Sermon Title: Love is the Best of the Best
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not 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 have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor, and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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 protect, always truts, 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 prophey in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disppears. 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 childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror then we shall see fact to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully even as I am fully known. And now these three remains: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
Faith, hope and love are the greatest graces, but love is the greatest of all because it contains all virtues. The other virtues are concerned with human duties or with deeds that will cease when our earthly needs and trials cease. Love bears all of these virtues and points us to God. Love looks towards God, does all for Him and soars above all to see Him.
Writer E.B. Pusey reminds us that there are four stages of love for God and others: (1) fallen humanity is to love himself or herself; (2) loving God and others for one's own sake (i.e., loving God for the blessings we receive from Him); (3) loving God and others for His sake (i.e., responding to God's love for us); and (4) loving God for Who He is and loving others through that love. What stage of love for God are you in today?
This Sunday I will talk about how faith is better than unbelief, hope is better than despair and love being the best of all. Hope to see you then!
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not 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 have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor, and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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 protect, always truts, 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 prophey in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disppears. 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 childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror then we shall see fact to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully even as I am fully known. And now these three remains: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
Faith, hope and love are the greatest graces, but love is the greatest of all because it contains all virtues. The other virtues are concerned with human duties or with deeds that will cease when our earthly needs and trials cease. Love bears all of these virtues and points us to God. Love looks towards God, does all for Him and soars above all to see Him.
Writer E.B. Pusey reminds us that there are four stages of love for God and others: (1) fallen humanity is to love himself or herself; (2) loving God and others for one's own sake (i.e., loving God for the blessings we receive from Him); (3) loving God and others for His sake (i.e., responding to God's love for us); and (4) loving God for Who He is and loving others through that love. What stage of love for God are you in today?
This Sunday I will talk about how faith is better than unbelief, hope is better than despair and love being the best of all. Hope to see you then!
