“The Most Excellent Way of Christian Love”

1 Corinthians 12:31-1:13

Big Picture: Believers must be good stewards of every gift the Spirit graciously distributes. Thus, we must use such gifts by serving one another in the church as an organic body. Most importantly, we must use those gifts with love. Otherwise, the gifts are worthless. Only when we use the gifts with love can we genuinely serve one another for the fame of God’s name.

Problem #9 (1 Corinthians 12:1–14:40): Some Corinthian Christians are prioritizing less edifying spiritual gifts and failing to use their gifts to edify the body of Christ in love.

Gospel Solution: Pursue love (which the gospel embodies) by earnestly desiring and using spiritual gifts that build up the body of Christ.

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• Point 1. The indispensability of Christian love: love authenticates spiritual people (13:1-3)
• Point 2. Some characteristics of Christian love: love controls the thoughts and actions of spiritual people (1 Cor. 13:4-7)
• Point 3. The permanence of love: love Is eternal and complete, while grace-gifts are temporal (13:8–13)

Contrasts in 13:8-13

My sermons on chapters 12-14 owe a debt to “Showing the Spirit” by D.A. Carson; and “1 Corinthians” by Andrew David Naselli.