1 Corinthians: The Greatest of These Is Love

Sermon Outline for May 8, 2022 

1 Corinthians: The Greatest of These is Love 

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 

Introduction: Context – Spiritual gifts in the body of Christ 

1 Corinthians 13:1-13: 

1. The necessity of love (vv. 1-3) 

• Speech without love is worthless 
• Beliefs and faith without love are worthless 
• Generous and sacrificial actions without love are worthless  

2. The character of love (vv. 4-7) 
3. The indestructible endurance of love (vv. 8-13) 

Passages: 

Luke 22,19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This  is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the  supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is  poured out for you. 

1 John 3:16, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 

Numbers 12:6-8, “When there is a prophet among you, 

I, the LORD, reveal myself to them in visions, 

I speak to them in dreams. 

7But this is not true of my servant Moses; 

he is faithful in all my house. 

8 With him I speak face to face, 

clearly and not in riddles; 

he sees the form of the LORD. 

Sending Word:  

John 13:34-35, 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you,  so you must love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if  you love one another.” 

Questions for Discussion:  

• Paul says the three marks of Christians in the present age are ‘faith’, ‘hope’, and  ‘love’. Why do you think he says ‘Love is the greatest’?  
• Read again Paul’s depiction of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Which of these do you  think are most evident in your life? Which do you most struggle with?  
• Is there a time in your life when you may have valued ‘true speech’, ‘correct thinking’,  or even ‘generous service’ more than actual love for the person? How might operating  from love have changed your actions?