A More Excellent Way

Happy Sunday!

1 Corinthians 12:28-31 says, "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.  Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?  Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? BUT covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a MORE EXCELLENT way."(KJV).  

Today, Dr. Matthew L. Stevenson III reminded us that 1 Corinthians is a letter.  Generally, we don't write letters in chapter and verse. This practice was done supposedly to make Bible reading easier.  But this can cause confusion especially when the new chapter begins and the thought from the previous chapter was not completed.  Don't miss this!  The Apostle Paul is telling the readers to covet the best gifts, and that he will show them a more excellent way in Chapter 12.  Do you really think he stopped at that point and did not tell them about the better way? Of course not!  He tells them about the more excellent way in what we have come to know as 1 Corinthians 13.

In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 the Apostle Paul refers back the ministry assignments he spoke about in Chapter 12:28-31.  He says, "What if I speak in the most elegant languages of people or in the exotic languages of the heavenly messengers, but I live without love? Well then, anything I say is like the clanging of brass or a crashing cymbal.  What if I have the gift of prophecy, am blessed with knowledge and insight to all the mysteries, or what if my faith is strong enough to scoop a mountain from its bedrock, yet I live without love? If so, I am nothing.  I could give all that I have to feed the poor, I could surrender my body to be burned as a martyr, but if I do not live in love, I gain nothing by my selfless acts."(Voice).

The more excellent way is LOVE!  The Beatles sang, "All we need is Love".  Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote, "What the world needs now, is Love, Sweet Love".  Stevie Wonder wrote and sang, "Love's in Need of Love Today".  It's not a new concept, but perhaps we should go back to the Bible to see what this more excellent LOVE looks like.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a says, 
"Love is patient; 
Love is kind. 
Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about. 
There’s no arrogance in love; it’s never rude, crude, or indecent—it’s not self-absorbed. 
Love isn’t easily upset. 
Love doesn’t tally wrongs or celebrate injustice; but truth—yes, truth—is love’s delight! 
Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what. 
Love will never become obsolete."(Voice). 

Whatever God has called you to do, whatever your purpose, and whatever your life goal...do that task with Love.  President Theodore Roosevelt said, "Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care".

Love and prayers, Cynthia