Finding Jesus in 1 Corinthians 13

[wolfman1223]

                                                                    Jesus is Love

                “Jesus suffers long and is kind; Jesus does not envy; Jesus does not parade Himself, is not [puffed up;  does not behave rudely, does not seek His own, is not provoked, [thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
 Jesus never fails  I Corinthians 13:4-7


               I have long heard that God is love. We used to sing a song when I was a kid from I John 4:7-8 that taught us this. I was then taught years later these verses in a Christian school i went to. You can replace the word “LOVE” with “JESUS” and it only strengthens each statement. Jesus is our greatest example of love in human history. The Greek word used here is “agape”, ἀγάπη  meaning a self-sacrificing love totally given over to object of that love. We can find examples of this in the Gospels, showing how Christ led by this example. We will take each statement and find these examples.


“Jesus suffers long and is kind”


               This one is easy. Some versions will say, "Love is patient. Love is kind." But longsuffering is more than just patience. Longsuffering is waiting for a bus. In the pouring rain. Without an umbrella. Going to visit a sick friend. Jesus said on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Have you ever known anyone who was terminally ill? Or someone who had a disabling medical condition? Or just dealing with a very difficult trial? Everyone goes through hard times. It’s part of the human condition. How we deal with suffering tends to reflect our true character. Suffering will usually make us bitter... or better. With Christ in our hearts and the Holy Spirit guiding us, we can develop an eternal perspective that gives us hope of a better life in heaven, unfettered by this world and all of its sin. When we are kind in our suffering and treat others with the grace and mercy we have received from Christ, it reflects Him to a lost and dying world, which greatly needs the same grace and mercy. Only through Christ can we receive God's grace and mercy to spend eternity in heaven. Through His sacrifice and long suffering we can have that relationship that fulfills every need.

[wolfman1223]

          “Jesus does not envy”

               The opposite of envy is benevolence. Instead of lusting for what others have, one is generous with one’s possessions and resources. We trust in God to provide everything we need for what He wants us to, and everything belongs to Him, anyway. Our human nature tends to hang on tightly to what we have. Having a heavenly perspective in this life will help us to hang on loosely to what God has given us. When Jesus fed the 5,000, it says He had compassion on the people who were like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 8:20 says “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man had no where to lay His head.” He was born in a manger. He came to seek and save that which was lost. Jesus humbled Himself and lay aside His deity to live as a human. He got hungry, thirsty, and tired in John 4 on Mt. Garezim. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. These are not the words and actions of someone who is envious, but One who seeks to restore the prodigal son, heal the broken hearted, and bring the lost back into the fold.