Sermon outlines · 1 Corinthians 13:1-7
Sermon outline on love
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In 1 Corinthians 13:1, “charity” translates a Greek word: ἀγάπη. In Antioquia’s study mode, one tap shows what it means and where else it appears in the Bible — the kind of detail that gives a sermon depth. Try it in the preview.
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1 Corinthians 13:1
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
✦ Understand this verseἀγάπη
agápē · Greek · G26
- In this verse
- charity
- What it means
- love
- How the King James translates it
- love79charity24
Appears in 106 verses · See them all in the app
Sermon outline
Sermon title
The more excellent way
Main idea
Without love, the greatest gifts are worth nothing; with love, ordinary life begins to look like Christ.
Text
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1 Corinthians 13:1-7 · Read the chapter →
Introduction
The church in Corinth had many gifts and many divisions. Paul does not dismiss the gifts, but he shows a more excellent way: love.
1. Without love, nothing
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 · Read the chapter →
Tongues, prophecy, knowledge, faith that moves mountains, even giving everything to the poor: without love — the King James Version says “charity”, the old English word for it — it is noise and it is nothing. Love is what gives value to all we do.
Application: Before you serve, ask yourself: am I doing this out of love?
2. What love is
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1 Corinthians 13:4 · Read the chapter →
Love is patient and kind. The first words Paul uses do not describe a feeling, but attitudes towards others.
Application: Put your own name in place of “love” in verse 4 and see where you need to grow.
3. What love does not do, and what it bears
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1 Corinthians 13:5-7 · Read the chapter →
It does not seek its own, is not easily provoked, keeps no record of wrong; it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. It is a portrait of Christ — and a calling for us.
Application: Choose a difficult person and practise one of love’s traits with them.
Conclusion
Paul ends by saying that faith, hope and love remain — and the greatest of these is love. The gifts will one day pass away; love will not. It is the mark of those who know God.