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Sunday Life Mirror
Theme:QUALITIES OF FRUITFUL GROWTH IN (THE KNOWLEDGE OF) OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (VIII)
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Topic:
CHARITY
TEXT:
1 COR 13:1-13
Memory Verse:
These are the qualities you need, and if you have them in abundance, they will make you active and effective in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if you do not have them, you are so short sighted that you cannot see and have forgotten that you have been purified from your past sins. 2Pet 1:8-9 TEV
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity 1Cor 13:13.KJV
INTRODUCTION:
The word charity as used in 1Cor 13 is not what is meant by Charity in our common use of the word today which most people understand of alms-giving, but love in its fullest and most extensive meaning, which is true love to God, brethren in Christ and to all mankind friends or enemies. True Christianity is neither selfish nor insulated; where the love of God is, bigotry cannot exist. Showing love to our fellow men is the emblem of true Christianity and discipleship. It is the sum total of our duty toward our fellowmen, for ¡°love worketh no ill to his neighbour¡±: love therefore is the fulfilment of the law, for he that loveth his neighbour has fulfilled the law. Rm 13:8, 10. In our last lesson we saw that brotherly kindness was the love of the Christian brotherhood, a benevolent disposition of mind towards our fellow. Christians, growing out of sincere and fervent devotion to God but today we shall see charity as love which transcends the borders of the Christian brotherhood to our enemies, those who persecute us and speak evil of us and despitefully use us. Matt 5:43-48. This living principle of all duty and obedience is the more excellent way of which God speaks through the apostle Paul. The qualities which should characterise the love which we are to manifest toward our fellowmen are beautifully set fort in 1 Cor. 13:1-13. As we go into this study in detail we pray the Holy Spirit to guide us into all the truth and enable us to live by them in Jesus¡¯ mighty name Amen.
Study:
- 1.What do you understand by the metaphoric expressions in 1 Cor 13:1 such as tongues of men and of angels, sounding brass, or tinkling cymbal and why do you think, tongues of men and of Angels without charity or love, are referred to as sounding brass, or tinkling cymbals?
- 2. Explain 1 Cor 13:2: ¡°And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so I could remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing¡± Refer to Matt 7:22, Mk 11:23, Lk 17:6 ,1 Cor 12:8-10,28;14:1
- 3.With reference to Matt 6:1-2, explain 1 Cor 13:3 and explain the difference between mere almsgiving and true charity or genuine love?
- 4.Briefly explain each of the following characteristics of love as found in 1 Cor. 13:4-8, and give practical examples of how each of them could be manifested by love.
(a).Love suffers long;
(b).Love is kind;
(c).Love does not envy;
(d).Love vaunts not or it¡¯s not rash;
(e).Love¡¯s not puffed up.
(f).Love does not insist on its own way
(g).Love is not easily angered or provoked
(h).Love does not think evil or it is not resentful
(i).Love does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth
(j).Love bears all things
(k).Love believes all things
(l).Love hopes all things
(m).Love endures all things
(n).Love never ends
- 5.How does love cover all sins? Prov. 10:12, 1 Pet 4:8
CONCLUSION:
Love is patient; it is not envious, not proud, does not cherish evil, does not keep account of wrong doing; it rejoices not at the down fall of an ¡°enemy¡± or competitor; but gladly hails his success; it is hopeful, trustful and forbearing. Love bears the infirmities of the weak, does not please itself , but seeks the welfare of others Rm 15:1-3 Phil 2:21, Gal 6:2, 1Cor 10:24.
It surrenders things which may be innocent in themselves but which never the less may become a stumbling block to others Rm 14:15,21. It gladly forgives injuries Eph 4:32 and gives the place of honour to another Rm 12:10. It is the binder that holds all the other graces of the Christian life in place Col 13:14.
May the Lord help us to be his obedient
children in Jesus name. Amen!
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