REFLECTION: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 “Love is the most excellent way”
The lesson for today is love. Do you want to know what love is? Do you want to know how to love as God loves us? Well, pay attention to Paul’s teaching for us today in 1 Corinthians 13. To love is the most important thing we need to learn in this lifetime and especially as Christians. The way that we love each other is the most important theme in the whole Bible. As Paul said in today’s reading, if “I do not have love, I am nothing”. Jesus tells us that the great commandment is to love God and to love our neighbour. Yet learning to love is not as easy as it sounds. Loving others as God loves us requires a major work in our lives. Loving others requires sacrifice, determination and great patience. Are you ready to love? Pay attention to Paul’s teaching.
1. Love is the most important thing (1-3)
a. It’s what the church most needs
b. It is the better way
c. Without love we are nothing.
2. Love requires hard work and commitment (4-7)
a. It’s more a decision than a feeling.
b. Love is patient and kind (4)
c. Love rejoices with the truth (6)
d. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (7)
e. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude … (4-6)
3. Love lives on forever (8-13)
a. Love never fails
b. Faith and hope are good, but the greatest is love.
To think about:
In what ways do I show real love (ágape) to others?
HYMNS
TIS 153 God is love, let heaven adore him
MP 476 My Lord, what love is this?
TIS 232 O the deep, deep love of Jesus
TIS 217 Love divine all loves excelling
WEDNESDAY GROWTH GROUP Will be resuming on Wednesday 5th of February. Marien will be leading some studies based on the theme of Creation in the Psalms. After these four weeks, we will begin the Hope 25 Lenten studies. Hope 25 Lenten Study Books are available from Graeme for $10.
GARDENING AND GROUNDS WORK We have many gardening and maintenance jobs that are piling up. We are extremely grateful to Rusty Nicholls who has taken on so much but we need more helpers. If you can spare a few hours, we would love to hear from you. Speak to Rusty or Graeme. We are particularly keen to find someone who is good at building stone walls or working with mortar. We have a lot of bluestone edging to do in the main carpark area.
SUNDAY SCHOOL RETURNS TODAY
READINGS FOR NEXT SUNDAY 9th Feb: Isaiah. 1-8 (9-13); Psalm 138; 1 Corinthians 15.1-11; Luke 5.1-11
GWYNN KETT Really enjoyed her 100 years celebration and thanksgiving to God last Sunday and hopes you all did too. Thank you for being there and for all your blessings and loving good wishes. Thank you. Blessings and love, Gwynne K.
CONFIRMATIONS/ALPHA We will be starting the Alpha Course on Wednesday Nights in the Parish Hall on Feb 12th with a meal at 6:30 and the course at 7:30. We will be having a shared meal with the people from the Wednesday growth group then dividing into separate groups for the study. The Alpha course will be the preparation for those seeking confirmation but it can be attended by anyone wanting to discover more about Christian faith. Please speak to Graeme if you would like to participate. It goes for about 10 weeks.
OLIVE ANDERSEN Our dear sister in Christ went to be with the Lord last Saturday January 25th. Her funeral will be held at St James next Tuesday Feb 4th at 11am. The church ladies will be providing refreshments after the service so if you can help, please speak to Margo.
MONDAY MEALS Get underway again this Monday. Please pray for Chris Keys and the team as they continue to bring food, friendship and comfort to many needy people through the Monday Meals program.
WOULD YOU LIKE SOME WOOD? We will be pulling down sections of the old vicarage fence over the next few days and there will be a number of palings and fence posts that we need to dispose of. If you can use them, please contact Graeme.
HIS WEEK WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR: Red Door Caroline Springs; The Diocese of Bendigo; Christ Church Grammar School; The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia; Upper Yarra Anglican Parish–Pastoral service; Archbishop Philip and all our Bishops in their ministry this week.
THIS WEEK WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR: Anthony, Nisha, Mike, Cecil, Ruth, Eva, Charles, Nigel, Jen, Ted, Natasha, Patty, Melenny, Shereen, Lorraine, Rebecca, Ken, Jim, Monty, Noel, Ashleigh, Mervyn, Sophie, Ursula, Doreen, Gay & Tauren.
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