365. Love Never Ends (Way of Love)

In this episode, Pastor Keith McMinn reflects on the eternal nature of Christian love. While everything around us—meetings, meals, seasons, even daily routines—has a natural end, Paul reminds the Corinthians that love is different: it never ends. Pastor Keith explores how spiritual gifts like prophecy and tongues are temporary, serving the church in its current season, but love is the enduring bond that shapes the life of every believer. Drawing on the wisdom of John Calvin and Augustine of Hippo, he emphasizes that love should continue beyond the walls of the church and the moments of worship, guiding daily life and reflecting the character of God. This episode encourages listeners to embrace the lifelong, unending call to love others as they have been loved by Christ.

I Corinthians 13:8a

Transcript

Welcome And Purpose

Things That End

Love Never Ends

Gifts Are Temporary

Love Beyond The Sanctuary

Augustine’s Insight On Love

Final Charge And Blessing

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Welcome to Moments of Worship. I'm your host, Pastor Keith McMinn. Thank you for joining me on this Wednesday, March the 10th. This podcast seeks to be an encouragement to you in the worship of Almighty God each weekday. Think for a moment about things that end. A car ride eventually comes to its destination, a meeting eventually adjourns, maybe a bowl of ice cream disappears faster than you expect. Even seasons of trial or hardship come to an end. And yes, this podcast itself comes to an end every day. Everything around us seems to have a finishing point, but today we're going to talk about something that never ends. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians thirteen, eight, love never ends. This is the thesis of the final section of Paul's chapter on love. Everything that follows flows from this statement. Paul is teaching us that Christian love is permanent. It does not fail, it does not disappear, it does not expire. The Corinthians were a church that were captivated by spiritual gifts. They're dramatic expressions of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge, but Paul gently redirects their focus. Those gifts, he says, are temporary. They will pass away. They serve a purpose in the present age, but do not last forever. Love, on the other hand, is different. It never ends. The reformer John Calvin notes prophecy tongues and other gifts are helps for the present necessity of the church, but love is the perpetual bond of believers. That was in his commentary on first Corinthians. In other words, gifts are temporary tools. But love is the lifelong and eternal calling of every Christian. Think about it in practical terms. A worship service may end, the final song is sung, the closing prayer is spoken, and the benediction is read from God's word. People walk to their cars and go home. But our love for one another should not end when we darken the door of the sanctuary to leave. It should continue daily, consistently, and eternally. Love reflects the very character of God Himself. Early church father Augustine of Hippo once said, Love and do what you will from his edition Homilies on the first epistle of John. Augustine's point was that a heart governed by true love for God and others shapes everything else in the Christian life. So today remember this, many things will end, meetings, conversations, this podcast, task, they all have a finish line. But love never ends. It's the eternal calling God has placed on his people. And as Paul declares, love never ends. Friend, may you and I seek to embrace loving others as we have received love from God in Jesus Christ. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. I look forward to seeing you right back here on Thursday, March the 12th. And until then and forever, may we worship King Jesus. Thanks for listening.