1 Cor 1:13 SERMON 26 September 2021 Rev. Immanuel van Tonder
Love Endures All Things, Love Never Ends
It was November 1992 …I have been looking forward to this for many months! Looking out of the window as the train passed the green landscapes of the Netherlands on my way to my destination …. Dordrecht! One can say that Dordrecht was of the cradles of the Reformed Church. I remember from my church history lectures that the Canons of Dordt and the Belgic Confession were finally approved in Dordrecht 1618-1619.
At the tourist information office and I tried in vain to find out where this historic Church was. They didn’t even know about the famous Synod of Dordt! The lady had to call the minister of the local Reformed Church to find out where it was. It was not too far from the tourist information office; I could even see the tower from there!
As I approached the door of the historical Church, I saw it was closed! But there was a notice at the door: No services till April the following year. That is six months later! The gardener said there were not enough people in winter to have worship services, but they resumed the worship services when tourists arrived in summer. I was so shocked and saddened by what I heard!
As I turned around to walk back to the train station, I saw a statue of Mary crying. I was crying inside too.
Then a modern car drove into a pathway of the Church, but it quickly reversed and drove away. The photo of the modern vehicle leaving the Church was for me a symbol of what happened here.
I could not comprehend how a church or congregation with such a beautiful theology with the best news in the world had to close its doors.
On the train back, I reflected on my experience, and asked myself, what would be left of my congregation in South Africa when I would visit the church 10, 20, 100, 500, or 1000 years?
Perhaps we can ask the questions about Christ Community Reformed Church in Clifton Park too. If we visited the Church in 10, 20, or 50 years, what would we find? What will be left?
In South Africa, Europe, and the USA, many church buildings are being converted into theaters, hotels, roller skating areas, bookshops, and houses. A sign that the waves of time has dented the Church.
Looking at 1 Cor 13, we receive bad news and good news!
The bad news is that, as children build their sandcastles on the beach with beautiful decorations and shells, we build our churches; until the inevitable happens: the waves of the incoming tide destroy some of our most imposing structures. Then, we are only left with the ocean’s foam after all our diligent labor, all flattened, wiped out. Many aspects of church life will be last forever, not even some of the most amazing gifts that God gave:
v8 “But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; 10 but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end.”
The wave of time will flatten the prophecies, gifts of preaching and ministries of service. Supernatural events will cease, and some of our knowledge will be useless! Yes, much of what we are keeping ourselves busy with will disappear! Maybe many of the Church’s gatherings and programs will disappear ……
Paul paints three caricatures without Love:
1 The first is the Ecstatic Worshiper who prays in tongues with angelic language, but without Love, he sounds like a cymbal that just keeps on clapping.
2 Then, in comes the Prefect Prophet who preaches faithfully, without Love; this is also worthless.
3 Even the Successful Servant who gives away everything, even giving him/herself over as a martyr, all worth nothing without Love! Bankrupt!
But the good news is that when the waves recede, there will be something left: Love and everything that was built with Love!
V7 LOVE ENDURES ALL THINGS &
v 8 Love never ends &
The greatest of All is love (v13)!
When the onslaught of time plagues the sandcastles and sand churches, only that which was lovingly built will survive! Love is the cement that binds it all together.
Chapter 13 must be understood from the perspective of Chapter 12 and especially the last verse! 1 Cor 12 is about the abundant wonderful gifts of the Spirit that the body of Christ receives: the gift of faith, words of knowledge, healing, miracles, speaking in tongues, prophecy, proclaiming the message of God, discernment of spirits and giving, etc ….
THEN at the end of the chapter 12 in verse 31 Paul says: But strive for the greater gifts! Now you would wonder. Which are they? The miracles, healings, speaking in tongues or prophecies… which ones are the “greater gifts” we should strive for????
Then we read…v31b …..” And I will show you a still more excellent way.” LOVE!!!! (1 Cor. 13: 1) The Apostle Paul proclaims that of all the gifts, some of them even with supernatural power, by far the greatest gift is: Love! Although God’s gifts are wonderful and indispensable for the Church, it only becomes meaningful when the light of Love shines through it! Without Love, the Church is like an empty eggshell without content: hollow! Paul states that without Love, life is empty, and ministry is just loud noise. All gifts are meaningless without Love. The Church’s ministry is worth nothing without Love.
SO, WHAT IS THE LOVE THAT 1 COR 13 REFERS TO?
“Love” is … undoubtedly one of the most talked-about, written-about, thought-about, and talked-about about topics on earth. Just think of how many songs were composed about Love! I Googled it yesterday, Lyrics with the word love… More than one Billion results! How many movies and books were written about Love?
Especially in Church, it is one of the topics covered many times. Yet, with all focus on Love, one can develop a tiredness when you hear another sermon or another hymn on “love”!
What does Love mean in the context of 1 Cor 13? Is it Love for people or Love for God? It is very interesting that the word “love” in 1 Corinthians 13 linguistically does not actually have a subject or an object. The Name of God also does not even appear in the Greek source text. So, is it just the Love of or for God? From or for other people?
We need to remember that the bigger context here is about God’s gifts to God’s people! God shows God’s love to the Church by the abundantly giving of gifts. The truly magnificent gifts of chapter 12 give us a clear view of the magnitude of God’s giving and how very precious these gifts are.
Then Chapter 13 reminds us of the Greatest Gift offered to all of us: LOVE!
Maybe it is helpful to visualize the context of God Sharing Gods’ gifts abundantly with all.
We are emersed in the overabundance of love.
Love all around us.
Love in us!
This sanctuary where we worship is filled with love. Where you are following this worship service now is equally filled with love. Love is like the air in front of you, behind you, to the left and right, and beneath and above, and also… Love in you!
You are deeply emersed in love so that we can radiate with love.
Love inside is radiated outside.
Love is God’s gift to all God’s children. So, it comes from God, but is shared with all people!
When Paul speaks of Love here and elsewhere, he always mentions that Love is from God, through God, and to God. It is the Love that God gives so that we can give it to other people and thus give back to God. It is the Love that God gives and receives, receives and gives, and that we receive and give; and give and receive.
Love is not just a gift, but it is Gods self-giving! It is truly Gods presence all around and in us.
The invitation is to receive the presence of the ever-present One.
So, if you want to grow in Love, you just need to open your heart, hand to receive God’s loving presence to be able to share the Love again. It is opening up to God’s Love and receiving it for ourselves that motivates us to love others. If I receive God’s forgives, then I can forgive someone else…… the more you get to open up to the God of Love, the more you will grow in Love!
These gifts of Love and Presence need to be received as a gift and not earned! Love is extremely precious but is also freely given! Only when it is freely received, can it be freely shared!
LOVE then becomes the deepest motivation and energy for what we do. We do not manipulate or motivate others with fear, but we inspire others with love and kindness, compassion, gentleness and presence.
We this pattern see in Jesus’ life and prayer. Everything that Jesus says or does comes from his loving relationship with the Father. God is the Source from which he then serves people around him. John 17 refers to the unity prayer of Jesus that confirms the deep unity with God. And he asks the Father that we also live from that deeply rooted unity in God:
V 21: As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us,
I in them and you in me, …
and (You) have loved them even as you have loved me.
…. so that the love with which you have loved me, may be in them, and I in them.’
That is how Jesus showed us how love works: The love of God’s presence becomes the fountain of love that overflows.
Jesus came to us as Love, in a stable. He walked the streets, slept in the field, suffered, helped, healed, forgiven people their sins, and died and rose again. Love has conquered! We saw the Love before our eyes that was patient and kind, not envious, did not seek his own interest, did not keep a record of evil, and did not rejoice in injustice, and he covered everything with his Love and his Love never perished!
I have seen musicians giving a perfect technical performance but without passion. Somehow the music had almost no impact, no heart. When music is performed from the heart, it maybe even not perfect, it resonates with every fiber in your body … This is what the Melody of Love does!
When you are open to the melody of God’s Love resonating in your heart it becomes the energy and meaning of life. Your own love song will then be enchanting to the people around you.
This week I saw an inspiring video of one of our Church’s members that passed away: Karen Hitchcock. A few years ago, she gave a speech and reflected on her life. At the beginning of the address, she summed up her whole life with one word LOVE!
But listen to her in her own words: “First, of course, my church family, without them, without their caring and never-ending Love, life would be very different.
Then, my Love giving family…. My concept of Love of course was derived from the blessing of parents who loved my brothers and me deeply…… caring and loving people.”
Love does not just mean heaven on earth every day. It is not just a romantic feeling with moonshine and roses. Love to stand squarely with feet flat on the earth! Love’s feet walk peacefully on earth … through blue Monday, through the kitchen, your car, your factory, your school, your office, your marriage, your relationship with all people, your everyday life. Therefore, we must practice Love! …. from the Eternal Spring of Love.
The Love of which Paul speaks about is indeed not merely a theory, but a matter for practice every day, in the midst of the harsh realities of our lives. We can pray this prayer every morning: 0 God, fill me today with your Love, transform my life into a melody of Love.
What does this Love mean in practice? Love is not static; it moves into action:
Love is being patient and kind. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude
Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful
Love it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth
It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
The Church is a community of people who loves: Loves God, each other, the world and ourselves. We are love, we are love… Be love! Be love
Three years ago, when our house burnt down to the ground, everything was destroyed. Even crystal glasses and metal ornaments melted!
But in the middle of the Lounge, one-piece survived. It was a statue called the circle of friends made from clay. It is of people are holding each other around the shoulders, in a loving embrace around a fire/candle.
The fire did not destroy this figure of love; it actually baked the clay…strengthened the bonds! Love and compassion could not be destroyed!
And now, Faith, Hope, and Love remain … and the greatest of these is Love! AMEN
1 Cor 1:13 SERMON 26 September 2021 Rev. Immanuel van Tonder
Love Endures All Things, Love Never Ends
It was November 1992 …I have been looking forward to this for many months! Looking out of the window as the train passed the green landscapes of the Netherlands on my way to my destination …. Dordrecht! One can say that Dordrecht was of the cradles of the Reformed Church. I remember from my church history lectures that the Canons of Dordt and the Belgic Confession were finally approved in Dordrecht 1618-1619.
At the tourist information office and I tried in vain to find out where this historic Church was. They didn’t even know about the famous Synod of Dordt! The lady had to call the minister of the local Reformed Church to find out where it was. It was not too far from the tourist information office; I could even see the tower from there!
As I approached the door of the historical Church, I saw it was closed! But there was a notice at the door: No services till April the following year. That is six months later! The gardener said there were not enough people in winter to have worship services, but they resumed the worship services when tourists arrived in summer. I was so shocked and saddened by what I heard!
As I turned around to walk back to the train station, I saw a statue of Mary crying. I was crying inside too.
Then a modern car drove into a pathway of the Church, but it quickly reversed and drove away. The photo of the modern vehicle leaving the Church was for me a symbol of what happened here.
I could not comprehend how a church or congregation with such a beautiful theology with the best news in the world had to close its doors.
On the train back, I reflected on my experience, and asked myself, what would be left of my congregation in South Africa when I would visit the church 10, 20, 100, 500, or 1000 years?
Perhaps we can ask the questions about Christ Community Reformed Church in Clifton Park too. If we visited the Church in 10, 20, or 50 years, what would we find? What will be left?
In South Africa, Europe, and the USA, many church buildings are being converted into theaters, hotels, roller skating areas, bookshops, and houses. A sign that the waves of time has dented the Church.
Looking at 1 Cor 13, we receive bad news and good news!
The bad news is that, as children build their sandcastles on the beach with beautiful decorations and shells, we build our churches; until the inevitable happens: the waves of the incoming tide destroy some of our most imposing structures. Then, we are only left with the ocean’s foam after all our diligent labor, all flattened, wiped out. Many aspects of church life will be last forever, not even some of the most amazing gifts that God gave:
v8 “But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; 10 but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end.”
The wave of time will flatten the prophecies, gifts of preaching and ministries of service. Supernatural events will cease, and some of our knowledge will be useless! Yes, much of what we are keeping ourselves busy with will disappear! Maybe many of the Church’s gatherings and programs will disappear ……
Paul paints three caricatures without Love:
1 The first is the Ecstatic Worshiper who prays in tongues with angelic language, but without Love, he sounds like a cymbal that just keeps on clapping.
2 Then, in comes the Prefect Prophet who preaches faithfully, without Love; this is also worthless.
3 Even the Successful Servant who gives away everything, even giving him/herself over as a martyr, all worth nothing without Love! Bankrupt!
But the good news is that when the waves recede, there will be something left: Love and everything that was built with Love!
V7 LOVE ENDURES ALL THINGS &
v 8 Love never ends &
The greatest of All is love (v13)!
When the onslaught of time plagues the sandcastles and sand churches, only that which was lovingly built will survive! Love is the cement that binds it all together.
Chapter 13 must be understood from the perspective of Chapter 12 and especially the last verse! 1 Cor 12 is about the abundant wonderful gifts of the Spirit that the body of Christ receives: the gift of faith, words of knowledge, healing, miracles, speaking in tongues, prophecy, proclaiming the message of God, discernment of spirits and giving, etc ….
THEN at the end of the chapter 12 in verse 31 Paul says: But strive for the greater gifts! Now you would wonder. Which are they? The miracles, healings, speaking in tongues or prophecies… which ones are the “greater gifts” we should strive for????
Then we read…v31b …..” And I will show you a still more excellent way.” LOVE!!!! (1 Cor. 13: 1) The Apostle Paul proclaims that of all the gifts, some of them even with supernatural power, by far the greatest gift is: Love! Although God’s gifts are wonderful and indispensable for the Church, it only becomes meaningful when the light of Love shines through it! Without Love, the Church is like an empty eggshell without content: hollow! Paul states that without Love, life is empty, and ministry is just loud noise. All gifts are meaningless without Love. The Church’s ministry is worth nothing without Love.
SO, WHAT IS THE LOVE THAT 1 COR 13 REFERS TO?
“Love” is … undoubtedly one of the most talked-about, written-about, thought-about, and talked-about about topics on earth. Just think of how many songs were composed about Love! I Googled it yesterday, Lyrics with the word love… More than one Billion results! How many movies and books were written about Love?
Especially in Church, it is one of the topics covered many times. Yet, with all focus on Love, one can develop a tiredness when you hear another sermon or another hymn on “love”!
What does Love mean in the context of 1 Cor 13? Is it Love for people or Love for God? It is very interesting that the word “love” in 1 Corinthians 13 linguistically does not actually have a subject or an object. The Name of God also does not even appear in the Greek source text. So, is it just the Love of or for God? From or for other people?
We need to remember that the bigger context here is about God’s gifts to God’s people! God shows God’s love to the Church by the abundantly giving of gifts. The truly magnificent gifts of chapter 12 give us a clear view of the magnitude of God’s giving and how very precious these gifts are.
Then Chapter 13 reminds us of the Greatest Gift offered to all of us: LOVE!
Maybe it is helpful to visualize the context of God Sharing Gods’ gifts abundantly with all.
We are emersed in the overabundance of love.
Love all around us.
Love in us!
This sanctuary where we worship is filled with love. Where you are following this worship service now is equally filled with love. Love is like the air in front of you, behind you, to the left and right, and beneath and above, and also… Love in you!
You are deeply emersed in love so that we can radiate with love.
Love inside is radiated outside.
Love is God’s gift to all God’s children. So, it comes from God, but is shared with all people!
When Paul speaks of Love here and elsewhere, he always mentions that Love is from God, through God, and to God. It is the Love that God gives so that we can give it to other people and thus give back to God. It is the Love that God gives and receives, receives and gives, and that we receive and give; and give and receive.
Love is not just a gift, but it is Gods self-giving! It is truly Gods presence all around and in us.
The invitation is to receive the presence of the ever-present One.
So, if you want to grow in Love, you just need to open your heart, hand to receive God’s loving presence to be able to share the Love again. It is opening up to God’s Love and receiving it for ourselves that motivates us to love others. If I receive God’s forgives, then I can forgive someone else…… the more you get to open up to the God of Love, the more you will grow in Love!
These gifts of Love and Presence need to be received as a gift and not earned! Love is extremely precious but is also freely given! Only when it is freely received, can it be freely shared!
LOVE then becomes the deepest motivation and energy for what we do. We do not manipulate or motivate others with fear, but we inspire others with love and kindness, compassion, gentleness and presence.
We this pattern see in Jesus’ life and prayer. Everything that Jesus says or does comes from his loving relationship with the Father. God is the Source from which he then serves people around him. John 17 refers to the unity prayer of Jesus that confirms the deep unity with God. And he asks the Father that we also live from that deeply rooted unity in God:
V 21: As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us,
I in them and you in me, …
and (You) have loved them even as you have loved me.
…. so that the love with which you have loved me, may be in them, and I in them.’
That is how Jesus showed us how love works: The love of God’s presence becomes the fountain of love that overflows.
Jesus came to us as Love, in a stable. He walked the streets, slept in the field, suffered, helped, healed, forgiven people their sins, and died and rose again. Love has conquered! We saw the Love before our eyes that was patient and kind, not envious, did not seek his own interest, did not keep a record of evil, and did not rejoice in injustice, and he covered everything with his Love and his Love never perished!
I have seen musicians giving a perfect technical performance but without passion. Somehow the music had almost no impact, no heart. When music is performed from the heart, it maybe even not perfect, it resonates with every fiber in your body … This is what the Melody of Love does!
When you are open to the melody of God’s Love resonating in your heart it becomes the energy and meaning of life. Your own love song will then be enchanting to the people around you.
This week I saw an inspiring video of one of our Church’s members that passed away: Karen Hitchcock. A few years ago, she gave a speech and reflected on her life. At the beginning of the address, she summed up her whole life with one word LOVE!
But listen to her in her own words: “First, of course, my church family, without them, without their caring and never-ending Love, life would be very different.
Then, my Love giving family…. My concept of Love of course was derived from the blessing of parents who loved my brothers and me deeply…… caring and loving people.”
Love does not just mean heaven on earth every day. It is not just a romantic feeling with moonshine and roses. Love to stand squarely with feet flat on the earth! Love’s feet walk peacefully on earth … through blue Monday, through the kitchen, your car, your factory, your school, your office, your marriage, your relationship with all people, your everyday life. Therefore, we must practice Love! …. from the Eternal Spring of Love.
The Love of which Paul speaks about is indeed not merely a theory, but a matter for practice every day, in the midst of the harsh realities of our lives. We can pray this prayer every morning: 0 God, fill me today with your Love, transform my life into a melody of Love.
What does this Love mean in practice? Love is not static; it moves into action:
Love is being patient and kind. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude
Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful
Love it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth
It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
The Church is a community of people who loves: Loves God, each other, the world and ourselves. We are love, we are love… Be love! Be love
Three years ago, when our house burnt down to the ground, everything was destroyed. Even crystal glasses and metal ornaments melted!
But in the middle of the Lounge, one-piece survived. It was a statue called the circle of friends made from clay. It is of people are holding each other around the shoulders, in a loving embrace around a fire/candle.
The fire did not destroy this figure of love; it actually baked the clay…strengthened the bonds! Love and compassion could not be destroyed!
And now, Faith, Hope, and Love remain … and the greatest of these is Love! AMEN