The Greatest of Gifts: A Meditation on 1st Corinthians 13, for the 4th Sunday after Epiphany

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of

angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding

brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 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, and have not love, I am nothing.

 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the

poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have

not love, it profiteth me nothing…

And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three;

 but the greatest of these is love.

Depending on the Christian tradition in which we received the faith, it may be easier or harder to ignore the gifts of the Holy Spirit within Christ’s Church.  St. Paul begins in chapter 12 of his first epistle to the church at Corinth, by describing a certain order or priority of gifts within the Church at large:  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.  Each of these have their proper place, and provide for the people of God a continuing benefit as we sojourn through this world as the Church Militant.  The words of the Apostles and Prophets are set down for us in Holy Scripture, helping the Church measure any new proclamation of Apostolic or Prophetic authority.  Those who are well formed in the Apostolic and Prophetic Scriptures are ordained into offices of teaching, so that they might faithfully teach others the Word of the Lord, passing the faith from one generation to the next.  Some servants in the Church throughout her history God has used to work miracles and healings, which bolster the faith of His people in His Word.  Through others, God has accomplished works of service, of government or leadership, and even the ability to speak in new languages, so that His saving Word might be proclaimed to the ends of the earth.

These gifts are all good, as they remain in their proper order, and remain servants of the Word of God.  In so far as each of these great gifts continue to point people to Christ through faith and repentance, that they might receive His free gift of grace unto eternal life, they are to be applauded and even sought after.  Wherever God places such gifts within His Holy Church, we ought to give Him thanks for such blessings, and resist the Rationalism of our age that tends to dismiss the miraculous works of God.  It is important, however, to remember that these gifts of themselves do not save anyone—not even the one through whom they are worked.  St. Paul was not saved because he was an Apostle, anymore than Moses was saved because he was a Prophet. No pastor or teacher or miracle worker in any age is saved because of their gifts, anymore than they can save anyone else through their gifts.  No administrator, or bureaucrat, or social justice advocate, or speaker of strange tongues saves themselves, either.  Rather, each of these is saved solely by grace through faith in Christ alone, and in this grace of Christ raised up to do the works of faith Christ gives to each one by His Holy Spirit.  Wonders, miracles, services, and offices do not save—only the Blood of Christ, which is the font of every grace in the Church.

And so St. Paul continues to teach the people of Corinth about greater, abiding gifts which Christ gives to His Church:  Faith, Hope, and Love.  While all the offices and miracles of the Church will come to an end, these three abide forever.  The Prophets and Apostles will one day have nothing left to prophesy or be sent out to witness; the teachers and pastors will one day have nothing left to teach and no one left to tend in Christ’s stead; the miracle workers, healers, and social servants will one day have no one left in need of such care; the administrators and bureaucrats will one day have nothing which needs their administration; the speakers of strange tongues will one day have none who need such communication.  One bright day, known only to God, when the promise of His Kingdom is fulfilled and we dwell together with Jesus face to face, all the shadows and partialities of this fallen world will themselves fall away, leaving us in that perfect communion with the Holy Trinity we were always created to have.  There, in that perfected fellowship, St. Paul tells us that we will know even as we are known, and the sufferings of this world will forever pass away.

But unto ages of ages, our faith which trusts the Word of God unto eternal life endures; our hope which rests on the promises of God, rests forever fulfilled; and our love, which is the reflection of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ, binds us together in perfect harmony and peace.  These three great gifts of God abide forever, and St. Paul teaches us that the greatest of them all, is love.  What does this mean?

It means despite their protestations to the contrary, the Church does not belong to the Theologians, who may be better or worse teachers of Apostolic doctrine.  It does not belong to modern day prophets or apostles who think they see what others cannot.  It does not belong to pastors, who may be better or worse under-shepherds to the true and only Good Shepherd in whose Office they minister. It does not belong to the servants of mercy and mission, with all their hospitals, schools, and shelters, and all their divinely reflected compassion to the poor.  It does not belong to the workers of miracles, through whom flow the power of the Holy Spirit to the wonder of all.  It does not belong to the speakers of strange tongues, though their gifts bring the Gospel to every nation and tribe.  It does not belong to the administrators and bureaucrats, who serve either better or worse for the benefit of their larger organizations.  It does not belong to book stores, to publishing houses, to governments, to committees and conferences and task forces.  The Church belongs to God, who Himself is love.

The Father of love, who brought the universe into existence, and sustains it according to His own gracious will; the Son of love, who gives Himself as a ransom to save His fallen creation from sin, death, hell, and the power of the devil; the Spirit of love, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, enlivening and sanctifying the whole household of faith unto everlasting life;  to this Most Holy Trinity does the Church belong, because it is He who has created it, redeemed it, and sanctified it by His grace.  In this One Holy Church, the very Bride of Jesus Christ, we see the love of God poured out for the salvation of the world.  Never ending divine love is the beginning, the middle, and the consummation of His Church for all who will repent and believe His saving Gospel.

What St. Paul is trying to teach the people of Corinth, and the people of our day, is that while God gives to His people an infinite variety of gifts, each and every one of those lesser gifts is ordered relative to His greatest gift of divine love… for without His love, each and every other gift He provides becomes dark, twisted, and evil.  His love for us is the source of all His gifts, which are all given for the purpose of moving us into the fellowship of His redeeming love in Jesus Christ.  What does this love of God look like?

Love suffereth long, and is kind;

love envieth not;

Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own,

is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  

Rejoiceth not in iniquity,

But rejoiceth in the truth;  

Beareth all things, believeth all things,

hopeth all things, endureth all things.  

Love never faileth.

In short, it looks like Jesus.  It looks like the Vicarious Atonement of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the whole world.  It looks like the Word of Jesus’ Gospel which comes to you, calling you away from all the empty vanities of an evil and self-absorbed life, that you might be embraced forever in His forgiveness, life, and salvation.  It looks like the various gifts He offers to you by His Holy Spirit, that you might live out His love toward your neighbor in need.  It looks like His unbreakable promise to wash you in Holy Baptism, to feed you in His Holy Supper, to forgive you through His Holy Absolution, to shepherd you through the valley of the shadow of death, and to raise you again on the last day.  It is a love which crashes through all eternity to meet you right where you are today, calling you into the blessed fellowship of His everlasting life.  It is a love which the gates of hell cannot withstand, and before which death and the devil flee away.  Behold this love of God in Christ Jesus:  hear Him, believe, and live.  Amen.