Walking with Jesus
"If the LORD delights in a person's way, He makes their steps firm; though they stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD upholds them with His hand." (Psalm 37:23,24)
Walking with Jesus

Lessons Learned: “God’s Outrageous Love?” (1 Corinthians 13:1)

“God’s Outrageous Love?” (1 Corinthians 13:1)

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LESSONS LEARNED

Tuesday 22 September 2026 — God’s Outrageous Love? (1 Corinthians 13:1). God’s extravagant love reaches sinners through Jesus Christ. Today’s lesson asks whether the mercy we receive becomes love that others can see in our service and hear in our voices.

WATCH OUTS

  1. Do not mistake eloquence or spiritual vocabulary for love; impressive speech without love fails the test Paul places before the church (1 Corinthians 13:1; 1 John 3:18).
  2. Do not treat God’s patience as permission to keep rejecting Him; His kindness calls us to repentance (Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).
  3. Do not make the cross a sentimental symbol while forgetting our sin and Christ’s costly sacrifice (Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24).

SUCCESSES / SPIRITUAL GROWTH

  1. Receive God’s love as His gracious initiative, expressed in sending His Son for sinners rather than rewarding human worthiness (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).
  2. Respond to Jesus with repentance and trust; salvation is received by grace rather than earned through impressive performance (Acts 20:21; Ephesians 2:8-9).
  3. Remember the mercy you have received so that gratitude reshapes how you treat others (1 Timothy 1:13-16; Colossians 3:12-13).

LEADERSHIP DYNAMICS

  1. Measure spiritual leadership by Christlike love as well as speaking ability; a persuasive voice cannot replace a faithful example (1 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 4:12).
  2. Lead from remembered mercy rather than superiority; Paul’s testimony directs attention to Christ’s patience and saving grace (1 Timothy 1:15-16; Titus 3:3-5).
  3. Correct people gently without abandoning truth, seeking their restoration rather than enjoying their embarrassment (2 Timothy 2:24-25; Galatians 6:1).

EKKLESIA PERSPECTIVE

  1. Let the church’s shared life make Jesus’ love recognizable; love belongs at the center of its public witness (John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:11-12).
  2. Evaluate the use of spiritual gifts by whether people are built up in love, not merely impressed by the speaker (1 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Corinthians 14:26).
  3. Make room for testimonies of mercy that magnify Jesus rather than treating a person’s former sin as the final word (1 Timothy 1:13-16; 2 Corinthians 5:17).