最大的是愛
哥林多前書十三章1至7節
1我若能說萬人的方言，並天使的話語，卻沒有愛，我就成了鳴的鑼，響的鈸一般。
2我若有先知講道之能，也明白各樣的奧祕，各樣的知識，而且有全備的信，叫我能夠移山，卻沒有愛，我就算不得甚麼。
3我若將所有的賙濟窮人，又捨己身叫人焚燒，卻沒有愛，仍然與我無益。
4愛是恆久忍耐，又有恩慈；愛是不嫉妒；愛是不自誇，不張狂，
5不做害羞的事，不求自己的益處，不輕易發怒，不計算人的惡，
6不喜歡不義，只喜歡真理；
7凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。
信息分享
接著，我們就聽見這段勾劃愛的美妙詩篇。有人稱許這段經文，是「保羅所寫的一段最深刻有力的偉大宣言」。
保羅剛剛談到基督的身體、身體中的肢體，以及各肢體的恩賜。但他最關心的，是信徒要學習彼此相愛，而不是互相炫耀恩賜。
當保羅談到愛的時候，他用了一個很美妙的詞。在希臘文中，那詞是表示神對我們的那種愛。神愛我們，並不是因為我們配得祂去愛，而是只因祂愛我們。這是一種自發性的愛，是不問回報，或不管對方是否接受的愛。這是一種只為所愛的對象的好處，而不求自己好處的愛。
保羅說，我們若要為基督做任何工作，首要具備的條件，就是要先有這種愛。首先，愛遠比語言能力重要；愛本身就是一種最有力的語言。
其次，愛比知識重要。保羅在這裡所講的知識，是指我們即使認識聖經的一切真理，但我們向人傳講真理的時候，心中若沒有真正的愛，對別人也難有任何真正的益處。知識雖有其價值，但愛卻更加重要。
我們參與事奉，究竟是出於責任，還是出於愛？我們為主作見證，是否基於責任，或是我們熱愛失喪的靈魂，渴望他們能及早認識主？當我們細讀這段經文時，願我們都能省察自己的內心有沒有這種愛。
禱告：
「主啊，求你以你的愛來激勵我，使我能渴望與人分享你的愛。」
THE GREATEST IS LOVE
1 Corinthians 13:1-7
1 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.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Message
Then the words begin to flow from the reader, this wonderful hymn of love. It has been called the 'greatest, strongest, deepest words Paul ever wrote'.
Paul had been speaking about the body of Christ and its members and its gifts. He is greatly concerned that the first desire of the Corinthian church will be to love one another rather than just to show off their gifts.
When Paul speaks about love he uses a wonderful word. It means the kind of love that God has for us. He loves us not because we are worthy, but simply because he is love. It is a love given whether it is received or returned or not. It is a love that seeks nothing for itself only the good of the one being loved.
Paul says that kind of love is absolutely necessary if we are ever to do anything for Christ. First of all love is greater than any ability to speak in some other language. Love has a language all its own.
Paul says love is really greater than knowledge. By this he means that we can know all about the Bible, but if we don't have love in our hearts as we share it with other people, It will have no real meaning for them. Knowledge has its place, but love is even greater.
Why are we doing whatever we are doing for Christ? Is it out of some sense of duty or out of a sense of love? Are we witnessing for Christ because we feel we must or because we love the lost souls outside of Christ and long that they might know him too? Let this chapter search our hearts as we read it.
A PRAYER:
'Lord, love this world through me.'