Baptist Fellowship Church

Sermon outline

The Most Excellent Way

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

This chapter is often known as the “great love chapter”. It is also often misunderstood and mis-applied in sentimental sermons.

Paul used hyperbole to make a point. He used exaggeration in order to convey his message. This technique was used in these first three verses. In each verse, he concluded “but have not love”, it is all “nothing”. The message, then, is whatever you do, do it with love; not for one’s self satisfaction, not for one’s own glory, but always for the love of your fellow Christians, of your neighbours, of the unsaved and of God.

Question: If you have two conflicting loves, one of whom is not God, how do you prioritise?

Love is greater than eloquent communication. Eloquence without love is noise (13:1). There is no substitute for love. No matter how great one is as a preacher, only love can move a person’s heart. What is in your heart is more important than what is on your tongue.

Love is greater than Spiritual gifts. Without love, all is waste.

What good then are all the gifts of prophecy, of knowledge, of faith, gifts that one can do the utmost with, when it is done without love (13:2)

Question: Talent and Spiritual gifts are from God. Even if the greatest success accrues from their usage, when they are exercised without love, it benefits no one except oneself? Is it self aggrandisation?

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Even personal sacrifice comes to nought if done without love. Generosity without love is nothing. Martyrdom without love is also nothing (13:3). One would have thought martyrdom would be the ultimate sacrifice, but if the heart is not for God, it is nothing.

Love is doing things God’s way -seeking biblical answers. It is loving those who treat us badly. It is calling us to reach out and to heal, to bridge.

Question: Is pride the hindrance to the healing process?

Without love and humility, healing never occurs between two aggrieved parties, what more between two fellow Christians?

Dr and Mrs ET Chua

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