Sermon Tone Analysis

By Pastor Glenn Pease

The theme of love has been associated with the Lord's Supper down through the centuries.

The early Christians had what came to be known as an Agape feast before they partook of the Lord's Supper.

This was a time in which they ate a full meal together in an atmosphere of Christian fellowship.

It was a great contrast to the pagan parties which were held on behalf of false gods.

Most of the Corinthian Christians had been involved in this corrupt pagan celebrations before their conversion, and some of the self-centeredness of those began to creep into the love feasts of the church.

The result was that the outgoing concern for others in agape love faded, and eros love came in, which is a love that is more concerned about self and what pleasure it can get at the expense of others.

It was a constant battle to keep the love feast a time of true Christian fellowship.

After New Testament days the church changed the feast and held it after the Lord's Supper, but there was still problems of corruption.

In times of persecution the agape meal was had in prisons with condemned Christians before they were martyred.

It soon became a custom to have a love meal after weddings and funerals, and so our modern days receptions after such events are nothing new in the church.

During the Middle Ages, however, the practice became so corrupted by non-Christian influence that the Council of Trullan in 692 A. D. ruled that those who held love feasts in the church should be excommunicated.

The agape feast is still practiced in the Eastern Church just as it was in New Testament days.

A small group in England called the Peculiar People also have the love feast.

They demonstrate that the practice does not have to be corrupt.

The only trace of the idea left in most churches today is the practice of taking a benevolent offering after the Lord's Supper to be used to help the needy.

The result is that few people today connect love with the Lord's Supper.

It is appropriate, however, to consider the theme of love before we commune with the Lord of love.

We want to focus our attention on the attributes of love that are first mentioned, and they are patience and kindness.

I. LOVE IS PATIENT.

Patience is the first attribute that Paul mentions, for this is essential in all the relationships of life.

If God was not patient, He would have destroyed the earth long ago, and there would be no plan of salvation.

But God is love, and His love is patient, not willing that any should perish but that all come to repentance.

God is exceedingly patient with people.

Jonah even became angry at God when He did not destroy Nineveh but forgave them, and gave them a second chance when they repented.

God is patient because He is love, and if the love of God is in us, we too will be patient with people.

This means that we must have the capacity to forgive.

This word always means patience with people, and not just with circumstances.

In verse 7 Paul deals with enduring all things, but here at the start he puts first things first and says that the first attribute of agape love is the ability to be patient and forgiving of people.

Martin Luther King Jr. said, "He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love."

The Corinthians desperately needed to learn this, for there were weak Christians and proud Christians, and Christians of every type of personality all mixed together with different convictions and likes.

If there is no patience in such an atmosphere, there is bound to be trouble, and there was.

Some were of Paul, others of Apolos, and others of Cephus.

At their love feast some would have steak, and others would have just vegetables.

The rich would not share with the poor.

Some ate meat offered to idols, and others thought it was a sin.

The church has the hardest task in the world.

It has to take people of all walks of life with endless differences in background, convictions, and personalities, and unite them in one unified mission of extending the kingdom of God on earth.

The task is not difficult, it is impossible unless the unifying power of agape love is present, only agape love can bear patiently the conflicts in human personalities.

Someone said, "To live above with the saints we love, Oh that will be glory!

But to live below with the saints we know-that's another story."

It is the basic ingredient in the unity of every church.

In any church business meeting you will find differing opinions and convictions.

In any group of Christians you will find varying viewpoints on many practical issues, and how to deal with them.

If the patience of agape love is not present the result will be division and conflict which is neither for the glory of God nor the good of man.

If love does not reign in the church, it ceases to be the light of the world and, as one has said, "Only adds deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars."

Love alone can dissolve the clouds of darkness and let the light of God shines through.

Abraham Lincoln had a bitter enemy when he was seeking to become President of the United States.

Stanton was his name, and for some reason he hated Lincoln.

He did everything possible to degrade him in the eyes of the public.

He use to call Lincoln, "The original gorilla."

On one occasion he said that a certain Frenchman was a fool to be wandering about in Africa trying to capture a gorilla when he could find one so easy in Springfield, Ill.

In spite of Stanton, Lincoln was elected.

Lincoln ten began to select his cabinet of men to work close to him, and the man he chose to be his Secretary of War was a shock to everyone, for it was none other than Stanton.

His advisors warned him, but Lincoln, knowing all the things he had said about him, still felt he was the best man for the job, and so he was appointed.

Such an act of love, forgiveness and patience in the face of hate made Stanton a great servant of his country, and a great friend of Lincoln.

When Lincoln's body was laid in a little room after he was shot, it was Stanton who stood over him and said through tears, "There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen."

Maybe not all felt like Stanton, but then not all men experienced the power of Lincoln's longsuffering love.

Likewise, only as we recognize the longsuffering love of God for us can we be patient with others.

It was while we were yet sinners that Christ died for us.

It was while all the hate of sin was being poured out on Him that He said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

Only after we have entered into, and experienced that forgiveness, can we forgive those who trespass against us.

That is why love is linked so closely to the Lord's Supper, for it is our remembrance of His longsuffering love that endured even the death of the cross that keeps us conscious of our obligation to be patient with all others for whom He died.

It is this attribute of patience that enables us to love even our enemies as God loves His.

The Christian destroys his enemies by making them his friends, even as Lincoln did with Stanton.

Longsuffering agape love is the basis on which Martin Luther King Jr. waged his war against those who hated the blacks.

He demonstrated in an historical crisis that love can conquer hate.

Here is a paragraph from his book titled Strength To Love.

"To our most bitter opponents we say: We shall match your

capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure

suffering.

We shall meet your physical force with soul force.

Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you.

We

cannot in all good conscience obey your unjust laws, because

non-cooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is

cooperation with good.

Throw us in jail, and we shall still love

you.

Bomb our homes and threaten our children, and we shall

still love you.

Send your hooded perpetrators of violence into

our community at the midnight hour and beat us and leave us

half dead, and we shall still love you.

But be ye assured that

we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer.

One day we

shall win freedom, but not only for ourselves.

We shall so

appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you

in the process, and our victory will be a double victory."

The wicked weeds of hate and prejudice will eventually wither in the brilliant light and blazing heat of such longsuffering love.

Little did a young lady in England many years ago realize how important longsuffering love is in teaching Sunday School.

She had a class of 4 ragged boys, and they seem to be hopeless, and especially Bob.

It was a struggle just to keep him coming.

The Sunday School superintendent gave him a new suit of clothes so he would not feel out of place, but after a couple of Sundays he was gone again.

The teacher went after him and found the clothes all torn and dirty.

She invited him back and he came.

The superintendent gave him another suit of clothes, but after a week or so his seat was empty again.

The teacher was so aggravated when she found him again and the clothes were a mess.