New Life Bible Fellowship Church
9/13/2026

      • Psalm 34:8–10ESV

  • Wonderful Grace of Jesus
  • And Can It Be

      • Luke 1:26–56ESV

  • Introduction:

    We have come a long way in the book of 1 Corinthians and have dealt with every imaginable issue that could plague a local church living in the midst of cultural debauchery. As Paul addresses each issue, there is one reoccurring essential element that seems to be missing—an element that when missing renders all activities and actions meaningless and impossible in the church’s life.
    Paul has been building for this moment—he has set the stage by declaring that every believer has been given at least one Spiritual Gift, and that this gift is to be used to function as a necessary part of Christ’s body.
    He has clearly informed us that we are not "like a body", nor that we should just “function as a body." But that we are Christ's body. The Corinthian congregation—fractured, competitive, gift-obsessed—is nothing less than Christ Himself present in Corinth. And each believer is a member, a limb, an organ of that body. But how are these gifts to be used? How do we properly present Christ’s body to our culture? Paul is about to reveal this essential element that makes everything else work, it is none other than the most misused and misunderstood word—love!
    Paul is about to deliver the most famous passage he ever wrote. This passage, this week and next is not parenthetical, but contextual to all Paul has been leading up to. He begins not with love's beauty but with love's necessity. Without love, the greatest gifts are worthless.
    Today we learn that there is something more important than any spiritual gift: the way of love. Without it, the most spectacular gifts are worthless. Without it, the most heroic sacrifices gain nothing. Love is not one gift among many; love is the atmosphere in which all gifts must operate or they become meaningless noise.
    But before Paul talks to us about love, he begins by stating the importance of the “Greater Gifts”, and defines to us what he means by that.
    So we will look this morning at the Greater Gifts and a Greater Way from 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3. Where we will see three simple points:
    The Church’s Unified Diversity (12:27-30)
    The Paradox of “Greater Gifts” (12:31)
    Love as the True Measure (13:1-3)

    Text: 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3

    1 Corinthians 12:27–13:3 ESV
    27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. 1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

    Main Idea: Since gifts divorced from love—no matter how impressive—accomplish nothing of eternal value, love must therefore animate and validate all spiritual gifts.

    Background:

    The Gift List in 12:28

    This second gift list differs from 12:8-10:
    12:8-10: Word of wisdom, Word of knowledge, Faith, Gifts of healing, Working of miracles, Prophecy, Distinguishing of spirits, Kinds of tongues, Interpretation of tongues
    12:28: Apostles (first), Prophets (second), Teachers (third), Miracles, Gifts of healing, Helping, Administrating, Kinds of tongues
    New Elements:
    Explicit ordering ("first... second... third...")
    Office-gifts (apostles, prophets, teachers) alongside ability-gifts
    Practical gifts (helping, administrating) included
    Tongues Last
    In both lists, tongues appears at or near the end. Given the Corinthians' overvaluation of tongues, this placement is significant.
    If you will remember when we went through the various gifts in 12:8-10, I mentioned that instead of us looking at this list and the ones in Romans 12 and Ephesians 4 as exclusive, we are to think of them as what the Holy Spirit gives the Body of Christ in the context of need.

    Corinthian Worship Context

    The references to "noisy gong" and "clanging cymbal" evoke pagan worship. The cults of Cybele and Dionysus used loud percussion instruments in ecstatic rituals. Paul may be suggesting that loveless tongues-speaking resembles pagan frenzy more than Christian worship.

    I. The Church’s Unified Diversity (12:27-30)

    Paul begins with the established metaphor he so carefully itemized in verses 12-26.
    27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
    Now (de [conjunction]) - Referring to his metaphor, he is about to use it as a platform for this teaching.
    ὑμεῖς (hymeis) — Emphatic "You" - The pronoun is emphatic: "You—you Corinthians—are the body of Christ." The metaphor is not abstract; it applies directly to them.
    σῶμα Χριστοῦ (sōma Christou) — "Body of Christ" - Not merely "a body" but "the body of Christ." The Corinthian congregation is Christ's presence in that city. What they do to each other, they do to Christ's body.
    μέλη ἐκ μέρους (melē ek merous) — "Members individually / Each in part" - Each believer is a distinct member contributing a part. The phrase emphasizes both individuality (each has a role) and partiality (no one is the whole body).
    Paul reiterates a reoccurring theme throughout this section—how did we get these gifts?
    28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
    ἔθετο (etheto) — "Appointed / Placed" - The aorist middle emphasizes God's deliberate action. He placed these gifts/persons in the church according to His design.
    The Ordered List
    First (πρῶτον) - Apostles: given revelation by God and writing it down
    Second (δεύτερον) - Prophets: declaring God’s revelation, more instantaneous
    Third (τρίτον) - Teachers: Instructing God’s written revelation
    Ephesians 4:11–12 ESV
    11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
    Then (ἔπειτα) - Miracles
    Then (ἔπειτα) - Gifts of healing—Helping—Administrating—Kinds of tongues
    The Significance of Order
    The first three are explicitly numbered; the rest follow with "then" or no marker.
    This suggests relative priority for church-building: word-centered ministries (apostles, prophets, teachers) come before sign-gifts (miracles, healing) and service-gifts (helping, administrating).
    Tongues comes last.
    New Gifts in This List
    ἀντίλημψις (antilēmpsis) — "Help / Assistance / Support" - From ἀντιλαμβάνομαι ("to take hold of, to help"). Acts of practical assistance—caring for the needy, supporting the weak. A humble gift, but listed alongside miracles.
    κυβέρνησις (kybernēsis) — "Administration / Guidance / Steering" -From κυβερνάω ("to steer a ship"). Leadership, organization, directing the church's affairs. The navigator gift—guiding the ship to its destination.
    Special Note:
    Paul’s point is that some gifts function more powerfully for corporate welfare, not that those who possess them are more valuable to God or the church. The ordering addresses strategic importance for ministry, answering the question: which gifts most directly strengthen the whole? This distinction matters because it allows Paul to encourage the pursuit of higher gifts without denigrating those with different callings, and it prevents the Corinthians from confusing functional hierarchy with spiritual superiority.
    In order to remind the Corinthians of the diversity of the giftedness in the body of Christ, Paul now asks seven rhetorical questions:
    29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
    μή (mē) — Expecting Negative Answer - The particle μή in questions expects "No" as the answer. Paul is not asking for information but making a rhetorical point.
    Seven Rhetorical Questions, Seven "No's"
    Are all apostles? No.
    Are all prophets? No.
    Are all teachers? No.
    Do all work miracles? No.
    Do all have gifts of healing? No.
    Do all speak in tongues? No.
    Do all interpret? No.
    The Point - Diversity is normative. Not everyone has every gift. Specifically, not everyone speaks in tongues—a direct challenge to any teaching that tongues is the universal sign of Spirit-filling.
    Now after reassuring the Corinthians of the diversity of gifts and that those gifts were given to them by the Holy Spirit as He deemed necessary, Paul commands them in their use and pursuits:

    II. The Paradox of “Greater Gifts” (12:31)

    31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
    ζηλόω (zēloō) — "To be zealous for / To earnestly desire" - The form ζηλοῦτε could be:
    Imperative: "Earnestly desire the greater gifts!" - Paul encourages pursuit of edifying gifts, however, something greater than even these gifts awaits.
    This apparent contradiction dissolves when you recognize that Paul operates within two distinct frameworks simultaneously. Each person receives a spiritual gift distributed by the Spirit according to God’s will for the common good (1 Cor 12:1–11)—this establishes that God’s sovereignty determines what you possess. But Paul’s exhortation to pursue higher gifts addresses a different question: given what you already have, how should you orient your desires?
    God has appointed apostles first, prophets second, and teachers third (1 Cor 12:28–14:5), establishing a functional hierarchy. Some gifts contribute more directly to building up the congregation than others. Paul instructs the Corinthians to strive to excel in building up the church (1 Cor 14:12), suggesting that spiritual ambition should be redirected toward corporate edification rather than personal prominence.
    The tension resolves through this distinction: God has already determined your permanent gifting, but you can still cultivate capacities that serve others more effectively. Paul’s command to “earnestly desire the higher gifts” is immediately followed by the promise to “show you a still more excellent way” (1 Cor 12:28–14:5)—which turns out to be love. This reframes the pursuit of greater gifts: you’re not seeking personal elevation or rejecting your God-given role, but rather asking how you can exercise whatever gifts you possess in ways that maximize their benefit to others.
    τὰ μείζονα (ta meizona) — "the higher" - Some gifts are "greater" than others. Chapter 14 will clarify the criterion: edification value. Prophecy is greater than tongues because it builds up the church directly.
    καθ' ὑπερβολὴν ὁδόν (kath' hyperbolēn hodon) — "A surpassingly excellent way" - The phrase is emphatic: a way that surpasses, that exceeds comparison. This introduces chapter 13—not another gift, but the manner in which all gifts must operate.

    III. Love as the True Measure (13:1-3)

    Paul uses a series of five if-then statements to declare to us the absolute essential element of love in the use of our gifts…
    1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
    ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων (tais glōssais tōn anthrōpōn kai tōn angelōn) — "In the tongues of men and of angels" - Paul begins with the gift the Corinthians prized most: tongues. He hypothetically maximizes it—not just human languages but angelic speech, the very language of heaven.
    Some interpreters conclude that Paul uses the phrase “tongues of angels” as a rhetorical exaggeration to make his point maximally emphatic. The “tongues of angels” isn’t the gift of tongues as some suppose, but rather an exaggeration to emphasize the point, saying in effect, “If I had the ability to communicate with angels, it wouldn’t do any good without love.”
    ἀγάπη (agapē) — "Love" - This is the word Paul will define in verses 4-7. It is self-giving, other-centered love—not mere emotion but willed action for another's good.
    Agapē is fundamentally characterized by selfless care, concern, or esteem for another person—a radical departure from the other Greek words for love. Unlike eros (physical attraction) or philia (friendship based on mutual enjoyment), agapē love isn’t based on physical attraction or natural affection or family connection or even emotion, but stripped of all selfishness, it represents the highest and purest form of love.
    Romans 5:6–8 ESV
    6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
    Does everyone have this love? If we are to use, who has it? - Though unbelievers may perform acts of kindness or sacrifice, agapē as Paul describes here—the radical, unmotivated, self-giving love that constitutes the measure of all spiritual gifts—flows from spiritual transformation and God’s indwelling presence, making it fundamentally a believer’s capacity. This gift is given by the Holy Spirit at regeneration:
    Romans 5:5 ESV
    5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
    Galatians 5:22 ESV
    22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
    γέγονα (gegona) — "I have become / I am" - The perfect tense indicates a settled state. Without love, the tongues-speaker is (not just sounds like) a noisy gong.
    χαλκὸς ἠχῶν (chalkos ēchōn) — "Sounding brass / Resounding gong" - Bronze was used for gongs and cymbals. The image is of loud, hollow noise—impressive sound, no substance.
    κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον (kymbalon alalazon) — "Clanging cymbal" - The verb ἀλαλάζω can mean "to wail" or "to clash." Cymbals in pagan worship (Cybele, Dionysus) created ecstatic noise. Paul may be suggesting that loveless tongues resemble pagan frenzy.
    The Logic of Verse 1: Even the highest form of tongues were possible—angelic speech—without love is merely noise. The Corinthians valued tongues as the pinnacle of spirituality. Paul says: Without love, your prized gift is just clanging metal—loud, empty, pagan-sounding.
    2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
    προφητεία (prophēteia) — "Prophecy" - The gift Paul will elevate in chapter 14 as superior to tongues. Even prophecy, without love, profits nothing.
    τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν (ta mystēria panta kai pasan tēn gnōsin) — "All mysteries and all knowledge" - Complete understanding of divine secrets and comprehensive knowledge. The Corinthians prized γνῶσις (1:5; 8:1). Paul says: Even total knowledge, without love, makes you nothing.
    πᾶσαν τὴν πίστιν ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστάναι (pasan tēn pistin hōste orē methistanai) — "All faith so as to move mountains" - An allusion to Jesus' teaching (Matt 17:20; 21:21). Mountain-moving faith—the most extraordinary trust imaginable.
    οὐθέν εἰμι (outhen eimi) — "I am nothing" - Not "I accomplish nothing" but "I am nothing." The person without love is a zero, regardless of gifts. This is more devastating than verse 1: the tongues-speaker is noise; the loveless prophet/knower/faith-worker is nothing.
    The Logic of Verse 2: Paul escalates. Prophecy is greater than tongues (ch. 14), yet even prophecy without love is worthless. All mysteries, all knowledge, all faith—the ultimate spiritual attainments—without love make you nothing. The most spectacular gifts, without love, reduce you to zero.
    3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
    ψωμίζω (psōmizō) — "To feed by morsels / To give away piece by piece" - The verb suggests distributing food morsel by morsel—giving everything away gradually, completely.
    πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου (panta ta hyparchonta mou) — "All my possessions" - Total divestiture. Everything given away. This is radical generosity.
    παραδῶ τὸ σῶμά μου (paradō to sōma mou) — "I deliver up my body" - The ultimate sacrifice—giving up one's own body.
    ἵνα καυθήσομαι (hina kauthēsomai) — "That I might be burned"
    οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι (ouden ōpheloumai) — "I gain nothing / I am not profited" - Not "I accomplish nothing for others" but "I myself gain nothing." Even if others benefit from my charity and sacrifice, I gain nothing spiritually if love is absent.
    The Logic of Verse 3: Paul reaches the climax. From tongues (spiritual gift) to prophecy/knowledge/faith (greater gifts) to radical sacrifice (the ultimate action)—without love, all are worthless. The progression:
    Angelic tongues: Noise (ineffective)
    All prophecy, knowledge, faith: Nothing (worthless person)
    Total sacrifice: No profit (worthless to oneself)
    The point is unavoidable: love is not optional. It is not one gift among many. It is the essential context for all gifts and actions. Without it, everything else is empty.

    So What?

    Do we understand that we are Christ's body and therefore must value gifts that build up the body?
    This is your identity—not an illustration. How you treat fellow believers is how you treat Christ's body. Act accordingly.
    Not all gifts are equal in edification value. Desire gifts that serve others, not gifts that impress people.
    Do we understand that we should not expect everyone to have our gift(s), and that we must pursue the more excellent way of love in the use of our gift(s)?
    Diversity is God's design. Not everyone speaks in tongues, prophesies, or teaches. Stop evaluating others by whether they have your gift.
    Beyond desiring gifts, pursue love. Love is not one option among many but the essential context for everything else.
    Do we understand that without love, our gifts are worthless, and therefore we must examine our motivation in their use?
    However impressive your abilities, however spectacular your sacrifices—without love, you produce noise, amount to nothing, and gain nothing.
    Why do you serve? Why do you give? Why do you exercise your gifts? If the answer is not love for God and love for others, you are building with hay and stubble, you are just making noise.

      • 1 Corinthians 12:27–13:3ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 12:27–28ESV

      • Ephesians 4:11–12ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 12:29–30ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 12:31ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 13:1ESV

      • Romans 5:6–8ESV

      • Romans 5:5ESV

      • Galatians 5:22ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 13:2–3ESV

  • He Is Lord
New Life Bible Fellowship Church
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