367. The Greatest of These Is Love (Way of Love)

In this final episode of our series on the way of love, we consider Paul’s closing words in 1 Corinthians 13. Using the illustration of a child growing into maturity, Paul reminds us that the Christian life is meant to move from spiritual childishness to spiritual maturity. As we grow in Christ, our thinking, our priorities, and especially our love should increasingly reflect the character of Christ.

Paul also reminds us that our knowledge of God in this life is partial—like seeing a dim reflection in a mirror. But a glorious day is coming when we will see Christ face to face and know Him more fully.

Faith, hope, and love define the Christian life today. Yet one day faith will become sight and hope will be fulfilled. Love alone will continue forever. For that reason, Paul declares: “the greatest of these is love.”

In this episode, we reflect on why love is the truest mark of spiritual maturity and the one virtue that will endure for all eternity.

Transcript

elcome And Friday Check-In

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Welcome to Moments of Worship. I'm your host, Pastor Keith McBinn. This podcast seems to encourage you in the worship of Almighty God YouTube. Thanks for joining me on this Friday, March the 13th. Can you believe it? March the 13th on a Friday. Thank you for your grace to me today. You may have wondered where the podcast episode was this morning when you got up, or some of you listening at different times around the world. I know we often have a lot of downloads in the middle of the night, some of you listening in different parts of the world. Yesterday, Thursday was a great day, a great ministry day, but I was here at the church for about 12 hours and then went home, ate a little dinner, and went to bed. So I thought I would record today as we come to a conclusion of the Way of Love series, 1 Corinthians 13. Earlier today, I called my dear friend Catherine, as I often do, to talk

Childs Words And A Lesson

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through a recording. We're going to be doing a recording project soon for the collective. Well, when the FaceTime video came, and yes, FaceTime is one of my favorite ways to talk to people. Her grandson was there with her. He began talking, and for such a little fella, he was using some big words, carnivore, and it was impressive. At one point he told me that some things were missing. After a moment I realized he was referring to his stuffed animals. At least that's what I think. It was very delightful listening to him talk and reason in the way that a child does. As I listened, I looked at him, looked him in the eye, and I thought, this little fellow one day is going to grow up to be a man. He'll speak different, his size will be different, he will reason differently. He will put childish ways, hopefully, behind him. That simple moment helps us understand what the apostle Paul is

utting Away Spiritual Immaturity

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saying in our passage today. He says in 1 Corinthians 13, eleven through thirteen, When I was a child, I spoke like a child. I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man I gave up childish ways. The Corinthian church, as we've talked about, was spiritually immature. They were really fascinated with impressive gifts, tongues, prophecy knowledge, but they were neglecting the most important mark of maturity, which is love. Paul's point is that as believers grow in Christ, we are meant to move from spiritual childishness to spiritual maturity. Scripture tells us that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, Romans twelve, and as the Spirit works in us, we become more like the Savior. And the more we become like Christ, the more our lives should be marked by love. Isn't that right? Spiritual maturity is not measured by how impressive we appear, but how deeply we love. Love points us toward a coming day. Paul

eeing Dimly Until Face To Face

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continues, for now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. In Paul's day, mirrors were made of polished metal. They reflected an image, but it was dim and imperfect. Well, this is how our knowledge of God is now. We see truly, but not completely. But a day is coming when the dim reflection will give way to something far greater. One day we will see Christ face to face. Our understanding will no longer be partial. The things we struggle to grasp now will be made clear in the presence of our Savior. And friend,

hy Love Outlasts Faith And Hope

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love is the greatest because it never ends. Then Paul concludes this great chapter with these words. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three, but the greatest of these is love. Faith, hope, and love are the great virtues of the Christian life. We live by faith, trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ, whom we do not see yet. We live in hope, longing for the promises that are still to come. But one day faith will give way to sight, one day hope will give way to fulfillment. One day we will see Christ face to face, when he who began a good work in me will be at the day of completion for us. But love will remain. Love will continue forever in the presence of God. That's why Paul says the greatest of these is love. So let me ask you today, are you growing in spiritual maturity? Are you becoming more like Christ in the way that you love others? Or do you sound like a gong that we talked about in one of the first episodes? The gifts we exercise today will one day pass away. But the love that flows from Christ and through his people will endure forever, and that is the way

eries Wrap And Whats Next

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of love. Amen. Well, I've enjoyed this study in First Corinthians thirteen. I feel like I've learned so much. God's taught me a lot. My eyes have been open to so much rich truth and my speech and where my love barometer is and how it fleshes out and how I need to uh bear all things and um how love never ends. Learn so much. I pray it's been encouragement to you, and it's been neat to see all of the uh ways that God's used this series and all the many people that have written to me, talked with me about it. So we give praise to God. Well, thank you for listening to this special Friday edition. Uh yes, I'm recording on an iPhone. Well, friend, until Monday, when we start our new series on dealing with fear, for 12 episodes we will be dealing with fear. Until then and forever, may we worship Jesus Christ. Thanks for listening.