The Perfection of Love

“The Perfection of Love”

1 Corinthians 13:11-13

Sunday, March 7, 2021

Pastor Chris Laughlin

Introduction

Love is estimated to be the subject of over 100 million songs. Since the early 1960s, over 60% of songs written were about love and relationships. Authors have written more than 130 million books on the subject of love. Love is both a verb and a noun. It is both something to obtain and something to demonstrate through actions. Some people would categorize it as the most important thing to seek out in life. Love can bring ultimate joy and the greatest pain to a person. The most popular scripture in the world, John 3:16, is built upon the subject of love. Since the beginning of time mankind has intellectually, spiritually, physically and emotionally wrestled with the subject and meaning of love. Through Scripture, God gives us the final verdict on love. He tells us what love is, why it is so important and how we should act upon it.

February 14: The Power of Love (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

February 21: The Picture of Love (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

February 28: The Persistence of Love (1 Corinthians 13:8-10)

March 7: The Perfection of Love (1 Corinthians 13:11-13)

IMPACT Church 101 E. First Ave. Parkesburg, PA 19365
(610) 857-3887

1. Love is perfected in MATURITY

a. Leave behind CHILDISH things

Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:1-2

Notes:

b. Seek WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Matthew 5:6 NASB

Notes:

2. Love is perfected in CLARITY

a. It requires SEEING what God SEES

But whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NASB

Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.

Psalm 119:18

Notes:

3. Love is perfected by KNOWING and being KNOWN

a. As God’s CHILDREN we will be like CHRIST

Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see Him as he really is. 1 John 3:2

Notes:

b. We are His INHERITANCE

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called — his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

Ephesians 1:18

Notes:

4. Love is perfected in TRUTH

a. Love is GREATEST because it points to God and the CROSS

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Notes:

b. We are NEW CREATIONS

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB

Notes:

5. Love is perfected in the day of JUDGEMENT

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first. 1 John 4:16-19

Notes:

Faith, hope, and love will endure until Christ returns, and at that time, faith and hope will cease to be needed, but love will endure forever!

Closing: When we first experience God’s love through His grace, we are forever immutably unalterably changed. His love is in us, through us, and that love will be made complete and perfected on the day of His coming. Do you know His love?