WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:05.200 Welcome to an audio teaching from Windsor Park Baptist Church in Auckland, New Zealand. 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:22.879 If you would like to look at the message notes or see some questions for reflection that take their lead from today's teaching, head to our website windsapark.org.nz and head to the online tab where you'll see services and series, and you can download different resources from there. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:26.719 Thanks for joining us, and we hope you're encouraged by today's teaching. 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:35.280 Well, today we continue our series called Come Holy Spirit. 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:38.079 Knowing, loving, and living in his presence. 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:44.880 And we arrive at what is a very familiar passage to many of us, 1 Corinthians chapter 13. 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:53.119 I'm pretty sure it was read on the 2nd of November 1991 at Palmerston North Central Baptist Church when Joe and I were married. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:01:01.039 And I'm pretty sure it's been read at perhaps half of the 77 weddings that I've officiated since becoming a pastor. 00:01:01.520 --> 00:01:11.599 While 1 Corinthians chapter 13 is beautiful at weddings, the Apostle Paul wasn't even thinking of weddings when he wrote this letter to the church in Corinth. 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:17.760 He was writing to a church, the kind of church that everyone would want to visit. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:23.840 In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, we can see that the church loved spiritual gifts. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:29.680 They had miracles, prophecy, tongues, wisdom, power, the full Holy Spirit combo meal. 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:33.680 It was a Holy Ghost-filled, supernaturally empowered church. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:43.840 But they were using those gifts to show off, to one up each other, to divide into factions and make some people feel like second-class Christians. 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:48.159 They weren't doing the one thing that Jesus said trumps all others. 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:53.680 Love God and love your neighbor, which in Scripture are one action, not two. 00:01:54.319 --> 00:02:12.000 So right in the middle of Paul's teaching on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14, he suddenly stops and says in chapter 13, If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging symbol. 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:21.680 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:31.680 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 00:02:32.319 --> 00:02:50.800 In other words, he says to the church in Corinth and by association us today, you can have spiritual gifts, you can have spiritual experiences, you can have spiritual knowledge, but if love is missing, you've missed the point. 00:02:51.439 --> 00:03:03.199 And that's incredibly important for us because throughout this series we've been talking about how the Spirit empowers, guides, sends, and gives good gifts. 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:06.400 But today we discover something foundational. 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:12.960 The primary evidence of the Holy Spirit is not how gifted we are, it's how loving we are. 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:19.520 Because wherever the Holy Spirit is at work, he always moves us towards greater love. 00:03:20.639 --> 00:03:24.080 On paper, the church in Corinth does sound amazing. 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:32.560 In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verses 4 to 7, Paul says about them, I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:38.879 For in him you have been enriched in every way, with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge. 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:42.879 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:50.000 Therefore, you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:53.199 The problem wasn't a lack of gifts. 00:03:53.599 --> 00:04:04.400 And to some of us, this church sounds a little dreamy, but Paul isn't happy with what he's seeing on the inside, because all this goodness was creating competition. 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:09.199 People were comparing themselves, ranking themselves against others. 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:16.240 Some thought they were more spiritual than others, some believed their gift was superior to what others had. 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:18.079 And the result of that? 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:19.439 Division. 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:24.160 And a church that didn't reflect the message of Jesus. 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:28.480 Paul's answer to this division is fascinating. 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:33.759 He doesn't tell them to stop using their gifts, he tells them to use them differently. 00:04:34.079 --> 00:04:36.319 He tells them to use them in love. 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:44.000 He suggests that spiritual maturity isn't measured by giftedness, it's measured by Christ-like love. 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:49.680 You see, there's a huge difference between being gifted and being mature. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:54.160 A person can be incredibly gifted and still be deeply immature. 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:59.040 A church can have outstanding ministries and still fail to reflect Jesus. 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:02.560 The Holy Spirit never gives gifts as an end in themselves. 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:05.680 The gifts are tools for building people up. 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:08.800 Love is the purpose. 00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:13.759 Paul uses an example we can relate to a clanging symbol. 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:24.160 It makes noise, it gets your attention, it might even be impressive for a moment, but there's no melody, there's no harmony, there's no music, it's just sound. 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:31.600 Likewise, you can have a church full of gifted people making noise, impressive, spiritual sounding noise. 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:37.040 But if love isn't there, you haven't got a church, you've got a performance. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:43.519 We've seen that Paul begins chapter 13 with three dramatic examples. 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:56.879 If I speak in the tongues of men or angels, if I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom or mysteries and all knowledge, if I have faith that can move mountains. 00:05:57.519 --> 00:06:00.399 I mean these things are impressive. 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:10.319 Imagine having extraordinary spiritual experiences, imagine understanding profound truths, imagine possessing mountain moving faith. 00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:15.680 Yet Paul says that if we do not have love, we're nothing. 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:22.399 Not we're less effective, not we're missing something, we're nothing. 00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:25.839 That's a shocking statement. 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:34.000 Because the world usually measures success by our performance, or by our influence, or by how many followers we have. 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:36.240 Well done, Tim Payne of the Or Whites. 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:40.879 Or by what we've achieved, or by how much money we have. 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:45.519 But Paul has a different measurement for those who follow Jesus. 00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:49.279 He asks, How much love do you have? 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:52.959 Because love is what most resembles God's. 00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:55.600 Love is what most reflects Jesus. 00:06:55.920 --> 00:07:01.040 Love is the fruit the Holy Spirit desires to produce. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:11.279 If we think about Jesus, we know that people were amazed by his miracles, but what transformed lives wasn't simply his power, it was his love. 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:20.399 The leper felt loved, the outcast felt loved, the adulterous woman felt loved, Zacchaeus felt loved, the sinner felt loved, the broken felt loved. 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:25.199 Power got people's attention, but love changed their lives. 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:33.279 In verses four to seven, Paul goes on to give us one of the most famous descriptions of what love looks like. 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:36.800 This is the part that makes most weddings. 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:41.439 But notice that every one of the fourteen examples is relational. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:57.199 Love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast, love is not proud, love does not dishonor others, love is not self-seeking, love is not easily angered. 00:07:57.600 --> 00:07:59.759 Love keeps no record of wrongs. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:03.759 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:10.399 Love always protects, love always trusts, love always hopes. 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:13.360 Love always perseveres. 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:18.319 Paul isn't describing feelings, he's describing behaviors. 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:26.319 The kind of behaviors that the Holy Spirit produces in everyday relationships when we allow him to shape our hearts. 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:30.319 Now let's be honest, that's a fairly depressing list. 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:34.159 I mean, what if we were to do something that will make us uncomfortable? 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:35.759 It makes me uncomfortable. 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:40.960 Let's read those lines and replace the word love with our name. 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:43.600 Grant is patient. 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:45.360 Grant is kind. 00:08:46.240 --> 00:08:48.960 Grant does not envy, etc. 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:52.159 I mean, how are you doing on the Holy Spirit-inspired love test? 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:58.080 I I got as far as Grant is patient before I realized that we should move on quite quickly. 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:03.279 Let's look at a few of these spirit-led behaviors specifically. 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:06.000 Firstly, love is patient. 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:12.639 The Greek word here, makrothumia, means having a long fuse, especially with difficult people. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:23.039 It's the capacity to be under pressure, to be wronged, to be frustrated, and yet to not have a short fuse, to not explode or retaliate or shut down. 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:26.639 Who in your life requires the most patience from you? 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:29.120 Give you a moment to picture their face. 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:35.759 Maybe it's a family member or a colleague, maybe, and I say this with gentleness, it's someone in the church. 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:39.840 The Holy Spirit grows patience in us towards that exact person. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:46.480 Not patience in general, but patience towards the specific, difficult, complicated person that we picture. 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:49.360 I've seen this play out in my own family. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:58.080 As I watched my mum care for my dad as dementia took hold in his life, I saw her patiently answer the same question again and again and again. 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:02.720 Not because she felt like doing that every day, but because love stays. 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:09.600 I think that anyone that cares for someone with dementia is displaying a fruit of the spirit in remarkable ways. 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:11.840 Or what about love is kind? 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:16.399 Kindness sounds simple until you have the opportunity to practice. 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:25.600 Kindness is love and action, it's encouragement, it's generosity, it's noticing people, it's choosing gentleness when harshness would be easier. 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:32.080 The world is not suffering from an excess of kindness, but the church should be known for it. 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:36.000 And then love is not self-seeking. 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:46.159 This may be one of the hardest because our culture constantly teaches us to prioritize ourselves, my rights, my preferences, my comfort, my needs. 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:48.559 But Paul says love looks outward. 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:50.639 Love asks, how can I serve? 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:51.519 How can I help? 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:52.799 How can I bless? 00:10:53.039 --> 00:11:00.320 And kindness, the Holy Spirit, continually turns us away from self-centeredness toward Christ-centeredness. 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:03.440 Then there's love keeps no record of wrongs. 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:06.639 This doesn't mean pretending hurt never happened. 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:09.440 It means refusing to weaponize the past. 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:14.559 Love doesn't keep a running spreadsheet of offenses but chooses forgiveness. 00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:18.879 Not because the offense wasn't real, but because Jesus has forgiven us. 00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:25.120 In fact, one of the clearest signs of the Holy Spirit's work in us is growing in forgiveness. 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:28.399 The word Paul uses here is a bookkeeping term. 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:33.360 It means entering something into a ledger to write it down and keep a running total. 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:35.919 And Paul says love doesn't do that. 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:38.480 Love doesn't keep a score sheet. 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:40.159 But we do, don't we? 00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:44.399 We're remarkably good accountants when it comes to how we've been wronged. 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:50.399 We've got spreadsheets, we've got the receipts, we remembered the exact words they said in 2019. 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:53.919 We remember the tone, we remember where we were standing. 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:56.960 But love tears up the ledger. 00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:06.960 Not because the hurt wasn't real, but because the Holy Spirit gives us the capacity to forgive, actually forgive the way God has forgiven us. 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:15.440 We could repeat that analysis with all fourteen behaviors, but you get the idea they're challenging. 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:20.879 Paul reaches the pinnacle of the point that he's making in verses eight to thirteen. 00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:22.639 Love never fails. 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:25.120 But where there are prophecies they will cease. 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:29.360 Where there are tongues, they will be stilled, where there is knowledge it will pass away. 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:36.960 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:42.000 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:45.519 When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:49.120 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror. 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:51.440 Then we shall see face to face. 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:56.720 Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:13:00.799 And now these three remain faith, hope, and love. 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:02.960 But the greatest of these is love. 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:09.360 Here Paul is talking about the gifts of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge as being temporary. 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:18.720 They belong to the in part age that we're living in now, where we see dimly, where we know partially, where we experience the spirit in part. 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:24.240 But when Jesus returns, when we see him face to face, the gifts will have served their purpose. 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:26.399 They'll cease, they'll be stilled. 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:29.440 But love, love never fails. 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:33.279 Love is eternal, love is what remains. 00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:37.279 Think about what that means for how we see ourselves. 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:39.360 The platform doesn't last. 00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:40.879 The title doesn't last. 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:45.840 The impressive spiritual gifts, as extraordinary as they are, don't last. 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:49.120 Even the memories of our greatest moments will fade. 00:13:49.360 --> 00:14:02.639 But every act of genuine love, every patient conversation, every forgiven wrong, every moment of staying when you wanted to leave, every sacrifice made in love, those things echo into eternity. 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:10.639 Because love is the nature of God's, and love is what the kingdom of God is built on. 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:20.159 Let's look at Romans chapter 5, verse 5 as a central passage that shows where the Holy Spirit fits into all of this. 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:27.120 God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:32.720 So the love Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13 is not a self-improvement project. 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:35.519 You can't grit teeth your way to this kind of love. 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:39.039 You can't discipline yourself into keeping no record of wrongs. 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:44.320 You can't willpower your way into persevering when everything in you wants to quit. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:51.360 The love that Paul describes is a gift, and that gift is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:55.600 And that changes everything about how we pursue it. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:59.440 We can't pursue this kind of love by trying harder. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:18.159 We can only pursue this kind of love by pursuing the Spirit, by staying close to Jesus, by letting the Spirit have access to the parts of us that prevent us from loving like God does, giving the Spirit access to our bitterness, our resentment, our insecurity, our pride, and our fears. 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:26.879 When Paul writes to another church in Galatia, he makes it very clear what the fruit of this kind of spirit-filled living is. 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:42.480 In another similar list, we see that Galatians chapter 5, verse 22 says, But the fruit of the Spirit who has been poured into our hearts is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:44.080 But love is first. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:46.159 Love is the headline. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:49.200 Everything else is in service of love. 00:15:50.320 --> 00:16:00.000 If our service is making us proud, if our prophesying is making us competitive, if our giving is making us resentful, then we need to go back to the source. 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:04.000 We need more of the spirit, not more of our gifts. 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:10.240 As we think about our church here at Windsor, this passage asks us an important question. 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:13.600 What do people experience when they encounter us? 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:17.679 Do they experience gifted people or loving people? 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:22.240 Do they experience impressive programs or genuine care? 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:26.159 Do they encounter efficiency or compassion? 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:31.279 Do they see people winning arguments or serving one another? 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:37.120 The measure of our church is not ultimately attendance or buildings or budgets or programs. 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:43.200 The measure of our church is whether people experience the love of Christ among us. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:50.480 Imagine if every person who walked through our doors or encountered us online felt deeply loved. 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:53.120 Imagine if every newcomer felt welcomed. 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:55.919 Imagine if every child felt valued. 00:16:56.159 --> 00:16:58.960 Imagine if every teenager felt seen. 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:02.000 Imagine if every older person felt honored. 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:05.440 Imagine if every struggling person felt supported. 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:08.960 Imagine if every conversation reflected grace. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:11.839 That is the work of the Holy Spirit. 00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:16.559 Because wherever the Holy Spirit is present, love grows. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:24.960 I've come to understand that the greatest miracle I strive to see is love between my brothers and sisters in Christ and the Church. 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:33.920 The kind of love that Paul urges us to develop, which is clearly and obviously not possible in our own strength, otherwise we'd see it more. 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:42.079 This kind of love is miraculous because it is a work of the Spirit in me and in us. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:49.039 Someone came to see me recently to tell me they'd left Windsor because of the decisions we'd made during the pandemic years. 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:50.559 They're not the only ones. 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:53.279 That season cost us dearly as a church. 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:56.960 And personally it was by far the hardest period of my career. 00:17:57.119 --> 00:18:06.559 I still carry some of that pain, but the spirit keeps bringing me back to 1 Corinthians 13, challenging me to not let that pain and bitterness take hold. 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:13.200 In these last few years, the Spirit has been helping me say, Grant is not easily angered. 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:15.839 Grant keeps no record of wrongs. 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:17.920 Grant always hopes. 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:20.480 And Grant always perseveres. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:28.160 It is truly miraculous that I think my heart is soft enough to be able to say those things. 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:29.839 It's a miracle. 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:35.440 Sometimes people ask, how do I know the Holy Spirit is working in my life? 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:37.279 It's a great question. 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:42.720 We often look for dramatic signs, powerful experiences, extraordinary moments. 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:47.920 Yet the New Testament repeatedly points us towards something beautifully simple. 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:55.680 Are we becoming more loving, more patient, more kind, more forgiving, more selfless, more like Jesus? 00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:02.559 Because the ultimate goal of the Holy Spirit is not simply to make us gifted, it's to make us Christ-like. 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:09.200 I believe that the Spirit's greatest miracle may not be speaking in tongues or prophecy or miraculous gifts. 00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:16.400 I believe that the Spirit's greatest miracle is transforming ordinary people into people who love like Jesus. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:20.160 Paul finishes with these famous words. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:24.400 And now these three remain faith, hope, and love. 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:26.799 But the greatest of these is love. 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:29.200 Faith is essential. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:33.680 Hope is essential, but love is the greatest. 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:35.119 Why? 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:39.359 Because love is the clearest expression of God's heart. 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:43.359 And love is the truest evidence of the Spirit's presence. 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:52.160 As we continue exploring the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the coming weeks, Paul doesn't tell the Corinthians to stop pursuing spiritual gifts. 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:56.240 In fact, in the very next chapter, he tells them to eagerly desire them. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:20:02.480 His point isn't gifts or love, his point is gifts and love. 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:06.160 Gifts exercised through love. 00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:09.680 Imagine a visitor walking into Windsor. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:19.119 They may never see a miracle, they may never hear a prophecy, they may never understand all of our theology, but they should encounter something unmistakable. 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:21.920 A people who genuinely love one another. 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:28.720 And when they ask where that love comes from, we can point them to Jesus and say, that's the work of the Holy Spirit. 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:37.119 Not simply giving gifts to God's people, but forming the character of Jesus in God's people. 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:46.960 Might that be the reality of us as we strive, as we pursue, as we welcome the Spirit in our lives? 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:58.319 Might we reflect the love of Christ and the way that we live as we mature, as we grow, on that journey towards becoming more like Jesus. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:20:59.920 Let's pray. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:06.640 Father, we thank you for this passage in 1 Corinthians 13. 00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:12.960 Many of us know us know it so well because we've heard it at weddings, perhaps even our own weddings. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:15.839 And the words are great for relationships. 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:17.920 That's great for marriage. 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:22.799 But the intent of this passage was for the local church. 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:25.759 For brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:32.640 Diverse as we are, different as we are, to reflect the work of the Spirit in and through us. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:36.319 Father, forgive us of our sin. 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:38.799 Forgive us of our selfishness. 00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:49.119 Forgive us when we don't allow the fruit of the Spirit to germinate in our hearts and for it to translate into the way in which we love one another. 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:58.319 Father, we do desire the gifts of the Spirit to be evident among us, but we pray that that would be in the frame of love. 00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:13.359 As we finish today, I'd love us to listen to a song which is called the Greatest of These, and when you reflect upon the lyrics as they come out. 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:16.559 The lyrics are really 1 Corinthians chapter 13. 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:19.440 Talks a lot about the things we could do. 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:21.920 The greatest of them is love. 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:28.480 Might these lyrics continue to help us reflect upon what the scripture says to us. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:31.119 Might the song be music to our hearts. 00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:34.240 Allow these words to sink into our spirits. 00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:37.200 Thank you for joining us at Windsor Park Online today. 00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:38.799 It's been our pleasure to serve you. 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:44.240 Might you know the peace of Christ in your life this week, and we look forward to continuing to serve you next week. 00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:45.440 God bless. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:38.960 If I don't have love So I will waste my brain's not a love. 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:47.039 I don't have the love. 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:03.680 There is a crowd. 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:20.160 I can speak like the end Professor I can move with the feeling to move out. 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:25.920 Should I come out? 00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:35.039 Never stop to end. 00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:27.039 If it's not for love I don't have the heart if it's not for love No let me say it's faith if it counts no cost there's no fear in love, but there is a grasp. 00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:35.279 A love will never die, but there is a grasp. 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:41.359 Thank you for joining our audio teaching today. 00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:47.119 If there are ways that we can continue to support you or help you in your journey, please reach out to us. 00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:53.759 Head to our website windsapark.org.nz and you'll find various ways to contact us. 00:27:54.079 --> 00:27:55.039 God bless.