Despite it’s frequent use at weddings, today’s preaching text is actually not about marriage or romance at all. It’s context is found between two chapters addressing the right use of spiritual gifts when the church gathers together for worship. This passage is about true love. It is not the American misconception that true love is about feelings or romance. Christ’s love certainly influences those things, but it’s far more excellent.

Christ’s love is the main thing for everything or you have nothing.

1. Love’s importance. Paul, three times, names the futility of giftedness apart from love. Having language gifts, prophetic insight, powers, knowledge, huge faith, complete generosity, even giving up oneself to death, but without love is nothing.  Christ demonstrated all of these gifts, but had love at the center of his life and ministry.

2. Love’s action. The descriptions of love are verbs rather than nouns. Love is patient and kind, rather than patience and kindness. It’s a present continuous action. God’s demonstration of love is action. “God shows his love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).  We are only able to love God and others once we receive his love for us (see 1 John 4:19).  

3. Love’s endurance. “Love never ends,” therefore Jesus continues to minister to us today. He is able to heal our deficit of love. Much of what the church has to work with is temporary, but the perfect (Jesus) is coming soon.

Taking It Home: As a legacy in this life, become a person who is known for letting Jesus love you. Ask God to then fill your heart with his love so you can overflow into other people’s lives (See Romans 5:5).