1 Corinthians 13 (5)

Pray Psalm 23.6.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.

Sing Psalm 23,6.
(The Gift of Love: Though I May Speak with Bravest Fire)
Goodness and mercy, full and free, shall ever after follow me,
and in the house of God, my LORD, shall I abide forevermore!

Read 1 Corinthians 13.1-12; meditate on verses 11, 12.

Preparation
1. How do we “see” in the present?

2. How will we know in the time to come?

Meditation
We all love our children. We all even mostly love all children. But children are children—immature, self-centered, impatient, demanding. Grownups should no longer act like children. Paul points to himself again, as he has done at several points in this letter. All the Corinthians would agree that Paul was a grownup Christian and not a babe in Christ. What about them?

Paul continued here urging his readers on to maturity, to the stature of a self-denying servant of the Body of Christ. The Corinthians knew what Paul expected of them: grow up, set aside all your childish and divisive ways, and learn the more excellent way of love.

But our progress will be in fits and starts, so let’s be patient with one another, helping one another along the way rather than looking for some advantage over our neighbor. We only see dimly now, like looking at our two-dimensional self in a mirror. But that’s as good as it gets for now, so let’s work to see as clearly as we can and to bear one another’s burdens as we progress.

For a time is coming—then—when we’ll all have perfect knowledge and perfect love because we will be face-to-face with Him Who is perfect knowledge and love. And then, when we see Jesus face-to-face, we will be like Him; we will be perfect love and perfect knowledge.

That’s then. For now, we must strive toward that mark, being patient and persistent, ministering to one another; and growing continually into adulthood as a believer.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Celtic Christians had the ability to live in the “there and then”, “here and now”. That is what sustained their time of revival for almost 400 years (430-800 AD). They were able to keep their eyes on Jesus—the Author and Finisher of their faith—to help them lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares, and run with endurance the race that was set before them. (Heb. 12.1, 2).

We must look unto Jesus, and consider Him Who endured hostility and cruelty, so that we too will not become weary and discouraged in our souls (Heb. 12.2, 3). When we see Him, even dimly, His light is so bright that it will carry us to completion on that final Day (Phil. 1.6).

In this life, it may take two or more doses of spit to help us see Jesus more clearly: “Then [Jesus] came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on Him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, ‘I see men like trees, walking.’ Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly” (Mk. 8.22-25).

Jesus was sent by God, to do these mighty works of physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. “I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness…to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house” (Is. 42.6, 7).

When our eyes are opened, we see God as He must be seen; but ourselves, we must see as clearly. It is a foretaste of glory divine. Job summed it up, “I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know…I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42.3, 5). And after we have seen Him and seen ourselves, we hear Jesus’ words of hope: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10.10).

There and then, here and now…growing to be more like Jesus, so that when we take that final step into glory it will not be a stupefying change, but a peaceful, seamless move from partial knowledge to full on face-to-face knowing. How our hearts yearn within us! (Job 19.27).

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above, Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long.
(Fanny J. Crosby, 1873)

For reflection
1. When you think of Jesus, what do you see? Where did you get that idea about Jesus?

2. If we “saw” Jesus more clearly, how would that affect our life of following Him here and now?

3. Why is it so important that we have a clear and compelling vision of “then and there”—when we see Jesus face-to-face and are like Him?

Where God is to be seen as he is, and face to face, there charity is in its greatest height; there only will it be perfected. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on 1 Corinthians 13.11, 12

Pray Psalm 23.1-5.
Thank the Lord for His shepherding care. Pray that He will use you to care for and shepherd others.

Sing Psalm 23.1-5.
(The Gift of Love: Though I May Speak with Bravest Fire)
Because the LORD my Shepherd is I shall not want, for I am His!
He makes me lie in pastures full; I rest in Him by waters still.

My soul He quickens and will bless; He leads in paths of righteousness.
Though I may walk in death’s dark vale, I shall not fear—He will not fail!

The LORD is ever by my side; His rod and staff with me abide.
A table rich for me He spreads; with oil my LORD anoints my head.

T. M. and Susie Moore

The Church in Corinth was in need of revival. But there was much to be done before that would happen. The Church today is in need of revival, and the same is true for us. Our book, Revived!, can help us to discern our need for revival and lead us in getting there. Order your copy by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available by clicking here.