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Our spiritual gifts are meant for the glory of God and the good of others. Today we turn our attention to our intention, to live out what Real Love Looks Like.

John MacArthur writes: “This chapter is a breath of fresh air, an oasis in a desert of problems. It is a positive note in the midst of almost continual reproof and correction of wrong understandings, wrong attitudes, wrong behavior, and wrong use of God’s ordinances and gifts.”

SPIRITUAL GIFTS DISCOVERY. Spiritual Gifts Discovery Link

SHAPE PROFILE. = Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, & Experiences. Consider taking this online SHAPE Test: www.freeshapetest.com (this test leaves out/adds some gifts not on our Spiritual Gifts Inventory). Then send this to Christy@FOM.life or Jackie@FOM.life

Plug into minisTRY (find the right fit).

There is much debate over what angelic tongues means. Some think this is a heavenly angelic language. Biblical tongues demonstrated in Acts 2 were human languages known to other people.

Even if we could speak all kinds of languages, if we do not have love, the language we are using is irritating instead of encouraging - like a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If you have the gift of tongues, but don’t demonstrate love to others, what you have to say is just a bunch of NOISE.

Imagine one person able to speak on behalf of God with the gift of prophecy, understanding the deep mysteries with the gift of knowledge, AND with extraordinary faith that believes God for big things, and seems to trust God during the midst of incredible difficulty. EXCEPT…all these great gifts are LACKING LOVE. Without LOVE, this person would likely become prideful, arrogant, and look down on those who can’t match his/her prophecy, knowledge, or faith.

Warren Wiersbe: “Spiritual gifts, no matter how exciting and wonderful, are useless and even destructive if they are not ministered in love.”

Some translations (i.e. King James, ESV, NAS) refer to giving one’s body to be burned, but the Greek term in more important manuscripts contain boast while other manuscripts have burn, the difference of ONLY ONE LETTER that a copyist got wrong at some point. (kauchēsōmai = I might boast; kauthēsomai = “I will burn”) This giving over of the body might even refer to the ancient practice of selling yourself into slavery to raise funds to give to the poor.

• To give away material possessions and to give over your body are both HUGE sacrifices, to be applauded. 
• The problem is that this person is living for the applause of people and these ‘sacrificial acts of service’ are really being done to boast.

This person would be doing great things, but for the wrong reasons - all those giftings - without love - are nothing.

BUT…those people with those gifts who LIVE out of LOVE for God and others, are giving a little glimpse into what life on the other side of eternity is going to be like - showing what real love looks like!

8 THINGS LOVE DOES

Since “God is love” (1 Jn 4:16), and since love is patient and kind, then God is patient and kind. How patient and kind has God been to YOU? 

8 THINGS LOVE DOESN’T DO

• Love does not envy when good things happen to others. 
• Love is not boastful, arrogant. What’s the opposite of that? Love is humble.
• Love is not rude - Greek term referring to “disgrace, embarrassment, and shame” The NIV translates this as “It does not dishonor others.”
• Love is not self-seeking, not demanding it’s own way (ESV, NLT) but puts others first.

R. C. H. Lenski “Cure selfishness and you have just replanted the garden of Eden.”

• Love is not irritable or easily angered (NET, NIV), because love focuses on the PERSON instead of the PROBLEM. 
• Love does not keep a record of wrongs. This is a bookkeeping phrase related to keeping a record of those who owe money to the business. That’s okay in business relationships, but it’s NOT okay in the people business.

Christians should find no joy in what is not right - unrighteousness. Christians must not celebrate what God hates (e.g. sexual impurity, drunkenness, evil talk, dirty jokes). Instead, Christians should rejoice in the truth.

For the sake of truth...

• love bears all things - it supports others - providing for, protecting, and being patient with them.
• love believes all things - we believe what is true & what is good, and we believe all that God says. 
• love hopes all things - Love hopes the best for others. 
• love endures all things - the good times and the bad things.

This poem points to the final return of Jesus and the resurrection of the dead (read 1 Cor 15). When the perfect comes and Jesus is standing before us, there will be no need for anyone else to tell us what God is saying or meaning through prophesy, tongues, nor knowledge. Those things will come to an end.

Corinth was well known in the ancient world for producing some of the finest bronze mirrors available, but it was still far from the crystal clarity of our mirrors. So too, what we can currently see of God is limited on this side of eternity, but we will soon experience the high definition of being face to face with our Creator & Redeemer, to know fully His Presence, power, & character. Oh what a day that will be!

1. What challenged or encouraged you most from today’s teaching? You might need to look back in your notes to help explain your answer.
2. You’ve probably heard “The Love Chapter” (1 Cor 13) quoted at a wedding, but how has studying the context (tied to spiritual gifts) helped you to understand it better?
3. Read all of 1 Cor 12:31-13:7 and share with one another what stands out to you the most.
4. Read 1 Cor 13:8-12. While some use this passage to say some of these gifts have already ceased, when and why can we expect this gifts to no longer be necessary? What ULTIMATE day is this pointing to and why should it be a day we look forward to?
5. Read 1 Cor 13:13-14:1. Share some practical ways WE can pursue love this week in our homes, at our jobs, in our community, and with our church.
6. What other questions has this teaching or discussion prompted for us to talk about?
7. Share prayer needs and pray for one another.