Devotionals for August 16, 2023
Fall Discipleship Communities begin on the week of August 27th. CLICK HERE to view all of our fall groups.
READ
1 Corinthians 13:1-7
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.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
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.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
REFLECT
As we have observed this week, the New Testament’s emphasis on love is at the center of practical Christian living. Perhaps there is no stronger picture of it than in Paul’s famous poem written to the Corinthians. Here, Paul powerfully argues for the primacy of love in the church as the chief end of the community. The strong language in this passage indicates that Paul is passionately trying to convey something. He wants the church in Corinth to know that they cannot hang their hat on their spiritual gifts, theological depth, and powerful expressions of faith. Paul is indicating that someone can have all of these and still be “nothing.”
The implications of this are far-reaching. Notice how often we encourage believers to learn more, sharpen their spiritual gifts, and operate in powerful faith in their life. But how often do we investigate the degree to which they are loving others? When we think of a “great man or woman of God” does the way they love others pop into our minds first? Or do we tend to think of the powerful prophet, theologically wise, and faith-filled mountain mover? Paul would rebuke our imagination. He would tell us we are thinking small. I imagine he would locate in our congregation someone who we have overlooked and say something like, “Ah! There is the one who gets it!”
The implications of this are far-reaching. Notice how often we encourage believers to learn more, sharpen their spiritual gifts, and operate in powerful faith in their life. But how often do we investigate the degree to which they are loving others? When we think of a “great man or woman of God” does the way they love others pop into our minds first? Or do we tend to think of the powerful prophet, theologically wise, and faith-filled mountain mover? Paul would rebuke our imagination. He would tell us we are thinking small. I imagine he would locate in our congregation someone who we have overlooked and say something like, “Ah! There is the one who gets it!”
APPLY
Q: What does Paul specifically say about tongues, prophecy, and faith in this passage? Why is it important in the context of 1 Corinthians?
Q: Where can you emphasize love more in your life?
Q: How can love be a form of discipleship?
Q: Where can you emphasize love more in your life?
Q: How can love be a form of discipleship?
SING
PRAY
"Give us today our daily bread."
Lord, help us to remember to love. Help us never to rest in our spiritual accomplishments, but to rest in You so that we may love our brother and sister. Amen.
Lord, help us to remember to love. Help us never to rest in our spiritual accomplishments, but to rest in You so that we may love our brother and sister. Amen.