Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 13, 2023: SOAP #5093: Job 39, 40; 1Corinthians 13, 14

SCRIPTURE:  1Corinthians (NIV) 12:31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

OBSERVATION:  When Paul was writing this letter to the church in Corinth, he did not have chapter breaks and the present chapters were not divided into verses.  It was all one letter.  Sometimes we can miss a connecting thought when we stop reading after completing a chapter or when we start reading a new chapter without going back and reading what came before. 

In chapter 12, Paul writes about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and how they are to be used in the church.  He ends those comments with “now I will show you the most excellent way.” 

APPLICATION:  Greater than all the gifts, greater than all the ways that the gifts are used, and greater than all the offices that use the gifts—LOVE is greater than all!  It is the most excellent way!  

Paul obviously knew the words of Jesus.  Jesus gave love as the heart of commandments: 1. love God and 2. love people as you love yourself. Jesus then gave a new command that we love one another as God loves us! Jesus said that it was love that motivated the Father to send the Son. Jesus said the world would take note of how we love one another.

PRAYER:  Lord, you have taken up residence in me.  So I want you to love through me.  May your love flow from me to those around me.  In Your Name I pray, Amen.

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!   
On Facebook:  Today’s SOAP from Pastor Leon