Arkansas State press., 1944-05-19

faltn, nope, love- lhNso NHtNNt 49,
greatest OF these is love,--i Corinthians
1919.
Who Is a Christian One might
answer In a number Of ways. He IS
one who has been saved by the re-
deeming grace Of Jesus Christ. He
Is n who seeks to live a life IN &C.
cord with the will OF God, He is a
witness for God. and so on. But the
answer that the whole world under
stands Is a life In which the re-
deeming love of Christ begets a true
love for ones fellow nan.
1. An Example Of Christian Love
(Acts l8:l-4).
Teaching and preaching are Gods
ordained way for presenting the
truth. They are effective, but only
when done by one whose life ex-
emplifes the truth. In his letter to
the Corinthians Paul gives the great
est discussion of love known to the
world, but before he wrote 1t he had
lived that truth before them. The
Holy Spirit spoke through him OF
love, because He had already lived
the truth out in the preacher.
Two things appear here; Paul
was:
/. Working tvv. l-3), The worlds
most distinguished missionary and
preacher had arrived in Corinth.
Where was the welcoming commit
tee Of local dignitaries? There was
none Whose comfortable home
would receive him? None was of
fered. His was the lot OF the plo-
neer for Christ. He had to hunt up
a Jewish fellow craftsman and so
to work to earn his bread.
Paul, like every other Jewish boy.
had learned a trade, something he
could do with his hands. He was a
tent and sail maker, and was not
ashamed to work at his trade. A
more recent follower Of Christ put
it thus: my business Is to preach
the gospel, but | pack meat to pay
the expenses"
But notice that Paul did not let
this work become the chief thing.
As the Lord prospered him he did
not decide to "go back into busl-
ness" No, for his real business was:
2. Witnessing ". A.. He began,
as was his custom, In the synagogue,
presenting Christ to Jews and
Greeks. The Jews opposed him (see
v. 81, and then Paul addressed him.
self to the Gentiles.
God prospered that ministry and
encouraged Paul by a vision, assur-
ing him that the Lord had much
people" ". 10) in that wicked city.
The love OF Christ in Paul thus shone
forth as a light in the darkness Of
sin and superstition.
Love was something which the
heather world of paul's day had so
mlsrepresented and distorted (even
as 1t has today that 1t needed def
milton and exposition. So we have
ii. An Explanation OF Christian
Love q Cor. 13).
This is one Of the outstanding
chapters Of all Scripture. Its mag
niacent discussion Of the greatest Of
all themes has drawn forth many
choice expositions.
The thought centers around the
emptiness of the loveless life, the
glory of the life Of love, and the
eternal Interchangeable power of love,
We gather 1t up in three words.
!. Indispensable tyv, l-3l. With
out love mans attachments are emp.
ty. He may become an orator with
a "heavenl,' gift Of speech, but I'M
less he truly loves, his elegant and
persuasive talk is just a meaning
less noise. How true!
One may also have marvellous
gifts Of prophetic insight and a Won,
der.working faith, and find that II
is all a vain and empty experience
without love. Our world leaders,
could well study that verse just now.
Sa ,rifcial interest in the needs Of
mankind is a fr trait IN man, but
It must have the love Of Christ in
1t or II too is prohtless. As we
think Of feeding the hungry nations'
Of the earth. let us not forget to
make II worth while by doing It In
Christian love.
2. Incompatible Wv 40. The
standard for the life Of a Christian
Is a very high one; in fact, 1t is i'm
possible Of attainment apart from
the grace and power Of Christ. Nat
urally, we find ourselves TO be I'M
patient, proud, suspicious, %resentful,
etc. The new nature in Christ Is
Just the opposite, for love rules.
Note that phrase "endureth all
things" We need that In these days
when II Is so hard TO keep on going.
or as someone said, TO keep on
keeping on" Love endures all
things.
5. Immutable Wv. 9-l3). All
things in life change and pass away.
Love is eternal and unchangeable.
Even the spiritual gifts have their
fulfllnent and pass from view, but
love shall endure through all eter-
nifty. God, the Eternal One, is love
q John 4;8. lG). 4
When VIC shall come to that per.
f~ectness Of unde standing which 10
10 be ours n day. when we shall
know even as G ID now knows M.