The More Excellent Way

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Speaker: Pastor Tom Van Kempen

1 Corinthians 12:31 (NKJV) But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

Love is

1. cultural definitions

1) Love is a

2) Love is a

Romans 12:9 (NKJV) Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

1 Corinthians 13:6 (NKJV) does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth

3) Love is a

2. counterfeit motivations

Romans 12:9 (NKJV) Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

I Corinthians 12:31 (NKJV) But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 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, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

1) Tongues can be nothing more than

1 Corinthians 14:32 (NKJV) And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets

2) Prophecy can be nothing more than

3) Giving can be nothing more than a

Love is a

Romans 12:9 (NKJV) Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

1 John 4:8 (NKJV) He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

1. with God

Romans 5:8 (NKJV) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

2. of God

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NKJV) Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

1 Corinthians 13:4 (NKJV) Love suffers long. . .

Love is

1. People are

2. People are

1) Sin exaggerates

1 Corinthians 13:4 (NKJV) . . . love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up

2) Sin is inherently

1 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV) does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked,]thinks no evil;

3) Sin our world

Love

1 Corinthians 13:7 (NKJV) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1. Covering the

I Peter 4:8-10 (NKJV) And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1) A that covers sin

Genesis 3:21(NCV) The Lord God made clothes from animal skins for the man and his wife and dressed them.

2) A coat that protects from

Isaiah 61:10 (NCV) He has covered me with clothes of salvation and wrapped me with a coat of goodness, like a bridegroom dressed for a wedding, like a bride dressed in jewels.

2. Believing in loves

1) The power to transform a

2) the power to transform the

3. despite the circumstances

1 Corinthians 13:8 (NKJV) Love never fails