2. The Most Excellent Way
The point—as we move in the Spirit we move in God’s character and nature which is love

3. The Most Excellent Way
The point—as we move in the Spirit we move in God’s character and nature which is love
The way to our point—that we are loved of a Father that gave his Son—and our moving in the gifts of the Spirit is the good news continued.

4. The Most Excellent Way Matthew 3:16-17
16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

5. The Most Excellent Way John 3: 16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes him should not perish but have everlasting life.

6. The Most Excellent Way
1 Corinthians 12:31–13:3
31 But earnestly (eagerly) desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more (the most) excellent way.
13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

7. The Most Excellent Way
1 Corinthians 13: 4 - 8
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends.

8. The Most Excellent Way
1 Corinthians 13:
As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

9. The Most Excellent Way
1 Corinthians 13:13 – 14:1
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
14 1 Pursue love, and earnestly (eagerly) desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

10. The Most Excellent Way
A Little Context
This chapter is couched between a chapter on the Holy Spirit and His gifts and our being one body and a chapter elaborating on prophetic gifting.

11. The Most Excellent Way
A Little Context
This chapter is couched between a chapter on the Holy Spirit and His gifts and our being one body and a chapter elaborating on prophetic gifting.
The church is encouraged to be knowledgeable about and move in the gifts despite some serious issues (immorality, lawsuits, disorder) being addressed.

12. The Most Excellent Way
A Little Context
This chapter is couched between a chapter on the Holy Spirit and His gifts and our being one body and a chapter elaborating on prophetic gifting.
The church is encouraged to be knowledgeable about and move in the gifts despite some serious issues (immorality, lawsuits, disorder) being addressed.
We see Jesus move in these gifts in the Gospels.

13. The Most Excellent Way
A Little Context
This chapter is couched between a chapter on the Holy Spirit and His gifts and our being one body and a chapter elaborating on prophetic gifting.
The church is encouraged to be knowledgeable about and move in the gifts despite some serious issues (immorality, lawsuits, disorder) being addressed.
We see Jesus move in these gifts in the Gospels.
Why? Because in love these powerful gifts do great good.

14. The Most Excellent Way A heavyweight list of gifts: Tongues Prophecy
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
A heavyweight list of gifts:
Tongues
Prophecy
All mysteries
All knowledge
Faith to move mountains
Giving away all
Martyrdom

15. The Most Excellent Way The nature of love:
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
The nature of love:
Patient—God isn’t slow…2 Pe 3:9
Kind—His kindness leads us…Ro 2:4
Doesn’t envy, boast, isn’t arrogant or rude—it’s humble
It does not insist on its own way, it isn’t irritable—it’s selfless
It isn’t resentful—it is forgiving
It does not rejoice at wrongdoing—it isn’t evil or vindictive but rejoices with those who rejoice, mourns with those who mourn

16. The Most Excellent Way The nature of love: Rejoices with the truth
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
The nature of love:
Rejoices with the truth
Bears all things
Believes all things
Hopes all things 
Endures all things
Love never ends…as opposed to gifts

17. The Most Excellent Way Gifts will cease because...
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
Gifts will cease because...
…we won’t need anyone to:
Prophesy
Speak to us (tongues)
Share their knowledge

18. The Most Excellent Way
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
Because we aren’t going to need gifts that point to him and bring us closer to him…we will be with him…

19. The Most Excellent Way
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 

20. The Most Excellent Way
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 
….but when Jesus ministered there was perfect love

21. The Most Excellent Way
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 
….but when Jesus ministered there was perfect love
Can we bring heaven to earth this way?

22. The Most Excellent Way
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
Bringing a revelation of the Father and Son’s eternal love now…

23. The Most Excellent Way
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
Did you ever think the gifts that we may fear moving in today will one day be child’s play?

24. The Most Excellent Way
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
Did you ever think the gifts that we may fear moving in today will one day be child’s play?
…because the point of moving in the gifts, again, is love…eternal love

25. The Most Excellent Way
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
Are you aware in your spirit when you’re moving out in a gift that there is this lack of completion with the gift but then there is His presence which more than makes up for that lack?

26. The Most Excellent Way
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
Are you aware in your spirit when you’re moving out in a gift that there is this lack of completion with the gift but then there is His presence which more than makes up for that lack?
…it’s because He is love

27. The Most Excellent Way What about seeing through a mirror dimly?
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
What about seeing through a mirror dimly?

28. The Most Excellent Way What about seeing through a mirror dimly?
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
What about seeing through a mirror dimly?
…again we don’t yet see him as clearly and we don’t see him clearly in ourselves or each other as we will then…
…but love…   

29. The Most Excellent Way
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
By His Spirit, the Father will use his beloved (and fallible) sons and daughters to minister beyond themselves into the eternal realm of his glory and love.

30. The Most Excellent Way
A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13
By His Spirit, the Father will use his beloved (and fallible) sons and daughters to minister beyond themselves into the eternal realm of his glory and love.
...we need to display his love this way that our joy would be complete, that we may bring glory to the Father, that the kingdom of God would be extended.