Love is not proud
Introduction
Recap of previous weeks – what is love:
Love comes from God and is seen in Jesus Christ
Love is patient and kind
Love does not envy
Tonight: looking at the next phrase in 1 Cor 13:4 – love does not parade itself and is not puffed up – love is not proud
Example of William Carey
Example of the Pharisees
The love of God is humble and speaks more about other people – the grace of God in theirs lives
It gives God glory
We speak only of the love of God in us
We do not despise others
We do not ‘build ourselves up’ in front of others
We do not show off
All that we have is by the grace of God
There is no room for boasting or depising
There cannot be a proud or arrogant Christian
If we are – we have not fully understood our sin or the love of God for us
Overview:
How does Paul address the subject of pride?
How does this apply to us?
How does Paul address the subject of pride?
By Example
He shows he is not interested in status or following (1 Cor 1:14-15)
He did not do all the work himself, there was a team ministry
He only baptised a few people
He was glad that people could say ‘well, I was baptised under Paul’, rather than giving God the glory
He does not show off his oratory gifts (1 Cor 2:1-2)
Though he had been schooled in the best oratory
Yet he makes things simple and plain
Jesus was the centre of his message
He depended on the power of God
Preachers should not draw attention to themselves
He does not give false impression (1 Cor 2:3)
Paul came in weakness
The Corinthian church was never ‘weak’
He takes pains to show that all the blessing was from God (1 Cor 3:5-7)
It was God who gave the increase
Where there is contention, there is often strife
He expresses an honest estimation of himself (1 Cor 15:9)
This is not someone puffed up but humbled by the love of God
He considers himself not worthy of the name of an apostle
How do we speak about ourselves?
By Instruction
Reminding them that salvation is about God’s choice (1 Cor 1:26-31)
There were many who sought to give guidance and instruction (1 Cor 14:26)
Everyone wanted to bring a word or a teaching
Paul reminds them their salvation is from God – 1 Cor 1:26-29
Reading 1 Cor 1:26-31
God chooses the weak and sinful – examples
Showing the folly of putting confidence in human wisdom (1 Cor 1:19-21, 3:19-21)
Reading 1 Cor 1:19-21, 3:19-21
People are impressed with human wisdom
Yet God says he will bring to nothing human wisdom
Reading 1 Cor 3:19-21
We are not to look to ‘great men’
Reminding them that all gifts come from God (1 Cor 4:7)
They are not to boast in who they are or what they have
Calling out pride in the church (1 Cor 4:8,18)
He uses sarcasm (1 Cor 4:8)
He calls them out plainly (1 Cor 4:18)
We must at times call out pride
Showing the danger of exalting knowledge (1 Cor 8:2)
Be careful with knowledge and do not look down on those who do not understand as you do
Use knowledge wisely
We only know in part – we do not know everything
Knowledge in itself has a tendency to puff up – example
We are to grow in knowledge through grace
Extensive teaching on the Church as a body (1 Cor 12)
We have been looking at this
You are all necessary parts of the body
We give greater honour to the parts that seem less honourable
All gifts are given by God
Do not exalt someone with a particular gift
Earnestly desire the best gifts – but remember the more excellent way
Did the Corinthian church talk about its power and ministry?
In a triumphalist way
Like those in Col 2
We are not to go away from the cross
How does this apply to us?
Acknowledge that pride is an issue for us all
Example of the devil
The pride of man
Although we have been born again, pride lurks within us
We need to pray that God would help us to be humble
Come again to the foot of the cross
We must always return to the cross
It is the place of restoration and humility
Paul boasted of the cross
Take heed to the warnings of the Bible
Jesus pronounced woes on the Pharisees (Matt 23)
Example of Simon the Pharisee vs the women wiping Jesus’ feet with her tears
Remember that God exalts the humble
Example of Nebuchadnezzar and Herod (Acts 12)
Example of John the Baptist and Mary
The meek shall inherit the earth
Jesus who never sinner, who humbled Himself was exalted to the highest place
We need to decrease and Christ increase – because love never parades itself, it not puffed up