Key verse: 1 Corinthians 14:12
Big idea: The cross is our model for ministry.Discussion idea: What is a gift God has given you which you can use to build up others?
Prayer focus: Praise God for letting us be a part of His work.
Read through the Bible, one chapter every weekday, with a discussion guide for your family. A ministry of alvinmbc.com.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 14:12
Big idea: The cross is our model for ministry.Key verse: 1 Corinthians 13:3
I ran a search on Google: "What is love?" The top results, from places as diverse as Psychology Today and E-Harmony and are uniform only in their error. The first result from a Christian perspective is 23 items down, under a yoga website, two Jewish ones, a collection of literary quotes and many which I would not repost here (or anywhere else). Wikipedia says: "Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection and to the simplest pleasure." Not exactly Shakespeare. UrbanDictionary.com defines it as "Baby, don't hurt me, Don't hurt me, no more." Aish.com, the Jewish website, says, "Love is the attachment that results from deeply appreciating another's goodness" As a sinner without any goodness by nature to love, I am grateful that God does not use that definition.
A genuinely Christian definition of love must reckon with the ultimate act of love in all of history. The cross teaches us that love is the choice of another, not because of who they are, but because of who we are, where we give ourselves away for someone else. Without this kind of love, all of the good works, special wisdom, and miraculous deeds are simply garbage. Even acts of "charity" to the point of giving our life up or giving all of our possessions to the poor can be loveless and therefore worthless. In God's eyes, love is both heart and action. It is my whole person devoted to your whole person.
That love is patient, kind, rejects sin and rejoices in truth. If you put your name in place of the word "love" in today's chapter, would your parents or spouse believe it? What about your coworkers? Sometimes we try to get by with a cheap definition of love. I once spoke to a pastor's wife who believed that she loved anyone she did not hate, and did not hate anyone she did not desire to go to Hell. The Bible will not accept such cheap definitions. Jesus wants you to love like He loved, and that love gives all that we say and do its significance.
Discussion idea: Who is someone that loves you? How do you know? How can you show love to another person?
Prayer focus: Praise God that He taught us to love by loving us.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 12:27
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 11:24
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 10:23