THE DURATION of LOVE                     	Pastor Bob Chroninger Trinity C.U.  2-28-99  P.M.
  	             	1Cor.13:8-14:1a      			
Love is more important than the "gifts" and is defined as a "verb" rather than a "noun".  
 It is filled with action... both negative and positive.  The Corinthian believers had the 
 right doctrine but the wrong behavior.. but love never loses its strength like a weary traveler. 
 It never leaves its place... it never drops out of line like exhausted soldiers.  It outlasts
 everything... Jesus loved His own to the end.  Jn.13:1  Do we really "love" or do we just talk 
 about it? 
I.  NOTICE HOW LOVE IS CONTRASTED... 
  - They were proud of gifts... but carnal.  They put greater importance on lesser qualities.  
     All these gifts without love = 0. 
  A. These gifts will be gone or changed... 
    1. Prophecies will fail...  but Love will never fail 
    2. Tongues will cease...  but Love will never cease 
    3. Knowledge will vanish... but Love will never disappear 
  B. These gifts are not only temporary.. they are incomplete!  9 
    1. The perfect is coming... 10 
  C. These gifts are marks of immaturity.. 11 (Paul's personal note) 
    1. Nothing wrong with childhood... 
    2. Nothing good about remaining a child either! (True Love is Maturity)
 ** A time coming when we shall see clearly (face to face) Many things we don't understand here...
       but then no sin to cloud vision 
II.  NOTICE HOW LOVE IS COMPARED... 13 
  A. Three Words found together...  Faith, Hope, Love.. 
    1. Rom.5:1-5  Justified by faith; rejoice in hope; because of God's love. 
    2. Col.1:4,5.. Faith in Christ; love for the saints; hope laid up.. 
    3. 1Thes.1:3.. Work of faith, labor of love, patience of hope.. 
	- Interesting that something is missing in Ephesus.. Rev.2:2 
  B. The Meaning of These Words... 
    1. Faith is... 
	- The Trust that rests on evidence and leads to action.. 
	- The foundation of our relationship with God
	- The only way we can become children of God 
    2. Hope is... 
	- Confidence in the future.. not wishful thinking.. Heb.6:19 
	- No hope in this world without Christ... Eph.2:12 
	- Believers have a "Hope" laid up in Heaven.. Col.1:5 
    3. Love is... The Greatest!! They all "abide"... but.. 
	- Because of its Dominance; Definition; and Duration 
	- Because of its Source... God is Love  1Jn.4:8,16 
	- Because of its Potential... in the believer.. Gal.5:22,23
 ** Faith says Jesus Christ came to save me; Hope says He's coming again to take me;
 Love says He abides in my heart NOW!! 
III.  NOTICE HOW LOVE IS COMMANDED...   14:1 
  A. Here is the "more excellent way" of 12:31 
  B. Here is the ultimate... "follow after Love" 
    1. Here is the "heart" of God... 
    2. Here is the "passion" for the Lost around us. 

IS YOUR HEART OVERFLOWING WITH THE LOVE OF GOD?  
ARE YOU ALLOWING HIM TO LOVE OTHERS THROUGH YOU?  
ALL OF YOUR GIFTS AND TALENTS ARE NOTHING WITHOUT THIS KIND OF LOVE