THE MOST EXCELLENT WAY -LOVE

I CORINTHIANS 13:1-13

INTRODUCTION

Last Sunday in this worship service we talked about the four doors of destiny, Planning, patience, persistence and prayer. Today let us talk about the most excellent way of doing things- love. It Is reasonable to conclude that all the ambitious that can arise for faith in Christ, the most excellent is the pursuit of love was is to patterned after God himself .A pattern that we see most clearly in Jesus  Christ is the pattern of love. Jesus Christ made Himself nothing in order to make us something. This most excellent way is the road, if travelled; a person will find significance, blessing and meaning. God has showered our hearts with love through faith in Jesus Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit: Let us learn:

I.  THE PRIORITY OF LOVE.

• Love must be expressed before the exercise of spiritual gifts (1cor. 13:1-2).
• Love must be exercised before any great sacrifice (1 cor.13:3)
• Without love such things are of no value. without love, any ability we have is of little value (such as teaching and preaching)
• Without love, any knowledge we obtain will only hurt us.
• Without love any service rendered is not pleasing to God.
• Love must be given the highest priority in all our life endeavors and activities.

II.  THE PROPERTIES OF LOVE.

• The Bible describes for us the properties of love by telling us what love is or does And what love is not or does not do.

A.WHAT LOVE IS OR DOES:

1. Suffers long-Endures slights and wrongs patiently.

• God is long suffering and patient. (Psalm 103:8).

2. Love is kind –obliging, willing to help or assist.
3. Love rejoices in the truth –Truth is personified as is love.

• When love sees truth manifested in the lives of others, greatly rejoices along with it (3John 3-4).

4. Love bears all things-love protects and covers.

• Love bears with patience the weakness and feelings of others.

5. Love believes all things- love believes the best. Love rejoices in the happiness and virtue of others
6. Love hopes all things-That all will turn out well.. However dark the appearances. Love holds to the hope that all will finally be good.
7. Love endures all things-it bears up under, sustains and does not complain.

B.WHAT LOVE DOES NOT DO OR IS NOT.

1. Love does not envy-it is not jealous of what others have or have become.
2. Love does not parade itself-it does not brag or boast of ones abilities or possessions.
3. Love is not puffed up-swelled with pride elated with vain conceit of himself.
4. Love does not behave rudely-to behave in an ugly, indecent, unseemly or unbecoming manner (1Peter 3:8)
5. Love does not seek its own-its own happiness to the injury of others. (1Cor.10:24, 33).
6. Love is not provoked-does not fly into a rage, but keeps the tempers under control.
7. Love thinks no evil-puts the best possible construction on the motives and the conduct of others, not malicious, does not impute improper motives to others.
8. Love does not rejoice in iniquity-Does not rejoice when others fall into sin, guilty, crime or trap. It does not find pleasure in hearing others accused of sin or when they are proved to have committed a crime.

III. PERMANENCY OF LOVE

1. Love never fails
2. Love abides-love abides along with Faith and Hopes.-spiritual gifts, prophecies, knowledge they seal cease in eternally.

• Love is greater than Faith and hope.
• When Christ comes, the need for Faith and hopes will be no more-But in eternity love never fails.

CONCLUSION

• Love is truly the most excellent way –it is the way of Christ.
• Paul tells us to walk in the way of Christ –love (Eph.5:1-2)
• Without love our labor mean NOTHING!!.
• Let us walk in “The most Excellent way of love.”