June 14, 2026
June 14, 2026 "The One Thing That Matters Most" (1 Corinthians 13:1–13)
1 Corinthians 13 New International Version
1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.
12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
a. 1 Corinthians 13:1 Or languages
b. 1 Corinthians 13:3 Some manuscripts body to the flames
The One Thing That Matters Most
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
This chapter is known as the love chapter. We often hear this passage given at wedding ceremonies, anniversaries and other events that celebrate love. Paul puts much emphasis on love. In fact, he says that love is the most important aspect of following Jesus.
In the previous chapter, Paul lists the different spiritual gifts and their importance but ends chapter 12 with saying that there is something greater than these gifts. That, of course, is love.
Paul tells us the gifts may be powerful and do great things, but without love, he is nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-2 ESV
[1] If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
Paul is not saying the gifts are not important, but he is telling us that without love our actions and results become meaningless. It does matter if the work was successful and achieved its purpose but, was it done in love?. Did we do this with right attitude of love? The qualities of love will allow us to do the good works of God.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV
[4] Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant [5] or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [6] it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. [7] Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love is patient. It can be very hard to be patient with people or situations. Yet real love allows us to be patient with others. When we are selfish or arrogant, we compare ourselves with others to maintain our ego. Love does not need to protect its ego. We don't want to give or sacrifice because our ego tells us to keep everything for ourselves. Love allows us to be generous. Love allows us to celebrate the good in others and mourn when evil is inflicted on others.
1 Corinthians 13:8-10 ESV
[8] Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. [9] For we know in part and we prophesy in part, [10] but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
We are nothing and the work we do can be worthless if we do not do these things in love. The actions and work we do will eventually be undone; however, love will transcend time. Our spiritual gifts are precious. We are to use these tools for God's kingdom.
The spiritual gifts are like scaffolding around a building. Once the building is complete, the scaffolding is removed because it has done its purpose. Love will not pass away. It is part of God's kingdom that remains. God is love.
1 Corinthians 13:11-12 ESV
[11] When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. [12] For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
Maturity is shown in a person who is able to love. The Corinthian Christians had many gifts and thought highly of themselves. They compared themselves to others and judged. People who are full of love don't do this. Paul knew that the Corinthian Church needed love to be fully mature and do the work of God.
In this passage, Paul does not ask us what we do in church or what gifts we have. He does not ask us what missions we have done or what knowledge we possess. He asks us if we have love -and whether do we do our good work with love.
At the cross, we see what love truly is. Love is practice. It sacrifices to a point of pain. The church cannot mature without love. The love of Christ will mature us. The Lord wants mature followers who do not look down on the weak or on sinners.
Love will remain. Your possessions, family, friends, efforts, and accomplishments will all pass away. But Love will not pass away.
June 7, 2026
Jun 7, 2026 “Discern the Body of the Lord”(1 Corinthians 11:17–34)
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 New International Version
Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper
17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper
18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.
19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.
20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat,
21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk.
22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.
29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.
30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.
32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together.
34 Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I come I will give further directions.
Discern the Body of the Lord
1 Corinthians 11: 17-34
Paul addresses the church in Corinth over their church practices.
1 Corinthians 11:17 ESV
[17] But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.
Paul is not chastising them for not following the rules. They were following communion rules, but they were not doing this for Jesus. The rich were not remembering the grace Jesus gave to us. The poor were being left out. Some were even becoming drunk on the wine.
1 Corinthians 11:20-21 ESV
[20] When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. [21] For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk.
The table of the Lord is a place of grace. It is a place where unworthy people are invited to eat the Lord's Supper. We all understand we cannot live without God's grace. We are all here because of grace that we are saved. The person beside me has shown the same grace as was given to me. It is Jesus who is the host of this dinner.
1 Corinthians 11:27-28 ESV
[27] Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. [28] Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
If you have the Lord's Supper without discerning ourselves. We have to understand what we are taking. We have to remember that our sins kept us from God and put Jesus on the cross. That the cross is a place of humility. This is why Paul considered not discerning the body of the Lord and taking communion seriously.
If we do not take the time to reflect on and understand what we are doing in church. We might not understand the scriptures if we don't try to discern what was written. It is too easy to blindly follow rituals and practices and not understand what is happening and why it has happened.
Communion allows us to re-examine our lives and remember what Jesus has done for us. We should take the Lord's Supper intentionally and respectfully.
The Corinthian Church mimicked the Lord's Supper, but they did not partake in The Lord's Supper. Their actions did not reflect someone who felt gratitude or humility in being saved by the gift of grace. They were not acting as a group that was brought together by Jesus. They were not treating people as the way of the cross.
Our lives should be changed with the understanding that Jesus rescued us from sin and death while restoring our relationship to God. Jesus has made us one and sends us out to love one another.
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