1 Corinthians 13:1-3 

¹If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is a Many-Splendored Thing

Have you enjoyed listening to the song, “Love is a Many-Splendored Thing?” It compared love to April Rose that only grows in the early spring, and it supposed that love is nature’s way of giving, a reason to be living.

And you may have heard it said that you can give without loving but cannot love without giving. Love is more practically expressed in giving, so to speak. How many young ladies are easily amused when someone gives them golden ring? Well, what could be the most practical proof that you hope to receive or get from someone to convince you and believe that they really love you? What do you require as practical exhibit of love for you to be strongly convinced?

Gold ring with blue diamond? Platinum ring with sapphire? Gold necklace?

Someone said, “I want a love like 1 Corinthians 13:4-8!” ⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸Love never fails.

Well, these biblical descriptions of love happen only when the Holy Spirit produces love in and through us, and God is love. To require love from anyone like 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, they are looking for Christians who have reached a spiritual maturity compared to the level of spiritual maturity of Apostle Paul.

We will talk more of godly love in the succeeding sermons. But for now, we learn what it means to practice our spiritual gift when the spice of love is absent. In everything we do as Christians, our good works and services become eternally valuable only if we are inspired by the Holy Spirit. We should always seek to be empowered by the Holy Spirit for us to excel in ministries that he prepared for us.

The gift of speaking in tongue not spiced with love is compare to what?

Gift of Speaking in Tongue

¹If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 

Apostle Paul compared himself to a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal if he speaks in the tongues of men or of angels, but doesn’t have love. Why?

Tongues of men pertain to established dialects or languages around the world that are commonly spoken to communicate with people who understand and speak the same dialect or language. Therefore, to speak in the tongues of men, both speaker and listener should understand the dialects or language they use to effectively communicate with each other and avoid confusion.

Do angels have their own dialect or language they use to communicate?

Angels are messengers of God. Have you ever encountered an angel? Have you spoken to angels? Have you heard the phrase “angelic voice?” How do you define angelic voice? An angelic voice is good, kind, gentle speaking voice or soft, pleasant singing voice that inspires or uplifts the spirits of listeners.

Therefore, spiritual gift of speaking in tongues of men or of angels means that speakers clearly communicate with good, kind words and pleasing voice. And when spiritual gift of speaking in tongues of men or of angels spiced with love divine message from God may affect and not just inspire the life of listeners.

But speaking in tongue without love is compared to a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. A resounding gong or a clanging cymbal is irritating noise, if it is not played in harmony with other musical instruments. If you’re taking a nap or sleeping, you would not like the sound of gong or cymbal. It annoys anyone. Similarly, speaking in the tongues of men and of angels without love to relay a message from the Lord can be annoying sound like clanging cymbal and resounding gong. It cannot inspire at all. It may even scare listeners.

Not Scared of Scarecrow

In Asia, rice farmers have problems of birds that may devour their crops. Some birds are not scared of scarecrows. So, farmers install some devices that may produce sound like clanging cymbals to scare birds from their rice fields. Farmers spread fresh harvest on concrete pavement to dry; chicken and birds are attracted to eat fresh rice spread on the ground. So, they install devices that make loud noise to scare chickens and birds instead of running after them.

Christ told a parable in Matthew 13:31-32, ³¹The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. ³²Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.

Birds come and perch in the branches of trees as their resting place; birds can also find comfort under the shade of trees during hot summer days and take refuge during stormy days. Not just birds; humans and other animals can enjoy the comfort of shade under the tree, especially, during hot summer days.

Christ Jesus invites us to find rest in him in Matthew 11:28-30, ²⁸Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

We are encouraged to practice spiritual gifts spiced with love and follow the prescriptions of Christ. We rest in Christ when the Holy Spirit produces fruits of peaceful gladness in us so that we practice our spiritual gifts, and that is when we find rest in Christ. We also regularly gather together as indispensable parts of the body of Christ, the church to encourage one another and diligently obey him.

If one practices a gift of speaking in tongue and not spiced with love, it will be like resounding gong and clanging cymbal. And what happens? Well, farmers install in their rice field devices that may sound like cymbals to scare away birds.

Likewise, when one speaks in tongues and not flavored with love, it will sound like a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal; and anyone who may come and attend church to find rest in Christ could be scared away. What do you think?

One can easily find around the world group discussions about the word of God. They argue about doctrines and their understanding of the Scripture. Be prayerful if you are enticed to join group discussions about the word of God. The enemy of the gospel can use heated arguments to disturb anyone instead of learning from each other. Always pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

Love that comes from the Holy Spirit should always season our practice of spiritual gift, not just the gift of speaking in tongues but also the gift of prophecy.

2.  Gift of Prophecy

²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 

As review from previous sermons, the spiritual gift of prophecy pertains to interpretation and forth-telling divine will of God. New Testament prophecy is modern day preaching of the Scripture. Modern-day prophets are preachers with spiritual gift in communicating, expositing and revealing divine truth.

There are preachers who may not necessarily have gift of expositing divine truth but, they’re trained in motivating listeners. Be prayerful and consider what it prophesied in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, ³For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Listen carefully. One could be turned away from the truth and turn aside to myths when motivational speakers tickle the itching ears. Be prayerful and don’t be easily persuaded. Read your Bible for you to identify biblical teaching from myths, fables or fictions. We are warned in 1 John 4:1, ¹Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

False prophets are modern-day preachers that may impress listeners with mysteries. Some of them may have gift of faith that can move mountains. False prophets could have been deceived by fascinating knowledge in this world. Well, should believers desire for spiritual gift of faith that can move mountains? If love from the Holy Spirit has flavored the spiritual gift you received, you will store up eternal treasure for yourselves in heaven when you practice your spiritual gift.

Simon

Here is a warning if you are praying for spiritual gift of faith. It narrated in Acts 8:18-23, ¹⁸When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money ¹⁹and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” ²⁰Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! ²¹You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. ²²Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. ²³For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

Simon was a sorcerer; his magic was amazing. He bragged about himself as great, and people, both high and low, paid attention and called him the Great Power of God. Actually, Simon the sorcerer believed in Jesus Christ; he’s even baptized before he met Apostle Simon Peter. He saw miracles and very powerful things that the apostles did, and Simon tried to buy the ability to give the Spirit. He may have imagined getting richer, if he can give the Spirit like the apostles; it is not impossible that Simon bought also his sorcery magic that amazed people.

Many people who do not believe God presupposed that preachers amaze listeners to give money. Well, there’re so-called prosperity gospel preachers who may motivate people to give them money so that the Lord will bless them more.

Listen carefully: It is practical expression of faith in the Lord when church members give the tithes of God to his church. But seriously reflect on what it prescribes in 2 Corinthians 9:7-8, ⁷Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

The term “must” is obligatory, but the term “should” is optional. Giving to the church is optional. It is not obligatory; it is not mandatory. We don’t pressure anyone to give; anyone should not be reluctant, not under compulsion but with cheerful heart to give. A cheerful heart has peaceful gladness that comes from the Holy Spirit of God. When others give with cheerfulness, be prayerful if you sense pressure to give. Ask the Holy Spirit to produce gladness in your heart.

Wait until the Holy Spirit produces peaceful gladness in your heart. That is when you give to the Lord. You can sense it your innermost being that God will bless you abundantly when you give with cheerful heart. But first and foremost, pray also for increase of faith before you give to the church the tithes of God.

3.  Gift of Giving

³If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

The gift of giving is called spiritual gift of generosity. It may seem natural for many to give, but may their joy of giving be inspired by the Holy Spirit. Gift of generosity should be spiced simultaneously with love and care for other. Giving or generosity is comparable to a channel where water flows to irrigate plants.

You may have heard the parable about the farmer and the bamboo plant.

Bamboo

A farmer carried buckets of water from a creek to water his garden; he was tired; so, he rested under the shade of a bamboo, and wished, “If only I can have something to use to channel water from the creek to my garden, it could be more convenient to water my plants!” Suddenly the bamboo talked, “You can use me!”

The farmer explained, “It would be painful for you. I cut you down. I slice you into two. I remove some of your inner parts. And you would surely die.” “Well, if your plants will be refreshed by water from the creek, then I am willing to die. Cut me down, slice me, remove some of my inner parts and use me to channel water from the creek to your garden,” the bamboo said with sincere gladness.

It’s not very accurate description but for us to be able to practice the gift of giving with gladness that comes from the Lord and before the Lord can use us as channels of his blessings, we have to personally experience death to our old self.

Imagine this: When water from the creek flows through the bamboo to refresh garden plants, the bamboo is also refreshed continuously, not just once.

How do you interpret what it declares in 2 Corinthians 9:10-11, ¹⁰Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

The Lord who distributes the gift of generosity increases store supplies and enlarges the harvest of our righteousness so that we generously give cheerfully. Giving to the church is not obligatory, not mandatory not reluctantly, not under compulsion. It is optional to cheerfully give the tithes of God and our offering.

It is a blessing that many church members are gifted with generosity. May the Lord overflow your store supplies and increase your abundance so that you may continue to grow in godly righteousness. Not all believers are given the gift of generosity. But can we ask the Lord give us the gift of giving or generosity?

The gift of generosity is accompanied by gift of faith. When you pray for gift of giving or generosity, pray also for increase of faith, why? The Lord may situate you on testing grounds. And you know that you have received the gift you asked God for if you can overcome a challenge with gladness and praises of heart.

Always remember to pray that the Holy Spirit produces love in you so that when you practice your spiritual gift, your effort counts as your eternal treasure.

May God strengthen your trust and love for the Lord Jesus Christ, amen!

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