Lesson 4: LOVE 4(b)

4(b) Topic: How do we Love?
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Love Never Fails

Discussion Questions:
In society, what does the word "love" mean?
But what does true love actually mean according to the passage? How do they differ from societal interpretation of love?
What do you consider to be the most outstanding characteristic of Biblical love?
Why do you think Love is the greatest?
Who has truly loved you with an unselfish love? Have you loved your family and friends with an unselfish love?
How would you summarize what he is trying to say about spiritual gifts in this section? What is God's primary example of love? (Rom 5:8) And what other specific character qualities are revealed in that example?

Notes:
The necessity and advantage of the grace of love(v1-3) The excellence represented by its properties and effects(v4-7); and by its abiding and its superiority(v8-13).

Application:
Biblical love is a general character quality common to all believers not a Spiritual gift like other gifts of service are. Let us remind ourselves to check and see if this love dwells in our hearts.
To Love, we must put aside our selfish desires and ambitions, and consider others more important than ourselves. How can we love others with our actions this week?

Guidelines:
The problem in discussing "love" is that it has become such a generalized vague term. These days if someone says, "I love you", you can't tell whether they want to help you out or simply have sex with you! The entertainment industry uses the word mostly to describe a sexual feeling. And in Popular feel-good Christianity, "love" seems to have been trivialized to simply mean having a good feeling about someone. In such a community to correct someone for sin is interpreted an act of hatred.
The most essential aspect of Biblical love is HUMILITY. Notice how central "humility" is to the character qualities described in vs. 4, 5. Without humility there is no love.
Perseverance is character quality inevitable for those born of God. And he who endures to the end will be saved. Yet continuing to endure in our faith despite the trials is seldom viewed as a practice of Christian love.
While spiritual gifts are temporary to meet the needs of the church, in eternity, we will be made perfect and complete and will be the very presence of God. We will no longer need spiritual gifts, so they will come to an end. On the other hand, love endures forever.
Faith is the foundation and content of God’s message; Hope is the attitude and the focus; Love is the action. When faith and hope are in line, you are free to love completely because you understand how God loves.

Commentary:
http://www.bcbsr.com/books/1cor13.html