Transcript for Message 3: The Practice Of Charity - Part 1 (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) by Merlin
Let us turn our bibles once again to the book of first Corinthians first Corinthians chapter 13 as we continue with our study and this chapter particularly on the practice of Charity in our everyday life First Corinthians chapter 13 and if you are there Let us take time to read Beginning verse 1 up until verse 7 though our Focus would mainly be in verses 4 to 7 and tonight mainly at verse 4 let's read responsively first Corinthians chapter 13 verse 1 to verse 7 I shall Begin reading verse one though I speak with the tongs of men and of Angels and have not Charity I am become a sounding brass or a tinkling simbol and though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not Charity it profited me nothing Charity and charity that not behave itself and seemly Seek it not her own is not easily provoked think it no [Music] Evil last verse together bear it all things believe it all things hope it all things endure it all things Let us pray Lord as we Carry On In this series of study and meditation on this 13th chapter of first Corinthians We Give the Thanks for you have sustained us and led us into this third message of this seven part messages on this Camp we once again commit unto you this hour of study and meditation that TH by your gra and by your Mercy once again teach us Lead us and guide us and Bless us with a humble and teachable spirit and that with a heart that is ready not only to receive TH word but even to put them into proper application Thank you for how has gathered us together tonight even to Look Into Your word once again and Carry On with our desire to grow in Grace and in the saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior through the study of th truth asking for your sustaining grace be upon us all and that in this course of our study May we continue to desire and hunger and Thirst for more that we may grow thereby all this we commit to you with Thanksgiving in Jesus name we Pray amen we have looked at these verses at the surface At The Beginning the very first message Where we have considered how the apostle Paul defines love and Charity by describing firstly what it is what it is not and what it can accomplish in this message Tonight we shall endeavor to look into this portion of chapter 13 particularly from verse 4 to verse 7 in this three part mess as you can see in our booklet there is practice of Charity part one part two and part 3 Tonight we shall endeavor to look into and consider the first of this three part message on the practice of love or Charity as you can see Beginning in verse 4 to verse 8 first part of verse 8 you would find the apostle Paul enumerating 15 characteristics of Love 15 characteristics of love that can be applied to our everyday life even Tonight we shall take time to consider What Paul ver and see for ourselves how Charity acts or how Charity looks like in our everyday life Let us take time to look into All These characteristics and see for ourselves what agapi Love is like in our day today existence Although I must say that these characteristics of love as we will consider it Tonight we would consider it primarily on the context of spiritual gifts as well as in the area of service in the Ministry however this this chapter 13 can also be applied generally in our everyday life particularly on how we relate to one another even of how we relate to people around us it can also be applied in the area of marriage for after all this portion Paul is describing to us agape Love last night I had a conversation with some of you in which you shared your experience having attended a marriage ceremony whereby this passage was quoted Yes it is oftentimes quoted but as we have learned from the very first message we need to carefully understand that the background the context of which the apostle Paul wrote about this subject on Charity but it can be applied to other areas for that matter for after all in this portion the apostle Paul is endeavoring to explain to the church in Corin what love is and what love is not and what love can accomplish however Tonight we shall mainly focus on what Paul wrote to define by describing what love is and what love is not according to verse 4 and look with me in verse 4 there he begins the short list of 15 characteristic characteristics of Charity if it is fine with you I'd like to give you an assignment to memorize the 15 characteristics of Charity now back in Bible College Where we studied Uh rever Paul and myself there is what they would call it is compulsory now in this case How Just like to encourage you add it up to your learning try to memorize now of course we have divided it in what love is what love is not and what love can accomplish but may I encourage you to memorize from verse 4 5 6 7 and 8 now canen Wah I only hear a few canen Yeah can Okay Uh maybe on the last day to really give you something time to add it up I I look at the Timetable I know you also have your personal devotion or derm devotion may I encourage you to add it up to your Uh Uh Uh activity and program to recite these verses and bring it along with you as we Learn from here and live out of here and then live it out in our everyday life now look with me in verse 4 and notice how Paul begins Charity suffered long putting it in today's language love is patient looking at this short list of 15 characteristics I could not help but wonder why of all the qualities that Paul can think of to describe love or charity of pa Why would Paul put this first of the 15 characteristics of Charity patience long suffering Is Interesting quality in that we all would want it when we don't need it we all wanted to be patient in those times when we don't need it is when things become irritating things become frustrating that you need it badly but at the time of irritating and frustrating situation It seems like we don't want to be patient We just want to what blow off We just want to lose our temper but on Cal and normal times w we can so easily tell others just come down be patient but when it is your time to be in such a frustrating and irritating situation and Just When you need to be patient It seems that we are more inclined to let go of our temper to just give it off and just express our frustration express our anger and just simply let go of it and I am convinced that Paul in defining by describing Charity he begins with this quality of patience the new testament word translated here As suff long is that word that means long tempered as opposed to being short tempered It is about being long suffering it is that quality where you endure personally without retting it is that kind of endurance where you can bear it up and bear it all without returning or retaliating it is the quality that enables you to bear with others mistreatment or mal treatment or unkind treatment you endure personal [Music] wrongs it can also be about bearing with others imperfections able to bear with others faults able to stand differences it can also include the ability to extend Grace giving others time to correct themselves giving others to realize their mistakes without coming down hard on them and you can only imagine What a great blessing it would be if we all are able to cultivate such quality of long suffering whereby we are able to forbear one another now I want us to be clear on this area that forbearing here is not about forbearing others Sins and sinfulness but forbearing with our differences shortcomings forbearing with our distinct personalities for bearing with our attitude characters and more so for bearing with one another's handicap or back in our church in Cebu we have been practicing and forming we don't have a formal church choir but on some occasions like church anniversaries months before we would organize we would try to encourage the church members to come for song item that we would present every time we have like anniversary Thanksgiving service un like you here in Bethel that you really have that formal church choir where you can sing and most of you are familiar with musical notations and that you can sing well Yes our breen in Cebu in Philippines they also can sing Well by the grace of God we are not musically tr in a s That be able to and notes and it is because of that that we are handicap in a sense we wanted to sing in four parts and we all love to sing you may have heard some Filipinos also singing we all love to sing but our handicap is in here we are not musically trained in a sense that not all of us can read notes Although by God's Grace I took some church music courses back in fbc but not that does not qualify me to lead the church in having Aire yet We have one brother now studying with us in gbi get Bible institute It's our local training institute there in in Cebu who has a little bit of background with music and so I really thank the Lord for the kind of patience that he extended to everyone because every time We Come Together for a chire practice he would teach us tenor this is how you should sound so he would sing so Sometimes you know one session every Saturday afternoon we practice the whole afternoon spend to learn the tenor then the the the the Alto the soprano and the rest they wait for the turn because every time because even if he will teach us you look at the notes cannot so I really thank the Lord for the kind of patience then I suggested then why not Ask our brother to sing once through and Record it and then you in your own free time you listen to him and join him in singing because the longer I see what it's affecting also his voice because After that now The Al then the rest would follow him in singing the alt then sometimes he would say okay I'll join you in the first stanza you sing on your own on the second St the moment second Gone and for a number of weeks He is bearing with it and you won't hear any kind of like murmuring or grumbling not even an expression of frustration and disappointment he to do his side one by one to really see now you just imagine how it would be like even as I was looking at him Thank God for you brother because I myself can be or even I myself trying to learn also my part because I joined them in singing and somehow last Saturday I chance to have a conversation with my daughter my first daughter and also my wife How is the practice this afternoon say improve a bit now improve a bit say thank God after all our anniversary would still be in the last Sunday of July so There Will Be more Saturdays to come a bit a bit every week Praise God Hope we can have it Uh we we can sing well on the day of our church anniversary but the point I'd like us to see is that is how it is like to cultivate patience long [Music] suffering it is that quality that enables us to endure and to come along to stand Side by side to endure that is patience in a good sense and by God's Grace we may be able to cultivate it But there is that other aspect of patience whereby we surely would struggle particularly on how we would respond to provocation how we would respond to a personal wrong how we would respond to insults how we resp to evil how we would respond to false accusations and that is where the challenge comes in we are reminded by Paul here char suff long next it says there Charity suffer it long and is kind so love is patient that is first second is love is kind whereas patience is love applied patience is love applied kindness is real that in cultivating patience with people you are Actually extending kindness to [Music] them helping them in their weaknesses bearing with them coming along with them and that is why whereas patience is love applied kindness is patience in action in fact the word that is translated as kind means to be of use or to be useful and true Indeed it is when you we extend kindness or show kindness to others that we are indeed of use to them we are indeed beneficial to them instead of being critical we chose to extend kindness and that is where you become useful to them and that is what Paul here is saying suffer long and is kind to be obuse to them to be beneficial unto them and I am sure you Sur would appreciate people who are able to extend such kindness to you in your limitations in your shortcomings in areas where you seem to to be struggling a kind person is disposed to be helpful though it includes showing an extending physical heal but it is more of showing kindness in a way that we bring comfort in a that we br encouragement in a way that we Che up others a kind person is disposed to be helpful and he seeks out needs and looks for opportunity to meet those needs without expecting something in return Yes I know we are familiar with the word mutual mutual encouragement true but let it be that as we extend kindness to others we would extend it with joy and gladness and without expecting something in return that's the kind of attitude that we must cultivate and that is how we can practice Charity in our everyday life and that is how we can put Charity into action not only that he is disposed to be helpful and out needs and look for opportunity and meet those needs without repayment or receiving something in return He is also tender and Forgiving when wrong tender unforgiving when wrong human as we are it is not easy and does not come easy to us to respond in such a way that we be tender and that we be kind even Forgiving in the midst of provocation perhaps by God's Grace we may be able to control ourselves that we will and we would not react in in a violent way But somehow More often than not even when we are able to control ourselves not to react or retaliate physically and in a violent way but still we need to examine our heart For It could be that you are able to control yourselves from without but still there is boiling From Within but Paul here said Charity suffer long and is kind He is tender and Forgiving when wrong He is gentle and has the ability to come other other persons even those who have provoked you you the ability to come them Down by bearing Yourself by not retaliating by not responding by not reacting in a violent manner a kind person is gentle even has the ability to Cal the other person and even to help quietly in practical ways in The Lord's sermon on the M we read of this in the gospel of Luke chapter 6 and verse 35 just to give you a picture of how it is like to show kindness unto others look with me in verse 35 of Luke chapter chapter si but love Ye your enemies and do good and land Hoping for nothing again and your reward shall be great he shall be the children of the highest for He is kind unto the ungrateful and to the evil that is how it is like to show kindness and be kind to others As I have said patience is love applied kindness is patience in action and we can only think of the Lord Jesus as the ultimate example of such kindness there is that him that goes like this all to be like the blessed redeemer loving Forgiving What tender and kind Yes he is our ultimate model our example the Lord Jesus it is the kindness of God that he extends unto us that leads us his people unto repentance and with the same kindness that we can cultivate in ourselves and in our lives we be able to help others to change by simply showing kindness and it is of no wonder that that is the meaning of the original word of kind translated kind is being of use and being useful to others and as we think of such a kind of quality that characterize Charity we can think of the home or the family as the breeding ground of this that it is the sol and the duty and responsibility of parents such an environment in the home in the family the breeding ground but the real proving ground for such kindness is in the church our bigger and wider family whereby we come across and Mix and get along with people of different personalities and [Music] Character even in this gathering that we have How good and wonderful that we can practice and put into practice these qualities of agape Love love is patient love is kind now move on to the third it says there Charity envi it not putting it in today's language love does not envy the word here means to eagerly desire to covet it is used both positively and negatively in the Bible positively you will find it in chapter 12 verse 31 that verse that we have been Uh quoting and looking and considering that portion of verse 31 that says but covet earnestly the best gift that is one verse whereby we find the word used in a positive sense but covet earnestly that word There covet earnestly is from that new testament word that means be zealous but covet earnestly that is one occurrence whereby the word is used positively then in first Corinthians chapter 14 and verse 1 there you would find the other verse in which the word occurred and use in a positive sense look with me in first Corinthians chapter 4 14 and verse 1 it says here follow after Charity and desire spiritual gifts that word There desire spiritual gifts It's like being told be jealous for spiritual gifts then in chapter 14 looking at verse 39 Paul there said where breen covet to prophecy the word There is the same be jealous for it that particular gift that is mentioned then Later on in second Corinthians chapter 11 second Corinthians chapter 11 and look with me in verse 2 11 and ver 2 it says there I am jealous Over You with godly jealousy For sure it is in a positive sense that the word jealousy is used but in a negative sense the way it is used in verse 4 where it says Charity in is some related to Greed and selfishness that eagerly desire the jealous person in a negative sense wants to have what others have he wants things for himself He is too [Music] selfish to applaud the success of others that kind of feeling that you are not able to Rejoice with those that Rejoice that you Jo with them in their successes that you cannot Enjoy and Rejoice with them in the trums in what they have achieved and in what they have accomplished this attitude is so common in the world and must say that This is not uncommon in the church as well that we need to examine ourselves that we need to search Our Hearts and see if we do have such an ungodly quality He is to selfish to applaud the success of others he has to have all the attention the Applause for [Music] himself and it is for that reason that quel and conflicts takes in takes place there is jealousy and envy there surely would be quarrels and conflict and even strife love is patient love is kind love does not envy we move on in verse 4 Charity suffers long Charity en not Charity want not wanted not itself in today's language it would mean it does not B of itself it does not brag it does not parade or promote itself that is what it means and you would notice that it goes on Charity wanted not itself as it is not puffed up these two we can consider All together Yes for they are closely related but Let us take time to deal with it distinctly as we think of or boting or brag it is something that is closely related to jealousy for it is all about selfishness it is all about pride whereas jealousy is wanting What someone else have brought is trying to make others Jealous With what you have I say it again whereas jealousy is you wanting something that somebody else have bragging is trying to make others jealous of what we have and that is why some people would love to show off some people would love to b would love to brag would love to display their skills their abilities whatever they may have in order for others to see them and be impressed by what they have and also be jealous to have what you have that is why they are closely related as they both stem from selfishness pride and Vain Glory bragging is an outward manifestation of Pride and a person that B tries to impress others of his great accomplishment in order to make himself look to others in order to cause others to be jealous in what they see in him in order for them also to have that jealousy Now you can just think of what can possibly happen in a church or in community or a body of believers where Everyone is into boosting and bragging Paul is telling us that Charity wanted not itself putting it in our language Charity is not about building ourselves but it is all about building others up love is patient love is kind love does not envy love does not br bo last in verse 5 verse 4 is not puffed up the word itself describes to us what it is like puffed up simply means you being inflated because the word here means to blow up to inflate to inflate means to put something like in a car tire or perhaps in a sports Ball like in basketball or sucker you blow some air it pops up and oftentimes this is what happens when we are full of Pride and arrogance self-esteem of self-confidence of looking at ourselves better than others It is a kind of mentality and attitude that we seem [Music] to look down on others and the apostle Paul here is saying love is not Puff the very exact opposite of what we often see in many people even in our time in saying that love is not puffed up It's like Paul telling us that love is humble love is humility the humble loving person is aware That everything that he has everything that he possesses everything that he is endowed with is something that is undeserved yet he has it and looks at it as a gift from God in the earlier portion of his letter to the Corinthians the apostle Paul reminded the church in first Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 7 1 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 7 there we read for Who maketh the to differ from one another and what has thou that thou didst not receive now if thou did receive it Why does thou glory Why do you boast Why are you so proud Why are you puffed up that is what it means Why does TH Glory As if TH has not receiv it and this is the kind of attitude In which we are reminded even by the apostle Paul when he said Charity wanted not itself as and is not puffed Up by God's Grace you all have been endowed or blessed with diversities of gifts Bear in mind that those gifts a gifts and gift of god that He gave unto you and that is why Paul reminded the church there why does TH Glory As if you have not received it in a way telling them Why do you take pride As if it is your ability it is your skills when the truth of the matter is such abilities are but gifts from from God and TH we need to have the proper understanding and attitude in regards to All These gifts that we may call us ability some would call it Talents let be mindful to acknowledge that these are but gifts that God gave to us and that if there be any reason for us to Glory let it be that we Glory in the Lord and not in ourselves for the moment we Glory in ourselves it is when we start to brag it is when we start to b and we become so puffed up you can't help but see this in the world around us with that so-called Superstar mentality celebrity status in which the spotlight seems to be Focus and aim on themselves that they have so become proud they have so become Arrogant they have so become up going through this definition of Paul here in verse 4 the short list that we are considering tonight the first of the three messages that we would consider you would realize that Paul is defining Charity by describing what it is and what it is not and what it can accomplish you would realize that These are the things that Best describe the condition of the Corinthian church you would realize that they precisely describe the Corinthian church for after all the church in corin were marred with envy and strife now turn with me for a while to 1 Corinthians chapter 3 and look with me and verse at ver 3 Look At what Paul said First Corinthians 3 ver 3 for you are yet carnal for whereas there is among you what envying and strive and divisions and that is why now It helps us better understand that of all the qualities of Charity whereby Paul begins with Charity suff long now we can now clearly understand and help us better understand it is all because there has been envying and strive and divisions among the body of believers within the church not only that they were marred with envy and strife They were also into boasting we have looked at first Corinthians 4:7 earlier now we move on to look at 1 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 6 first Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 6 where the apostle Paul said your glorying is not your good boasting your pride of yourselves your promoting and parading of yourself Paul he said your glorying is not good They have been glorying and been proud not just in the area of spiritual gifts but in the many areas of the Christian life They were Mar with andion them and They were botting and Gling Many of them were puffed up come with me again to chapter 4 of first Corinthians and look with me Beginning at verse 18 it says there now some are puffed up as though I would not come to you but I will come to you shortly if the Lord will and will know not the speech of them which are puffed up but the power so somehow It gives us the impression that indeed There are some in the Corinthian church have become so pued up and we read it again in chapter 5 and ver 2 Look At what Paul here said and Ye are puffed up and have not rather mn that he had done this deed This is in regards to somebody in the church committing that sin of fornication that even when there has been that problem in the church they have become so puffed up that they could not be bothered with that problem that Paul would have to rebuke them and he is puffed up and have not rather mourn that he had done this deed Might Be taken away from you so you can see for yourself that there are many in the church in corinth were engaged in envying and striving and some were boasting and some pued up and just when you think that these problems are only found in the Corinthian church this can also be true in churches Today this can even be true if we are not careful if we are not mindful in our Fellowship in our churches that we Look at this letter of Paul with much prayer that what we will learn in this come we would receive it with humility of heart applying it first and foremost our own by closely exam we are of no excuse We all have the same tendencies to yield to the flesh to pride even to Vain glory that we need to search Our Hearts even examine ourselves that in the midst of all that the Lord has blessed us with granting us such gifts that can be of great service and benefit to the church Let us be mindful that we see ourselves as but instruments of his blessing for the edification and the building up of the body of Christ for it is not meant on purpose that the lord blesses with such spiritual gifts to promote ourselves to exalt ourselves over others but that rather We cultivate the more excellent way of serving the Lord with Charity God willing We will consider the second and the third part of this practice of Charity in our everyday life in tomorrow morning's message as well as in the evening Let us pray Lord we Thank you for teaching us once again for allowing us to look into these Precious lessons and truth that you have shown us tonight through our stud we ask that by your mercy and by your grace you would enable us to unlearn and even undo those things that we find in contrast and runs contrary to what thy word has taught us tonight and help us Lord to cultivate a humble heart to receive all these things with joy and gladness and with eagerness to put them into practice right here right now as we on with the days of our come May there be a great display even abundant display of Charity an abundant display of patience abundant display of kindness and humility and meekness among us Be With Us as We spend the remaining hours of this evening even the remaining activities of the come in Jesus name we Pray amen ah