WITHOUT GOD’S LOVE!
1 Corinthians 13:1-14:1
INTRODUCTION: On Valentine’s Day everyone may be talking about love but the question is do most people really understand how important God’s love is to a marriage, to a relationship, to the home, to the Christian life and to the life of a local church? The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians at Corinth and said without the love of God in our hearts we are nothing. If we are ever to truly please our Lord we must have God’s love in our hearts. Our life principle of what is most important in our lives determine the choices we make in life. Every person has a dominant value that directs their life. 1 Corinthians 14:1 tells us what God says should be every Christians dominant value that directs their lives.
I. WITHOUT GOD’S LOVE ALL I SAY IS INEFFECTIVE!
In Matthew 22:36-40; 1 Corinthians 13:1 Paul tells us that without God’s love in our hearts all we say is ineffective. We get so impressed by great communicators but God is not impressed if those communicators are not filled with His love. We need to major on God’s love in everything we do. Why should God’s love be the dominant value in our lives, becausewithout it all I will ever say will mean nothing.
II. WITHOUT GOD’S LOVE ALL I KNOW IS INCOMPLETE!
Without God’s love motivating me all I know is incomplete. 1 Corinthians 13:2. No matter how gifted you are even in the knowledge of God’s Word, if you don’t have God’s love in your heart and show God’s love to others all that knowledge is useless. 1 Corinthians 8:1-3. It is better to have a right heart with God than a gifted mind. The problems of this world will not be solved through the knowledge of men but by the love of God.
III. WITHOUT LOVE ALL I BELIEVE IS INSUFFICIENT!
All that I believe without the love of God being my dominant value is insufficient. 1 Corinthians 13:2. When one day we stand before our Lord we will be judged by a different standard than how people evaluate one another down here on this earth. Even if we had a faith that could move mountains, God says it is of no value if we are not using His love as our primary motivation. True Christianity is a lifestyle not a religion, it is a relationship; it is not a set of rules, but it is the Spirit of God living His life out through our lives. Galatians 5:6. Everything our Lord Jesus did on this earth was done through the love of God. Galatians 5:6. Although our faith is very important, faith working without the love being our primary motivator our Lord says is useless. Instead of showing the love of God in our lives we can become very judgmental of others who don’t live up to the standards of God’s Word instead of loving them to Christ.
IV. WITHOUT LOVE ALL I GIVE IS INSIGNIFICANT!
1 Corinthians 13:3: You can give all you have to the poor and endure all kinds of hardships but if I do it for the praise of man instead of because of the love of God it will amount to nothing in God’s sight. God tells us we should give to the poor but not to impress them but to show them the love of God in our hearts: Proverbs 19:17. Just because someone gives to others does not mean their primary motivation was because of the love of God.
V. WITHOUT LOVE ALL I ACCOMPLISH IS INADEQUTE
1 Corinthians 13:3: Without the priority of God’s love motivating my accomplishments will be inadequate to receive a reward from God. 2 Corinthians 5:11-15: Does the love of Christ constrain you? Romans 5:8. God says relationships are more important than accomplishments. Romans 5:5. What would the love of God look like coming from each of our lives? 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Let me just ask: “Is that the kind of love others see you and I living out?” Do you wish that kind of love could be in you and flow out from you?