All Age Talk.
Paul is teaching on spiritual gifts.
Charimata – which means gifts of grace.
He says if you are using a gift, you must do it in love. Do it in love.
The film Christmas Chronicles on Netflix is a popular one in our home. Good one, check it out.
Santa says – Christmas must endure!
Well Paul says – when using spiritual gifts LOVE must endure.
Of course some of the church members said – we always do that.
Other probably were scratching their heads – what is love?
What is love? Ask your kids.
What is love?
Gifts;
Time
Touch
Service – helping
Words
All good ways to show love. Maybe you have a preference – that is the approach of Love Languages… covered in marriage course, as well as in our marriage prep.
Jesus
4 statements about love.
Love God – ‘’‘Heb de Heer, uw God, lief met heel uw hart en met heel uw ziel en met heel uw verstand. (Matthew 22)
Love Neighbour – ‘’Heb uw naaste lief als uzelf.” (Matthew 22)
Love enemies – “Je moet je naaste liefhebben en je vijand haten.” 44 Dit zeg Ik daarover: heb je vijanden lief en bid voor wie jullie vervolgen. (Matthew 5)
Love one another – 12 Mijn gebod is dat jullie elkaar liefhebben zoals Ik jullie heb liefgehad. 13 Er is geen grotere liefde dan je leven te geven voor je vrienden. 14 Jullie zijn mijn vrienden wanneer je doet wat Ik zeg.’’
How to be a loving disciple…
Paul – 1 Cor 13
7 positive verbs… what it is.
8 negative verbs – what it is not.
You know what a writer has said – and it makes sense for John declares God is love.
You can replace the name Jesus with love or with it…
Love must endure.
Two questions to ponder:
1.This week, how can you prioritise love over all things?
4 Jesus is patient,
Jesus is kind.
Jesus does not envy,
Jesus does not boast, Jesus is not proud.
5 Jesus does not dishonor others, Jesus is not self-seeking, Jesus is not easily angered, Jesus keeps no record of wrongs. 6
Jesus does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 Jesus always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Jesus never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
2.As I have done, re-read these verses from 1 Cor 13, and replace love or it with Christ.
This is who he is. How does this prompt you to worship Him?
Or encourage you to come to Him? Or come back to Him if you have left Him?
Ponder these… for a few moments.
Eternal God,
whose Son went among the crowds
and brought healing with his touch:
help us to show his love, in this Church community as we gather together,
Help us to show love to friend, enemy, neighbour and to you,
through by our lives
as they are being transformed
into the likeness of Jesus.
Amen.