Love | Fruits of the Spirit | Week 2

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV) - “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

Background & Application - In recent history, few Christian women have worn a wedding dress and not heard this passage. While it certainly can be applied to the marriage relationship, Paul originally wrote it to describe the Corinthians’ relationship with one another. However, Paul did not command the church to do anything the Lord Jesus had not already done perfectly. While this chapter is famous for its description of love, the Gospels provide further insight about the characteristics of genuine love by holding up the example of Christ’s own life. For instance, Jesus embodied patience (v. 4) Consider the passage in the gospel of Mark in which James and John asked Jesus to do whatever they asked of him. Rather than chiding them for such brashness, Jesus spoke to them patiently (Mark 10:35-40).

Is this verse what you imagine Jesus’s love is like? What about worldly love? What are the main differences that you have noticed?

Dive Deeper: Can you find anymore examples of when Jesus demonstrated this type of love?

Mark 10:35-40 (patient), John 2: 17 (not easily angered), John 18:37 (truth), Hebrews 12:2: “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured for the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Reflection questions: Do you feel secure in God’s love for you? Is there someone who is in need of your patience and kindness?