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1 Corinthians 12:27-31 ESV
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV
1 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.

I.LOVE MEANS LIFE TOGETHER (26-31)
A.The church is to be a characterized by a compassionate closeness rather than a spirit of competition.
B.As a family, we should root for, rejoice with, and remain true to one another in the midst of trouble.

II.LOVE MEANS KNOWING ONE ANOTHER (26-31)
A.One of the greatest hindrances to loving one another in the church is the superficiality of all our relationships.
B.To really love someone, you must know them, and they must know you.

III.WHAT IS LOST IN FAILING TO LOVE (1-3)
A.While exceling in the gifts of the Spirit is important, what is more important is exceling in the fruits of the Spirit, specifically, love.
B.If you use your gifts and fail to love you only wind up hurting others.
C.If you use your gifts and fail to love that makes you a nobody.
D.If you use your gifts and fail to love, you lose, the church loses, and worst of all, the name of Jesus loses.

NEXT STEPS
1.You have been created to be fully known and truly loved and to fully know and truly love.
2.God fully knows you and yet truly loves you and has proven that through the cross of Christ. (Jeremiah 17:9-10, Romans 5:6-8)