A More Excellent Way

1 Corinthians 12:27–31 (NKJV)

I. A Body Mentality

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
- Develop the body mentality to be more excellent

II. Operate in Your Own (Best) Gifts

28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
- Not everyone can do everything. Do what you can do best.

III. The Gifts Alone are Not Enough, Though

31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
- Even when you give God back the gifts He gave you, it is not enough. Strive to be more excellent!

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (NKJV)

IV. The Necessary Ingredient of Excellence is LOVE!

13:1 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.
- These three comparisons show the reader the utter necessity of love. Gifts without love are useless!

V. What Love Does and Does Not Do

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. 8 Love never fails.
- Notice in these verses what love does and what love does not do.

Takeaway Thoughts

Published by gregsloop