul provides a beautiful description of what agape love looks
like in action. In these verses, he paints a portrait of Jesus Himself and how He loves us.
This love is patient, kind, humble, selfless, forgiving, and persevering. It does not seek
its own interests but delights in the well-being of others. It is a love that never fails and
endures all things.

Finally, in verses 8-13, Paul reveals how this agape love is enduring and surpasses all
other things, including the spiritual gifts themselves. Love is eternal and will never fade
away, unlike prophecies, knowledge, and other gifts that will eventually pass away. As
we grow in love and live out this self-giving, self-sacrificing, and others-serving kind of
love, we align ourselves with what truly matters in God's eyes.

Today, let's focus on these opening verses, 1-3, and recognize that agape love is the
essential ingredient that makes our spiritual gifts a true blessing to us as God's family. It
is the very essence of our faith, shaping how we interact with one another and how we
use our gifts to serve and edify the body of Christ.

1. Without LOVE, an amazing gift of speech is just an annoying noise

Paul wrote, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I
have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” In saying this, Paul was eluding to
some of the spiritual gifts that he had already mentioned in Chapter 12—gifts that have
to do with the use of the mouth and of the powers of speech—such gifts as those of
teachers, or preachers, or of those who spoke in unknown tongues, or who interpreted
the messages given in tongues.

There have been people in history who possessed astonishing powers of speech. They
have moved people to action in powerful ways and have changed the world—people
whose speeches have been written down and are still read throughout history. Abraham
Lincoln was such a man. Martin Luther King, Jr. was another. They say that the great
preacher George Whitefield was able to move great crowds of people to tears just by the
way he could say, “Oh –!” But what if someone were able to speak with more than just
merely the tongues of men? What if they were able to even speak with the tongues of
angels? What if they were able to speak the language of heaven itself, and move people
with the power of heavenly words?

The power of speech is a great thing. When the Lord Jesus distributed His gifts to His
church, He included some kinds of spiritual gifts that move people by the power of
speech. But as Paul is telling us here, if I were to speak with astonishing eloquence, with
even the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have agape love—in other words, if
the love that Jesus Himself demonstrates to us is not included as ‘the essential
ingredient’ in my speech—then I am, in the end, nothing more than a noise-maker. I
may use a great gift of speech; but I only end up like one of those little wind-up monkey
dolls; bouncing around; clanging my cymbals; and doing no good at all for the
edification of the body of Christ.

I think of this very much in my role as a preacher. How many preachers are there who
speak eloquently and who talk of great subjects; and yet, are not captivated by Jesus’
own love for His people? Have you ever heard a great preacher who you knew did not
really love you? How many teachers are there in churches who accurately arrange the
facts and figures; and yet, are not doing their teaching with Jesus’ own love dominating
their hearts? I don’t want to be one of those. I don’t want to end up suffering loss as I
stand before the throne of God one day, because I ended up being nothing more than
sounding brass or clanging a cymbal.

You and I cannot truly serve one another through the speaking gifts—not in the way
that God wants to use us—unless we make sure that the agape love of Jesus permeates
all that we say and teach in the household of God!

2. Without love, the impressive gifts of the Spirit make us nothing

Paul's words remind us that the spiritual gifts he mentioned earlier, such as prophecy,
knowledge, and faith, are indeed remarkable and can lead to awe-inspiring miracles.
The ability to speak God's messages, understand divine mysteries, or demonstrate
powerful faith like moving mountains seems impressive.

However, Paul's emphasis lies in the critical role of agape love in these spiritual acts.
Without the selfless, sacrificial love that Jesus exemplifies, these gifts lose their true
meaning and significance. In fact, Paul goes as far as saying that without agape love, we
are nothing, regardless of the grandeur of our spiritual gifts or accomplishments.

True value is found in actions driven by agape love. Even the simplest, humblest acts of
faith, if done sincerely in Jesus' love, are more meaningful than the most extraordinary
miracles performed without it.

Therefore, as we exercise our spiritual gifts in the family of God, whether they be great
or small, let us ensure that the agape love of Jesus is the essential ingredient in all we do.
When love guides our actions, our service becomes truly powerful and effective in
building up the body of Christ and glorifying God.
 3. Without love, even great acts of selflessness and self-sacrifice gains us
nothing

There was a very wealthy man who came to Jesus once and asked what he needed to do
in order to be saved. He said that he had kept all of the law. But what was left? And Jesus
told him “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you
will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Matthew 19:21). That man walked
away sadly.

The encounter highlights the impossibility of anyone saving themselves through their
own efforts. Trusting in God's grace and surrendering to Him is essential for salvation.
However, you also pose a thought-provoking scenario where someone may choose to
take the extreme step of selling all their possessions and giving to the poor, or even
offering their body as a martyr for the cause of Christ. On the surface, these acts might
seem like great acts of self-sacrifice, and even unbelievers may be impressed by them.

However, Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, shows us that even such remarkable acts
can be devoid of true value if they are not accompanied by agape love. They might be
done to gain recognition or approval from others, or they could be performed with a
hardened heart or selfish motives. Some people may exercise their spiritual gifts with
bitterness or resentment, which would diminish the impact of their actions.

Without the agape love of Jesus for others, even the most significant acts of sacrifice
become meaningless and profit us nothing. They become mere deeds, lacking the
transformational power that comes from love. The true value lies in selfless acts of love,
motivated by a heart that genuinely cares for others and desires their well-being.

Let us remember that it is not just the extent of our sacrifice that matters, but the love
that accompanies it. When we exercise our spiritual gifts or perform acts of service with
agape love, we honor God, edify the body of Christ, and genuinely impact the lives of
those around us.

No matter what spiritual gifts we possess or what acts of sacrifice we engage in, they are
truly meaningful and beneficial only when they are accompanied by agape love—the
selfless, sacrificial love that Jesus demonstrated for us. Without this love, all our efforts
and gifts amount to nothing but empty noise.

As Alan Redpath rightly pointed out in his book The Royal Route to Heaven, (… if we
have no love, we have nothing; but if we have love, though we may lack much else, then
we have what matters most.) having love is what matters most. It is the foundation
upon which everything else should be built. Our primary focus should be on keeping our
gaze fixed on Jesus, seeking to love one another as He loves us, rather than solely
pursuing our spiritual gifts.
When our goal is to love one another with the love that flows from Jesus, our spiritual
gifts find their true purpose and are used to edify and bless the body of Christ. This love-
driven approach ensures that our actions align with God's will and bring glory to Him.

Let us, as brothers and sisters in Christ, strive to prioritize agape love in all we do,
recognizing that it is the essential ingredient that makes our gifts and acts of service
genuinely valuable and effective in building up God's kingdom.