This year we have been unpacking the description of love Paul gives us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. This is the last lesson in that study and it is, perhaps, the most important: Love never fails.
Let’s take a brief look at six aspects of love which are mentioned in the NT. It all begins with…
GOD’S LOVE FOR US:
John 3:16 – Loves the world
John 3:35; 5:20 (phileo); 15:9; 17:23-24 – Loves the Son
John 10:17 – Jesus lays down His life
John 14:21 – If we love Jesus, we will be loved by the Father
John 14:23 – If we keep Jesus’ words
John 16:27 (phileo); 17:23 – Loves the followers of Jesus
John 17:26 – The Father’s love for the Son will be in the Son’s followers
Rom 5:5 – Poured out through the Holy Spirit
Rom 5:8 – Christ died for us
Rom 8:37 – We overwhelmingly conquer
2 Cor. 9:7 – A cheerful giver
2 Cor 13:11 (agape) – “God of love”
Eph 2:4 – Great love
2 Thess 4:8 – The Church
1 John 4:10 – Sent His Son
1 John 4:19 – He loved first
God loves us even when we don’t respond as we should – love never fails.
JESUS’ LOVE FOR US:
Mark 10:21 – rich young ruler
John 11:3 (phileo), 5, 36 (phileo) – Mary & Martha & Lazarus
John 13:1; 15:9 – Jesus loved His disciples
John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2 (phileo); 21:7, 20 – The disciple whom Jesus loved
John 14:21, 23 – Keep His commandments
John 14:31 – Love the Father, do exactly as He commands
John 21:15-17 – Peter
Gal 2:20; Eph 5:2 – Loved me & gave Himself for me
Eph 5:25; 1 Thess 1:4; 2 Thess 4:10 – The Church
Heb 12:6; Rev 3:19 – He disciplines
Rev 1:5 – He released us from our sins
We have the ability as fellow human beings, and especially as Christians, to give people love and to build relationships. That’s what happens when we “love like Jesus loves.”
SPIRIT’S LOVE FOR US:
Rom 15:30 (agape)
OUR LOVE FOR GOD:
Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33; Luke 10:27 – God
Luke 7:42, 47 – the one forgiven much, loves much
Rom 8:28 – All things work together for good
1 Cor. 8:3 – Known by Him
1 John 5:1 – We will love His children
1 John 5:2 – Keep His commandments
Our love for God needs to be unfailing. We ought to love God without any further conditions on our part. Can we love God without any condItions on His part?
OUR LOVE FOR JESUS:
Matt 10:37 – Love Him above family
John 8:42 – If God is our Father, we would love Jesus
John 14:15; 14:21; 15:10 – We will keep His commandments
John 15:9 – Abide in His love
1 Cor 16:22 – If we don’t love Him, we are cursed
2 Cor 5:14 – Controls us
Eph 6:24 – Grace to those who love JC with incorruptible love
James 1:12 – Crown of life
James 2:5 – The eternal kingdom
1 Peter 1:8 – Without seeing Him
If we love Jesus then we will love each other, and we’ll care.
OUR LOVE FOR OTHERS:
Matthew 5:43-46; Luke 6:27, 32, 35 – enemies
Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13 – masters
Matthew 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31, 33; Rom 13:9-10; Gal 5:14; James 2:8 – neighbors
John 13:34-35; 15:12-13, 17; 1 Thess 4:9; 1 Peter 1:22 – Love one another & lay down life
Rom 13:8 – Love one another, fulfill the law
Eph 5:25, 28, 33; Col 3:19 – Love wife
1 Peter 2:17 – The brotherhood
1 John 2:10; 3:10-11, 14, 18, 23; 4:7-8, 11-12, 20-21; 2 John 5 – Our brother
Every contact we make affects the other person (and us) either positively or negatively.
CONCLUSION:
“Pursue love” – 1 Corinthians 14:1
“Let all that you do be done in love” – 1 Corinthians 16:14
God is playing a masterpiece in the lives of each one of us. Since He is the one playing, let’s be patient with each other, loving without failure. Everything will be alright in the end.
Love never fails.
Paul Holland
