1 Corinthians #28 – Weekly Study Questions
The More Excellent Way of Love
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (CGS#28)
INTRODUCTION – This week’s passage is one of the most often quoted chapters in the entire Bible. It’s heard so often at weddings and anniversary parties that it may have lost some of its meaning. We hear “Love is patient, love is kind…” and it’s easy for us to ignore the rest because it’s so familiar. But let’s take a closer look at this beautiful chapter.
First, remember the context of 1 Corinthians. This church struggles with pride, partisanship, and impropriety, and the Apostle Paul has been lovingly correcting them. He answered several questions about marriage, idolatry, and worship, and then he spends three whole chapters (12-14) talking about spiritual gifts. Chapter 13 is nestled right in the middle of that discussion. Why is that? The last sentence of chapter 12 tells us: Love is the “still more excellent way.”
Love makes all of the other spiritual gifts effective. How does Paul describe speaking in tongues without love? “A noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” (v. 1) In other words, just annoying. Not making music, not instructing believers, not glorifying God. How does he describe prophecy, knowledge, and faith without love? As being literally “nothing.” (v. 2) Even generosity and martyrdom, which seem like they’d be beneficial no matter what, Paul says that without love, you gain nothing from them. (v. 3) (Interesting sidenote: the implication is that when done out of love, you actually gain from giving everything away.)
He then goes on to provide contrasting examples (love is) and counter-examples (love is not) to help us form a mental picture of what true love is and how it’s lived out in the world. Love is patient and kind, it rejoices with the truth, it’s strong, hope-filled, and unending. All other gifts are temporary. What does that mean? When Jesus returns in power, and he remakes the world into a new heavens and a new earth, we won’t need the other gifts. Think about it: We won’t need apostles because there will be no new ground to take. We won’t need prophets because God will speak for himself. We won’t need evangelists because everyone will know Christ personally. We won’t need shepherds or teachers because God himself will comfort and instruct his people. Those gifts will fade away because they’ll be unneeded. But love? It’s not going anywhere. Everything God does is done out of love. All of our joy and worship on the new earth will be compelled by our overwhelming love and gratitude.
Paul ends this chapter by using two quick analogies to describe the change that will take place in the age to come. First, it’ll be like growing up. We all change as we grow, and the ways we understand the world now are wildly different from the ways we understood it as children. A child’s understanding of the world isn’t necessarily wrong, it’s just incomplete. In a similar way, we will completely understand God and his ways when Jesus returns. Second, it’ll be like seeing face to face after looking in a foggy mirror or through thick glass. We can get a rough impression of God in this life–which, thankfully, is more than enough for us to be saved–but we’ll see him with perfect clarity when Jesus returns.
What’s Paul’s point in all of this? “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Col 3:14). Love is the motivation behind God’s decision to send the Son for our sins (John 3:16), and it can motivate us as well. Love is the greatest spiritual gift, and the only one the Spirit gives to all believers at all times. So use it. Love God, and love others. There is no higher calling (Mark 12:30-31).
GETTING STARTED – As a group, take time to answer this question: What’s the most outrageous act of love you’ve ever personally witnessed?
IN THE WORD – Let’s dig back into the passage. It’s important to strengthen our muscles in reading God’s Word. On Sunday, we walked through the passage in the sermon. Hopefully, that helped you to see the landmarks of the passage with fresh eyes. Now, with your group, go back through it and see what God is saying to you specifically.
First, before you read the passage, take a moment to ask God’s Spirit to quiet your mind and heart and to illuminate the text to you. Second, read the passage aloud to the group. Then, follow the simple method below (O.P.A.).
Observe: Make 8-10 observations from the passage. Pay close attention to observe and note repeated words and phrases, names, places, and themes.
Principles: From your list of observations, what patterns or big ideas do you see emerging? Can you distill it down into 2-4 big idea truths?
Apply: Moving from your list of principles, it is time to apply God’s Word. Remember, we believe that God’s Word is living and active and that it can change the way we live Monday-Friday. What is one tangible way to apply a truth from your list above?
DISCUSS – Another way to approach your time together is to talk through the following discussion questions:
- What did you hear God’s Spirit say to you through the passage this week? How does it encourage you? How does it sharpen you?
- How have you seen God at work in your life this week? Have you enjoyed him? Have you heard his voice and the leading of his Spirit? Big ways or small ways.
- Why does Paul speak so highly of love in this chapter?
- Does this chapter remind you of anything Jesus said about love?
- What are some ways you’ve seen love looking like Paul’s description in verses 4-7?
- Have you seen examples of false love that did not match this description?
- How did Jesus embody Paul’s description of love?
- Do verses 11-12 comfort you, or are they a little uncomfortable? Why is that?