Charity – Part 1

Living Completely Unselfishly

“and to brotherly kindness charity”

1 Corinthians 13:13

Powerpoint Presentation

I.         Introduction – We have Come a Long Way…

A.      Faith is the foundation – we all must start here

1.        Not what a church believes, but who we believe in

2.        Personal, intimate, living faith in a living all powerful
Saviour and God!

B.       Virtue defines what we allow ourselves to do, boxes us in away from sin

C.       Knowledge gives me the answers to what used to scare me, and defeat me – know the truth and the truth will make you free

D.      Temperance gives control of my life over to the Holy Spirit of God

E.       Patience enables me to wait on God as I grow and as I struggle!

F.       When I add Godliness to my life, I am adding actions, thought patterns, habits, desires that match the way Jesus lived

G.       Adding Brotherly Kindness means making sure I love other Christians above my job, my own needs, and that I make them part of my extended family – not kept for only at Church!

II.       Defining the Undefinable (1Cor 13) – Charity

A.      Not just “love” but:

1.        Loving kindness

2.        A love that is expressed from the whole heart – not just part (Mt 22:37)

3.        Perfect love – with “self” completely out of the picture

B.       Charity is the highest step a person can achieve in this life

1.        It is better than sacrifices and religion (Mt 12:33)

2.        Is more important than life itself (Ps 63:3)

3.        Without it, nothing is worth anything (1Cor 13:1-3)

C.       Charity is the rarest form of love – like the rarest jewel

1.        Diamonds are not at all rare. The De Beers cartel would prefer you didn't know this, but annual world production of gem-quality diamond exceeds fifty million carats. This equals ten metric tons and would fill about 120 bushel baskets every year. Consider that the next time you cough up a few thousand euros for an engagement ring stone!

2.        The rarest gemstone in the world is Painite – less than 25 exist in the whole world – worth the most of all stones!

3.        Same is true with Charity

4.        But it shouldn’t stay that way – God said find Charity, and Add it to your life! Jesus purchased this incredible treasure for everyone in this room

D.      The Only Selfless Love in the Bible… Jesus (Philp 2:5-8) - All the others had some ulterior motive involved in their love

III.     The Need for Charity

A.      Somebody once said, "All church problems are really love problems. All human problems are love problems – love God, or love sin; love God or love self more)!

B.       All the problems the Corinthian Christians were experiencing could have all been solved with charity (all the strife; divisions; incest; marital conflicts; lawsuits; stumbling blocks; financial compensation; disorders around the Lord's Supper; abuse of spiritual gifts). They were all heart problems!

C.       CHARITY versus LOVE

1.        Charity is a better word than love here.

2.        "Love" is sometimes mistaken as a feeling. However, "charity" always refers to love in action / giving.

3.        Charity is associated with conduct, not emotions.

4.        The world’s idea of love is often lust since it's focus is on self and not others; on getting and not giving.

5.        Both Love and Charity are an act of the will (Matt. 22:36-40) involves commitment. Love is not accidental, but purposeful. Charity must be PUT ON (Col. 3:14) – it doesn’t just accidentally happen.

D.      Who in this room has Charity?

E.       It is plain to see that we all need this in our lives!!!

IV.    Fake Charity – seen love, acted out love, faked love, feeling-based love

A.      Giving of token gifts of money and goods to people in need – not ever giving what was necessary for YOU to survive

B.       Giving a bit of your time for a good cause

C.       Giving up things you didn’t need anyway – things that are easy to lose

D.      None of this is charity at all – it is self-glorifying, easy to do, and pitiful to God and to those you give to

E.       Real love, real charity costs – involves a sacrifice

V.      What Does Charity Do? How to test if your love is charitable or not

A.      It edifies (1Cor 8:1) – builds up, improves, blesses, strengthens, encourages

B.       It meets needs (1Jn 3:17; Mt 25:35)

C.       It covers a multitude of sins and failures (1Pet 4:8) – buries them instead of the offender

D.      It is kind while suffering (1Cor 13:4) – never vengeful

E.       It fulfils the whole law (Mt 22:37,39; 1Tim 1:5)

VI.       We Ought to Be Very Ashamed

A.      We have settled for a feeling kind of love that switches on and off according to our environment

B.       We have not know the extent (size) of the love of God

C.       We think love is an option, instead of a command

D.      We need to repent of cold, sinful hearts

VII.     Next Week – 1 Corinthians 13

A.      A look at an entire chapter in the word of God to see what our love-life ought to be like

B.       How to Add Charity into the Life of a Believer. Not an easy task!

Craig Ledbetter

Bible Baptist Church

Ballincollig, Ireland

www.biblebc.com