That story must seem so very odd to the modern world.

2. That story must seem so very odd to the modern world.

3. That story must seem so very odd to the modern world. • It’s often the case that love isn’t exactly what we expect.

4. That story must seem so very odd to the modern world. • It’s often the case that love isn’t exactly what we expect. • It’s not just that God & the world define love differently.

5. That story must seem so very odd to the modern world. • It’s often the case that love isn’t exactly what we expect. • It’s not just that God & the world define love differently. • Love may respond differently in different circumstances.

6. That story must seem so very odd to the modern world. • It’s often the case that love isn’t exactly what we expect. • It’s not just that God & the world define love differently. • Love may respond differently in different circumstances. • In this morning’s text, love acts in two different ways.

7. That story must seem so very odd to the modern world. • It’s often the case that love isn’t exactly what we expect. • It’s not just that God & the world define love differently. • Love may respond differently in different circumstances. • In this morning’s text, love acts in two different ways. • Love acts positively.

8. That story must seem so very odd to the modern world. • It’s often the case that love isn’t exactly what we expect. • It’s not just that God & the world define love differently. • Love may respond differently in different circumstances. • In this morning’s text, love acts in two different ways. • Love acts positively. • Love also acts negatively.

9. “Love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing” (vv 4-6, ESV).

10. Love does not envy.

11. Love does not envy. • There was certainly envy in the Corinthian congregation.

12. Love does not envy. • There was certainly envy in the Corinthian congregation. • Envy runs counter to the concept of sacrificial love.

13. Love does not envy. • There was certainly envy in the Corinthian congregation. • Envy runs counter to the concept of sacrificial love. • We cannot envy one another.

14. Love does not envy. • There was certainly envy in the Corinthian congregation. • Envy runs counter to the concept of sacrificial love. • We cannot envy one another. • If I’m sacrificing for you, I’m not going to care if you have something I deem as better than something I have.

15. Love does not envy. • There was certainly envy in the Corinthian congregation. • Envy runs counter to the concept of sacrificial love. • We cannot envy one another. • If I’m sacrificing for you, I’m not going to care if you have something I deem as better than something I have. • “If you have bitter jealousy [same word we have in v 4] and selfish ambition n your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth” (Js 3:14, ESV).

16. Envy is antithetical to communal life.

17. Envy is antithetical to communal life. • “All who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:44-45, ESV).

18. Envy is antithetical to communal life. • “All who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:44-45, ESV). No envy, no selfishness, but communal life.

19. Envy is antithetical to communal life. • “All who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:44-45, ESV). No envy, no selfishness, but communal life. • “Rejoice with those who rejoice” (Rm 12:15, ESV).

20. Envy is antithetical to communal life. • “All who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:44-45, ESV). No envy, no selfishness, but communal life. • “Rejoice with those who rejoice” (Rm 12:15, ESV). If I’m envious of you, how can I rejoice when something good happens in your life?

21. Do we envy one another?

22. Love does not boast.

23. Love does not boast. • The Gr word literally means to be a windbag.

24. Love does not boast. • The Gr word literally means to be a windbag. The idea is one who talks of himself over and over and over again.

25. Love does not boast. • The Gr word literally means to be a windbag. The idea is one who talks of himself over and over and over again. • Cicero uses this word in a letter to Atticus where he describes a speech he just gave in the Roman Senate.

26. Love does not boast. • The Gr word literally means to be a windbag. The idea is one who talks of himself over and over and over again. • Cicero uses this word in a letter to Atticus where he describes a speech he just gave in the Roman Senate. • Pompey, a member of the First Triumvirate, was present.

27. Love does not boast. • The Gr word literally means to be a windbag. The idea is one who talks of himself over and over and over again. • Cicero uses this word in a letter to Atticus where he describes a speech he just gave in the Roman Senate. • Pompey, a member of the First Triumvirate, was present. • “Heavens! How I showed off before my new auditor Pompey.”

28. Love does not boast. • The Gr word literally means to be a windbag. The idea is one who talks of himself over and over and over again. • Cicero uses this word in a letter to Atticus where he describes a speech he just gave in the Roman Senate. • Pompey, a member of the First Triumvirate, was present. • “Heavens! How I showed off before my new auditor Pompey.” • The Corinthians had a problem with boasting.

29. We dare not be a boastful people.

30. We dare not be a boastful people. • Nebuchadnezzar.

31. We dare not be a boastful people. • Nebuchadnezzar. • “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Dan 4:30, ESV).

32. We dare not be a boastful people. • Nebuchadnezzar. • “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Dan 4:30, ESV). • Therefore, he lived as a wild animal for seven years.

33. We dare not be a boastful people. • Nebuchadnezzar. • “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Dan 4:30, ESV). • Therefore, he lived as a wild animal for seven years. • Peter.

34. We dare not be a boastful people. • Nebuchadnezzar. • “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Dan 4:30, ESV). • Therefore, he lived as a wild animal for seven years. • Peter. • “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” (Mt 26:35, ESV).

35. We dare not be a boastful people. • Nebuchadnezzar. • “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Dan 4:30, ESV). • Therefore, he lived as a wild animal for seven years. • Peter. • “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” (Mt 26:35, ESV). • We all know his heartache.

36. Love is not arrogant. • The idea of boasting naturally leads to arrogance.

37. Love is not arrogant. • The idea of boasting naturally leads to arrogance. • Just as bellows puff up to send air where they’re needed, so one becomes arrogant in order that he might boast where he wants.

38. Love is not arrogant. • The idea of boasting naturally leads to arrogance. • Just as bellows puff up to send air where they’re needed, so one becomes arrogant in order that he might boast where he wants. • We’d better not be arrogant!

39. Love is not arrogant. • The idea of boasting naturally leads to arrogance. • Just as bellows puff up to send air where they’re needed, so one becomes arrogant in order that he might boast where he wants. • We’d better not be arrogant! • “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes” (Prov 6:16-17, ESV).

40. Love is not arrogant. • The idea of boasting naturally leads to arrogance. • Just as bellows puff up to send air where they’re needed, so one becomes arrogant in order that he might boast where he wants. • We’d better not be arrogant! • “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes” (Prov 6:16-17, ESV). • “Clothe yourselves, all you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pt 5:5, ESV).

41. Are we arrogant?

42. Love is not rude.

43. Love is not rude. • The Gr term means “to behave disgracefully.”

44. Love is not rude. • The Gr term means “to behave disgracefully.” • The term could very well mean that if I love you I’m not going to act disgracefully toward you.

45. Love is not rude. • The Gr term means “to behave disgracefully.” • The term could very well mean that if I love you I’m not going to act disgracefully toward you. • In some contexts, the word means to feel ashamed.

46. Love is not rude. • The Gr term means “to behave disgracefully.” • The term could very well mean that if I love you I’m not going to act disgracefully toward you. • In some contexts, the word means to feel ashamed. Paul could mean that love does nothing to embarrass others.

47. Love is not rude. • The Gr term means “to behave disgracefully.” • The term could very well mean that if I love you I’m not going to act disgracefully toward you. • In some contexts, the word means to feel ashamed. Paul could mean that love does nothing to embarrass others. • But, it could be a mixture of these two ideas—if I love you, I’m not going to act inappropriately & thus I’ll bring shame to neither of us.

48. Love is not rude. • The Gr term means “to behave disgracefully.” • The term could very well mean that if I love you I’m not going to act disgracefully toward you. • In some contexts, the word means to feel ashamed. Paul could mean that love does nothing to embarrass others. • But, it could be a mixture of these two ideas—if I love you, I’m not going to act inappropriately & thus I’ll bring shame to neither of us. • In Corinth, there was a great deal of inappropriate acting.

49. Do we act inappropriately?

50. Love does not insist on its own way.