“What Love Really Looks Like!”.....Part #11......“Love Endures All Things, Love Never Fails!”

“What Love Really Looks Like!” #11

Text: 1 Corinthians 13

“Love Endures All Things, Love Never Fails!” - vs 7-8

Here we are t the end of this blog series with the last entry of "What Love Really Looks Like!" An in-depth look at 1st Corinthians 13. Let's see how Paul sums this up but first let's review. The cultural definition of love is vague at best, watered down, these days it's just a word used loosely, typically to get an advantage or a desired outcome! We're so removed from the practical use of the word but what's scary is how far removed we've become from the spiritual weight of the word! So far we've learned that love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous, love does not brag and is not arrogant, love does not act unbecomingly, love does not seek his own, love is not provoked, love doesn't remember wrongs, love doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth, love bears all things, believes all things, and hopes all things! If you've missed any entry so far I encourage you to go back through and catch up. With this series I wanted to go verse by verse through these eleven pictures of what “agape”, true, biblical love and what it looks like in real life through biblical scenario's. I want us to see how Jesus loved! We've reached the end! We've went from internal to action to completion! In each blog I want to view the particular picture of love in these scenarios, Spiritually, Specifically, and Socially!

** Let's find out what it means, love endures all things, love never fails? **

Endures - hypomenō hü-po-me'-nō

to remain

1. to tarry behind
1. to remain i.e. abide, not recede or flee
   1. to persevere: under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one's faith in Christ
   2. to endure, bear bravely and calmly: ill treatments

The KJV translates Strong's G5278 in the following manner: endure (11x), take patiently (2x), tarry behind (1x), abide (1x), patient (1x), suffer (1x).

Mat 10:22

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth G5278 to the end shall be saved.

Mar 13:13

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure G5278 unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Rom 12:12

Rejoicing in hope; patient G5278 in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Heb 12:2

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured G5278 the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jas 5:11

Behold, we count them happy which endure. G5278 Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

1Pe 2:20

For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? G5278 but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, G5278 this is acceptable with God.

Fails - ekpiptō ek-pē'p-tō

to fall out of, to fall down from, to fall off

1. metaph.
1. to fall from a thing, to lose it
2. to perish, to fall
1. to fall from a place from which one cannot keep
2. fall from a position
3. to fall powerless, to fall to the ground, be without effect
1. of the divine promise of salvation

The KJV translates Strong's G1601 in the following manner: fall (7x), fall off (2x), be cast (1x), take none effect (1x), fall away (1x), fail (1x), vr fallen (1x).

Rom 9:6

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. G1601For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

Gal 5:4

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from G1601 grace.

1Pe 1:24

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: G1601

- True love holds on, its effective, it continues, it stays, it endures, it suffers, it sacrifices, it NEVER fails! -

1.) Specifically

* Person to Person Relationships, spouses, friends, siblings, etc. *

We see this in the relationship of Hosea and Gomer! Hosea loved Gomer even when it hurt! In chapter 3 of Hosea we find a man who endures all kinds of rejection, pain, loneliness, betrayal, and questions yet he fought for the one he loved! This story is a beautiful picture of God's love for Israel but also Christ's love for us! Go read Hosea!

2.) Socially

* Individual to Society, to Individuals with which we don't have a “personal” bond. *

We see a picture of this love in Zerrubabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah! They didn't give up! Their love finished the job! They rebuilt worship, the temple, and the wall with a love that endures!

We also see it in the love Moses had for his people! 

3.) Spiritually

* God to Man and Man to God! *

- Spiritually is the most important as it's correct position will produce the first two! -

- Man to God -

- We see this in Jobs relationship to the Father! -

- He never gave in! -

- God to Man -

- Christ and His Cross! -

Hebrews 12:2King James Version (KJV)

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

- He loved you through it! -

Romans 5:8King James Version (KJV)

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

In Closing:

** LOVE NEVER FAILS **

- Love NEVER holds back -

- Love sticks around! -

- Love sees good in the end! -

-The Excellence of Love

1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

“What Love Really Looks Like!”.....Part #10......“Love Believes All Things, Hopes All Things!”

“What Love Really Looks Like!” #10

Text: 1 Corinthians 13

“Love Believes All Things, Hopes All Things!” - vs 7

Here we are again in this blog series "What Love Really Looks Like!" from 1st Corinthians 13. Let's dive in! The cultural definition of love is vague at best, watered down, these days it's just a word used loosely, typically to get an advantage or a desired outcome! We're so removed from the practical use of the word but what's scary is how far removed we've become from the spiritual weight of the word! So far we've covered that love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous, love does not brag and is not arrogant, love does not act unbecomingly, love does not seek his own, love is not provoked, love doesn't remember wrongs, love doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth, and love bears all things! If you've missed any of these I encourage you to go back in the archives and check them out. With this blog I want to go verse by verse through the pictures of what “agape”, true, biblical love looks like! I want us to see how Jesus' loved. In each blog entry I want to view the particular picture of love in these scenarios, Spiritually, Specifically, and Socially! 

** Let's find out what it means, love believes all things? **

believeth - pisteuō (pē-styü'-ō) -

to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in

1. of the thing believed
   1. to credit, have confidence
2. in a moral or religious reference
   1. used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul
   2. to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith
   3. mere acknowledgment of some fact or event: intellectual faith
1. to entrust a thing to one, i.e. his fidelity
   1. to be intrusted with a thing

Gill's commentary -

believeth all things; that are to be believed, all that God says in his word, all his truths, and all his promises; and even sometimes in hope against hope, as Abraham did, relying upon the power, faithfulness, and other perfections of God; though such a man will not believe every spirit, every preacher and teacher, nor any but such as agree with the Scriptures of truth, the standard of faith and practice; nor will he believe every word of man, which is the character of a weak and foolish man; indeed, a man of charity or love is willing to believe all the good things reported of men; he is very credulous of such things, and is unwilling to believe ill reports of persons, or any ill of men; unless it is open and glaring, and is well supported, and there is full evidence of it; he is very incredulous in this respect:

Hopes - elpizō (el-pē'-zō) -

to hope

1. in a religious sense, to wait for salvation with joy and full confidence
1. hopefully to trust in

-From G1680 Elpis which means EXPECTATION! -

- Translated hope, trusted, shall, hope for! -

Love is optimistic, optimistic concerning others, optimistic concerning purpose, optimistic concerning God's promises that if we do God's command (Love) all things work for good! Love sees the best in people until sin is obvious and clear.

- Literally – innocent until proven guilty! -

- Love expects the best out of people, things, situations, and life! -

If all things work for good then our expectation is good and resistance to do good subsides! Why do we not do good most of the time? FEAR! Perfect love casts out fear! Why? Because we trust God's promises, protection, purpose, providence, and power!

What does this love look like?

1.) Specifically

* Person to Person Relationships, spouses, friends, siblings, etc. *

- We see this in Paul's vouching for Onesimus to Philemon! (Go read Philemon!)-

- Paul was spiritually optimistic for, not only Onesimus, but both he and Philemon! -

- Christ to Malcus! -

2.) Socially

* Individual to Society, to Individuals with which we don't have a “personal” bond. *

- Paul's blind optimism hidden in God's promises concerning Israel in Romans 11! All Israel SHALL be saved! -

3.) Spiritually

* God to Man and Man to God! *

- Spiritually is the most important as it's correct position will produce the first two! -

- Man to God -

- Abraham as he hoped against hope! -

- Every sinner who comes to salvation! -

- Job (go read it too!) -

- God to Man -

- We see this in the reaction of Christ to every sinner that was brought to him and condemn before him! The woman at the well, the adulterous woman, Matthew, Zacceus, and YOU!

God sees the good in you, HIS SON!

In Closing:

Love always sees the good!

Love is ALWAYS optimistic, not just in a maybe so kind of way but in a certainty!

-The Excellence of Love

1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

“What Love Really Looks Like!”.....Part #9......“Love Bears All Things!”

“What Love Really Looks Like!” #9

Text: 1 Corinthians 13

“Love Bears All Things!” - vs 7

The cultural definition of love is vague at best, watered down, these days it's just a word used loosely, typically to get an advantage or a desired outcome! We're so removed from the practical use of the word but what's scary is how far removed we've become from the spiritual weight of the word! So far we've learned that love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous, love does not brag and is not arrogant, love  does not act unbecomingly, love does not seek his own, love is not provoked, love doesn't remember wrongs, and that love doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth! 

With this blog I want to go verse by verse through the pictures of what “agape”,  true, biblical love looks like! I want us to see how Jesus' loved! In each blog I want to view the particular picture of love in these scenarios, Spiritually, Specifically, and Socially!Let's find out what it means, love bears all things. But first we to need dive into a word study concerning our text.

- The greek is stego (ste'-gō) pas (pä's) -

Stego - deck, thatch, to cover

1.      to protect or keep by covering, to preserve

2.               to cover over with silence

1.      to keep secret

2.      to hide, conceal

1.                 of the errors and faults of others

3.               by covering to keep off something which threatens, to bear up against, hold out against, and so endure, bear, forbear

στέγω stégō, steg'-o; from G4721; to roof over, i.e. (figuratively) to cover with silence (endure patiently):—(for-)bear, suffer.

- This word is used 6 times in 4 verses in the NT -

It's first used earlier in this letter in 1 Corinthians 9:12 as Paul is speaking of his authority and the need for the body (church) to sustain the ministers but how he ENDURED all things to not hinder the gospel.

It's used in our text then its used 4 times in 1 Thessalonians 3: verses 1 & 5. Here Paul speaks of his passion for those at Thessaloniki and how when he could no longer wait he sent Timothy and Silas to them, then in verse 5 how he couldn't bear the wait in hearing of their faith! He ENDURED!

Pas – πᾶς pâs, pas; including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:—all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), daily, ever, every (one, way), as many as, no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.

- Used 1,000+ times -

Love protects, covers, preserves, conceals, endures, carries, NEVER GIVES UP! True love sees no obstacle too strong, no divide too wide, no mountain too high, no cut too deep, no wound too deadly! True love seeks to protect, no matter what! True love values the reputation of others above vengeance, retaliation, or judgment! True love causes us to realize our own vulnerability to failure and this we protect others as they fall!

What does this love look like?

Galatians 6:1-3King James Version (KJV)

1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

Proverbs 10:12King James Version (KJV)

12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

1.) Specifically

* Person to Person Relationships, spouses, friends, siblings, etc. *

We see this picture of love in a few places but specifically we see it in the reaction of Joseph as he responds to the news that Mary is with child (Matthew 1:19)! He responded with empathy, he didn't put her away publicly! What an example repeated by Christ as he wrote in the sand at those that accused the woman caught in adultery!

2.) Socially

* Individual to Society, to Individuals with which we don't have a “personal” bond. *

We see this picture in many of the judges, Israel sinned yet God raised up judges to restore them! We see it in the likes of men such as Samson, Gideon, David, and in women such as Debra and Esther! We also see it in Joseph as he endured all that he did for the good of the people! -

3.) Spiritually

* God to Man and Man to God! *

Spiritually is the most important as it's correct position will produce the first two! 

- Man to God -

We see this in Moses declaration to God in Exodus 32:33 when he tells God to blot him out and save the people!  We see this same scenario when Ezra cries to God weeping and confessing for the nation! Also, when Hezekiah receives word that Assyria and their armies are coming, he takes that letter and goes into the house of God, lays it on the altar and cries to God for himself and his people! -

- God to Man -

THE CROSS

God look at us and no longer sees our sin but he sees his SON!

He COVERED us! LOVE COVERED US!

Love always PROTECTS!

-The Excellence of Love

1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.  13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.