True Christian Love Is Embodied In Service is the only Practice that explicitly names “Love” as one of its four formation themes. 1 Corinthians 13:1–7 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (ESV) True Christian love is not a of actions v.7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. NIV translates “All things” as “Always” v.7 Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Protects: always “covers up” - forgives, no matter how offensive that person is. Trusts: always engages, making itself vulnerable, no matter the cost Hopes: “hopes” ≠ “faith”; relates to hope & joy = what the heart delights in True Christian Hope & Joy is loving something simply for itself, not what it can bring you. Perseveres: always endures and never fails Humanity demands this from one another but can never accomplish it. “This is the center heart of the moral universe” - Keller True Christian Love is in Jesus Paul does not say, “WE must always protect..” He says “Love always protects…” Love is personified. This is unique to Love. Paul never personifies Faith or Hope. Paul is not providing a checklist but a description of a love that actually happened. True Christian love is embodied in service. Mark 10:45 The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve others. C.S. Lewis, in his book The Four Loves (Chapter on Charity) [Lewis explores natural loves (affection, friendship, eros) and how they are perfected by divine charity (agape)] “There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket—safe, dark, motionless, airless—it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” “The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.” Continuing the Conversation 1. When you read 1 Corinthians 13:1–7, which parts do you find yourself meeting the most resistance to embody? 2. Specifically with the “Always” statements: Where has it been difficult to always… “Protect” by forgiving regardless of how offensive the person is? “Trust” by continuous engagement, making yourself vulnerable? “Hope” by loving someone just for the sake of itself, not what it can bring you? “Persevere” by never giving up on the person? 3. Where have you seen fruit in embodying the 4 “Always” elements of True Christian love?