The Greatest of These
January 30, 2022 Pastor: Pastor John King
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:31– 13:13
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Sermon Notes
I. The Greatest of These I Corinthians 12:31 – 13:13
A. The Four Loves
- Phileo – tender affection, brotherly/sisterly love, based on merit.
- Eros – a possessive love, most often referring to physical love. Based on worthiness. Not used in the New Testament.
- Storge – family love or affection. Not used in the New Testament except in its negative form.
- Agape – The opposite of eros, it does not desire to possess and is not a love of the worthy. Instead, it is a love that seeks to give and is not reserved for those who are worthy or have merited it. It is the word for love that is most used in the New Testament and the one that most often describes the love of God. This is the word that is used in this text.
B. Love Contrasted (vv. 1-3)
- Love versus eloquence in language and verbal expression.
- Love versus prophecy.
- Love versus discernment and knowledge.
- Love versus prodigious faith.
- Love versus compassion and generosity.
- Love versus sacrifice and suffering.
C. Love Described and Analyzed (vv. 4-7)
- Patient
- Kind
- Not envious – “generous”
- Not boastful or arrogant– “humility”
- Not rude – “courteous”
- Not insisting on its own way – “unselfish”
- Not irritable or resentful, i.e., easily angered
- Does not rejoice in wrongdoing – “guilelessness”
- Delights in truth – “sincere”
- Bears all (protects), trusts (believes), hopes, perseveres (endures).
D. Love Defended (vv. 8-12)
- Prophecies cease …. love does not.
- Tongues cease …. love does not.
- Knowledge ceases …. love does not.
- They are the things that belong to the childhood of salvation history …. When history is consummated, they will be transcended by agape, i.e., the perfect love of God perfected in us.
E. The Greatest of These (v. 13)
- Faith is great, but it will be completely realized in the end and no longer necessary.
- Hope, like faith, is great, but will be realized, as well.
- Love lasts …. Eternally ….” the greatest of these is love.”