WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE CLASS

when we reach that city of the new jerusalem i know we're going to sing we're going to sing hallelujah and how the ransom singers [Music] when we get home i know we're gonna rest indeed rest beneath that cloud last tone welding that in that land in that lay we're seeing we'll never die i know i know we're gonna sing hallelujah we're going to sing hallelujah [Music] rest beneath that cloud they has done well in that in that land in that land we're saying we'll never die i know we're gonna sing hallelujah we'll sing hallelujah by and by the victory and love will be our everlasting thing no we're gonna sing hallelujah sing hallelujah bye and praising our redeemer there beside the crystal stream i know we're gonna sing we're gonna sing hallelujah bye and sing and oh what oh what joy oh [Music] when we get home i know we're gonna rest be neat rest beneath that cloud last time well in that in that land in that land where saints will never die i know [Music] home for better when bright and fading no cross left to prepare a mansion for children in the air and i'll join him in that land which is no sorrow can be found when i received your mention let's sing about a man i wanna mention a robin [Music] lord please reserve my mansion rope and crime the weather there is always fair there's sunshine day and night and you know no cold no rain will fall there for the sun shines ever bright that's why i need no heavy garments i'll just wrap my robe around when i save [Music] will [Music] please you know that one day i'll be rewarded with the crown so bright and new well i wear a smile so rhyme but there'll be no cause for a frown when i receive my mention [Music] let's [Music] [Music] when we reach that city of the new jerusalem i know we're gonna sing we're gonna sing hallelujah and how the ransom singers will together lift that hymn i know we're gonna sing now we're gonna sing hallelujah and you're singing oh what oh what yours oh what joy when we get home i know we're gonna rest dingdy rest beneath that cloud let's don't weld in that in that lane in that lake we'll never die i know we're gonna sing hallelujah sing hallelujah in that mighty chorus voices and we'll so sweetly i know we're gonna sing hallelujah we're going to sing hallelujah [Music] rest beneath that cloud layer [Music] the victory and love will be our everlasting thing no we're gonna sing hallelujah sing hallelujah bye bye praising our redeemer there beside the crystal stream i know we're gonna sing we're gonna sing hallelujah and we're singing oh what joy when we get it home i know we're gonna respect rest beneath that cloud there's stoneworld in that in that land in that land we're saints [Music] when we get home i know we're gonna rest beneath rest beneath that cloud last time well in that in that land in that land we're saying we'll never die i know we're gonna [Music] better one bright and fashion no christ left to prepare a mansion for children in the air and i'll join him in that land which is no sorrow can be [Music] and [Music] lord please reserve my mansion rope and crime thy weather there is always fair then sunshine day and night and you know no cold no rain will fall there for the sunshine's ever bright that's why i need no heavy garments i'll just wrap my robe around [Music] [Music] and you know them and their peace and love will [Music] you know that one day i'll be rewarded with a crown so bright and new [Music] [Music] let's sing about a man lord i want a match and you know that their peace and love will always abound when [Music] [Music] when we get [Music] sing hallelujah sing hallelujah in that mighty chorus voices and we'll so sweetly i know we're gonna sing hallelujah [Music] rest beneath that cloud layer [Music] the victory and love will be our everlasting thing no we're gonna sing hallelujah sing hallelujah bye praising our redeemer there beside the crystal stream i know we're gonna sing we're gonna sing hallelujah bye and sing and oh what oh what joy oh what joy when we get it home i know we're gonna rest be neat rest beneath that cloud there's stoneworld in that in their land in that land we're saints who [Music] when we get home i know we're going to sing we'll sing hallelujah and bye [Music] i'm gonna trade my earthly home for better when bright and fading no christ left to prepare a mansion for children in the air and i'll join him in that land which is no sorrow can be found [Music] and you [Music] reserve my mansion the psalmist tells us to give thanks unto the lord for he is good his mercy endures forever good evening and welcome to the wednesday devotion here at the fifth ward church of christ if you'd be so kind just to grab your copy of god's inspired word and meet with me in first corinthians chapter 12. we'll begin our text there at verse 31 through first corinthians 14 1. in chapter 13 in verses one through three saint paul shows the absolute necessity for love in verses four through seven saint paul shows the characteristics of love in verses eight through twelve saint paul shows the eternal permanence of love and in verse 13 paul shows the superiority of love the greatest gift that's my title tonight for my lesson many people seem to think that right in the middle of a discussion about miraculous gifts paul interjected a totally different discussion about love but that is not the case as we examine the context we find that first corinthians chapters 12 through 14 is a unit notice that saint paul begins this discussion in first corinthians chapter 12 saying now concerning spiritual gifts brother i would not have you to be ignorant or lack information from first corinthians 12 or 13 and 14 we learned that some people were abusing the gifts or gifts that they had been given so saint paul gives these christians a detailed instruction discussion of the purpose the place and the performance of spiritual gifts he concludes this discussion with the words that all things be done decent and in order first corinthians 14 40. in chapter 12 saint paul mentions nine gifts of the spirit in verses 4 through 11 that have been bestowed upon certain christians of the first century and some of them were in corinth in chapter 13 he examines the miraculous gifts and demonstrates that they are temporary and will end with the perfect comes verses 8 through 10. he shows that there are non-miraculous gifts faith hope love they are superior to the miraculous ones for they will outlast the age of miracles love is superior because when faith becomes knowledge and hope becomes reality love will grow richer fuller and deeper throughout eternity verses 11-13 in chapter 14 he explains how they are to be exercised for the edification of the body in chapter 13 saint paul does not define love but he describes its characteristics the greeks had several words to express the various moves of the emotion we described with one english word love eros is the greek word for erotic or sexual love there's a story told about a couple named olgie oli and olga and they lived on a farm in iowa and she was starving for affection her husband never showed her any signs of love and so her needs went unfulfilled for to be shown affection and so at her wits in one day she just blotted out only why do you never tell me that you love me ogie responded over when we were married i told you that i love you and if anything ever changes i'll let you know now of course we know that's not enough we must show tell each other we love each other every day like god shows us he loves us every day through his son jesus love is new each day philo is the greek word that refers to brotherly love from it we derive philadelphia the city of brotherly love there's a story told about a lady named mary she was a musical performer she was about to go on stage and she received a note from a dear friend named oscar he was on his deathbed and the note simply said a bell isn't a bell until it's wrong a song isn't a song until it's sung love put in your heart is not put there to stay love is not love until you give it away after the performance people rushed backstage they were all emotional they were saying mary we never seen you perform like this before what happened mary read the note from oscar and she said tonight i gave my love away stoky is the greek word for the love that naturally flows from a family through a family unit the love of parents for children and the love of children for their parents and other family members someone wanted to know a child's ideal of love and so they asked the child some children what is love one little girl blurted out love is when your mommy reads your bedtime story but true love is when she doesn't skip any pages the greek word for love in this text is a gaping the highest and noblest form there's a story told about a man whose son was a missionary in a country and the people over there killed him and so later on one night he was praying that god would let him live long enough to see those people who killed his son become saved so that he could throw his arm around them and hug them and tell them he loved them because they loved his savior jesus christ that's the highest and noblest form of love it is a sacrificial love that seeks another highest good even over one's own needs it is the kind of love that caused god to send his son into this sinful world to die for lost humanity john 3 16 the king james version translate this word as charity an old english word for love a more excellent way excellent is defined as extremely great outstanding in first corinthians chapter 12 verse 31 reads but earnestly desire the best gift and yet i show you a more excellent way the purpose of first corinthians chapter 12 would appear to be to begin the discussion on the relative benefits of spiritual gifts they were never intended to be a permanent part of the early church landscape jesus told the apostles that signs would follow them as they went forth to preach the gospel to every creature mark 16 the only way the miraculous gifts of the holy spirit were given was through the pouring out of the holy spirit which happened only twice in acts chapter 2 and chapter 10 and through the laying on of the apostles hands acts 8 acts 19 2 timothy 1 because the baptism of the holy spirit was a specific prophetic promise that was fulfilled in joel 2 acts 1 and acts 2 no spontaneous outpouring of the holy spirit is recorded after acts 10. it was not to continue it was also clear that because the apostles were the only ones who could transfer miraculous gifts of the spirit by the laying on of hands when the last apostle died that power was buried with him some in courtroom who had given had been given miraculous gifts did not seem to understand its place in the whole scheme of things they became puffed up with pride arrogant and boastful they looked down on other christians who either did not possess any miraculous gift or gifts at all or else they did not possess the ones that these corinthian christians thought were superior saint paul attempts to show that the body functions as a unit and that all of the body parts are significant first corinthians 12 12 14 14-20 the body is not independent it is interdependent every other part depends upon another part to operate at its optimal level ephesians 4 16 the church is to be a group of people who love god and christ with all their heart and love each other as well love begets love even those parts that do not have any outward beauty serve some useful and important job first corinthians 12 22-25 these gifted christians were acting in a very unloving way toward their non-gifted brethren that prompted saint paul to say it was not wrong to desire gifts however there was a more excellent way which he describes in chapter 13. that more excellent way is love the greatest gift and so now paul will begin to show the comprehensiveness of love comprehensiveness is defined as complete all elements of something wide-ranging relating to understanding now for me i understand comprehensiveness when i go to buy automobile insurance i sell my agent give me comprehensive coverage i want to be covered for all risk and so now here saint paul is going to show us the comprehensiveness of love in 1st corinthians 13 1-3 he says though i speak with tongues of men and of angels but have not love i have become sounding brass or a clanking symbol and though i have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though i have all faith so that i could remove mountains but have not love i am nothing and though i bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though i give my body to be burned but have not love it profits mean nothing the miraculous gifts of the holy spirit were for the edification of the body of believers first corinthians 14 12. the purpose of spiritual gifts was to build up to help the church to improve the church or in the case of the tongues as a sign to unbelievers verse 22. when an unbeliever hear the gospel preached in their own tongue from a preacher with this gift they realized it was from god as they did on the day of pentecost on the other hand prophesying to the believer is the proclaiming of god's words to christians about living the christian life to which the unbeliever pays no attention spiritual those miraculous gifts were never for selfish gratification or glorification saint paul uses hyperbole that is a claim or a statement not meant to be taken literally to make his point he does not say that he or any man could actually speak with angelic tongues but only that if they could do so and did not do it with love it would be meaningless there's no bible teaching for this angels always spoke in the language of the person to whom they were talking paul's point was that unless one exercised the gift of tongues with love and for the purpose of edification it was no better than healing worship saint paul gave prophecy and exalted place among the other gifts mentioned only because of the things it accomplishes edification that is instruction or improvement of a person morally or intellectually exhortation urging someone to do something and comfort to help ease a difficult situation first corinthians 14 1-3 prophecy can mean foretelling future events but in scripture it often meant fort telling or preaching god's old testament prophets were often preachers even the gift of prophecy if it was not exercised with love was meaningless two of the other gifts saint paul mentioned were the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge he says that even if one understands all mysteries and has all knowledge without love it means nothing the mysteries spoken of here are those of god which before christ had been concealed but were now being revealed through the gospel the knowledge of which he speak is divine knowledge paul acquired it through inspiration others through the gift of the holy spirit but we receive it only through a study of the inspired word of god ii timothy 2 15 study to show thyself approved unto god a workman that needed not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth saint paul even speaks of faith as one of the gifts of the spirit this is no ordinary faith mentioned here in this context it has to be a faith that allows one to perform miracles one writer says the use of the word faith in this context proves that it just like the word spiritual has a special meaning it must mean a faith that has a special visible result a faith that enables one to do miracles one writer wrote that it was a faith that enabled one to remove mountains of which jesus speaks it enable one to exert power now such faith does not exist today but the more we study the word of god the stronger our personal non-miraculous faith becomes a christian could willingly suffer through sacrifice by giving up homes family will and still in the end gain nothing there's no evidence to suggest that christians were being born burned at the stake at the time that paul wrote these words but that would soon become a reality he may have been speaking prophetically the alternative reading given by the new revised standard version is if i hand over my body so that i may boast so just one voluntarily giving his body or sacrificing himself for the cause of christ in either case one could even make this supreme sacrifice and it'd still be meaningless if done without love the greatest gift and so pop now the apostle paul is going to talk to us about the characteristics of love and characteristic is defined as typical of a particular person place or thing a feature or quality belonging to a person place or thing serving to identify it so let's identify love first corinthians 4 13 4-7 love suffers long and it's kind love does not envy love does not parade itself is not puffed up does not behave rudely does not seek his own is not provoked thinks no evil does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth bears all things believes all things hopes all things endures all things st paul begins his list of characteristics saying that love suffers long several other versions render this love is patient the love of which i speak is slow to lose patience in the new testament patient is almost always used in relationship to people and not to circumstances or events in the world of that day patience was not considered a virtue but was viewed as rather a sign of weakness god is the supreme example of this kind of loving patience mankind has continually shunned him and rejected his loving overtures even in the sacrifice of his son but god is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance ii peter 3 9 next says that love is kind christians are admonished often in the new testament to be kind toward one another the kind person is the one who is concerned about his neighbor's feelings as his own with his neighbor's struggles and sorrows and problems is considerate and treat others the way he would like to be treated kindness is love in action every christian can sometimes be petty spiteful rude and unkind if we are not careful our attitudes can become as hard as our conviction love seeks to help and not to harm and yet as has been said love looks to the ultimate good for another love looks for the future happiness as well as to the present good and the greatest happiness is genuine love saint paul moves from these positive aspects of love to eight negative aspects that must be removed if love is to prevail first he says love does not envy second it does not parade itself this has also been translated love is not jealous or boastful jealousy and boastfulness go hand in hand love does not envy what others do or brag about what it does third love is not puffed up it does not behave rudely it is not arrogant or rude christians ought to be the most courteous people in the world some of the people in the church in corinth were acting smug and even hateful toward their fellow christians because of their perceived knowledge or the spiritual gifts they possess saint paul is not saying that we should minimize our convictions only that we should be courteous in expressing even deeply held beliefs fourth love does not seek his own love does not seek its own way it does not indulge in inflated opinions of itself another way of interpreting this phrase is love does not insist on its own rights our own american bill of rights is based upon individual rights these excuse me are precious possessions this scripture opposes our concept of democracy there are times when we must give way to the needs of others or sacrifice selfish interest for the betterment of the group fifth love is not easily provoked love is not irritable love is not touchy quick tempers indicate a lack of real love in the heart righteous anger has its place but when it is directed when it is directed at the right object but even then it must be controlled ephesians 4 26 be ye angry and sin not let not the sun go down on your wrath now this ought to help somebody matter of fact everybody ought to frame this verse of scripture put it in every room in your house especially the bedroom and look at that before you go to bed and realize if you got some anger you need to take care of this is the kind of anger jesus exhibited when he cleansed the temple there is a time to be angry a christian is to take care of sinful anger before the sun goes down or before he or she goes to bed and that'll help some of us sixth love thinks no evil it is not resentful the greek word here is an accounting term that means take into account love does not keep a record of wrongs let me say it again love does not keep a record of wrongs a resentful person never forgets wrongs how good are your forgetter and your forgiver now is the time to punch the clear button and erase all of those resentful accounts this is what god does for us second corinthians 5 19 the gospel is called the word of reconciliation and the church has the responsibility of spreading the gospel by which we are saved god does not keep a record of our sins once they are removed by the blood of christ seventh love does not rejoice in things that are wrong but in those things that are right the corinthians were puffed up and were boasting about the sin in their church many of our modern tv programs and movies and much about music glorifies wickedness why do people gossip why don't people backbite why do people carry tails who would think about gossiping about somebody or someone he or she really loved we should follow paul's warning to think only good things about others philippians 4 8 whatsoever things are true finally saint paul says that love bears believes hopes and endures all things love bears all things by doing all it can to protect the reputations and good names of others and trying hard to keep them out of harm's way love does not expose or glow it does not exploit or condemn it bears even when legitimate sins are in another's life we seek to rehabilitate them not to crush them love does not seek to protect or hide sin but it does seek to reclaim the sinner galatians 6 1 brethren if a man be overtaken or caught in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thyself lest thou also be tempted to summarize the rest of these thoughts would simply be simply to say that love continues to believe in the alien center and the aran christian and hopes for his or her return and gladly accepts the unbearable to await that in the greatest gift now the apostle paul will talk to us about the comprehensiveness completeness of love i'm sorry completeness as the is defined as the state or condition of having the necessary or appropriate parts the completeness of love first corinthians 13 8-13 love never fails but whether they are prophecies they will fail whether there is tongue there are tongues they will cease whether there is knowledge it will vanish away for we know in part and we prophesy in part but when that which is perfect has come that which is in part will be done away when i was a child i understood as a child i thought as a child but when i became a man i put away childish things for now we see in a mirror dimly but then face to face now i know in part but then i shall know just as i also am known and a now and now about it faith hope love these three but the greatest of these is love all of the spiritual gifts saint paul discussed are dependent upon love for their validity love stands alone supreme the miraculous gifts were temporary but love is eternal when prophecies failed and miraculous tongue silence and inspired knowledge was no longer received love remained even in the miraculous age men were unable to see the whole of god's divine scheme of redemption they were like children with limited comprehension verse 11 or like a person looking into a pearly construed mirror constructed mirror of that age unable to see his face clearly the gifts of the holy spirit enable them to share pieces of divine truth and to conform confirm that these were indeed from god but when all the pieces of the puzzle were put together and the whole was perfected or completed then those partial aids would be discarded verse 10. it seems more in keeping with the context to say that the perfect was the completed revelation of god what saint paul is saying is that there would be a period of time after that which is perfect is come and miraculous gifts have ended that faith hope and love will still remain these gifts were to continue in the church to guide and instruct it until the completed will of god was made known the perfection was completed so far as god's work of the revealing work of the spirit is concerned when the full will of god should be revealed or made known and his provisions for saving men be set in motion the greatest gift love and as i conclude with some practical applications first corinthians 13 is not just a chapter on love saint paul's purpose in first corinthians chapters 12 through 14 was to discuss the place of miraculous gifts in the early church in chapter 12 he mentions a number of miraculous gifts in chapter 13 he teaches the temporary nature in chapter 14 he regulates the their use many of those who claim to possess miraculous gifts today do not know that gifts have been done away with and are not following saint paul's instructions in this chapter some religious people today claim to be able to speak in miraculous tongues they say to some kind of energetic language or tongue that can be understood only by one possessing the gift of interpretation but chapter acts chapter 2 and first corinthians chapter 14 make it clear that saint paul was not talking about some angelic language here he was talking about legitimate languages spoken by people from different nations when angels spoke to men they used the language of the people to whom they were talking the miraculous ability to speak in languages one had not previously studied was included in the gifts saint paul said would cease those who claim to be able to do so today may be sincere but they are misguided and now about it faith hope love these three but the greatest of these is love love is the motivating force in christianity first corinthians 14 1 says follow after pursue after love earnestly labor to put it in possession be in possession of that love which bears hopes believes and endures all things he said it may be difficult to acquire and difficult to retain this blessed state but it is essential to your present peace and eternal happiness when each christian loves god with all his heart and loves his fellow christian as jesus loved him the church will function as god intended it to function matthews 22 13 37-39 i hope i've said something that has helped someone tonight i'm going to we read the wednesday night announcements and then extend the invitation and have a word of prayer we extend our love and deepest sympathy to maggie lee king and family on the loss of her husband and to charles king iii larry and wayne on the loss of their father brother charles king senior the memorial excuse me service is 11 a.m this friday september the 10th at the fifth world church of christ verdi deal deidre glover yolanda alexander kisma smith and their siblings on the loss of their mother jesse smith arrangements or pending fifth ward bible institute classes begin tomorrow september the 9th the life of christ from 7 pm to 7 55 pm the epistles of john from 805 pm to 9 pm the spanish class fwcoc resource center virtual spanish class will begin 7 p.m monday september the 13th classes are free online access can be found at the church website with access to the zoom meeting id on our september revival month guest speaker for this sunday september the 12th will be brother kathy andrews of highway 69 church of christ invite your family and friends to join in online the online links can be found on our website at www.fwcoc.org under quick links this concludes our announcements please refer to your emails and online bulletins for all other important announcements by way of invitation john 3 16 for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life for god sent not his son into the world to judge the world but that the world should be saved through him this verse reveals a lot about god god is love while god hates sin he loves mankind the world is lost why because of sin god's love is proved by what he did he gave his only son jesus christ to die upon the cross for the sins of the world jesus made the sacrifice where god could punish sin but save the sinner whosoever includes all mankind the penalty of sin is eternal death if man dies in his sin he will be lost but if one believes in jesus the son of god he will be saved belief includes includes believing in god and obeying god's will matthew 7 21 it's not enough to believe in jesus one must obey jesus in order to be saved there is only one proof of love and that proof is obedience and you can become a member of the lord's church through faith repentance and baptism shall we together pray holy and righteous father thank you so much for your goodness your love your mercy toward us dear god we love you we need you so much in our lives and dear god we would ask that you would visit those who are having difficulties at this time and if it be your will to god that you might raise them up and that all might be well according to your divine will and your purpose help us do god that we might have those identifying marks and those characteristics of love in our lives your god that we might be pleasing and acceptable in your sight bless us and keep us in your care we ask it all in jesus sweet name amen god bless and have a good rest of the week you

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Length: 53min 7sec (3187 seconds)

Published: Wed Sep 08 2021